Cleaning A New RAD?

[theseeker]

If you have been following my build log you know that I am getting close to a great start or a puff of black smoke.
The question;
I have to clean the big Feser Rad and I want to make sure that I am up to date on cleaning-flushing the Rad for the first time. Some say distilled H20 followed by vinegar or alcohol.
Just wanting to get some new tried and true feedback! TIA

[l33t p1mp]

One flush of vinegar then 2 flushes of distilled should do the trick.

[BlueAqua]

I used really hot tap water and let it flush through the radiator for a few minutes, periodically shaking it. After that I flushed it with distilled water a few times and called it a day. My Thermochill needed more cleaning than the Feser but I don't think vinegar is wise to use anymore.

[halo112358]

I would seal one of the plugs, fill the rad most of the way with boiling water (90-95%), then seal the other and shake a bit. Using anything corrosive or caustic to flush a fresh rad is probably bad idea these days.

If you're really paranoid you can stick a pentek filter in the loop just after the rad for the first 24h or so.

[NaeKuh]

seeker, boil some water.

then let it sit for 5 min.

Pour the hot water and flush your rads with it.

Then rince with distilled.

New rads only need hot water to get rid of excess sodder and flux.

[anzial]

I did tap/distilled water routine but then I've test-run the loop for a few days, changing water like 2-3 days a day due various leaks lol. I had blisters on my fingers from pulling the tubing and off the barbs but I think I cleaned out all the crap from the rad, pump and waterblock. I'll try boiling water with my other new rad, lol, don't wanna go through all that again!

[T_Flight]

Boiling Distilled is what I used. I got a 2 cup measuring cup (Pyrex) and filled it with water, put it in the microwave and brought to a boil, poured in and let set to warm the radiator (be careful, they do a good of conducting heat and they get hot quick...they ARE a rad afterall hehe), put on some gloves and dumped a bit of water out, then plugged and shook like crazy. I did this outside and poured the water into a 5 gallon bucket. I then kept adding fresh boiling water and reheating as necessary and went through about a 1/2 gallon.

My rad is a Black Ice GTX360, and all I got out was little small green pieces, and some small little specs about the size of a grain of sand. I was told by the guys at Petra's that they come pretty clean out of the box.


My loop has been running since lastnight and everything looks real nice and clear. I do have some Prestone Rad Flush if needed though. Vinegar? Ummm, no. That was said in the stickies. They used to do it, but later in the thread advised against it. They use water soluable fluxes now so you don't have to get too agressive.

[shazza]

Here's the steps:

1. Send the Feser Quad to me

2. Forget you sent it to me

3. I will clean it spic and span

4. I will forget to send it back to you


Seriously ... hot water, doesn't have to be distilled, for a good soak. Repeat if you like. Rinse a few times with distilled ... if the water is clear, you should be good to go.

[Conumdrum]

From a post I did on DD to help someone.

Rad prep:: One of the most missed things. Boil sink water, let cool 5 min. Pour into rad filling it up, let sit 10 min. Drain 1/2 water or so, shake till your arms hurt, 3-4 min like a crazy man. Drain into a clear container. Do the rad dance again and again till the water from the rad is clear and no gunk once the water settles. Then do it two more times. NOW and only now is your rad 90% clean. No worries, the last 10% will come out in the next year or two when you redo your loop for maintenance. Oh and post a vid of ya dancin, be a fun thing to see. My wife asked me what the hell was I doing..........

[basserdan]

I got an attachment at HD for my sink with a 1/2" barb. Hooked it to a barb on my rad w' some tubing and ran hot at as high of a pressure as I could w/o blasting the the hose off until I drained the water heater for each rad. I think it worked pretty well.

[anzial]

From a post I did on DD to help someone.

Rad prep:: One of the most missed things. Boil sink water, let cool 5 min. Pour into rad filling it up, let sit 10 min. Drain 1/2 water or so, shake till your arms hurt, 3-4 min like a crazy man. Drain into a clear container. Do the rad dance again and again till the water from the rad is clear and no gunk once the water settles. Then do it two more times. NOW and only now is your rad 90% clean. No worries, the last 10% will come out in the next year or two when you redo your loop for maintenance. Oh and post a vid of ya dancin, be a fun thing to see. My wife asked me what the hell was I doing..........

I think changing water every few hours running pump in between cleas up the rest 10% :D

[Conumdrum]

Agreed maybe. It becomes a diminishing returns issue though. It will never be 100% clear in the first 6 months, it's up to you what you feel is cleaned.

[anzial]

I didn't do it on purpose, I mean, I didn't do it to clean up the rad, I had some problems with leaks but I hope my troubles had that side effect ;) :D

[fox3]

I used really hot tap water and let it flush through the radiator for a few minutes, periodically shaking it. After that I flushed it with distilled water a few times and called it a day.

This is what I did with my feser 480. I hooked up the wifes Python she uses for her fish tanks and just ran it for a few minutes. A few flushes with distilled showed no flux residue.

[skinnee]

Here's the steps:

1. Send the Feser Quad to me

2. Forget you sent it to me

3. I will clean it spic and span

4. I will forget to send it back to you



How much does your rad cleaning service cost? I have a couple sitting here that need cleaning.

[switch8]

Sorry to hijack your thread seeker, but is the preparation for waterblocks similar? Maybe a rinse in hot water and a few in distilled? I recently purchased a Swiftech Apogee GTZ and was wondering what prep is involved?

[theseeker]

Thanks for all of the replies!