Cleaning copper with... Heniz!

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09-02-2010, 06:51 PM
SimpleTECH

Cleaning copper with... Heniz!

I was taking apart my Heatkiller 3.0 LGA 1366 block and noticed that the oxygen really corroded the copper (see pictures below). So I used a bit of ketchup on both the stainless steel plate and the copper baseplate. After leaving it on for about 6 hours, it did an okay job but I did soak it in some distilled vinegar overnight (12 hours). The after pictures are when I used the distilled vinegar.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/9232/p1020843k.jpg

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7417/p1020844.jpg

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/490/p1020845e.jpg

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/2429/p1020846u.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/7065/p1020848s.jpg

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/530/p1020849m.jpg
09-02-2010, 08:57 PM
aspire.comptech

Be careful with letting the ketchup sit on the copper for too long, it has a nasty habit of starting to etch it with prolonged exposure.
09-02-2010, 09:31 PM
SimpleTECH

Quote:

Originally Posted by aspire.comptech

Be careful with letting the ketchup sit on the copper for too long, it has a nasty habit of starting to etch it with prolonged exposure.

Yeah I heard the same. Luckily it didn't do any harm but I took note of that.

I heard Coke is another product to use but after seeing it eat away some metals, I think I will skip on it.
09-02-2010, 09:38 PM
dinos22

yeah true that.....only 5 minutes is enough anyways should take out the crap out of the grooves
09-02-2010, 10:05 PM
Dr.Joe

That is galvanic corrosion, and has little/nothing to do with oxygen...
09-02-2010, 10:26 PM
wesley

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Joe

That is galvanic corrosion, and has little/nothing to do with oxygen...

Galvanic corrosion happens with mixed metals.

OP, you are using aluminium rads? Or brass rads with PHN and distilled?

Wes
09-02-2010, 10:30 PM
Dr.Joe

Every WC setup has mixed metals. Even copper and nickel react. Takes a lot of time, but the copper will corrode the nickel. Every rad i know uses brass endtanks, so another metal into the mix.

The hydrogen-bound oxygen in the water cant react with the metals in the loop. At least not in the scale that is shown in the pic above.
09-03-2010, 01:31 AM
Tackleberry

picture #4 looks yummy.
some sprinkled cheese and origano on top would go well for snack.:rofl:

cilit bang and toothbrush makes wonders. try that next time.
09-03-2010, 03:38 AM
LeandroJVarini

nice work!
I use vinegar
I find it very good, I'll test the ketchup!
09-03-2010, 06:00 AM
shazza

Assume most know that ketchup is tomato + vinegar + sugar + salt. Just be careful leaving it in contact with the block for too long, and rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Also - be careful using vinegar on nickel-plated blocks, as some have had issues with this.
09-03-2010, 06:37 AM
[XC] Oj101

Have you noticed any increase in performance? As for Coke, I used to use it to clean my bicycle chain.
09-03-2010, 06:48 AM
Kurz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Joe

Every WC setup has mixed metals. Even copper and nickel react. Takes a lot of time, but the copper will corrode the nickel. Every rad i know uses brass endtanks, so another metal into the mix.

The hydrogen-bound oxygen in the water cant react with the metals in the loop. At least not in the scale that is shown in the pic above.

Its the dissolved O2 in the water that reacts with the Copper.
Some people have it more readily than others.

Depends on so many variables.
09-03-2010, 06:50 AM
Toolius

Hello :)
How long did it take to get like this ? im worried about my systems.. :O
could we please know what coolant you were running and if you had any additives in it ?
Cheers and thanks for the heads up :)
kind regards :)
09-03-2010, 07:05 AM
Dr.Joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurz

Its the dissolved O2 in the water that reacts with the Copper.
Some people have it more readily than others.

Depends on so many variables.

The dissolubility of O² in Water is extremly low, @30°C its about 8mg/L. An average wc loop holds 1 to 2 L coolant... go figure ;)
09-03-2010, 07:35 AM
Kurz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toolius

Hello :)
How long did it take to get like this ? im worried about my systems.. :O
could we please know what coolant you were running and if you had any additives in it ?
Cheers and thanks for the heads up :)
kind regards :)

I had the same kind of blackening Oxdation with Distilled water over a period of 3 years now. I used PT Nuke (CU).

I am now running Distilled with Silver Coil, I'll keep any eye on my Heatkiller 3.0 CU to see if it does the same thing as my Dtek Fusion.
09-03-2010, 09:57 AM
SimpleTECH

Quote:

Originally Posted by wesley

Galvanic corrosion happens with mixed metals.

OP, you are using aluminium rads? Or brass rads with PHN and distilled?

Wes

Just plain distilled water, copper Heatkiller, nickel-plated EK 5870, and XSPC RX480 (brass/copper I believe).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Joe

Every WC setup has mixed metals. Even copper and nickel react. Takes a lot of time, but the copper will corrode the nickel. Every rad i know uses brass endtanks, so another metal into the mix.

The hydrogen-bound oxygen in the water cant react with the metals in the loop. At least not in the scale that is shown in the pic above.

Usually my blocks are never this bad. Just the usual little blot on the channels.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tackleberry

picture #4 looks yummy.
some sprinkled cheese and origano on top would go well for snack.:rofl:

cilit bang and toothbrush makes wonders. try that next time.

Stop it, you're making me hungry.

As for the Cillit Bang, I will keep that in mind.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shazza

Assume most know that ketchup is tomato + vinegar + sugar + salt. Just be careful leaving it in contact with the block for too long, and rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Also - be careful using vinegar on nickel-plated blocks, as some have had issues with this.

Yeah I was kind of nervous with my EK 5870 block, so I just scrubbed it with distilled water and a fine toothbrush.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oj101

Have you noticed any increase in performance? As for Coke, I used to use it to clean my bicycle chain.

Haven't put my loop back together yet. Still waiting on a few parts (plus I'm busy with homework *sigh*).

Before, temperatures were never an issue. ~59/60°C under LinX with my CPU at 4.2GHz.

I figured that I should clean my blocks while I waited for my new parts. That was when I was greeted with the black oxidation pictured above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurz

I had the same kind of blackening Oxdation with Distilled water over a period of 3 years now. I used PT Nuke (CU).

I am now running Distilled with Silver Coil, I'll keep any eye on my Heatkiller 3.0 CU to see if it does the same thing as my Dtek Fusion.

Best of luck. Hopefully it won't be nearly as drastic as mine. :yawn: