Clorox aka Harpic Update

About a month ago, I told you guys that, upon the advice of AussieJester, I decided to experiment with Clorox (aka Harpic for non-Americans) as an additive to a loop. This is specifically Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner.

I have been using it on an AMD mid-level S939 dual core system (x2 4400+) that I am giving away to my kid's girlfriend, and it is thus returning to air cooling. For the past month, the system has consisted of all Swiftech equipment: Apogee classic, MCW60, MCRES, MCP655/D5 and MCR220.

I used a 2% solution with 98% distilled water. As you know, Clorox is 10% hydrocholoric acid, and so a 2% solution yields a 0.2% hydrochloric acid solution per liter of distilled water.

I used cheap Swiftech 7/16" vinyl tubing, so as you can expect, the tubing went cloudy within a week. However, when I drained the fluid last night, the fluid came out crystal clear. I rinsed down the radiator with tap water and it came out clear as well. The Apogee block didn't look sexy and shiny to begin with, but came out no worse off after one month.

This is only after one month, so long term results may be different. However, it does show signs of promise for the use of simple household cleaner.

Now, I just learnt that the Koolance crowd has been using diluted household bleach for a long time.

Anyway, kudos to Aussie Jester.

Finally another use for Clorox.

I've used bleach in my swimming pool for years without problems. It's a very cost effective alternative over granulated chlorine. ;)

Thanks for the info Ian.

No more antifreeze for me. No more anti-algae iodine biocide whatever. Just toilet bowl cleaner, and I will try reducing it to 1% solution. Forget that, I think I'll try regular Clorox as well. It costs.. what.. $1.50 a gallon? .. only 5 ml to 10 ml per liter. Its always in my laundry room lol :)

Yep, A-J has been turning his compatriots on to this pragmatic alternative, to expensive additives of varying value, for quite a long time now. It's passed the test of time, with no complaints.

In fact, he uses tap water! Maybe I should try some tap water too..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hard H20

Finally another use for Clorox.

I've used bleach in my swimming pool for years without problems. It's a very cost effective alternative over granulated chlorine. ;)

Thanks for the info Ian.

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as in actually dumping bleach into your pool as opposed to 'standard' pool chemicals?

interesting...

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Originally Posted by stormshadow

as in actually dumping bleach into your pool as opposed to 'standard' pool chemicals?

interesting...

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storm,

Yes.

Google around and you can find the amount of Clorox you need for the size (gallons) of your pool. Once you put the bleach in turn your pump on retest the water in 4 hours. You will be Good to Go. Also common household baking soda is PH increaser, .50 a box versus $23.00 a bucket for PH increaser. Cheap pools r us. ;)

Oh and treat the pool late afternoon after all swimming for the day is done. This works exactly like granulated chlorine, keep the kids out of the pool for a minimum of 1 hour after you treat the water.

Use a silver WB and you need nothing but water :D

I highly recomend not to use Harpic toilet cleaners!!!

I did a test with harpic toilet cleaner too, involving 1mm thick peice of copper sheet. after three weeks of testing, the copper was so weak that I was able to rip it like paper. It felt like ripping about 4 sheets of A4 white plain paper while my other copper peices (been in distilled water, tap water and redline water wetter) weren't the same.

My advice, don't use toilet cleaner, it sure does look nice and is cheap but is very nasty inside your PC, it also likes to clog things.. especially the my storm's jets

sorry I don't have a pic of ripping the copper but here's one to show you what it does to copper
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/DSC00607.jpg
test station
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/DSC00606.jpg

My conclusions were that redline water wetter in distilled water and plain distilled water by itself was the best
(sorry for starting to go off topic)

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Originally Posted by perfection

I highly recomend not to use Harpic toilet cleaners!!!

I did a test with harpic toilet cleaner too, involving 1mm thick peice of copper sheet. after three weeks of testing, the copper was so weak that I was able to rip it like paper. It felt like ripping about 4 sheets of A4 white plain paper while my other copper peices (been in distilled water, tap water and redline water wetter) weren't the same.

My advice, don't use toilet cleaner, it sure does look nice and is cheap but is very nasty inside your PC, it also likes to clog things.. especially the my storm's jets

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/DSC00607.jpg

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Looks like a grade school science experiment! I love it!

Thanks for the results. I was bout to try it myself on a recreational machine.

I dunno about copper bases as they are alot thicker but I would assume under long term use, the copper would become fairly weak/brittle and may crack under high pressures.

and ranker, me as a 15yr old kit don't have access to labotories to do scientific experiments :)

...and, to think, I was concerned about PT_Nuke messing with the pH of distilled :rolleyes:

Standard Clorox Bleach has a pH of 11.4, IIRC, and distilled water is a terrible pH buffer...

Perfection: Your solution compositions were....?

its in the pics!

Redline water wetter + distilled water
Distilled water
tap water
toilet cleaner + distilled water

How concentrated is what I think he meant.

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Originally Posted by Petra

...and, to think, I was concerned about PT_Nuke messing with the pH of distilled :rolleyes:

Standard Clorox Bleach has a pH of 11.4, IIRC, and distilled water is a terrible pH buffer...

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So is it bad that I added like 12 drops of PT nuke to my loop? rofl

Ya.. what's the concentration of that Harpic in relation to water ?

As per Aussie Jester, I used less than a 2% concentration and there wasn't the faintest hue of blue.

It looks as though you used 50% toilet bowl cleaner and 50% water :) About the same as soaking a radiator in vinegar and salt for days :)

You just stick to whatever you like to use and we'll agree to disagree :)

Gosh, I like behaving like a 15 year old .. keeps me young :)

ranker,

if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you, buddy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IanY

As you know, Clorox is 10% hydrocholoric acid, and so a 2% solution yields a 0.2% hydrochloric acid solution per liter of distilled water.

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Ian, Clorox Bleach is actually Sodium Hypochlorite, while Hydrochloric Acid is Hydrogen Chloride.

Clorox MSDS can be found here: http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/prod...ner-manual.pdf

and a Hydrochloric Acid MSDS here: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/h3886.htm

I'm sure Hydrochloric Acid is just as hostile to fungi as bleach, however, it is also much more corrosive than bleach. While a 2% solution is probably nothing to worry about in an all copper loop, I would much rather have the bleach than acid.;)

On a side note, I remember taking taking a penny in my high school chemistry class, filing off the copper plating to reveal the zink core and dropping it in a beaker of Hydrochloric Acid. In about 1 minute all that was left was the copper plating and a lot of hydrogen gas. :D

WHOA!! Where did you come from! Haven't seen you in a while, rogueagent. :p:

Good to see you around again.

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Originally Posted by [XC] DragonOrta

WHOA!! Where did you come from! Haven't seen you in a while, rogueagent. :p:

Good to see you around again.

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Heya Dragon! Been lurking for awhile and fighting the DC bug... Maybe it will bite me again soon;)

chlorox suppose to use less than cap full for a gallon here.
or less. more tends to make short work of stuff they're applied to...

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Originally Posted by rogueagent6

Heya Dragon! Been lurking for awhile and fighting the DC bug... Maybe it will bite me again soon;)

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I gave up that fight a long time ago. ;) :yepp:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IanY

You just stick to whatever you like to use and we'll agree to disagree :)

Gosh, I like behaving like a 15 year old .. keeps me young :)

ranker,

if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you, buddy.

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Name your price, it better be in a good location! =)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ranker

Name your price, it better be in a good location! =)

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The bridge is in Aquacomputer land. :p:

Sorry buddy, I had too. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IanY

As per Aussie Jester, I used less than a 2% concentration and there wasn't the faintest hue of blue.

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exactly mate :-) Using it in large quantities as Perfection has it will eat through the seals long before you need worry abut it messing with the copper, interested in how you go if you drop it to 1% to Ian :-) Dunno if i mentioned before, I'm using Milton now, its a solution available from most supermarkets here a capful treats 2litres of water it is sold for cleaning baby bottles works a treat at keeping the nasties at bay shall be ripping the waterblock down in a week or so when i change to another case so will see then how its affected the copper, looking through the clear plexi top though looks as clean as the day i made it ;-)

Perfection perhaps try your "experiment" again using the mix suggested and see how it turns out :-)

EDIT: Regarding the tap water i use, we do have very good quality drinking water here in the the Perth hills i certainly wouldnt advocate the use of tap water for everyone, if your hard up put a few plastic containers outside next time it rains and use the water collected ;-)

Hey AJ, good to find you made it to this thread here.

The main reason I added the Harpic was to get the nice blue colour like the PT nuke.

Australia don't stock any cheap blue additive like petra and I heard about AJ's Harpic additive so I tried it, I was getting paranoid and decided to run tests and that's what I came out with.

I used Harpic for looks... if you aren't getting any colour into your water, I reckon its best not to use it at all and use distilled water by itself.

I dunno what was wrong with my copper sheet metal but my storm's base never turned into that colour.

And besides, its not a proper watercooling additive so I feel safer using an additive designed for watercooling systems, I went off ordering a few bottles of G11, these should last me some time :)

and I'm in the country now, so we have bore water and rain water in our tanks, these should be just about as good as distilled water

perfection so what was your percentage mix for those tests??????

You added Harpic so that you could get a "nice blue colour" ? :)

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Originally Posted by dinos22

perfection so what was your percentage mix for those tests??????

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I'd also be interested in the precise recipe.
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Dumitru from chloride analyzers