Cleaning Used Thermochill PA120.3

[BrokenWall]

I just bought a nice Thermochill that I got from a wonderful mod on this forum.

I was originally painted Blue with gray primer rad fins.
I was wanting to know if I get some very hot water in the tub and I let the rad soak and that way the external and internal areas of the rad get cleaned.

[NaeKuh]

I just bought a nice Thermochill that I got from a wonderful mod on this forum.

I was originally painted Blue with gray primer rad fins.
I was wanting to know if I get some very hot water in the tub and I let the rad soak and that way the external and internal areas of the rad get cleaned.

Hot water will not work on a used radiator because your insides have already oxidized from the exposure to air. Also hot water works best on residue from manufactoring process. Hot water melts the left over solder flux to make your pipes clean. This is not the case with you because most likely its already been cleaned of solder and flux.

You need to do a 10-15 min vinegar dip. Yes i know your gonna shutter at that word. Dont worry, such a small exposure time will not eat though your tubes.

After you did a vinegar dip you need to rince the insides out, i personally use tap water with a tube attached, and flush the rad free of vinegar.

Then you need to do a distilled flush, where you rince the tap water out with distilled. After that your good to go.

[Sparky]

^what he said

Flushing with a tube connected to the faucet works really well, I've done it before. Only catch is to be sure to do a good distilled water rinse to get all the tap water out.

[RADCOM]

So Naekuh a vinegar rinse is recommended if the radiator has been used and then left idle a while? what ratio vinegar to water?

[Clue69Less]

So Naekuh a vinegar rinse is recommended if the radiator has been used and then left idle a while? what ratio vinegar to water?

Are you sure you want to put an acid in your rad?

http://www.diy-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82166

http://forums.overclockers.co.nz/arc...hp/t-3402.html

http://www.overclock.net/water-cooli...s-pumps-2.html

[BrokenWall]

I have a cheap pump with some 3/8 tubing, but I have no barbs for the rad yet.

So your saying some vinegar pumped though the rad for a bit for about 15 minutes, and then some distilled water pumped though after for about an hour?

[NaeKuh]

So Naekuh a vinegar rinse is recommended if the radiator has been used and then left idle a while? what ratio vinegar to water?

5% distilled white vinegar at a market.

No water, just pour the 5% down your barbs and let it sit for 10 min.

Dont let it sit out too long. The 5% for 10-15min wont hurt your radiator. Make sure you IMEDIATELY FLUSH after youve done your dip, or the vinegar + air = super fast oxidation.


Ignore clueless's post, on the last link the first post the guy has this to say:

"The second type is distilled-vinegar or white-vinegar. This is a grain based vinegar that cleans things really well. It's nearly as transparent like clean filtered water, but with a slight smell and pH. Use this for cleaning the cooling loop or your coffee or espresso machine."

Trust me, ive been recomending this process a lot, and no one has ran into problems with it.


This is what i use on my old rads thats been sitting out for some time:
http://www.heinzvinegar.com/vinegars/whitevinegar.aspx

[RADCOM]

It's good to hear both sides of the vinegar debate. It's not needed on a new radiator but could certainly be useful in a used one.
That recipe also looks good. Thanks Clue69less and Naekuh.

[NaeKuh]

on a new radiator, all it requires is a hot water flush.

But on a used radiator, its gonna be bad inside. Plus you have no idea how well the previous owner cleaned it, or what additives he used in his coolant.

This is why i recomend a vinegar dip on used eq.

[BrokenWall]

Ok so I will buy some vinegar and use it this weekend to clean the inside, then pump some good distilled water though the inside with a pump.

No how bout dipping the rad in something to clean in between the rad fins.

[NaeKuh]

Ok so I will buy some vinegar and use it this weekend to clean the inside, then pump some good distilled water though the inside with a pump.

No how bout dipping the rad in something to clean in between the rad fins.

NO NO NO NO NON ONONONONONONONONO

do not pump vinegar because your rubber seals will melt.

Get a funnel at an autostore. And use that to pour it into your rad. And then let it sit there.

Make sure you put barbs and tubing on. about 4 inches on each side, and fill it with vinegar so it reaches half way though the tubing. This way you can be sure its completely submerged. Make sure you tilt from side to side to bleed it.

For cleaning the fins, i just spray it with water. You cant vinegar dip the fins cuz your melt the paint.

Just spray and blow dry. But dont do that when its connected. A blow dryer creates a lot of static electricty so watch out.

[sirheck]

Just run regular hot water from your sink thru it and shake it all out.
Then fill with distilled water or boiled water, and the antifreeze or
whatever of your choice.

A spoonfull of tap water(if that much is left in) wont hurt a thing.

[aspire.comptech]

To clean the fins a compressor or some canned air should be sufficient..

[BrokenWall]

Hell I have to repaint it, so loosing the paint wont be a problem for me

[Clue69Less]

Ignore clueless's post,

No, don't. Ignore noekuh's. I was just giving some additional input and it wasn't just one link, it was three. Some of us are accepting of a range of opinion since there are few absolutes in the real world.

Vinegar DOES react with copper, brass, aluminum, etc. That's not my opinion, it's been poven and is easy to reprove. It reacts with SOME surface oxides faster than the native metal, but it still reacts with the native metal. Its not totally selective so you are sacrificing some of the rad itself. People have used vinegar to clean copper for centuries. The larger problem comes about when the buildup in the rad is more severe. In those cases you have to be more thorough or you can end up with clogged passages. At some point in time, if you do the cleaning job adequately on old rads, you can end up causing pinholes.

Since you ignored my links above, I won't bother posting supporting links to this post from the automotive industry or from the advanced cleaning materials industry. Again, these metal oxidation studies are old and the research has been repeated over and over. And before you get your panties in a wad, realize I have not told anyone that they shouldn't use vinegar to clean a rad. But you should know that there are limits to what it can do and that you can cause more harm than good under some circumstances.

[sirheck]

No, don't. Ignore noekuh's. I was just giving some additional input and it wasn't just one link, it was three. Some of us are accepting of a range of opinion since there are few absolutes in the real world.

Vinegar DOES react with copper, brass, aluminum, etc. That's not my opinion, it's been poven and is easy to reprove. It reacts with SOME surface oxides faster than the native metal, but it still reacts with the native metal. Its not totally selective so you are sacrificing some of the rad itself. People have used vinegar to clean copper for centuries. The larger problem comes about when the buildup in the rad is more severe. In those cases you have to be more thorough or you can end up with clogged passages. At some point in time, if you do the cleaning job adequately on old rads, you can end up causing pinholes.

Since you ignored my links above, I won't bother posting supporting links to this post from the automotive industry or from the advanced cleaning materials industry. Again, these metal oxidation studies are old and the research has been repeated over and over. And before you get your panties in a wad, realize I have not told anyone that they shouldn't use vinegar to clean a rad. But you should know that there are limits to what it can do and that you can cause more harm than good under some circumstances.

Yeah i guess that Noekuh is smarter than those 3 links you posted.

[Pedalmonkey]

just listen to Nae, he knows what the heck hes doing contrary to popular belief

[BrokenWall]

Sand down the paint and tape up the holes and fins and repaint the rad Silver. Then do the following.

Heres what I am going to do.

1) Fill the rad with white vinegar for about 10 minutes (shake it abit)
2) Dump the vinegar out, then wash out a couple times with tap water.
3) after washing out the water, pump distilled water though the rad for about an hour.

To clean the fins.

Soak the rad in some hot water so, then blow out the residue with high pressure air.

then after doing everything, pump water though the rad once again to verify the integrity of the rad.

[sirheck]

just listen to Nae, he knows what the heck hes doing contrary to popular belief

He seems to know what he is talking about, just tries to be too precise.
Alot of people here do that which is fine but its not rocket science.

Watercooling is childs play too me.
When it comes to cleaning out a radiator just flush some tap water thru it.
Its the qucikest and easyest way.

No need to flush this % of this fluid and that % of that fluid and wait
a certain specified amount of time for it to dry at a specific tempurature
at a specific altitude

Then slap it together and and check for leaks.
I either fill it and bleed as most do or pull a vaccum on the sys then fill.
If it holds vaccum then chances are there are no leaks.

But its always a good idea to always check for leaks every time you are at your computer.

Also have seen some here who post pics of their w/c,ed sys with no fasteners
around the barbs. Just the tubing. which is fine.
And have read a post here and there that say (If your gonna
post pics of mixed metal sys) you better IN BOLD LETTERS at the first
sentance say that you have a sacrificial anode. Or put up a
disclaimer

*so dont mix metals or your sys will OMG AND BLOW UP*

Back to the running tubing with no clamps,zipties,etc.
It fine but if you move or pull on your tubing=swapping ram,messin around
inside your case you can possiably cause a leak.

[Waterlogged]

He seems to know what he is talking about, just tries to be too precise.
Alot of people here do that which is fine but its not rocket science.

Watercooling is childs play too me.
When it comes to cleaning out a radiator just flush some tap water thru it.
Its the qucikest and easyest way.

No need to flush this % of this fluid and that % of that fluid and wait
a certain specified amount of time for it to dry at a specific tempurature
at a specific altitude

Then slap it together and and check for leaks.
I either fill it and bleed as most do or pull a vaccum on the sys then fill.
If it holds vaccum then chances are there are no leaks.

But its always a good idea to always check for leaks every time you are at your computer.

Also have seen some here who post pics of their w/c,ed sys with no fasteners
around the barbs. Just the tubing. which is fine.
And have read a post here and there that say (If your gonna
post pics of mixed metal sys) you better IN BOLD LETTERS at the first
sentance say that you have a sacrificial anode. Or put up a
disclaimer

*so dont mix metals or your sys will OMG AND BLOW UP*

Back to the running tubing with no clamps,zipties,etc.
It fine but if you move or pull on your tubing=swapping ram,messin around
inside your case you can possiably cause a leak.

Just post just shows the level of your knowledge, which isn't much.

5% White vinegar is sold that way, it has been diluted with water to 5% acidity.

You also missed the point completely on why I posted that notice.

It was to prevent things from blowing up out of control like they did in that topic. If there is a note saying "hey, I'm using an anode made from zinc" in a topic concerning mixed metals, I don't think anybody would care or make a fuss. It also wasn't pointed at anyone in particular.

The rest, well, your just being silly to make yourself seem more important than you are.

Trolls be gone.

[sirheck]

Just post just shows the level of your knowledge, which isn't much.

5% White vinegar is sold that way, it has been diluted with water to 5% acidity.

You also missed the point completely on why I posted that notice.

It was to prevent things from blowing up out of control like they did in that topic. If there is a note saying "hey, I'm using an anode made from zinc" in a topic concerning mixed metals, I don't think anybody would care or make a fuss. It also wasn't pointed at anyone in particular.

The rest, well, your just being silly to make yourself seem more important than you are.

Trolls be gone.

There was a note from WS about the anode, i seen it just fine.
Still no one has answered or commented on my statement
about how the automotive industry has mixed metals for
about the last hundred years.

There are way less variables to worry about in computer w/c,ed sys
than an automotive sys.

The two main things are thermal differences and electrolysis.

Oh wait my level of knowledge isnt much

[NaeKuh]

Wow i got a fleet of admirers. ROFL..

Trust me on the white vinegar. So far ive been very good with advice on setting up a loop without anyone being unhappy at the outcome.

And to all of you admirers.
Leave me alone.
Ive done enough thread killing for the week come bug me next week when im ready to kill another one.


Listen ALL the VETS on this forum have 1 opinion about mixing metals. Which is NO.

All the new people are saying yes.

Its true post count doesnt mean crap, but experience does. I havent seen anything from the people ranting on me which shows that they own nice hardware or played with nice hardware. Sorry i may sound a bit stuck up, but this is getting out of hand.

Ive ran into corrosion even using redline in my coolant. It smells bad, and its very nasty also foams til no tomorrow.
Corrosion is NOT fun and its NOT NICE. Why even bother risking it when you dont have to.

Why tell people its safe with all these additives, when they dont even need to mix metals to begin with. This i seriously dont understand. There is no thrill in mixing metals. You do it or you dont.

The outcome of mixing metals and not mixing metals is different however. Safe or not safe, theres still a higher % in something going wrong by mixing metals then something going wrong without mixing metals.

Also no mixing metals allows you to use the more reputable companies like D-tek, EK, DD, Swiftech.

[sirheck]

If you are the smart one then throw in some advise or criticism to my post
for cleaning out a radiator.
Instead of trying to downplay my knowledge.

Do you know what electrolysis is?
Or how to pull a vaccum on a cooling sys?

[sirheck]

Wow i got a fleet of admirers. ROFL..

Trust me on the white vinegar. So far ive been very good with advice on setting up a loop without anyone being unhappy at the outcome.

And to all of you admirers.
Leave me alone.
Ive done enough thread killing for the week come bug me next week when im ready to kill another one.

You are correct in the procedure for cleaning a heat-exchanger.
Its just not absolutly neseccary to go thru that much trouble.

And i do not admire you at all, you cant tell me anything i dont already know.

[NaeKuh]

WOW dave is gonna have fun cleaning this one out.

*sigh* nice going guys you just killed another thread. I hope your happy.


@OP, stick with the vinegar ignore these wannabe's. Im gonna have to PM a mod about this one.