Cleaning Water Cooler ?

[JerometheGiraff]

How do you clean a CPU water cooler, compressed air, simple as that ?

 

[Layback Bear]

We no their are more things to do. Hard chemical and bactira can build up in the cooler. Here is just one guide. Their are many on line to choose from.

How To: Maintain Your Water-Cooling Setup - Page 2 | Maximum PC

 

[essenbe]

What kind of water cooler, and what is wrong with it? Why does it need cleaning?

 

[JerometheGiraff]

Nothing wrong so far, I want to know
I have to follow that guide even for a H80/100 ?

 

[Layback Bear]

No you do not. The Corsair H series coolers are not designed to be open. You do have to keep the fins in the radiator clean.

 

[essenbe]

For an enclosed water loop, there is nothing you need or can do, to the best of my knowledge. For a custom water loop, there are several things that need to be done.

EDIT: LB beat me to it. I tried to rep him, but have to spread it around.

 

[kbrady1979]

I think he just meant cleaning the fins out. If you want to be thorough, take the fans off so you have the rad free and blow air through it until its clean. While your at it, clean your fans too! Put back together.......disco.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Well for my two bobs worth I thought they were sealed units and anyway I also think he meant the rad fins hem selves.

In any case dont they use a glycol product in the coolers like we do cars one would think they would nearly have to as the plain water would certainly not do the cooler tubes much chop.

As for bacteria that would only be a problem if condense formed on the crud on the cooler fins anyway. We breath millions of the little blighter's with each breath and the amount on your skin is not worth thinking about unless you want to go mad.

 

[kbrady1979]

The only problem I see with these coolers are the fact that the pump heatsink and the radiator material are dissimilar metals, usually copper and aluminum. Over time galvanic corrosion might set up and cause some problems. I'm sure all precautions that could be taken were, and it would take a few years or more for it to happen. We'll see!

 

[Layback Bear]

Read post #5 other than keep the fan and fins clean their is nothing to do to these H series Corsair coolers unless you want to experiment. If those things are done and your cooler has a problem you just replace it. That is one of the reason we use them. No muss no fuss.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

The only problem I see with these coolers are the fact that the pump heatsink and the radiator material are dissimilar metals, usually copper and aluminum. Over time galvanic corrosion might set up and cause some problems. I'm sure all precautions that could be taken were, and it would take a few years or more for it to happen. We'll see!

Yes Kelly there is but one has to remember there has to be an electrolyte in the cooling solution for any significant erosion to take place and without looking I don't know if the manufacturers use distilled water or demineralised water (basically the same thing) or even if the glycol solutions allow that reaction to take place.

Interesting subject though. Galvanic corrosion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My own LC is an Intel and it looks almost all a hard injection molded plastic (pump housing and internals to me the only metal parts obvious is the radiator and I am wondering if it a one metal dedicated construction ie tanks and tubes all aluminium or all copper. Judging by the weight of the thing when I installed it I would say aluminium.
I suppose if the manufacturers were wised up to any possibility they would have included a sacrificial anode somewhere

 

[kbrady1979]

I'm sure the manufacturers put in an additive that combats corrosion, but over time it will be less and less effective. Almost all pump/heatsinks are copper(one or two are aluminum) and almost all rads are aluminum. I don't think it's a problem we're all going to have with our units, but it IS possible that over time it could crud up lol. Nothing you can do about it though as most are completely sealed. I think if this Intel lasts until I get ready for a new build, it's been worth it.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I'm sure the manufacturers put in an additive that combats corrosion, but over time it will be less and less effective. Almost all pump/heatsinks are copper(one or two are aluminum) and almost all rads are aluminum. I don't think it's a problem we're all going to have with our units, but it IS possible that over time it could crud up lol. Nothing you can do about it though as most are completely sealed. I think if this Intel lasts until I get ready for a new build, it's been worth it.

Yes mate when you think about it they wold be mad not to. Anyway like you say if it goes the distance for a few years like a car's cooling system which I reckon would have to take a far worse beating than our machines it will be fine.

 

[Layback Bear]

It's simple to me. If you know your fan is working properly and the radiator is clean and of course the cooler is installed properly. If your temps are not right it is time to replace the cooler. My cooler (H-50) and every thing I have read of other peoples coolers they will work for years. The OP's concern was about a sealed water cooler for a cpu.

 

[kbrady1979]

It's simple to me. If you know your fan is working properly and the radiator is clean and of course the cooler is installed properly. If your temps are not right it is time to replace the cooler. My cooler (H-50) and every thing I have read of other peoples coolers they will work for years. The OP's concern was about a sealed water cooler for a cpu.

I am also talking about a sealed water cooler for a cpu. We've already addressed the initial question......keep the fan clean, blow the rad fins out and that's about it. We are just talking what-if's now lol.

 

[Layback Bear]

I understand you are in the (what if mode). What I don't know is if it is confusing the OP'S knowledge seeking post. The question has been answered for 20 hours. That is the purpose of post #14 to try to make sure the OP leaves this thread knowing the proper answer and not confused by a bunch of what if's.
Have a nice day.

 

[kbrady1979]

I made it clear all that needed to be done to a closed loop cooler in post #7. The OP's last post was post #4. I doubt there is any confusion. I doubt anybody will try to open one of those units up in an effort to "clean" it.

Have a good one!

 

[JerometheGiraff]

I understand perfectly well. And I value everyone's input