ARGH! Sytem Gunked!

Deke_Kun · 02-06-2003, 06:52 AM

Well, some lovely little brass clamps in my system have corroded, dumping this thick, fine-grained, white crap all through my system. Now I'm trying to get all the crap out, and not having a very good time of it.

I've so far tried three things. Rinsing the system with cold or hot water for a while, clean water that is, in the hope that I can wash out the gunk.

I've also tried running some white vinegar through the system, in a hope if would take the gunk with it.

Finally I searched under the laundry sink, and found some CLR, (that calcium, lime, rust stuff) and ran some of that through for a while, all to no avail.

Now, obviously, I can't see inside my waterblock or radiator, but I'm looking at the clear plastic hosing, and the inside of that is coated with a layer of this corroded gunk. My reckoning is, if its stuck to the piping, its going to be stuck to the radiator and waterblock too.

Now, anyone have ANY ideas on what will get this white deritus out of my system?

~Deke

jaydee · 02-06-2003, 11:06 PM

last time I had the thick white slim I used dish washing soap (not dishwasher soap but the stuff in the squeez bottle) and water through the system for a few days (yes while the computer was running) and it cleaned up the hoses so I imagine it cleaned up the rad. I let it run 24hrs, drained, ran another 24hrs, drained, ran strait water through a few times, and set it all back up with distilled water.

nicozeg · 02-06-2003, 11:14 PM

Some cheap hoses become white in long term contact with water. In that case, relax, the white stuff is only in the hoses, not metal corrosion.

Deke_Kun · 02-06-2003, 11:32 PM

Dishwasher detergent sounds like a good plan, since it seems to be an oily residue.

As for it being just the hoses, I can push a cloth into the tubing and the white crap comes off, and it was all silted on the bottom of my reservoir, so I know its not just the hoses going white. Also, the bottom of the res (which is alu) had begun to collect corrosion, so I guess the whole system is suffering.

~Deke

Deke_Kun · 02-07-2003, 03:26 AM

Ah jaydee I love ya! I've been running dish washing soap through it for about 4 hours now, and it's worked wonders so far, will continue to rince...it can only get better.

Many thanks.

~Deke

TerraMex · 02-07-2003, 04:05 AM

You get a minty fresh clean system and smooth hand skin. It's a win win situation.

My question is ... isn't vinegar more appropriate to clean copper ?

Deke_Kun · 02-07-2003, 06:26 PM

I tried vinegar, as I said, to no avail. It nice for restoring the base of the waterclock after its gotten splashed, but did very little for the inside of the system (that I could see at least).

Perhaps it cleaned out the inside of the waterblock, but I guess I will never know.

~Deke

Blackeagle · 02-07-2003, 11:05 PM

........."the bottom of the res (which is alu) had begun to collect corrosion...."

Could the alum. be what was reacting with your brass clamps to cause this? Just a thought.

Deke_Kun · 02-08-2003, 08:13 AM

Not sure, but I presume it was a combination of that alu, the alu in the rad, and the brass clamps. Thankfully though the corrosion has seemed to form only on those two places, and nowhere else.

Need to find waterwetter...

~Deke

02-06-2003, 06:52 AM	#1
Deke_Kun Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane Posts: 11	ARGH! Sytem Gunked! Well, some lovely little brass clamps in my system have corroded, dumping this thick, fine-grained, white crap all through my system. Now I'm trying to get all the crap out, and not having a very good time of it. I've so far tried three things. Rinsing the system with cold or hot water for a while, clean water that is, in the hope that I can wash out the gunk. I've also tried running some white vinegar through the system, in a hope if would take the gunk with it. Finally I searched under the laundry sink, and found some CLR, (that calcium, lime, rust stuff) and ran some of that through for a while, all to no avail. Now, obviously, I can't see inside my waterblock or radiator, but I'm looking at the clear plastic hosing, and the inside of that is coated with a layer of this corroded gunk. My reckoning is, if its stuck to the piping, its going to be stuck to the radiator and waterblock too. Now, anyone have ANY ideas on what will get this white deritus out of my system? ~Deke

02-07-2003, 04:05 AM	#6
TerraMex Cooling Savant Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portugal, Europe Posts: 870	You get a minty fresh clean system and smooth hand skin. It's a win win situation. My question is ... isn't vinegar more appropriate to clean copper ? __________________ "we need more cowbell."

02-06-2003, 11:06 PM	#2
jaydee Put up or Shut Up Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 6,506	last time I had the thick white slim I used dish washing soap (not dishwasher soap but the stuff in the squeez bottle) and water through the system for a few days (yes while the computer was running) and it cleaned up the hoses so I imagine it cleaned up the rad. I let it run 24hrs, drained, ran another 24hrs, drained, ran strait water through a few times, and set it all back up with distilled water.

02-06-2003, 11:14 PM	#3
nicozeg Cooling Savant Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 403	Some cheap hoses become white in long term contact with water. In that case, relax, the white stuff is only in the hoses, not metal corrosion.

02-06-2003, 11:32 PM	#4
Deke_Kun Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane Posts: 11	Dishwasher detergent sounds like a good plan, since it seems to be an oily residue. As for it being just the hoses, I can push a cloth into the tubing and the white crap comes off, and it was all silted on the bottom of my reservoir, so I know its not just the hoses going white. Also, the bottom of the res (which is alu) had begun to collect corrosion, so I guess the whole system is suffering. ~Deke

02-07-2003, 03:26 AM	#5
Deke_Kun Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane Posts: 11	Ah jaydee I love ya! I've been running dish washing soap through it for about 4 hours now, and it's worked wonders so far, will continue to rince...it can only get better. Many thanks. ~Deke

02-07-2003, 06:26 PM	#7
Deke_Kun Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane Posts: 11	I tried vinegar, as I said, to no avail. It nice for restoring the base of the waterclock after its gotten splashed, but did very little for the inside of the system (that I could see at least). Perhaps it cleaned out the inside of the waterblock, but I guess I will never know. ~Deke

02-07-2003, 11:05 PM	#8
Blackeagle Thermophile Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: U.S.A = Michigan Posts: 1,243	........."the bottom of the res (which is alu) had begun to collect corrosion...." Could the alum. be what was reacting with your brass clamps to cause this? Just a thought.

02-08-2003, 08:13 AM	#9
Deke_Kun Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane Posts: 11	Not sure, but I presume it was a combination of that alu, the alu in the rad, and the brass clamps. Thankfully though the corrosion has seemed to form only on those two places, and nowhere else. Need to find waterwetter... ~Deke

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