Corrosion like this?

Spinoza · 08-13-2001, 11:55 PM

This is amazing to me. I ran these two blocks with the right mix of purple ice and a little dye-light for about two days. The inside of the aluminum tops to these water blocks is nearly black, and there are copper deposits sticking to it.. they are white in the picture. My Fluke meter read about .7 volts between the blocks and the radiator. I'm now going to do some tests with Glycol. after I clean out the blocks.... geeezzz

Any other comments... suggestions

redleader · 08-14-2001, 12:17 AM

What blocks are those?

Spinoza · 08-14-2001, 12:39 AM

Swiftech's

Spinoza · 08-14-2001, 12:57 AM

Could this be right? It appears as though the aluminum here has been plated with copper. I didn't think this was possible without zincating. The color on this camera is pretty good. That surface appears to be plated. What's going on here?

GuyBFF · 08-14-2001, 01:03 AM

I was under the impression from a couple other posts that the aluminum leaves the waterblock in the form of AL3 salts which you will find in the system (it's corroded rather than plated).

I was corrected in originally believing this was galvanic corrosion, but if I can remember a couple people I think called it a redux reaction due to the battery affect again.

This probably doesn't help much, but I hope glycol takes care of it.

Overclock-Watercool had a recipe for mixed metal systems of:

120oz Distilled Water
6 oz Glycol Antifreeze
2 oz Water Wetter

temp · 08-14-2001, 03:13 AM

Could this be a used block?... maybe you got one that was used by someone else for a long while?

Never seen anything like that!

good luck!

Spinoza · 08-14-2001, 08:14 AM

Definietly not a used block. As I had them open before I put the system together to clean any aluminum shavings out of the block that may have been caused by switching the fittings. They were nice and clean. I believe this occured so rapidly now because of the large area of copper in my system, (Two copper radiators and the bottom of two blocks) and the fact that copper and aluminum were is direct electrical contact with eachother. (the screws holding the plate on). This completed a near 0 ohm galvanic circuit. I think I'm going to try coating the aluminum in something. I think "painting" a good layer of epoxy resin might do the trick.

Flash · 08-14-2001, 11:21 AM

I know this doesn't help, but I noticed that Swiftech is now anodizing the aluminum parts of its blocks. Maybe a trade-in? Or maybe if you sent it back they'd anodize the aluminum bits for not too much $$.

WaterPog · 08-14-2001, 12:33 PM

Anodizing is not that expensive, call some of the local auto parts stores (especially if you have one that claims to be a performance shop) they can point you to someone. Painting will probably work, but will wear off over time (lots of water flowing through there you hope).

TNT2bluz · 08-14-2001, 03:28 PM

Painting may help.

A good even layer of marine paint should help, but this shouldn't be happening to waterblocks at all.

08-13-2001, 11:55 PM	#1
Spinoza Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 42	Corrosion like this? This is amazing to me. I ran these two blocks with the right mix of purple ice and a little dye-light for about two days. The inside of the aluminum tops to these water blocks is nearly black, and there are copper deposits sticking to it.. they are white in the picture. My Fluke meter read about .7 volts between the blocks and the radiator. I'm now going to do some tests with Glycol. after I clean out the blocks.... geeezzz Any other comments... suggestions __________________ Thunder K7 Athlon 1800's Danger Den/Ehiem to cool jig of RAM http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~vito/complete.jpg

08-14-2001, 12:39 AM	#3
Spinoza Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 42	Swiftech's __________________ Thunder K7 Athlon 1800's Danger Den/Ehiem to cool jig of RAM http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~vito/complete.jpg

08-14-2001, 12:57 AM	#4
Spinoza Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 42	Could this be right? It appears as though the aluminum here has been plated with copper. I didn't think this was possible without zincating. The color on this camera is pretty good. That surface appears to be plated. What's going on here? __________________ Thunder K7 Athlon 1800's Danger Den/Ehiem to cool jig of RAM http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~vito/complete.jpg

08-14-2001, 01:03 AM	#5
GuyBFF Cooling Savant Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Winnipeg, MB, CA Posts: 242	I was under the impression from a couple other posts that the aluminum leaves the waterblock in the form of AL3 salts which you will find in the system (it's corroded rather than plated). I was corrected in originally believing this was galvanic corrosion, but if I can remember a couple people I think called it a redux reaction due to the battery affect again. This probably doesn't help much, but I hope glycol takes care of it. Overclock-Watercool had a recipe for mixed metal systems of: 120oz Distilled Water 6 oz Glycol Antifreeze 2 oz Water Wetter __________________ A7V8X Danger Den Maze II Danner Mag Drive 350 Heater Core Style Rad Thunderbird 1400 (Soon Barton) 512mb PC2700 CL2 Promise SX4000 Raid 5 w/256mb PC133 Cache 4x40gb Western Digital 7200hdd Plus More...

08-14-2001, 08:14 AM	#7
Spinoza Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 42	Definietly not a used block. As I had them open before I put the system together to clean any aluminum shavings out of the block that may have been caused by switching the fittings. They were nice and clean. I believe this occured so rapidly now because of the large area of copper in my system, (Two copper radiators and the bottom of two blocks) and the fact that copper and aluminum were is direct electrical contact with eachother. (the screws holding the plate on). This completed a near 0 ohm galvanic circuit. I think I'm going to try coating the aluminum in something. I think "painting" a good layer of epoxy resin might do the trick. __________________ Thunder K7 Athlon 1800's Danger Den/Ehiem to cool jig of RAM http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~vito/complete.jpg

08-14-2001, 12:17 AM	#2
redleader Thermophile Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The deserts of Tucson, Az Posts: 1,264	What blocks are those?

08-14-2001, 03:13 AM	#6
temp Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: us Posts: 11	Could this be a used block?... maybe you got one that was used by someone else for a long while? Never seen anything like that! good luck!

08-14-2001, 11:21 AM	#8
Flash Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Miami Posts: 16	I know this doesn't help, but I noticed that Swiftech is now anodizing the aluminum parts of its blocks. Maybe a trade-in? Or maybe if you sent it back they'd anodize the aluminum bits for not too much $$.

08-14-2001, 12:33 PM	#9
WaterPog Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 50	Anodizing is not that expensive, call some of the local auto parts stores (especially if you have one that claims to be a performance shop) they can point you to someone. Painting will probably work, but will wear off over time (lots of water flowing through there you hope). __________________ 1.4G AHYJA-Y @ 1.6G with H2O system. Ehime 1060, LiquidCool leviathan, Spir@l Block, all 1/2" It will post at 1725, that is where I want it to be stable....

08-14-2001, 03:28 PM	#10
TNT2bluz Cooling Savant Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Secret Staging Grounds Ganymede Posts: 104	Painting may help. A good even layer of marine paint should help, but this shouldn't be happening to waterblocks at all.

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