krazy |
05-29-2004 11:23 AM |
Taken directly from here:
Quote:
Why should I use Fluid XP over other available fluids?
A: Because it is so much more efficient than the typical fluid blends presently being used in the fluid cooled computer world today. It will give you a piece of mind that you are protecting your valuable system from possible damage due to highly conductive mixtures that are “accepted” in the computer cooling world. Water-Wetter, Anti-freeze products, Windshield Washer Fluids and the like all contain ingredients that are harmful to systems in one way or another. They contain phosphates (Breaks down adhesives), salts (Electrically conductive), methyl alcohol (Flammable), Dipotassium phosphate (Toxic)
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How does Fluid XP’s removal of heat compare with other fluids?
A: The conduction coefficient of Fluid XP is 3.7 Btu-in/hr-ft2-Deg. F while water conduction coefficient is 4.2 Btu-in/hr-ft2-Deg. F. It is roughly 89% as effective as water. This comes out to a 2-3º difference in performance. Water is used as a reference point for all coolants. The benefits of Fluid XP over plain water are such that while water will damage your system if spilled on it Fluid XP will have no detrimental effects on your system.
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How often should I change the fluid when using Fluid XP?
A: Fluid XP has a 5+ year shelf life but we recommend that it should be changed out every two years just to be safe.
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Vague promises with big buzz words. What is meant by "so much more efficient"? The second question/paragraph specifically states that it is significantly less efficient than water. What is it "so much more efficient" than in the first example? cottage cheese?
I do have to say that the following real-life test performed (linked to on fluidxp,s website) gives the impression that the stuff's electrical properties are what they claim them to be.
I've ran my video card with more water on it than that (pure distilled water slowly pooled from a leaking fitting on my northbridge cooler) with only artifacting. Once I shut down and dried the card off (and fixed the leak), everything ran fine again. I didn't toast my video card or the rest of my computer by getting it wet. Of course this doesn't mean it's a good idea to submerge your computer in distilled water, but from all of the water encounters I've read about and experienced, computer parts seem to do just fine if you shut them down and dry them carefully. If you soaked a whole computer without anything powered up, I'm fairly confident you would be able to salvate absolutely everything just by making sure it was properly dry before booting it up again.
Based on these examples and points, I personally can't justify spending an obscene amount of money on a special "fluid" when I can get by with good old distilled water (which costs me a whopping $.50 a gallon) and not have to worry much about blowing up my system by getting it damp now and then.
Look at it this way: by being careful, I can fill my system for about twenty-five cents instead of eighty dollars. So maybe I'll have to flush & refill every month or so. FluidXP is only recommended to be kept in a system for about two years before needing to be changed. In two fillings of fluidXP, which would cost me about $160, I would refill about 24 times at a total cost of about six bucks.
It may be some kind of wonderful maintenance-free coolant, but two years isn't forever. Plus, what are you supposed to do with it when you drain your system to upgrade something or make some modifications? Catch it all in a bucket and pour it back in? I laughed when I read the part of the FAQ explaining that fluidXP is safe to pour down the drain. Yeah; if you want to pour that many dolalrs per milliliter down the drain, be my guest. :)
You can all see where I stand...
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