Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

I was watching TV last night and there was a Modern Marvels on about Copper. And they mentioned something I didnt know... that Copper has some serious antimicrobial properties,and on its own can help clean water that travels through it by killing off microbes that try to grow on it.

Learn something new every day!

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

Thats quite cool actually - so in some ways a copper cpu block will be lower maintenance than my G5... (then again the G5 needs declogging etc usually anyway). Thanks for the insight though :dome:

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

Wonder if that was ever a factor in using copper pipe for tap water plumbing.

http://www.copper.org/health/papers/...s_disease.html

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

Most antibiocides etc that I know of feature copper sulphate as one of their main ingredients....

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

Does it mean that if you have all-cooper blocks, you can safely run your system with just deionised/distilled water and without any additives (and benefit additionally from better water temp/flow) ?

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

I think this means that someone ought to try.

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

That is what I have been doing for a year. :doh:

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

... if we exclude the algae, organic growth and coolant "bling", but what about radiator (corrossion!?), lubricating properties for improved pump life, improved heat transfer, bla bla bla as we've seen as the strong "marketing" points of water replacements and additives ?

Apart from everything else, pure dist water is easily available and cheap! and that was always a great bonus for me.

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

I believe silver's antimicrobial properties are a league above copper's, though I could certainly be wrong. There are probably hundreds of products that use some sort of "silver ion" coating and are basically immune to microbial buildup.

I think any loop using only copper and other anodically (is that a word?) similar metals will be pretty much free of algae and other growths assuming that direct sunlight is avoided at all costs.

I've been doing this for a good while with the G5, and it's really no problem at all. Hell, it's even been months since I've done a complete flushing, and I haven't seen any evidence of organic nasties.

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

There are in fact Ag+... socks.

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

For those serious about fighting foot odor. :laugh2:

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

You realize that the main ingredient in "water replacements" is water? Stop wasting your money on that crapola. Just get some distilled water and throw hydrex or a proper amount of antifreeze and you'll have the same thing but for less. Its unlikely that any of those coolants have any extra lubrication properties of extend the life of the pump by any measurable amount. Radiator corrosion isn't as huge of a deal as an Aluminum/Copper mixed metal system from what I've seen.

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

Lovely point, phide. :nod:

Silver is higher in anti-microbial properties, though it is important to mention; Silver is the only metal more electrically conductive than copper!

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

im still waiting on the announcement of someone plating T fittings or threaded barbs internally with some anti-bacterial silver....:-)

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

I've been all copper + plain distilled water since late 2002 when I stopped using rubbing alcohol. Works great!

Though after 4 years of being sealed air tight, the system has a fair amount of greenish-yellow copper oxide coating everything. One of these days I guess I should drain and flush it.

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

Er... The point of this thread is that we've got antimicrobial barbs, waterblocks, and radiators already.

Re: Coppers Antimicrobial properties
 

But given that, I don't think a high-flow tubing circuit is the optimal place for any bacteria to be growing in the first place :hammer:

That being said, it wouldn't hurt if you had extra protection ;)