Pro/Forums - View Single Post

Brians256 · 05-12-2008, 08:05 AM

I wouldn't make it 100% antifreeze. That really doesn't buy you much more protection than 25-50% antifreeze, and it lowers the heat carrying capacity.

I had a system running for 3 years (maybe it was only two years, but I just didn't pay much attention) with no fluid changing. I think that the four big factors were:
- 25-50% antifreeze
- Copper and silver blocks (no aluminum)
- No light allowed to touch the fluid (no UV lights, no case windows, etc...)
- Huge (one liter) reservoir that was not completely airtight

The antifreeze that goes into cars is good at regulating the pH. It's made that way. At 17C-30C temperatures, it is going to last a lot longer than the harsh environment it sees in a car (higher temperatures accelerate chemical reactions). So, a mixture that would last a year in a car should do well over that in our PCs.

My waterblocks were not aluminum, which is highly reactive. They were copper and silver, meaning that galvanic corrosion was reduced with respect to the brass heater core. Also, I'm thinking that the silver waterblock (thank you DangerDen!) helped prevent biological growths. I don't think I thought of that before. Small amounts of silver kills bacteria, so it probably helped kill any incipient algae colony.

No light! I'm convinced that light is one of the major reasons why blingers get algae. Algae grows really fast when it gets light. If you must have light, then flush the system often.

The reservoir helped so much because most people don't realise that vinyl tubing leaks. Actually, water migrates slowly through it and evaporates on the surface. You can get 100% leak-proof tubing, but it's not what you get at Home Depot unless it's the nylon reinforced tubing. So, over time, the fluid escapes. If the reservoir is airtight, then the tubing collapses! Even if you allow pressure equalization, you need to have enough reserves to last this out over time. I figure that I lost about a cup over the system's lifetime.

05-12-2008, 08:05 AM	#8
Brians256 Pro/Staff Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Klamath Falls, OR Posts: 1,439	Re: Please HELP I wouldn't make it 100% antifreeze. That really doesn't buy you much more protection than 25-50% antifreeze, and it lowers the heat carrying capacity. I had a system running for 3 years (maybe it was only two years, but I just didn't pay much attention) with no fluid changing. I think that the four big factors were: - 25-50% antifreeze - Copper and silver blocks (no aluminum) - No light allowed to touch the fluid (no UV lights, no case windows, etc...) - Huge (one liter) reservoir that was not completely airtight The antifreeze that goes into cars is good at regulating the pH. It's made that way. At 17C-30C temperatures, it is going to last a lot longer than the harsh environment it sees in a car (higher temperatures accelerate chemical reactions). So, a mixture that would last a year in a car should do well over that in our PCs. My waterblocks were not aluminum, which is highly reactive. They were copper and silver, meaning that galvanic corrosion was reduced with respect to the brass heater core. Also, I'm thinking that the silver waterblock (thank you DangerDen!) helped prevent biological growths. I don't think I thought of that before. Small amounts of silver kills bacteria, so it probably helped kill any incipient algae colony. No light! I'm convinced that light is one of the major reasons why blingers get algae. Algae grows really fast when it gets light. If you must have light, then flush the system often. The reservoir helped so much because most people don't realise that vinyl tubing leaks. Actually, water migrates slowly through it and evaporates on the surface. You can get 100% leak-proof tubing, but it's not what you get at Home Depot unless it's the nylon reinforced tubing. So, over time, the fluid escapes. If the reservoir is airtight, then the tubing collapses! Even if you allow pressure equalization, you need to have enough reserves to last this out over time. I figure that I lost about a cup over the system's lifetime.