Copper dissolving in loop?

guerny · 19th August 2012, 8:45 PM

Basically I'm tearing down my loop after noticing this weird blue green staining on my tubes. Strangely enough its not in the res or blocks, only the tubes.

Initially i had a few issues with getting flux out of my rad (thermochill PA160), and then the tubes went cloudy pretty soon on (tygon = plasticiser leach) but after all that everything was fine for a while...

Until this...

Click to view full size!

Click to view full size!

I'm pretty sure this is copper coming from somewhere (not algae), but where from:
- thermochill PA160 rad?
- EK Supreme HF cpu block?
- EK 560Ti full cover block (copper)?

The question is if i rebuilt with these components is this going to keep happening?

... and yes Im planning on using "liquid utopia" + distilled water rather than just "a silver strip" + distilled water for the rebuild.

any ideas?

cheers,
G

Renza · 19th August 2012, 9:03 PM

got pics of the blocks? (opened, of course)

javascripterror · 20th August 2012, 9:29 AM

You have laready mentioned the obvious change of removing the silver strip. The green deposit has a copper sulphate look about it which is never a good sign. Plenty of flushes and maybe a corrosion inhibitor of some kind for a while to remove any doubt.

Spyfox · 20th August 2012, 10:53 AM

ditch the silver and just use liquid utopia

guerny · 21st August 2012, 5:08 PM

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...-rid-of-this.&

Hmmm... I found this which is looking very similar....

rainwulf · 28th August 2012, 10:06 PM

Guys, best coolant ever..

TECTALLOY 50plus.

ZERO corrosion.

I have a copper block i made in 1999 thats still as clean inside as the day i made it, never used anything other then car coolant.

m3k · 29th August 2012, 12:18 AM

Perhaps aluminium causing galvanic corrosion, it seems like somethings eating ur copper
If no alu, it's most likely oxidization from air or micro bubbles Or worse acidic corrosion from the way de ionized water turns into a mild acid when exposed to air over time..

Edit* Make sure your rad is properly clean for the next build.. Flushing it with hot water and avoid acids*. If you can aswell scrub your blocks with cleaning alcohol... also try to look for distilled instead of de ionised water, and try it with LU.

Edit* pretty sure that car fluid makes your water conductive again though... Then again Lu probably does too, I'll measure it one day.. Im not sure how a pump would enjoy it...

rainwulf · 29th August 2012, 7:49 AM

Car fluid is very non conductive.
Its not perfect of course, but nothing apart from oil or pure water is.
Plus, it also glows very bright green under UV.

As a bonus, tectalloy doesnt leech plasticizer OR send your tubes white!

NanoDuke · 29th August 2012, 10:11 AM

Sprinkle the flakes into a flame and see what colour it burns

m3k · 29th August 2012, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainwulf

Car fluid is very non conductive.
Its not perfect of course, but nothing apart from oil or pure water is.
Plus, it also glows very bright green under UV.

As a bonus, tectalloy doesnt leech plasticizer OR send your tubes white!

Nice, do you think it might have adverse effects on the pump, making your water thicker?

rainwulf · 29th August 2012, 11:27 AM

Doesnt really make the water thicker at all. As a bonus, also comes with a pump lubricant that actually makes your pumps last longer.

sugaris · 29th August 2012, 2:14 PM

Did somebody say EK? oh snap!

Creekin · 29th August 2012, 2:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m3k

pretty sure that car fluid makes your water conductive again though... Then again Lu probably does too

just opening the bottle of DI makes it conductive again, and putting it in your loop even more so...its the "dirt" that does it...is ur room and loop sterile?
water will ALWAYS be conductive...to think that a particular coolant is not is wrong!

dmandn · 31st August 2012, 4:16 PM

O_O that looks like the problem I was having, I thought it was the pentosin g11 staining the tubes....oh well.

19th August 2012, 8:45 PM	#1
guerny Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 85	Copper dissolving in loop? Basically I'm tearing down my loop after noticing this weird blue green staining on my tubes. Strangely enough its not in the res or blocks, only the tubes. Initially i had a few issues with getting flux out of my rad (thermochill PA160), and then the tubes went cloudy pretty soon on (tygon = plasticiser leach) but after all that everything was fine for a while... Until this... Click to view full size! Click to view full size! Click to view full size! Click to view full size! I'm pretty sure this is copper coming from somewhere (not algae), but where from: - thermochill PA160 rad? - EK Supreme HF cpu block? - EK 560Ti full cover block (copper)? The question is if i rebuilt with these components is this going to keep happening? ... and yes Im planning on using "liquid utopia" + distilled water rather than just "a silver strip" + distilled water for the rebuild. any ideas? cheers, G __________________ --OCAU Folding@Home 100 Milestone Club Member--

19th August 2012, 9:03 PM	#2
Renza Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Adelaide, 5051 Posts: 2,981	got pics of the blocks? (opened, of course) __________________ i7 3770K @ 4.5ghz \| AsRock Z77 Professional \| 16gb Corsair Vengence 1600mhz \| Gigabyte GTX580 \| Seasonic X750 \| Silverstone TJ07 \| Crucial M4 256GB \| 2x Dell 2407WFP Canon 5D Mark II \| Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L \| Canon EF 17-40 f/4L \| Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS \| Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 \| Canon EX-580II \| Manfrotto 190 Pro B Traded over $22,000 on OCAU! - PM for recent traders

20th August 2012, 9:29 AM	#3
javascripterror Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NSW Posts: 3,172	You have laready mentioned the obvious change of removing the silver strip. The green deposit has a copper sulphate look about it which is never a good sign. Plenty of flushes and maybe a corrosion inhibitor of some kind for a while to remove any doubt. __________________ Cogito Ergo Bummer. Folding@home 90,000 Club Member. Folding@Home 2,655,000 Points Milestone. Home of the Radiical X-Block www.radiical.com.au

20th August 2012, 10:53 AM	#4
Spyfox Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: SWSydney 2173 Posts: 1,265	ditch the silver and just use liquid utopia __________________ WWW.JDMWHEELS.COM.AU WWW.DUSTYCARTRIDGE.COM

21st August 2012, 5:08 PM	#5
guerny Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 85	http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...-rid-of-this.& Hmmm... I found this which is looking very similar.... __________________ --OCAU Folding@Home 100 Milestone Club Member--

28th August 2012, 10:06 PM	#6
rainwulf Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: bris.qld.aus Posts: 2,663	Guys, best coolant ever.. TECTALLOY 50plus. ZERO corrosion. I have a copper block i made in 1999 thats still as clean inside as the day i made it, never used anything other then car coolant. __________________ derp

29th August 2012, 12:18 AM	#7
m3k Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 520	Perhaps aluminium causing galvanic corrosion, it seems like somethings eating ur copper If no alu, it's most likely oxidization from air or micro bubbles Or worse acidic corrosion from the way de ionized water turns into a mild acid when exposed to air over time.. Edit* Make sure your rad is properly clean for the next build.. Flushing it with hot water and avoid acids. If you can aswell scrub your blocks with cleaning alcohol... also try to look for distilled instead of de ionised water, and try it with LU. Edit pretty sure that car fluid makes your water conductive again though... Then again Lu probably does too, I'll measure it one day.. Im not sure how a pump would enjoy it... Last edited by m3k; 29th August 2012 at 12:41 AM.

29th August 2012, 7:49 AM	#8
rainwulf Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: bris.qld.aus Posts: 2,663	Car fluid is very non conductive. Its not perfect of course, but nothing apart from oil or pure water is. Plus, it also glows very bright green under UV. As a bonus, tectalloy doesnt leech plasticizer OR send your tubes white! __________________ derp

29th August 2012, 10:11 AM	#9
NanoDuke Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney 2043 Posts: 4,986	Sprinkle the flakes into a flame and see what colour it burns

29th August 2012, 11:27 AM	#11
rainwulf Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: bris.qld.aus Posts: 2,663	Doesnt really make the water thicker at all. As a bonus, also comes with a pump lubricant that actually makes your pumps last longer. __________________ derp

29th August 2012, 2:14 PM	#12
sugaris Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Townsville Posts: 335	Did somebody say EK? oh snap! __________________ Come to the Dark Side... We Have Cookies...

31st August 2012, 4:16 PM	#14
dmandn Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Western Australia Posts: 1,878	O_O that looks like the problem I was having, I thought it was the pentosin g11 staining the tubes....oh well. __________________ Main System: AMD FX-8120, Asus Crosshair IV Formula, 2x 4Gb Crucial Ballixtix ddr3 1866 ram, Asus 6970 DCuII. ASUS Owners Club