Best low maintenance coolant for a custom loop.

[Caring1]

As the title says, I would like to know what others think is the best brand to use for coolants.
I'm not worried about colour staining on clear hoses, but I would like to avoid gunk in the system, while doing minimal work on it.

 

[londiste]

For starters steer clear of anything that has colour
The simplest one from each brand is probably the way to go - distilled water + anticorrosion + antibiotic agents and nothing extra.

 

[ir_cow]

Distilled water. Never needed anything else. Drain once a year. Cost $1.50 for a gallon at the store.

 

[Fokker]

I haven't exactly used a large variety of coolants, but the less in them besides corrosion inhibitors and anti-growth agents, the better. I've been running plain CryoFuel for over a year with no indications of any anything amiss.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Distilled water. Never needed anything else. Drain once a year. Cost $1.50 for a gallon at the store.

Supplied free from your condenser dryer.

 

[Vya Domus]

Just buy one of those clear premixed coolants, I use some from alphacool.

Distilled water. Never needed anything else. Drain once a year. Cost $1.50 for a gallon at the store.

Just distilled water is a dangerous choice, there is no guarantee nothing will start growing inside the loop, especially for a year and if it does it will be serious headache. You're taking unnecessary chances to save a couple of dollars.

 

[ir_cow]

Just distilled water is a dangerous choice, there is no guarantee nothing will start growing inside the loop, especially for a year and if it does it will be serious headache. You're taking unnecessary chances to save a couple of dollars.

For a few more dollars you can buy anti growth stuff. 2-3 drops is enough. Though funny enough, the one time I followed all those "instructions" for a safe clean loop was the only time I had issue with corrosion in a full brass/Cooper/Nickel loop go figure. For the last ten years I've only been using distilled water and nothing else.

Don't like the idea of waiting a year, swap it out every 3 months instead.

Maybe because I have a high flow rate nothing grows? Blocks are never slimy and the last time I had issues was actually the distro plate with left over machine oil in it.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Some people have suggested premixed automotive coolant in the past. Sometimes you can pick up 5ltr drums of it during a sale for a lot less. I think automotive coolant was a rather oldschool suggestion but it should work just fine as it contains antifreeze (which should kill off any nasties) and corrosion inhibitors. Maybe dilute it with a little distilled water to thin it out a little and it should be fine.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Some people have suggested premixed automotive coolant in the past. Sometimes you can pick up 5ltr drums of it during a sale for a lot less. I think automotive coolant was a rather oldschool suggestion but it should work just fine as it contains antifreeze (which should kill off any nasties) and corrosion inhibitors. Maybe dilute it with a little distilled water to thin it out a little and it should be fine.

The suggestion for automotive antifreeze is good for those with mixed metal loops. OAT would be pretty ideal.

Or windshield washer fluid. That works too, but the color can be a draw back in some ways and in others not so bad. The blue will collect around seeping barbs and makes it easy to spot the leak.

 

[INSTG8R]

I use clear Cryofuel in mine for the last few years. I started with Red, will never use coloured fluid again…

 

[phanbuey]

you can get different colored antifreezes (bmw - blue, orange etc.) those last FOREVER and don't stain your stuff. Using colored fluids or dyes will ruin your blocks.

 

[ty_ger]

I tried distilled water in a past computer. It did not work out at all. I would not recommend it.

I now use Koolance 702 fluid. Replace it every 2 years. Works great. No nickel missing from supposedly the worst generation of EK blocks, after 8 years. No growth. No problems.

 

[INSTG8R]

Some people have suggested premixed automotive coolant in the past. Sometimes you can pick up 5ltr drums of it during a sale for a lot less. I think automotive coolant was a rather oldschool suggestion but it should work just fine as it contains antifreeze (which should kill off any nasties) and corrosion inhibitors. Maybe dilute it with a little distilled water to thin it out a little and it should be fine.

When I built my first loop like 20 years ago I had an external setup made by Asetek When they actually made stuff. It came with Redline water wetter which is for automotive use

 

[LabRat 891]

Some people have suggested premixed automotive coolant in the past. Sometimes you can pick up 5ltr drums of it during a sale for a lot less. I think automotive coolant was a rather oldschool suggestion but it should work just fine as it contains antifreeze (which should kill off any nasties) and corrosion inhibitors. Maybe dilute it with a little distilled water to thin it out a little and it should be fine.

The suggestion for automotive antifreeze is good for those with mixed metal loops. OAT would be pretty ideal.

Or windshield washer fluid. That works too, but the color can be a draw back in some ways and in others not so bad. The blue will collect around seeping barbs and makes it easy to spot the leak.

you can get different colored antifreezes (bmw - blue, orange etc.) those last FOREVER and don't staing your stuff. Using colored fluids or dyes will ruin your blocks.

First thing I thought of too. Regardless of maximum cooling performance, automotive coolant should have the longest life.

I'd probably want to pedantically research chemistry of the diff coolants on the market, tho...

1. IAT (Inorganic Acid Technology): Uses silicates as inhibitors, typically green in color, and suitable for older vehicles.
2. OAT (Organic Acid Technology): Uses organic acids as inhibitors, often orange or yellow in color, and commonly used in GM, Saab, VW, and other vehicles.
3. HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid Technology): Combines silicates and organic acids as inhibitors, typically yellow or turquoise in color, and used in Ford, Chrysler, European, and other vehicles.
4. NAP-Free HOAT: A variation of HOAT without nitric acid and phosphates, often turquoise in color, and used in BMW, Volvo, Tesla, Mini, and other vehicles.
5. P-HOAT (Phosphate-Hybrid Organic Acid Technology): Combines phosphates and organic acids as inhibitors, typically pink or blue in color, and used in Asian vehicles (Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, KIA, etc.).
6. Si-OAT (Silicate-Organic Acid Technology): Mixes silicates with HOAT, often pink in color, and used in European vehicles (Mercedes-Benz, Audi, VW, Porsche, etc.).

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Don't use tap water. The top plate was made of steel. Recently did a mod re-do.

Mmm crunchy!

 

[cvaldes]

Supplied free from your condenser dryer.

That assumes that there is actually a condenser dryer on site which is a really sketchy assumption for the American market.

Condensing dryers are not commonly found in American homes since most construction in the past 50-60 years has pre-installed ducting for conventional hot-air clothes dryers. So people will install cheaper hot-air models which have better performance and faster drying. The ventless condensing models are often more compact and thus can only handle smaller load sizes.

At least in the USA, one would only purchase a condenser dryer if they were living in an apartment/condo without the proper hookups or maybe a tiny house where space is a premium. Otherwise there is very little benefit (in the eyes of an American consumer) for these appliances.

So yeah, spending $1.50 for a gallon of distilled water every other year or so is probably more convenient.

 

[Vya Domus]

The problem with other types of coolants or antifreeze is that they have a low percentage of actual water content, like 60-50%, so they are conductively a lot worse than premixed coolants specific for PC water cooling which are like 95% water.

 

[TheLostSwede]

That assumes that there is actually a condenser dryer on site which is a really sketchy assumption for the American market.

Condensing dryers are not commonly found in American homes since most construction in the past 50-60 years has pre-installed ducting for conventional hot-air clothes dryers. So people will install cheaper hot-air models which have better performance and faster drying. The ventless condensing models are often more compact and thus can only handle smaller load sizes.

At least in the USA, one would only purchase a condenser dryer if they were living in an apartment/condo without the proper hookups or maybe a tiny house where space is a premium. Otherwise there is very little benefit (in the eyes of an American consumer) for these appliances.

So yeah, spending $1.50 for a gallon of distilled water every other year or so is probably more convenient.

Good for you, but I wasn't entirely serious...

 

[Mister300]

I was a head Research Chemist for a govt fuel cell contract and they plumbed our pilot scale industrial cooling system with the wrong PVC materials. Glycols will find any leak or half ass connection you make and leak, not advised.

Some glycol coolants may not play nice with plexi or acrylic components. See legal case below.

Case
Allstate Insurance v. Sibley et al, Eagle Cty CO Dist Ct 96CV219
Attorney
James Puga, formerly of Godfrey Associates, Denver, CO, 80231, now with Leventhal & Brown, PC, 950 S. Cherry St. Denver CO 80246, tel 303-759-9945, fax 303-759-9692
Representing
Defendant pipe manufacturer

Testimony
Report - Analysis confirmed that CPVC pipe in a fire sprinkler system had been filled with propylene glycol/water antifreeze solution, contrary to pipe manufacturer's instructions. Pipe failure and water damage was caused by environmental stress cracking due to the glycol.
Outcome
Pipe manufacturer was absolved.

Herer is my corrosion publication FYI

 

[DaemonForce]

It depends on your equipment and the biggest issue you face with water cooling.
If you're getting dry sump noises every so often, distilled water for the win but keep burping the radiator.
If you have materials in the loop acting as anode+cathode, causing a low voltage electrolysis situation, undiversify materials or add anti-bio like Koolance uses.
Everything else, you're probably AHOC and I can't help you. Ice bucket?

 

[Solaris17]

Distilled water. Never needed anything else. Drain once a year. Cost $1.50 for a gallon at the store.

im going to stand by this and I'll die on this hill. I ran distilled water, made sure I didnt touch the inside of the hoses, rez etc. I unboxed everything, hooked it up opened a fresh gal of distilled and that was that. That loop lasted 2 years with absolutely no maintenance after the first like 10 hours when I added a few extra oz of water because of air. My tubes were black, but my blocks and rez were clear, never changed color or grew any weird shit. Stayed clear until the day I drained it to give it away.

 

[Steevo]

Some people have suggested premixed automotive coolant in the past. Sometimes you can pick up 5ltr drums of it during a sale for a lot less. I think automotive coolant was a rather oldschool suggestion but it should work just fine as it contains antifreeze (which should kill off any nasties) and corrosion inhibitors. Maybe dilute it with a little distilled water to thin it out a little and it should be fine.

I have used plain green automotive anti-freeze at a 25% glycol to distilled water mixture for almost 20 years with NO issues, original pump is still running to this day, I added a surfactant to lower the surface tension and improve thermal conductivity but its like a 1C difference in performance. Changed coolant 3 times total, never found any corrosion, had any issues with bare copper, brass, nickel plated or other metals in the loop.

 

[DemonicRyzen666]

im going to stand by this and I'll die on this hill. I ran distilled water, made sure I didnt touch the inside of the hoses, rez etc. I unboxed everything, hooked it up opened a fresh gal of distilled and that was that. That loop lasted 2 years with absolutely no maintenance after the first like 10 hours when I added a few extra oz of water because of air. My tubes were black, but my blocks and rez were clear, never changed color or grew any weird shit. Stayed clear until the day I drained it to give it away.

I think there are times when people mistake copper oxidation. That is from jet plates that forces high pressure & cause cavitation of the water going through it. Copper oxidation can look like algea to most people.

Love all pure copper blocks, clear soft tubing, with distilled water simple clean & easy to work with.

 

[cvaldes]

Good for you, but I wasn't entirely serious...

Hard to tell. In the past, people threw in emojis, emoticons, or some other indication that a joke was being made. Like this:

/s

I'm sad to see that type of netiquette is nearly extinct. Not a specific criticism about TPU or you, it's pretty much describes the entire Internet in 2024.



Smartphones democratized the Internet and in doing so destroyed netiquette, logical reasoning, and sane communications. Oh well, it was fun for the short period we had it... lol

Anyhow I had a custom loop for three years that never required any maintenance. It was filled with distilled water. I didn't even bother adding drops of biocide since the distilled water was nearly a year old.

All the special fluids and treatments are a fine way to lighten one's wallet. Everyone is free to do what they want with their money.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Hard to tell. In the past, people threw in emojis, emoticons, or some other indication that a joke was being made. Like this:

/s

I'm sad to see that type of netiquette is nearly extinct. Not a specific criticism about TPU or you, it's pretty much describes the entire Internet in 2024.



Smartphones democratized the Internet and in doing so destroyed netiquette, logical reasoning, and sane communications. Oh well, it was fun for the short period we had it... lol

I thought it was obvious from my comment...