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 seems to be best. 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 staing 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!