Does antifreeze work well for watercooling loops!?

[A Computer Guy]

Yes, I agree and I'm sorry If I upset you, but I honestly didn't like it when you tell me "It's a no go" yeah after sooooo many years of experience using it.

No problem. (LOL it seems I wasn't the only one who said that either).

I was trying to review old posts to see if you mentioned which specific car coolant you were using but couldn't find it. I think it's important to know because of differences in chemistry between brands you can't assume to just throw in any antifreeze and expect not to have issues. Since you have an established history with a specific product that works well it would be nice to know what that product is.

Did you always do 50/50 (Glycol/Distilled) mix?
How did you determine the proper mixture?
I've seen other comments here like 10ml or 25/75, 30/70 so I'm interested in knowing how the proportions are determined.

 

[Mussels]

Since you have an established history with a specific product that works well it would be nice to know what that product is.

That's what we need from everyone who says they use a car coolant

Share what it actually is, and the dilution you use

 

[Outback Bronze]

How did you determine the proper mixture?

I use straight from the bottle as it's a premix.

This is the stuff I mainly use.


Been experimenting with different colors and different brands. Still no issues.


Coolant still in this loop as of today. Built this around sep 2019. Blocks still super clean!


My test loop. Block is from X99 so fairly old.


Think I've done enough guys.

 

[Mr.Scott]

When I was using antifreeze as a biocide, 10% was enough to do the job. Brand didn't matter.

 

[Mussels]

I use straight from the bottle as it's a premix.

This is the stuff I mainly use.
View attachment 302347View attachment 302348

Been experimenting with different colors and different brands. Still no issues.
View attachment 302349View attachment 302350View attachment 302351View attachment 302352

Coolant still in this loop as of today. Built this around sep 2019. Blocks still super clean!
View attachment 302353View attachment 302354View attachment 302357View attachment 302358View attachment 302355

My test loop. Block is from X99 so fairly old.
View attachment 302356

Think I've done enough guys.

Thanks for sharing the bottles tho, that's still really helpful


These all seem to be using propylene glycol since it does less environmental damage if spilled
Ethylene Glycol damages PETG tubing, so while it may be safe for a hardtubed loop it's a bad idea in general if any of these coolants do use it.
The PH level is probably important, but short of pulling out those strips used to test pool water i'm not sure how we'd be able to compare to PC coolants - google gave an answer of "Between 8 and 10 to minimise corrosion of the metals"

This explains a lot: Coolants decay and become acidic over time, and you end up with what happened with my EK coolants turning to goo and cordoding things

First of all, pH (hydrogen potential) measures the acidity or basicity of a solution. For example, for coolant, it should be between 8 and 7.
In this regard, it is important to check the pH of the coolant regularly. As a result, corrosion usually occurs in an engine when the coolant pH value is below 7.
Indeed, over time, the antifreeze product loses its properties. It degrades in its quality making the coolant acidic. As a result, it causes general corrosion of cylinder liners, cylinder block and cylinder head, as well as water hoses and hoses.

That Nulon green for example

Vs Penrite red coolant
RED OEM COOLANT PREMIX | Penrite Oil

The red has 2.5x the glycol content, and slightly thicker than the green
That's the sorta info that's useful to use as a baseline


I clicked on the purple and its specifically designed for aluminium, mixed metal setups
PURPLE OEM COOLANT CONCENTRATE | Penrite Oil

And enough Glycol to drown a cat - over 5x the green

Perfect example of 'dont shop by colour, but the specs'



Edit: If i re-use the EK hardware that kept gunking up on me, cough cough
Or if i wanted a sports drink?

 

[A Computer Guy]

Thanks for sharing the bottles tho, that's still really helpful

These all seem to be using propylene glycol...

But the labels in the photos show ethylene glycol.

 

[Mussels]

But the labels in the photos show ethylene glycol.

I know right?

The confusion is strong, they say "glycol" on its own, then flop between ethylene and propylene glycol

 

[OkieDan]

Apparently biocide isn't necessary in propylene glycol concentrations >25% by volume.

https://www.opencompute.org/documen...old-plate-based-liquid-cooled-racks-final-pdf - page 9.

 

[Mussels]

Apparently biocide isn't necessary in propylene glycol concentrations >25% by volume.

https://www.opencompute.org/documen...old-plate-based-liquid-cooled-racks-final-pdf - page 9.

Glycol *is* the biocide

 

[OkieDan]

Glycol *is* the biocide

It's biostatic, not biocidal.

 

[Mussels]

It's biostatic, not biocidal.

I feel like this could be used in a murder trial somehow

 

[A Computer Guy]

I feel like this could be used in a murder trial somehow

If your feeling biocidal get help immediately.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Could probably get medication for that.

 

[INSTG8R]

Back when Asetek actually made WC gear.

TechPowerUp

www.techpowerup.com

they shipped it with a syringe of Red Line Water Wetter

WaterWetter®

Unique agent for cooling systems that doubles the wetting ability of water

www.redlineoil.com

I still use the syringe to top up my loop.
Edit: just had a total freak out because I just moved and couldn’t find my syringe in any of my PC a room boxes Realized I used dresser drawer that used to be in my old PC room. After double checking every box I remembered. I’m literally sweating buckets right now but I finally found it

 

[lexluthermiester]

I recently saw a video of some dude on youtube that used:

¼ of green antifreeze to ¾ distilled water!

The dude claims that he didn't change the coolant for 4 years and by the looks of it, it still was in great condition however he was using a chinese water pump but I don't think the plastic on normal D5/DDC is going to react since Acetal does not react with glycol, so what are your thoughts on this matter?

That mix will work very well long term.

 

[GordonFreemanInTheFlesh]

That mix will work very well long term.

Thank you!!

 

[lexluthermiester]

Thank you!!

You're welcome!

This is the stuff I mainly use.


Been experimenting with different colors and different brands. Still no issues.

These will will also work very well too! Anything formulated for automotive cooling will work perfectly for PC cooling, especially fluids that are industry tested and certified.

 

[Mussels]

25% to 50% coolant (with the rest distilled) seems to be the recommended values as a consensus, it's just that confusion of people going 'by colour'
I've got a bottle of green coolant in my garage that's ethylene glycol and a terrible idea to use in a PC - it's advertised as for anti corrosion, but not clear on the label what ingredients it has at a glance

If i remember i'll get a photo later

 

[Outback Bronze]

Back when Asetek actually made WC gear.

Wow yeah,

This inspired me (Waterchill) to get out the old girl. I just wish I had the original retail box it was sold in : (

Almost 2 decades old guys. They don't sell em like that anymore!

Edit: BTW you can see the Algae Fluid originally supplied (far bottom right on white paper) which I obviously used with distilled water, and it started corroding/rusting all internal parts after about 3-6 months iirc.

This was when I swapped to car coolant and never looked back.

All original parts there for socket 478 with a later slight mod for 775.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I've got a bottle of green coolant in my garage that's ethylene glycol and a terrible idea to use in a PC - it's advertised as for anti corrosion, but not clear on the label what ingredients it has at a glance

Um, why? Been using it for years with no ill effect.

 

[freeagent]

I find this all to be very interesting, and contrary to most of what I have read over the years. But Outback is from the Outback and has the miles on so..

Good stuff

 

[thesmokingman]

A decade ago there was a big liquid comparison straight water vs all the coolants, even auto. The differences were tiny tiny tiny. That means if you wanna run for years use an auto coolant mix.

I wonder if EK had recommended a real coolant, not this designer weak pc coolant crap, their plating issues wouldn't have surfaced? But eh, it's EK, karma is a bitch!

 

[Fangio1951]

Hi all,

Just wondering if i could use the Nulon Green (ratio = 25% Nulon to 75% distilled water) in my loop (all copper bocks & radiator) which all the tubing is PETG ??

regards

 

[Outback Bronze]

Hi all,

Just wondering if i could use the Nulon Green (ratio = 25% Nulon to 75% distilled water) in my loop (all copper bocks & radiator) which all the tubing is PETG ??

regards

Yep. Fine

 

[Mussels]

Um, why? Been using it for years with no ill effect.

Because ethylene glycol is the one that corrodes some plastics, so what is safe for YOUR loop would not be safe for everyone

"Green" means nothing, PG and EG are what matter and EG is the one that's toxic and damaging to certain materials
A quick google on soft tubing made it very clear i do not want to waste my time listing all the types manually for you

One person can be fine for a decade because they dont like plexi tops on their hardware, so no plastic to crack - they use a certain brand of fittings and always have, that luckily uses the right material to not corrode, and they only use this one heatsink their grandma forged in a dwarven smithy that's pure copper, so it has no corrosion like nickel plated ones do



Oh i found someone on FB with the same EK blocks as me and the same corrosion issues - he ran pure distilled and that leeches the thin nickel coatings away in patches over the higher flow areas, and then you get corrosion after that.
Proper coolants matter.