Help. Best way to clean a noctura NH d15. Finger oil stains

[vESP]

So I've just noticed after a few weeks since i installed my cooler some finger oil marking. What's the best way to remove them without rusting the fins as I've tried a micro fibre cloth to no success

[Shiv78]

Isopropyl alcohol?

The fins are aluminum, can't rust. Should be able to just carefully wipe with water (OUTSIDE THE CASE)

[AnnoyedShelf]

3 minutes ago, vESP said:

So I've just noticed after a few weeks since i installed my cooler some finger oil marking. What's the best way to remove them without rusting the fins as I've tried a micro fibre cloth to no success

 

It's made of aluminum, not steel, so it probably wouldn't oxidize very easily, even if you just used water.  If you really want to be safe though, rubbing alcohol should do the trick.

[vESP]

Just now, Shiv78 said:

Isopropyl alcohol?

The fins are aluminum, can't rust. Should be able to just carefully wipe with water (OUTSIDE THE CASE)

Sweet. Yea I'm going to do this when i mod my case i need to correctly cable manage my rig haha it's a spaghetti monster 

[CommandMan7]

worst case is if isopropyl alcohol doesn't work try some sort of buffing tool for a drill / dremel. 

[vESP]

2 minutes ago, AnnoyedShelf said:

It's made of aluminum, not steel, so it probably wouldn't oxidize very easily, even if you just used water.  If you really want to be safe though, rubbing alcohol should do the trick.

Cool cool. Will hit it with 100%

[Enderman]

6 minutes ago, Shiv78 said:

Isopropyl alcohol?

The fins are aluminum, can't rust. Should be able to just carefully wipe with water (OUTSIDE THE CASE)

5 minutes ago, AnnoyedShelf said:

It's made of aluminum, not steel, so it probably wouldn't oxidize very easily, even if you just used water.  If you really want to be safe though, rubbing alcohol should do the trick.

 

Uh... this is aluminum... these fingerprint marks are oxidation, aka rust, because the oils cause the metal to oxidize.

You cannot wipe this off, it is an oxidized surface.

 

The only way to remove them is by sanding/polishing the surface which removes the layer of oxidation.

[AresKrieger]

36 minutes ago, AnnoyedShelf said:

It's made of aluminum, not steel, so it probably wouldn't oxidize very easily, even if you just used water.  If you really want to be safe though, rubbing alcohol should do the trick.

Exact opposite, aluminum oxidizes so quickly that it normally won't rust out due to a layer of oxidation protecting lower layers, the finger prints are simply an additional layer of oxidation caused by acidic oils removing the first layer or whatever coating was on the surface

[vESP]

4 hours ago, Enderman said:

 

Uh... this is aluminum... these fingerprint marks are oxidation, aka rust, because the oils cause the metal to oxidize.

You cannot wipe this off, it is an oxidized surface.

 

The only way to remove them is by sanding/polishing the surface which removes the layer of oxidation.

 

3 hours ago, AresKrieger said:

Exact opposite, aluminum oxidizes so quickly that it normally won't rust out due to a layer of oxidation protecting lower layers, the finger prints are simply an additional layer of oxidation caused by acidic oils removing the first layer or whatever coating was on the surface

ok good at least i know what this is. wish i knew i would have marked it haha.

wonder if i can just hid it with plastidip and fit the cooler in with my black and white and red build.

 

will look into removing this i think really high grit wet sandpaper and then buffing it with my dremil

[Enderman]

17 minutes ago, vESP said:

 

ok good at least i know what this is. wish i knew i would have marked it haha.

wonder if i can just hid it with plastidip and fit the cooler in with my black and white and red build.

 

will look into removing this i think really high grit wet sandpaper and then buffing it with my dremil

Even a scotchbrite pad (the green things) or a rough dishwashing sponge can scrape the layer off.

Dremel would probably be faster though.

[WoodenMarker]

1 hour ago, vESP said:

wonder if i can just hid it with plastidip and fit the cooler in with my black and white and red build.

Painting over it works fine.

1 hour ago, Enderman said:

Even a scotchbrite pad (the green things) or a rough dishwashing sponge can scrape the layer off.

Dremel would probably be faster though.

That would probably ruin the finish.

[Enderman]

8 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

Painting over it works fine.

That would probably ruin the finish.

It would make it look like brushed aluminum instead of polished aluminum.

[vESP]

15 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

Painting over it works fine.

That would probably ruin the finish.

 

6 hours ago, Enderman said:

It would make it look like brushed aluminum instead of polished aluminum.

in the end if that 1 plate causes me to loose 10c of cooling ill be pissed if i fix it lmao.

[WoodenMarker]

8 hours ago, Enderman said:

It would make it look like brushed aluminum instead of polished aluminum.

That's only if the scrubbing is even. It's pretty easy to mess up. 

2 hours ago, vESP said:

in the end if that 1 plate causes me to loose 10c of cooling ill be pissed if i fix it lmao.

Any difference in cooling would be negligible.