Filling an old AIO , should i top up all the way? or leave a tiny of air in the system ?

[sykotikman]

I have  an old AIO (Enermax liqtech and it's   6 year old now ) , and have noticed my temps rising a bit , so decided that though permeation  the AIO need "topping up" 

so after removing the AIO from the PC  and removing  the cold plate -  topping it up as much i as can ( no air bubble any more )  and filling it right up the level of where the cold plate connects to the pump ) ,  i refitted the cold plate and connected it back into the PC ,

ran the PC for a while and the temps where so much better ( 10 degrees lower ) 

but it got me thinking . should i have filled it  all the way the top or should i left a tiny bit of air in the loop for expansion  ? 

 

 

 

[CommanderAlex]

Most AIO manufacturers leave a tiny bit of air inside the loop, most likely for expansion as the coolant heats up and has to go somewhere, otherwise you could build up pressure inside the loop (my hypothesis). Can't believe you got 6 years out of the AIO so far. 

[gal-m]

4 minutes ago, SpiderMan said:

Can't believe you got 6 years out of the AIO so far.

That's not that old. My first gen Corsair H100 is still cooling my overclocked 3930k to this day. It's 9 years old @SpiderMan

[CommanderAlex]

Just now, gal-m said:

That's not that old. My first gen Corsair H100 is still cooling my overclocked 3930k to this day. It's 9 years old @SpiderMan

Man...coming from a guy that don't trust AIOs, I'd be scared to even have one for that long!!

[gal-m]

4 minutes ago, SpiderMan said:

Man...coming from a guy that don't trust AIOs, I'd be scared to even have one for that long!

I'm currently in the process of building a new PC, which will probably be completed at the beginning of summer 2021. I was actually thinking about giving this 9 year old AIO away to someone like Gamers Nexus maybe, if he'd take it. I think it would make for a FANTASTIC video about what an REAAAALLLY old AIO cooler looks like and how much performance it looses over time @SpiderMan.

[CommanderAlex]

1 minute ago, gal-m said:

I'm currently in the process of building a new PC, which will probably be completed at the beginning of summer 2021. I was actually thinking about giving this 9 year old AIO away to someone like Gamers Nexus maybe, if he'd take it. I think it would make for a FANTASTIC video about what an REAAAALLLY old AIO cooler looks like and how much performance it looses over time @SpiderMan.

That would be very interesting to see Gamers Nexus do, and perhaps a teardown to see how everything degraded inside. 

[SavageNeo]

4 minutes ago, gal-m said:

I'm currently in the process of building a new PC, which will probably be completed at the beginning of summer 2021. I was actually thinking about giving this 9 year old AIO away to someone like Gamers Nexus maybe, if he'd take it. I think it would make for a FANTASTIC video about what an REAAAALLLY old AIO cooler looks like and how much performance it looses over time @SpiderMan.

also if Gamers Nexus does not want it " David does tech stuff" should take it.  really like him

[gal-m]

4 minutes ago, SpiderMan said:

perhaps a teardown to see how everything degraded inside

Definitely!!

I'd PAY to watch someone commenting on it haha!

 

It would also represent the real world VERY WELL, since the system pretty much runs most days of the week about 8-12 hours a day, so it truly is quite heavily used @SpiderMan.

[sykotikman]

8 minutes ago, SpiderMan said:

Most AIO manufacturers leave a tiny bit of air inside the loop, most likely for expansion as the coolant heats up and has to go somewhere, otherwise you could build up pressure inside the loop (my hypothesis). Can't believe you got 6 years out of the AIO so far. 

That's what got me thinking , i know manufacturers do this , so it must be for a reason ( expansion ) 

think ill take a tiny bit of air out just to be on the safe side ..

 

and yea 6 year is good going , it might not look the prettiest  AIO  but (in Jayz words ) it is built like a tank lol

 

    

[gal-m]

4 minutes ago, SavageNeo said:

David does tech stuff" should take it.  really like him

You're right @SavageNeo! I recently stumbled upon his channel and I like it a lot too.

 

Well I think someone in the tech community would LOVE to do a video on it (I have the original box, fans and everything hahaha). I'll prob start a thread on this forum, as soon as I'm ready to give it up, so in about a couple of months . What would be even better is if someone could get in touch with e.g. GN or David does tech, or any other reviewer/YouTuber. 

[jaslion]

26 minutes ago, sykotikman said:

I have  an old AIO (Enermax liqtech and it's   6 year old now ) , and have noticed my temps rising a bit , so decided that though permeation  the AIO need "topping up" 

so after removing the AIO from the PC  and removing  the cold plate -  topping it up as much i as can ( no air bubble any more )  and filling it right up the level of where the cold plate connects to the pump ) ,  i refitted the cold plate and connected it back into the PC ,

ran the PC for a while and the temps where so much better ( 10 degrees lower ) 

but it got me thinking . should i have filled it  all the way the top or should i left a tiny bit of air in the loop for expansion  ? 

 

 

 

A tiny bit of air is a good thing to not have any pressure issues.

[freeagent]

I think some one did the math already, you have to leave room for expansion, so a "tiny" bit of air will not do.. I would start with the rad 3/4 full or so with an empty block and tubes and see how she does.

 

I honestly don't know what I am talking about, but to me it seems logical.

[narrdarr]

This is all upside down. 

 

You should not want any air in the loop. Get as much out as you can. Your going to need to do alot of shaking and letting it hang(holding) with your fill spot(cold plate)at the highest point. 

 

 

Once again these people that are telling you to leave air in the loop are wrong.

 

Also what did you fill it with?

[freeagent]

1 hour ago, narrdarr said:

This is all upside down. 

 

You should not want any air in the loop. Get as much out as you can. Your going to need to do alot of shaking and letting it hang(holding) with your fill spot(cold plate)at the highest point. 

 

 

Once again these people that are telling you to leave air in the loop are wrong.

 

Also what did you fill it with?

Have you owned an AIO/CLC?

 

They are not full.

[narrdarr]

36 minutes ago, freeagent said:

Have you owned an AIO/CLC?

 

They are not full.

I own 3 and have refurb 1 of them( h100i v2). There is only air in them because of manufacturing tolerances. However they do also try to remove as much air as they can. Some even use a vacuum to pull the air out and fill with the fluid. Again you do not want air in the loop. Hand filling a clc you can't get all the air out anyways you just have to do the best you can. 

 

Here a couple pics of the grime that was in the aio. 

 

Its also best to refill with EG or PG mixed with distilled water. At about 30%. Although you can ek cyrofuel or primochill utopia. Although I dont think they will last as long. I did use utopia and looking forward to opening it up as its a few months or more and want to see how well the anticorrosive solution has combated the mixed metals.

 

 

[freeagent]

Down and dirty just how I like it! I'm going to open mine today or tomorrow to see what she looks like! 

 

Thank you sir 

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, freeagent said:

Down and dirty just how I like it! I'm going to open mine today or tomorrow to see what she looks like! 

 

Thank you sir 

You mean to disassemble with an 8 pound maul??? Hell yeah! +1!!

 

Oh wait... you didn't really mean it that way did you lol....

[narrdarr]

4 minutes ago, freeagent said:

Down and dirty just how I like it! I'm going to open mine today or tomorrow to see what she looks like! 

 

Thank you sir 

Don't open it unless you are able to fill it. Leaving it exposed to air will accelerate corrosion. If its bad clean it.with a tooth brush. Toothpaste works, simplegreen works better. Also the propeller is magnetic in many. So if you can remove it and clean underneath. Its important to keep the pump from grinding or worse, seizing. 

[freeagent]

Ok maybe I’ll leave it until I’m ready to fill..