EK Compression fitting tarnish

[Theo]

Hello all,

I did a complete tear down of my watercooling loop since it was running for a year and I noticed these tiny little bubbles on the compression fittings. The system overall had no growth or issues with different metals being mixed.

3/10 fittings did not have it but i dont remember where they where.

Any idea of what these are? I tried soapy water and cotton swabs and they dont come off. I could probably use them again and have 0 issues but want to know if anyone else has seen these before?

Thank you

[Bananasplit_00]

residue from the fluid thats built up

 

*edit*

what fluid were you using for refrence?

[Theo]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

residue from the fluid thats built up

the fluid was distilled water though

[Damascus]

Seems like plasticization, what tubing did you use?

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, Theo said:

the fluid was distilled water though

hmm then im not really sure. could be some weak corrosion effect from something, never really seen this before and im pretty new to watercooling myself but if you have something bare copper there could be a light galvanic corrosion hapaning i guess?

[Theo]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

hmm then im not really sure. could be some weak corrosion effect from something, never really seen this before and im pretty new to watercooling myself but if you have something bare copper there could be a light galvanic corrosion hapaning i guess?

Nah its not that, all the metals are fine and all the blocks were looking as good as new, its those fittings that only have it

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, Theo said:

Nah its not that, all the metals are fine and all the blocks were looking as good as new, its those fittings that only have it

as @Damascus mentioned it could have come from the tubeing, or i guess also blocks

[Theo]

3 minutes ago, Damascus said:

Seems like plasticization, what tubing did you use?

Primoflex Advanced LRT, if its that, shouldnt it come off with cleaning? 

[Damascus]

1 minute ago, Theo said:

Primoflex Advanced LRT, if its that, shouldnt it come off with cleaning? 

Oh man, the LRT has awful plasticization.  Should be scrubbed off easily 

[Theo]

2 minutes ago, Damascus said:

Oh man, the LRT has awful plasticization.  Should be scrubbed off easily 

If i remember correctly it the Pro LRT that have that problem, Advanced should be fine from what i had read. However this is not coming off even with intense scrubbing 

[For Science!]

4 minutes ago, Theo said:

Primoflex Advanced LRT, if its that, shouldnt it come off with cleaning? 

If its crusty I suspect minor signs of corrosion since there wasn't anti-corrosives in your coolant. Brass is not completely the same as copper, especially if you have nickel plated things.

[Enderman]

Use alcohol to clean it off.

Also, change your tubing, the primochill stuff is crap.

You also should use premixed fluid instead of distilled water.

[W-L]

18 minutes ago, Theo said:

Hello all,
I did a complete tear down of my watercooling loop since it was running for a year and I noticed these tiny little bubbles on the compression fittings. The system overall had no growth or issues with different metals being mixed.
3/10 fittings did not have it but i dont remember where they where.
Any iea of what these are? I tried soapy water and cotton swabs and they dont come off. I could probably use them again and have 0 issues but want to know if anyone else has seen these before?
Thank you

Did you happen to use distilled water and a silver kill coil? Nickel and silver son't mix well within a loop together so it may have cause that to occur. 

[Theo]

6 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Use alcohol to clean it off.

Also, change your tubing, the primochill stuff is crap.

You also should use premixed fluid instead of distilled water.

Which clear tubing would you recommend? Also is alcohol safe for cleaning nickel plating? ( i know vinegar isnt but i dno for alcohol)

4 minutes ago, W-L said:

Did you happen to use distilled water and a silver kill coil? Nickel and silver son't mix well within a loop together so it may have cause that to occur. 

Damn you legend, thats what I had and i just realised that the most affected ones were right after the kill coil, i was going to get a biocide anyway so this works out well

[Enderman]

1 minute ago, Theo said:

Which clear tubing would you recommend? Also is alcohol safe for cleaning nickel plating? ( i know vinegar isnt but i dno for alcohol)

Mayhems has really good clear tubing.

Alcohol should be safe.

 

1 minute ago, Theo said:

Damn you legend, thats what I had and i just realised that the most affected ones were right after the kill coil, i was going to get a biocide anyway so this works out well

This is why using a premixed fluid with anticorrosives and biocide is safer.

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, Theo said:

Which clear tubing would you recommend? Also is alcohol safe for cleaning nickel plating? ( i know vinegar isnt but i dno for alcohol)

Damn you legend, thats what I had and i just realised that the most affected ones were right after the kill coil, i was going to get a biocide anyway so this works out well

Nickel is somewhat particular in regards to fluid options, most premixes are alright as said since they have built in anticorrosive to prevent problems, but for a compatible biocide and distilled water the options are limited. The fittings are alright to be reused it just lost the shiny nickel plating and has gone down to the base material of brass. 

[Theo]

11 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Mayhems has really good clear tubing.

Alcohol should be safe.

 

This is why using a premixed fluid with anticorrosives and biocide is safer.

 

6 minutes ago, W-L said:

Nickel is somewhat particular in regards to fluid options, most premixes are alright as said since they have built in anticorrosive to prevent problems, but for a compatible biocide and distilled water the options are limited. The fittings are alright to be reused it just lost the shiny nickel plating and has gone down to the base material of brass. 

Any premixed liquids that you recommend? Already spent quite a lot of money on this so no real reason on saving 30e more 

[Enderman]

1 minute ago, Theo said:

 

Any premixed liquids that you recommend? Already spent quite a lot of money on this so no real reason on saving 30e more 

EK cryofuel or the mayhems clear stuff.

[W-L]

25 minutes ago, Theo said:

 

Any premixed liquids that you recommend? Already spent quite a lot of money on this so no real reason on saving 30e more 

+1 for what Enderman recommended.