Watercooling liquid confusion

[cluelessgenius]

alright so i know the usual deal of just run distilled water but...

i was browsing around and looking at what option are out there for biocidal and corrosion inhibitor additives and came across premixed solution by basically every bigger brand:

aqua computer double protect ultra - https://www.caseking.de/aqua-computer-double-protect-ultra-5l-kanister-wazu-446.html

mayhem ultra pure H20 - https://www.caseking.de/mayhems-ultra-pure-h2o-1000ml-wazu-276.html

innovatek Protect IP - https://www.caseking.de/innovatek-protect-ip-anwendungsmischung-1-liter-wazu-035.html

raijintek RAIAQUA-T1 Anti-Freeze - https://www.caseking.de/raijintek-raiaqua-t1-anti-freeze-kuehlfluessigkeit-wazu-653.html

XSPC EC6 Coolant - https://www.caseking.de/xspc-ec6-coolant-1-liter-klar-wazu-330.html

Thermaltake Collant C1000 Pure - https://www.caseking.de/thermaltake-coolant-c1000-pure-transparent-1-liter-wazu-787.html

 

so basically whats the difference? is one clearly better? do you have experience with the topic? is there a clear solution thats better than all this? what is the best way to go in terms of really making sure stuff doesnt grow or corrode? 

 

id love to hear some opinions on this since usually people only talk about the colored additive like the latest "vue" but rarely about the inhibitors.

[For Science!]

4 minutes ago, cluelessgenius said:

-

Double protect ultra - Only mentions corrosion inhibitors, no MSDS available.

Mayhem ultra pure H2O - Just water, nothing else, not suitable as coolant

Protect IP - Ethylene glycol based, not suitable for PETG, anti-corrosive is hexanoic acid, same as EK-cryofuel. 

RAIAQUA - Propylene glycol based, no document biocidal properties.

XSPC EC6 - Also propylene glycol, no documented biocidal ingrediants

Thermaltake Coolant - Ethylene glycol based, not suitable for PETG, no added biocides or anticorrosives

 

IMO all of them are only so-so at best. According to the documentation available (or not), EK-Cryofuel is the best option above all the above for the following reasons:

 

- It is water based, and so compatible with PETG (unlike protect IP)

- Contains organic biocide (as opposed to not, or inorganic biocides such as copper sulphate)

- Contains anti-corrosives (tri-azole based, and also hexanoic acid based)

 

Read here for more information:

 

[cluelessgenius]

49 minutes ago, For Science! said:

 

 

wow thanks. i read your conversion with ek and mayhem and found it to be very informative. although me personally i would care more about th raw effectiveness against growth and corrosion than its environmental friendlyness or toxicity since im not planning to drink it, bath in it or water my plants with it.

also im not a chemist so i have basically not idea what hexanoic acid means but ill trust your word if you suggest ek.

so to be a bit more specific to my case. id like to run brass tubing by bitspower with ek's nickel fittings and blocks and a alphacool monsta 360 (copper) so the only plasticy / clear component (to my understanding) would be ek's punp/res combo hich i would prefer not to cloud. considering this would you change your recommendation?

 

also side note what would you recommend to use for cleaning the rads and other components?

[For Science!]

1 hour ago, cluelessgenius said:

wow thanks. i read your conversion with ek and mayhem and found it to be very informative. although me personally i would care more about th raw effectiveness against growth and corrosion than its environmental friendlyness or toxicity since im not planning to drink it, bath in it or water my plants with it.

also im not a chemist so i have basically not idea what hexanoic acid means but ill trust your word if you suggest ek.

so to be a bit more specific to my case. id like to run brass tubing by bitspower with ek's nickel fittings and blocks and a alphacool monsta 360 (copper) so the only plasticy / clear component (to my understanding) would be ek's punp/res combo hich i would prefer not to cloud. considering this would you change your recommendation?

 

also side note what would you recommend to use for cleaning the rads and other components?

No change to my recommendation.

 

I usually clean rads with just hot tap water followed by distilled water (Hwlabs and Ek). However Alphacool rads are known to be quite dirty out ofnthe box. you may want to consider using an acid based wash like Mayhems blitz part 1 (phosphoric acird)

[cluelessgenius]

2 minutes ago, For Science! said:

No change to my recommendation.

 

I usually clean rads with just hot tap water followed by distilled water (Hwlabs and Ek). However Alphacool rads are known to be quite dirty out ofnthe box. you may want to consider using an acid based wash like Mayhems blitz part 1 (phosphoric acird)

thanks. well its not out of the box. i bought it used so it has been running before but sppecifically thats the reason i want to make sure theres no old gunk from the previous owner. like my resarator i bought years ago is still all bluish tinted from the guy before. luckily you cant see it and i plan on only running it through a heat exchanger to avoid introducing any of that gnk into the system loop.

[SolarNova]

3 hours ago, For Science! said:

Double protect ultra - Only mentions corrosion inhibitors, no MSDS available.

Mayhem ultra pure H2O - Just water, nothing else, not suitable as coolant

Protect IP - Ethylene glycol based, not suitable for PETG, anti-corrosive is hexanoic acid, same as EK-cryofuel. 

RAIAQUA - Propylene glycol based, no document biocidal properties.

XSPC EC6 - Also propylene glycol, no documented biocidal ingrediants

Thermaltake Coolant - Ethylene glycol based, not suitable for PETG, no added biocides or anticorrosives

 

IMO all of them are only so-so at best. According to the documentation available (or not), EK-Cryofuel is the best option above all the above for the following reasons:

 

- It is water based, and so compatible with PETG (unlike protect IP)

- Contains organic biocide (as opposed to not, or inorganic biocides such as copper sulphate)

- Contains anti-corrosives (tri-azole based, and also hexanoic acid based)

 

 

I run Mayhems Ultra Pure H2O with a biocide additive. been running the same coolant for a couple years without changing, still crystal clear.

 

So long as you clean out your component prior to filling, expecialy radiators, simple distilled water (like mayhems ultra pure), and a biocide additive, will last a long while.

[For Science!]

11 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

I run Mayhems Ultra Pure H2O with a biocide additive. been running the same coolant for a couple years without changing, still crystal clear.

 

So long as you clean out your component prior to filling, expecialy radiators, simple distilled water (like mayhems ultra pure), and a biocide additive, will last a long while.

You see, at the point that you add a biocide, you're fairly far away from "simple distilled water".

 

EK-CryoFuel is only 3 active ingredients, only 2 more than what you have. While a biocide-only loop is fine, it also does not harm to add anti-corrosives since you loop is always mixed metals to a degree.

 

I'm not saying that coolants must be some crazy mixture of hundreds of chemicals. You just need a couple that work together under the same conditions (pH and temperature, mainly). Getting that right using a homebrew solution is simply not worth the saving costs. Just like how you don't go out of your way to save a few bucks and make your own toothpaste (sorry if you do), buy a concentrate or pre-mix with the biocide and anti-corrosives inside already.

[cluelessgenius]

24 minutes ago, For Science! said:

You see, at the point that you add a biocide, you're fairly far away from "simple distilled water".

 

EK-CryoFuel is only 3 active ingredients, only 2 more than what you have. While a biocide-only loop is fine, it also does not harm to add anti-corrosives since you loop is always mixed metals to a degree.

 

I'm not saying that coolants must be some crazy mixture of hundreds of chemicals. You just need a couple that work together under the same conditions (pH and temperature, mainly). Getting that right using a homebrew solution is simply not worth the saving costs. Just like how you don't go out of your way to save a few bucks and make your own toothpaste (sorry if you do), buy a concentrate or pre-mix with the biocide and anti-corrosives inside already.

yeah i think im gonna go with ek thenfor the system and for the passive tower ill just straight run automotive anti freeze since you wont be able to see it anyway

how often would you say should one change fluids?

[cluelessgenius]

40 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

 a biocide additive.

well thats non-informative. could you be more specific since thats exactly the part im trying to highlight in this topic?

[For Science!]

3 minutes ago, cluelessgenius said:

yeah i think im gonna go with ek thenfor the system and for the passive tower ill just straight run automotive anti freeze since you wont be able to see it anyway

how often would you say should one change fluids?

With EK-CryoFuel once a year is very safe. I would suspect you could run it longer, but again - why risk it?

[Tam3n]

I have been running deionised water (meant for batteries) and a couple of drops of Mayhems biocide (copper sulfate) for 4 years in my loop and been good. I've had to drain the loop twice during that time to change/add some components.

[SolarNova]

5 minutes ago, cluelessgenius said:

well thats non-informative. could you be more specific since thats exactly the part im trying to highlight in this topic?

PT-Nuke

Or

Mayhems biocide Extreme

 

I use mayhems.