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Best way to clean a radiator.

wade7575

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Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Messages
127
I'm building my first custom loop when my reservoir arrives in a few day's hopefully and I was wondering what's the best way to clean a brand new radiator and cpu block.

The radiator is a Thermaltake all copper rad and the cpu block is a Phanteks Glacier and it has nickel plating on the bottom part of the block.

I heard a while back on another forum that one said he used Pine Sol to clean the rad but I'm not sure that's such a good idea as it may react with the Mayhem's XT Nuke Clear that I'll be running.

What about a mild dish or hand soap mixed in the water,also is it a case of the hotter the water the better,I seen a while back in another forum a guy was saying to use boiling hot water.
 

clshades

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Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
6,239
Location
Big White Ski Resort
If it's copper tube rad. Pump warm (hot works too) vinegar mixed with water 5-1 water to vinegar. Then rinse it with clean water for 5-10 minutes after.

This is how I clean commercial grade heat exchangers. I don't recommend soap. As to the boiling hot water thing... This is exactly what the vinegar is cleaning out. So no...
Don't wait on the rinse part, do it right away.

Honestly though, there's really not a lot of manufacturing oils in a new rad, if any. It's just soft copper tube pipe with fins attached.

If there is any nickle plated stuff involved just rinse with dionized water. Not much to worry about honestly.
 
Last edited:

JD

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Jul 16, 2007
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11,912
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Toronto, ON
I think I've seen some suggest pumping a baking powder (or soda?) mixture through after vinegar to get rid of any lingering acidity.

I guess really it's all about how well it's rinsed afterwards. I have a 3/8" hose barb that attaches to my laundry room sink (or garden hose) so I usually let tap water run through it for a while, then I'll finish it with a distilled flush.
 

wade7575

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Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Messages
127
I was planning on flushing it real good and then rinsing it with distilled as well to get rid of any mineral left behind from the tap water.
 

Jokester

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Nov 20, 2007
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966
Location
North Shore
Don't worry about using vinegar. Your plan of flushing with water then rinsing with distilled is plenty fine.
 

rjbarker

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Feb 19, 2008
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7,245
Location
Courtenay, B.C
I have been using CLR diluted for years....after the CLR several flushes with regular hot water...then a single flush with distilled....
 
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