Can you include antifreeze in your PC cooling setup?
Can you include antifreeze in your PC cooling setup?
Hi, your question about using distilled water and antifreeze in a water-cooled system is valid. The mix ratio should depend on the manufacturer's guidelines, but typically it's recommended to use distilled water with a small amount of antifreeze. Let me know if you need more details. Thanks shane.
before i say anything...what i am going to say is just my take based on what i've experienced.
99% of the commercial cooling liquids seem to be mostly distilled water and ethonal glycol (EG), which i recall EG is merely a lubricant and anti-corrosion agent. if anyone claims anti-freeze is only for extreme temperatures, they should check the MSDS for all the commercial WC liquids—they all contain EG!!
the amount of anti-freeze you use should match what you prefer. i didn’t notice any temperature difference between 100% anti-freeze and 10% antifreeze. the only reason i’m using 10% instead of 100% is because i’m out of AF.
if you plan to run distilled water and AF for a long time, then you should consider buying biocide to prevent buildup in your loop and keep your waterblocks from getting clogged.
make sure your loop is fully sealed and there’s no air venting, as smelling AF might not be safe for your health. hmmm w/e w/e
oh one last point...this is probably the most crucial aspect of distilled water and AF...i’m pretty certain the water will absorb electrolytes from the metals in your loop, and i’m 100% sure AF contains a lot of them to prevent boiling or freezing. soo...leak check first
Just my opinion here, water naturally excels at taking in heat. Antifreeze doesn’t improve its cooling capacity, but it serves two main purposes. First, it stops the liquid from freezing in typical winter conditions. Second, it contains certain substances to stop rust. These additives are tailored for engines—aluminum blocks need different ones than cast iron ones. If CPUs are usually coated with nickel—or maybe you switch to copper—then the requirements change again. I’m not sure which additive works best for a PC water system to avoid corrosion, though I know nickel is quite resistant while copper isn’t.
So if you’re okay using antifreeze, you can adjust the concentration as much as you like. The main difference will come from how many additives are present and how effective they are at preventing rust.
i have brass fittings, copper blocks, and i think an aluminum radiator? quite a few different metals there
Aluminum tends to resist corrosion well, making it a suitable choice for using a small quantity of aluminum antifreeze across various metals. This approach differs from standard cathodic protection methods. The antifreeze formulation includes specific components such as silicates, nitrates, phosphates, benzoates, molybdate, vanadate, triazole, and organosilane stabilizers, with a pH range of approximately 7 to 9. It’s important to note that the recommended amounts are not typical for cast irons, and using it more often may require more frequent replacements. Be sure to flush the system after installation to avoid any potential buildup.
Like he mentioned... when you switch the fluid purge, it’s like emptying the whole thing and giving everything a thorough clean. =)
I own an exos 3 fan external water cooler that has been in use for 1.5 years. It contains Dex-cool 50/50 premixed antifreeze, which is designed for hybrid vehicles to avoid electrical charge buildup (no isolation issues). I haven’t experienced any problems with the 7 feet of tubing degrading, unlike some other discussions. I plan to conduct a bench test using Dexcool and other coolants to compare cooling performance.