what is brand is the best coolant?

[rickyman123]

i am looking to buy a coolant for my watercooler. i am wondering which is the best coolant for it.

 

[Enigma]

Best thing that you can use is plain ole' Distilled Water or Deionized Water, Throw in a silver kill coil and you are good to go

 

[haste]

ive been using primochill pc ice for 4+ years now. it seems as though its really up to personal preference.

 

[Erasmus354]

Distilled Water + Biocide.

 

[BillParrish]

Another vote for grocery store distilled (NOT deionized - get distilled) water at around a buck a gallon and if you want add some kind of bug killer (a pre 1963 silver dime can be had cheap at any coin shop and is a lot cheaper than some commercial "silver bug killer thingies". Toss a couple of the dimes in the res. )

If you want color, buy a dye pack and follow instructions and color the entire gallon of water. Then let it sit undisburbed for a week so any crap from the dye settles to the bottom. Decant to another clean ( and I do mean clean, rinse with a spoon full of clorox and distilled water and then justdistilled water after normal cleaning) bottle/jug whatever. At a buck a jug you can buy 3 jugs enouch to rinse all your stuff before assembly, several dimes, and a dye pack, and put that additional $20 you where going to blow back in your wallet.

If you dont want to mess with that, They all about the same, 85-95% water, 14-4% glycol (antifreeze to kill bugs) and 1% magic shit to make you think you really got something for your <insert ridiculus price per gallon here> money. Go with whatever "special feature" makes you happy.

 

[CoW]8(0)]

How often do you guys refill your systems? I've been running the same coolant for about 2 years now.

 

[Mylan Connolly]

Yeah I have seen a lot of people say distilled water's best, which makes sense.

I'm personally running PC Pure though. I got it for next to nothing and my loop is pretty small so it didn't take much to fill it up (about 3/4 bottle). It seems to be doing a good job, although it's way too soon to tell I guess. First loop and it's only been running for about 2 days now.

 

[LibertySyclone]

I use distilled + water wetter from napa/autozone (about a drop for every two cups)

I stay away from dyes and I use black tubing to prevent bio growth, I am in it for the performance not the ricer aspect of it.

 

[Kenjiwing]

Distilled Water + Silver Kill Coil.

 

[[X]eltic]

If you want to use coolant that's ready for use, without having to add any additives yourself, I've read that Feser One is pretty good. Here is a watercooling fluid shootout.

 

[scaarbelly]

Distilled water and PT nuke.

 

[undertheradar]

Audi/VW G11 or G12. Best stuff around.

 

[nightwalker]

BillParrish is spot on for what i'd say is 'the best'.... i personally use Feser One with UV tubing because i use UV lights, if looks didn't matter i'd be using distilled water.

 

[NJHC]

+1 for distilled water with PT nuke and a kill coil.

 

[CoW]8(0)]

How long do you guys actually keep to coolant running in your system without replacing it?

 

[99vw]

Audi/VW G11 or G12. Best stuff around.

Mmm I still have 2 gallons of this stuff from when I replaced my driver side coolant flange.

 

[BillParrish]

How long do you guys actually keep to coolant running in your system without replacing it?

I have never had to replace coolant, it just gets topped off. Whats to wear out ?

 

[CoW]8(0)]

Well at some point wouldn't the active ingredients in the coolant (whether it be coil, silver dimes, automobile coolant, or Hydrx) react with all the things it's meant to keep out?

 

[undertheradar]

corrosion inhibitors 'run out'... the best way to think of them (hydrazine for instance) is that they are more like ablative armor which degrades as it defends.

 

[Tsumi]

If you're running a system that has both aluminum and copper (for example, aluminum radiator and copper heatsinks), would it still be a good idea to run just distilled water and biocide? Or should I get something in there to prevent galvanic corrosion? I'm currently using Thermaltake Bigwater coolant, is that fine for my system, or should I replace it with distilled water? And if it's fine, how long should I keep it for before I should replace it?

Thanks!

 

[BartY]

If you're running a system that has both aluminum and copper (for example, aluminum radiator and copper heatsinks), would it still be a good idea to run just distilled water and biocide? Or should I get something in there to prevent galvanic corrosion? I'm currently using Thermaltake Bigwater coolant, is that fine for my system, or should I replace it with distilled water? And if it's fine, how long should I keep it for before I should replace it?

Thanks!

A small amount of regular automotive antifreeze with some distilled water would accomplish the same thing. That was the mix I ran when I had a water cooled rig way back when. Seemed to work just fine.

Incidentally, I still have the water block I used in the setup and I didn't see any signs of corrosion when I went back to air cooling.

 

[undertheradar]

If you're running a system that has both aluminum and copper (for example, aluminum radiator and copper heatsinks), would it still be a good idea to run just distilled water and biocide? Or should I get something in there to prevent galvanic corrosion? I'm currently using Thermaltake Bigwater coolant, is that fine for my system, or should I replace it with distilled water? And if it's fine, how long should I keep it for before I should replace it?

Thanks!

My system has Al and Cu, exactly WHY I use the Audi/VW G11 & G12 (in a 1:10 ratio with lab grade RO water). Pure water would be a bad idea in this case as both will corrode.