Full component teardown and cleaning
Some fluids forgive a partial prep. Others show every bit of leftover contamination as separation or clouding. This is the complete teardown, component by component — every surface a fluid actually touches, checked and cleaned on its own terms — worth doing on any fresh build, and worth treating as non-negotiable before filling with a fluid that is particular about what it runs against.
Use distilled water only — tap water carries minerals that create scale and corrosion. Never use rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) on acrylic or plexiglass; it reacts chemically and can crack the surface almost instantly.
Clean the water blocks — jet plate and micro-channels
Open the block to reach the internal jet plate and micro-channels. Check tight corners, flat surfaces and any spot where fluid changes direction for buildup, then scrub the copper or nickel cold plate gently with a soft toothbrush and a little System Soap. Rinse thoroughly with distilled water so no soap or loosened particles remain in the channels.
Fluid moves smoothly across a flat surface but catches at a direction change or a rough machined edge — that is exactly where contamination first collects. A blast of canned air through the screw holes and fin gaps before reassembly clears the pockets a rinse alone will not reach.
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Keeping It Cool is the technical library of PrimoChill. Products ship from primochill.com.
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