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 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 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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