How to Start Watercooling your PC Part 3

September 20, 2017 Matt Oustad Comments

Even though you probably spent hours planning and building your loop, the work still isn’t done yet. You will always want to keep an eye on your system with a custom loop installed. Make sure that you monitor your temperatures with trusted software like HWinfo, HWMonitor or AIDA64. Most coolants can last 6-12 months in a system that was properly set up, but if you start to notice a decline in the performance of your loop, you will want to consider draining and flushing your loop. Increased temperatures on your hardware can indicate that your blocks are starting experience some particle build up from the coolant.

What to do when you’re done - Custom Loop Maintenance To flush it, you can try using plain distilled water, but Mayhems Blitz Part 2 is a very effective system cleaner if you need something a little stronger. Planning to change out your coolant once a year is a good idea, however if your loop is still performing fine, you can let it go longer. Occasionally you will need to take apart your blocks and give them a thorough cleaning if you’re experiencing really bad build up or have had your loop running for a prolonged period of time. Loop maintenance can be tedious but it is a necessary component to using a custom loop, but if you don’t neglect it you shouldn’t have any bad experiences with your system.

Once again, here are the guides on how to use the Mayhems Blitz kit. Part 1 - https://youtu.be/L0PlDNWIgX4 Part 2 - https://youtu.be/WQu3bRkeyf4 - Transporting a custom loop Custom loops aren’t known for being very portable, but if you take the proper precautions it can be done. Before you begin preparing your loop for transportation, you’ll want to go through and make sure all of your fittings and tubing are secure. It is generally a good idea to find a way to brace your GPU to ensure it doesn’t move while it’s being transported. If it is too difficult to fully secure your system and the components inside, it is highly recommended that you drain the loop before transporting. If you want a more in depth guide of how to properly transport a custom watercooled PC, check out this video from Singularity Computers.

What to do in case of a leak Things don’t always go according to plan when building and using a custom watercooled PC so always be prepared for the worst. If you do a lot of watercooling, you are more than likely to encounter a leak at some point. If you do spot a leak you will want to shut down your system immediately and find the source of the leak. You will also need to drain or at least partially drain your system in order to fix the leak. Many times leaks will occur at a fitting or block, especially where there are O-rings. Most brand name watercooling gear comes with manufacturer’s warranties so it is wise to try to get replacement parts from the manufacturer before buying all new parts. Always be very careful with leaks and make sure the entire system is dry before you power it back on. Take your time and keep an eye on your custom loop and you shouldn’t ever run into any devastating issues.