Painting radiator black?

[Clevor]

I know automotive radiators are painted black (gloss black, ugh!) to cover the copper/brass/solder. It's known from automotive applications that a flat black surface radiates heat better than a polished surface. How about painting the aluminum radiator with a thin coat of flat black primer? Might this improve heat dissipation? I realize you are coating the naked aluminum fins which might do the opposite - hamper heat dissipation. Another thing to consider is the temps are so low with watercooling, it probably wouldn't make much of a difference.

[stev]

[quote name='Clevor']I know automotive radiators are painted black (gloss black, ugh!) to cover the copper/brass/solder. It's known from automotive applications that a flat black surface radiates heat better than a polished surface. How about painting the aluminum radiator with a thin coat of flat black primer? Might this improve heat dissipation? I realize you are coating the naked aluminum fins which might do the opposite - hamper heat dissipation. Another thing to consider is the temps are so low with watercooling, it probably wouldn't make much of a difference.[/QUOTE] Clevor, Your last paragraph says it all. "... it probably wouldn't make much of a difference ..." Exactly. Plus, it would only add cost to the HC and the looks would change. On the bright side, not that the AL HX is bright :biggrin: , the air-centers remain free of being over-painted for good performance. Paint would add additional flow resistance if the louvers on the fins were narrowed by the paint or closed off. Thus, the performance would drop too. This was a good question to ask. :cool: We had looked into this during the Beta prototypes. A non-louvered core would benefit from your suggestion. :biggrin: The weld on the AL HX isn't bad looking either. Some review sites even paid good complements about the HC's internals and how they are laid out orderly. :D: Stev

[Clevor]

Yeah, it would have been hard to spray paint the inner louver surfaces, unless you dipped the things, but that would have put a too thick coat on. BTW, I've been out of it here in Japan, but I remember aluminum radiators for automotive applications becoming the vogue about 7-8 years ago. The drawback of course, was cost. Alu radiators being $400-500 whereas a copper/brass one from Pep Boys (or JC Whitney!) being more like $175. For guys into the strip stuff, there was a huge weight savings with aluminum. That was for the yuppie-types though, as I would have rather spent the $400 on an intake :): . Just curious. Thanks for the prompt reply, Stev!