Powdercoated Intercooler efficiency?

[Lloyd]

Anyone done any tests or have any test results. Pondering about powdercoating one black as I dont really want to be able to see it but unsure of the results this would have in regards to the performance of the cooler itself. Now I'm aware that some factory ones come in black but that doesn't really explain any reason for it

[Mr Revhead]

i wouldnt think powder coating one would be the best for efficiancy....

[postfach]

hmmm powdercoating will definitely reduce the coolers efficiency, perhaps anodising it black will be a better solution? more costly but it has no effect on how well it will cool and i think it may be more durable...

[sergei]

anodising is best solution. even thin coat of high metal content black paint will do the job...

[Lloyd]

Makes perfect sense. Any ideas where one would get something like that anodised?

[postfach]

Falcon Electroplating or Christchurch Metal Finishers are probably your best bet, both in Christchurch, couldn't find anything in Dunedin sorry.

[Alex B]

Accord Electroplating in CHCH looks to be the closest place.

[barryogen]

Falcon Electroplating or Christchurch Metal Finishers are probably your best bet, both in Christchurch, couldn't find anything in Dunedin sorry.

These is a place that does it near where I park each day(on the harbour side of the railway station, within 100m of the people bridge{as opposed to the car bridge}) ... not sure on the name of it, or the street that it's on, will check on the way home today if I remember.

[Silent Knight]

Since we are on the subject here would HPC coatings help at all with efficiency or is that basically same deal as Podwecoating?

[barryogen]

These is a place that does it near where I park each day(on the harbour side of the railway station, within 100m of the people bridge{as opposed to the car bridge}) ... not sure on the name of it, or the street that it's on, will check on the way home today if I remember.

"Otago Galvanisers Ltd"
9 Bombay St Dunedin Phone number: 0-3-477 6386
Link to map...

[cosi]

I bet if you spray painted it you wouldnt actually notice a difference ... unless you were running heaps of boost or it was a tiny intercooler

[barryogen]

always wondered that myself, as in how much difference would it make painted black.

I guess in theory it would heatsoak more when black and sitting still, but once the car is moving, I don't see that it would make much of a difference, well, barring the fact that it would be one more material for the heat to get through

[sergei]

well, there is a misconception about black being bad colour for cooling: although it absorbs heat well, it also radiates it very well, while mirror finish will not absorb really well, but it also will not radiate really well either.

[neon_spork]

HPC coating would be a very bad idea, you want the cooler to have the highest thermal conductivity possible to maximise its efficiency. I believe HPC coating has the opposite effect.

Painting it black will increase the radiant heat transfer form the cooler to the surroundings but I think radiant heat transfer would be insignificant compared to convective heat transfer in this case.

[Pelo]

Surely radiator paint would be the best option? Just go see any radiator shop...
Black is the best for heat transfer, better than shinyness for sure. And you get that ever so stealth look

[Lloyd]

The thermal reasons weren't the idea behind it, though it did remind me of 6th form physics *shudder*

Basically after something you cant really see behind a grill and a shiny silver intercooler is a bit hard to hide

[catchafox]

a thin cote of matt black will make it look stealth and lower the inlet temps by a couple of degrees, I have done some propper tests and it does depend on many factors but there is performance gains made by having the i/c black (or any heat exchanger)

[sergei]

that is why all the radiators (well almost all, not including cheap mass production newer ones) are black, and some of the parts of space shuttle/Buran are black too...

[Lloyd]

So the general concensus would be for a light paint rather than anything else?

[barryogen]

using completely non-scientific reasons... sure... light coating of black