Data center cooling requires significant technical expertise ... simply put, there's a lot that can go wrong.
And when it comes to expensive, intricate IT equipment, you can't afford to have anything go wrong.
While we always promote the power of positive thinking, we also think it's important to think about potential pitfalls. One way to do that is by being familiar with mistakes that have already been made. After all, isn't the best way to learn from a mistake when it's already been made by someone else?
So, with that, we thought we'd compile a list of the top five mistakes data center cooling operators make. That way, you can be aware of them as you conduct your operations and, potentially, consider future upgrades to meet rising demand for computing power.
Data Center Cooling Mistakes
1. 'Set-It-and-Forget-It' Coolant
No sampling + no monitoring = no good.
Most operators assume glycol blends are stable forever. They’re not.
Without scheduled testing, you miss the early warnings of rising conductivity, dropping inhibitor strength, increased TAN (acid number), copper/aluminum corrosion markers, etc.
That's exactly why we offer Fluid IQ services to help data center monitor their coolant and help ensure reliability and optimal performance.
2. Just to Top Off
Operators often top off with a different brand, a different inhibitor package, or worse: tap water.
Three simple words apply here: don't do that!
This creates chemical incompatibilities that cause gel formation, sludge, corrosion acceleration, additive precipitation, microchannel blockages.
Cost impact: A single bad top-off can require full loop replacement ($8K–$30K depending on facility).
3. Filter Maintenance
Filters are the only line of defense against pump debris, metal particles, elastomer fragments, corrosion products, Running filters too long = bypass mode = contaminants go straight into cold plates.
Cost impact: Performance loss of 5–15% from fouled channels, plus higher pump head and energy use.
Why it hurts: Cold plates clog faster than operators expect and, once fouled, cleaning is nearly impossible.
4. Operating with High Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Microbubbles
Air in the loop is the #1 accelerant for corrosion, glycol oxidation, inhibitor burn-off and pump cavitation. In other words, it wreaks havoc on your system in a variety of ways.
It enters from poor fill/bleed procedures, microleaks, or thermal cycling.
Cost impact: Corrosion byproducts (copper oxide, aluminum oxide) create hard deposits that permanently reduce heat-transfer.
A single DO problem can cut coolant life from 5 years to 18–24 months.
5. Running the Coolant too Hot for Too Long
Operators push GPUs hard, but forget coolant chemistry has limits.
Sustained temps above recommended ranges accelerate:
- Glycol breakdown
- Inhibitor depletion
- Acid formation
- Elastomer degradation
- Viscosity increase
Summary
Of course, the above isn't an exhaustive list of all the things that can go wrong in your data center cooling program. Just like with any program, data center operators have to remain vigilant and consistent in monitoring their cooling system.
The above represents a small sampling of things to watch out for in your data center cooling operation. But with the above common mistakes in mind, you can tweak and/or upgrade your cooling process accordingly.
Visit our Dober COOLWAVE page to learn more about data center coolant characteristics and download our technical data sheet.
