What type of tubing do you guys use ?

[CandymanCan]

Iv been watercooling for like 5 years now, and i never really payed attention to my tubing cuss i never had a problem with the stuff you buy from home depot, not sure what kind it is just some plastic 1/2 OD tubing that you see on the rollers in the store.

Well i need to find something more flexable and i need some help. The tubing i have is pretty flexable, but it thins out meaning like if you take the tubing and lay it on a desk and then push down on it in the middle it will of course be sqweezed limiting water flow, the tubing either does that, or when its running from my cpu to the video card then the video card to the pump there is only about 2 or 3 inches between the card and the pci audigy under it so the tubes is kinking really bad, if you take youre tubing and bend it all the way thats what mine is doing the kinks. The water still flows but i think its limiting the flow really bad.

I remember back when i got this wc setup dangerden sold Silicon tubing it was extremely flexible you couldnt even kink that stuff. I cant seem to find it anywhere.

What type of tubing do i need to look for? can i find it home depot or lows or something i looked on diff wc'ing websites and the tubing they have is Vynal or clearflex i almost bought some of that 7 feet of it but the shipping for some tubing is redicules $13 for the cheapest shipping ??? No thanks.

Basicly i need tubing that wont kink or @ least takes alot to kink, cuss the stuff i have really sucks. Its plastic not hard plastic but a soft plastic i think it may be Vynal tubing or something its the stuff you see in home depot on the rolls.

[thunderstruck!]

I use Masterkleer PVC Tubing 7/16" Id, 5/8" Od, 3/32" Wall Thickness. Part No. 5233K44 at mcmaster-carr. Pretty much the standard now.

[nikhsub1]

People use Masterkleer, Clearflex, Tygon and Primoflex mostly. The stuff you have is awful, it is vinyl and very hard. I prefer tygon myself - it is more expensive though. It seems the new standard size for 1/2" OD barbs is 7/16" ID and 5/8" OD tubing. Much easier to manage than 3/4" OD tubing and flows just about the same. There are a zillion places to get tubing... just depends what you want.

[Serra]

I use Tygon 3603 tubing from Danger Den... nice, but expensive enough that ripping your loop to recreate often isn't really an option.

I just happened to get a really good one-time deal on 10ft of it awhile ago, otherwise Masterkleer (at 1/5 the price) is probably what I would have gone for.

[CandymanCan]

Is primoflex anygood ? I found a website where they dont charge freakin $15 for shipping like dangerden and some other websites do.

I just read a review on it saying its silicon based tubing and its also UV reactive altho i dont care about that i just want extremely flexible tubing

[p0tter]

I use Masterkleer PVC Tubing 7/16" Id, 5/8" Od, 3/32" Wall Thickness. Part No. 5233K44 at mcmaster-carr. Pretty much the standard now.


Love the Masterkleer 7/16, low price, performance close to 1/2 and is more flexible. I used tygon (1/2) with another rig, but it was too expensive and didnt like the size.

It is a little tough to get over "liped" fittings, but a hair dyer or heating it up helps.

get it @ DD (http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=238&cat=33&page=1) and its .59 per foot (.49 on orders over 11ft).

I feel $2 per ft for tygon is expensive.

[thunderstruck!]

Mcmaster has dirt cheap shipping, why not get masterkleer? Better to get it direct from mcmaster because it's the cheapest at $0.38/ft. Why bother getting ripped off by a reseller that just got it from mcmaster in the first place and sells it for more?

[xb1az3x]

I use Masterkleer PVC Tubing 7/16" Id, 5/8" Od, 3/32" Wall Thickness. Part No. 5233K44 at mcmaster-carr. Pretty much the standard now.

This is the stuff i use and i have never had a problem at all. If you want i believe you dont even need clamps when using it on 1/2" barbs(although i still use them, better safe than sorry.) It is really cheap so you can reroute your loop later without it costing a lot of money.

[thunderstruck!]

There isn't a minimum shipping purchase. Why else would they charge per foot? You can order 1-100+.ft.

[WesM63]

Masterkleer here, got it from cooltechnica.com

[xb1az3x]

There isn't a minimum shipping purchase. Why else would they charge per foot? You can order 1-100+.ft.

Ya youre right, let me change my first post. For some reason i thought that there was a minimum, but i lloked back and i was wrong. I dont get it shipped, i go pick it up so i guess i wouldnt know anyway.

[Kato]

7/16" Tygon R3400 here, got it from sidewinder.
Was using 7/16" Tygon R3060 from Petras.

[OniKoroshi]

+1 for masterkleer from mcmasters. I ordered it at noon and got it the next day. Granted its from LA to San Diego but still, impressive nonetheless.

[NickS]

Masterkleer 1/2" ID, 13/16" OD (5/32" wall). This chit is HUGE :D.

[Alchemy1]

I use Masterkleer PVC Tubing 7/16" Id, 5/8" Od, 3/32" Wall Thickness. Part No. 5233K44 at mcmaster-carr. Pretty much the standard now.

Ditto. Cheap tubing, good place to order from, and cheap shipping. What more can you ask for?

[andersson.j]

Last week I switched from 1/2" ID 3/4" OD Tygon 3603 to:
1/2" ID 3/4 OD black Tygon 3400 (http://sidewindercomputers.com/ty1idx3odlat.html) between the case and rad (to minimize light exposure and hence algae growth)
1/2" ID 3/4" OD Tygon 3603 (http://sidewindercomputers.com/ty7id5odlatu.html) between the DDCs
7/16" ID 5/8" OD Tygon 3603 (http://sidewindercomputers.com/ty7id5odlatu.html) eveywhere else
+ some clear Swiftech Coolsleeves (http://sidewindercomputers.com/swco.html) (Tygon + coolsleeves won't kink no matter what!)

[hoax]

1/2" ID 3/4 OD black Tygon 3400 (http://sidewindercomputers.com/ty1idx3odlat.html) between the case and rad (to minimize light exposure and hence algae growth)


sorry for being such a noob but...

WOW...black tygon for the outside is just...too cool to be true... I didnt even know it existed... :woot:

did you actually order it from http://sidewindercomputers.com or the link was to show the tubbing specs? (sorry it happens)

thanks a lot
hoax

[creidiki]

5/8ID Masterkleer between the pump (3/4OD barbs) and my T-line/Thermal probe T-Pieces (5/8OD).

1/2ID Tygon R3603 between T-Line and GPU block, and Radiator and T-Probe.

7/16ID Tygon S-50-HL (surgical grade) on the rest.

[andersson.j]

WOW...black tygon for the outside is just...too cool to be true... I didnt even know it existed... :woot:

did you actually order it from http://sidewindercomputers.com or the link was to show the tubbing specs? (sorry it happens)
Yeah, it goes pretty well with my black P180. :)
But I'm having a hard time deciding wherther or not to use clear Coolsleeves on them.

I brought all of my new tubing from Sidewindercomputers and since it was a pleasure doing business with them and they're the only ones I know of who sells R3400 I decided to link to them.

[SiGfever]

Tygon 7/16"id 5/8"od in main loop, 1/2"id 3/4"od between Micro-res and pump.

[hoax]

Yeah, it goes pretty well with my black P180. :)
But I'm having a hard time deciding wherther or not to use clear Coolsleeves on them.

I brought all of my new tubing from Sidewindercomputers and since it was a pleasure doing business with them and they're the only ones I know of who sells R3400 I decided to link to them.

hehe its probably gonna look great either way.. And thanks a lot for the link and for the information. I am going to contact them to order a few feet! :D

cheers
hoax

[calvin]

Is primoflex any good ?

I returned to 1/2 id tube after using 7/16 tygon for awhile and selected red primoflex. Certainly slides onto fittings nice and easy. Can see it in this post to get a feel of bend radius capability, section at bottom of the rad is at or near the limit:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=109253

[septim]

masterkleer from mcmasters is still the best...

i just hope that they have some smaller boxes with which to ship some standoff and rubber edge trims, seems all they have are 11*13*5 boxes which only consumes about 1/10th space of the box and the 9/10 plain air molecules and this cost me high on air freight...

[Holst]

Im still using 1/2" silicone tubing.
And I still think its the best watercooling tubing you can buy.

Its virtually leak proof and will turn very tight bends with no kinks.

Disadvantages are its a bit expensive, its hard to find and its not clear.

[voigts]

I was going to switch from 1/2"ID 3/4" Masterkeer (also from Mcmaster) to 7/16"ID 5/8"OD, but it to me is just such a pain to work with that I went back with 1/2"ID.

[JoeBar]

Wow, i see quite a few ppl reverting to 1/2 from 7/16...
Why is that guys?

[creidiki]

Because theyre wusses and they dont have the arm strenght to push 7/16 onto a barb ;)

[aiya]

Because theyre wusses and they dont have the arm strenght to push 7/16 onto a barb ;)
lol

7/16 masterkleer here :rocker:

[CandymanCan]

Well thx for the suggestions but the way my setup is built i cant afford to shove tubing onto my stuff as i have to mount the things on the cpu and video card before hand.

Ima just get the PrimoFlex blue 1/2 from xoxoide.com there shipping is pretty cheap and the tubing is silicon based.

[thunderstruck!]

i cant afford to shove tubing onto my stuff as i have to mount the things on the cpu and video card before hand.
So do I and I use 7/16"....

[NickS]

:woot: I still have the largest tubing in the thread.

Masterkleer 1/2" ID, 13/16" OD (5/32" wall).

[creidiki]

I have some 5/8ID, 3/4OD (IIRC) tubing in my loop ;p

[thunderstruck!]

NickS still wins, his tubing is 1/16" bigger creidiki.

[creidiki]

crap, so he does >_<

13/16 hadnt quite connected...

um... pray tell, whats the point of that stupidly large wall?

[[XC] DragonOrta]

I win. :woot: I have 7/16" Masterkleer throughout the loop, and then 5/8"ID 7/8"OD tubing for the T-line.

People talk about 7/16" being hard to get on 1/2" barbs. How about 7/16" tubing on 5/8" barbs.

[NickS]

Dunno, lol. Bought it off Sneaky for cheap, plus huge ass tubing just looks better imo. Takes really tight bends well too, but it can stress barbs a bit if you're not careful.

[[XC] DragonOrta]

I agree, huge tubing looks hot. If I could, I would use 5/8" tubing in my entire loop.

[thunderstruck!]

People talk about 7/16" being hard to get on 1/2" barbs. How about 7/16" tubing on 5/8" barbs.
I think that was a joke, 5/8" barbs are a bit harder, but certainly not impossible.

[[XC] DragonOrta]

I think that was a joke, 5/8" barbs are a bit harder, but certainly not impossible.
I know it's not impossible. It just took about 10 minutes for each barb.

[thunderstruck!]

It took me 3 days. Took the rest of the day off after each barb. I don't know how maxxx got 1/2 on 3/4 barbs but it must've taken the whole day.

[creidiki]

I got 7/16 Tygon S-50-HL onto my RD-30's 3/4OD barbs... only took about 5 minutes... it helps to have a hot water tap that shoots out water close to boiling point though :)

[CandymanCan]

So do I and I use 7/16"....


LOL...... i use a maze 3 and maze 2 customised to fit on my A64 and 6800GT, there mounted right on the bare core without any kind of real protection like blocks made specificly made for those cpu's and gpu's, i already chipped my 6800's core a year ago, and im not gonna do it again by having to shove a hose on the block while its on my 6800 or cpu. The 6800 is mounted using 2 of the mounting holes not all 4 so the block can move to either side that isnt mounted and will chip my core thats what im talking about. Back when i got this computer i had no money to continue watercooling so i took the block's i had to a shop and made some mounting brackets and stuff for these blocks so it would work on the new card and new motherboard mounts. Saved me like $160 in getting brand new blocks. The temps are great 2 cpu is always around 32C idle, and the video card is about 40C idle


Im just gonna get the primoflex silicon tubing its super soft pretty much squishy to the touch so i wont have a problem mounting that. I jsut cant afford to buy tubing smaller then my barbs, bigger is fine but smaller eh i dont wanan risk it sorry.

[SiGfever]

Well thx for the suggestions but the way my setup is built i cant afford to shove tubing onto my stuff as i have to mount the things on the cpu and video card before hand.

Ima just get the PrimoFlex blue 1/2 from xoxoide.com there shipping is pretty cheap and the tubing is silicon based.
Have a pan of water brought to a boil and dip the 7/16"id tubing end in the water for about fifteen seconds and it will go on the barb with very little effort.

[CandymanCan]

Ya i know that warm or hot water expands tubing, but i still dont wanna have to hastle with all that. Im set on the primoflex. Its what i was looking for, someone mentioned it here i checked it out its silicon and thats what i want.

[NickS]

I used to have the Primoflex but I didn't like it. It has a gelly feel to it, bleh.

[calvin]

Estore for Primoflex suggest Voyeurmods.com, 1/2" is 99 cents a foot.

[Kayin]

ran MasterKleer for the first time on Saturday, hell of a tubing, I must say. He ended up with that plus 1/2" ID on his second rad (bonneville heatercore) since that was 5/8" barbs (or close enough...) I was surprised, it seems to work really well, reminded me of when I stretched 3/8" tygon over 1/2" barbs and called it a day-no clamps, nothing, no leaks even transporting to LAN parties in a three-county radius... seems like it's about like that. Good stuff, I may play with it in my next build...

[Herc130]

Yeah, it goes pretty well with my black P180. :)
But I'm having a hard time deciding wherther or not to use clear Coolsleeves on them.

I brought all of my new tubing from Sidewindercomputers and since it was a pleasure doing business with them and they're the only ones I know of who sells R3400 I decided to link to them.


Using the black tygons as well, but 7/16"ID. The wall of this tubbing is thin, if you get it, think you'll have to use the coolsleeves as well. It kinks very easily. Not sure about the 1/2" version. Getting 7/16" on 1/2" metal fittings is pretty easy, getting it on plastic/nylon/whatever my T's and Y fittings are made of was a pain, even with boiling water. But then I started pre-cool sleeving a tube and put that one on a T-fitting and having the coolsleeve already on the tube, pushed up to be about 1/4" or so from the fittings tip helps strengthen the wall enough that pushing it on becomes much easier. Just put the sleeves on, push the tubes in, then pull the sleeves back a little and repeat.

One problem I have with the 7/16" tubing is once they are on, they only come off by cutting it off. These tubing were @$2.50 a foot. I don't know how often I will need to pull water cooling parts off for cooling/computer upgrades, but it would be nice if I could do so by just pulling the tube off the fitting and then re-using it instead of having to cut tubes out and then replace it. Can you pull 1/2" ID tubing off 1/2" fittings easily?

[creidiki]

If you cant get 7/16 off without cutting, youre a wuss.

Try getting 7/16 off a 3/4 barb =p

[Makubex_GB]

At the moment 1/2ID - 3/4OD Clearflex60.

[mr_knowitall15]

1/2" Tygon!!! :woot:

[coyotetu]

7/16" ID MasterKleer w/ 5/8" OD coolsleeves for most of my loop, 1/2" ID tygon for the T-line.

[eXa]

currently som 1\2id vinyl piece of crap and a bit of 1\2id blue primoflex.

But switching to 7\16 masterkleer (togheter with ek barbs) later....

[NWEng]

I'm trying some Clearflex 60 and it seems to be good stuff, plus their website lists distributers by state. I talked to the one here in Phoenix and they have a will call window, so I shouldn't have to order it over the 'net and have it shipped any more, and I'm guessing the pricing should be a little better too. Here's the link if you're interested:
http://www.flextubing.com/HowToOrder.asp

[NickS]

It's OK. I've used it before, it's not extremely high quality like Masterkleer or Tygon, but it works.

[smopoim86]

I use Masterkleer PVC Tubing 7/16" Id, 5/8" Od, 3/32" Wall Thickness. Part No. 5233K44 at mcmaster-carr. Pretty much the standard now.
same

[Grinch]

http://www.petrastechshop.com/7id5odmagepu.html

whole system...:woot:

[CandymanCan]

Well i got the Primoflex 1/2ID blue UV tubing in the mail today. Its really squishy, and bends really really good. I can bend it in super tight area's and it doesnt even get close to kinking. The tubing is a little sticky on the outside so i had to wipe it down to get all hair from my floor off and stuff. but its just what i wanted really flexable tubing that wont kink, and it glows with my UV cathod. I dont notice any temp diff from getting ride of my kink's but im sure the flow is alot better taking strain off my pump.

Well im happy.

[jaguarking11]

This thread turned into manhood kinda thing. " I can fit my tube on a larger barb than you" and " I have a bigger tube than you do"

You don't see me advertise my true 1/2 id copper tubing with 3/4 od and 1/2 id hd tubing stretched over it with a heat-gun. :toast:

You see us people with truly large tubing don't advertise it:D . Yesh, keep it in your pants guys:D


PS. My project log is in my sign.

[JoeBar]

Well i got the Primoflex 1/2ID blue UV tubing in the mail today. Its really squishy, and bends really really good. I can bend it in super tight area's and it doesnt even get close to kinking. The tubing is a little sticky on the outside so i had to wipe it down to get all hair from my floor off and stuff. but its just what i wanted really flexable tubing that wont kink, and it glows with my UV cathod. I dont notice any temp diff from getting ride of my kink's but im sure the flow is alot better taking strain off my pump.

Well im happy.
What tubing u were using before?