Tubing Decision

[basserdan]

I don't guess there's any solution to clouding hose so I'm considering black tubing. I want something with a hard-ish exterior that will stay looking black. I get the impression that the primochill is soft and holds dust to it, not good. The tygon looks a little like automotive hose(from what I've seen). To this end I've read a couple of decent reports about XSPC tubing (http://www.watercoolingshop.co.uk/store/p45-1/2%20ID%203/4%20OD%20High%20flex%20Glossy%20Black%203m.cfm). I actually plan to use 7/16" x 5/8" ($2 Jab-Tech).
Can anyone offer any experience with this XSPC tubing, the black in particular? I found a couple of posts here from a few months ago. Anyone since then?

[Freaky Freezer]

No experience with the XSPC brand. I use the Tygon Neoprene 1/2ID x 3/4OD in one of my comps, it kinks like a drinking straw, had to use anti-kink coils, but I love the industrial look of the Neoprene.

[John Planet]

Primoflex (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_413_292&products_id=23924) makes a very nice black variant. I ordered it out of curiousty for some patch work and have been impressed with it so far.

[basserdan]

Primoflex (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_413_292&products_id=23924) makes a very nice black variant. I ordered it out of curiousty for some patch work and have been impressed with it so far.

That does look like it has a good shine to it. I could swear I read somewhere that it had a "tacky" feel and it held on to dust. Yes/no?

[dan___92]

I just got 1/2ID 3/4OD primoflex last week and have not had a problem yet, stuff works great.

[Xavior]

That does look like it has a good shine to it. I could swear I read somewhere that it had a "tacky" feel and it held on to dust. Yes/no?

Older Primoflex, probably.

[John Planet]

That does look like it has a good shine to it. I could swear I read somewhere that it had a "tacky" feel and it held on to dust. Yes/no?

I'm fingering a peice of it now. It doesn't feel as tacky (sticky) as 3603 and isn't oily. I would imagine that it could hold on to a bit of dust, though.

[PsYcHoNo0b727]

I'm fingering a peice of it now. It doesn't feel as tacky (sticky) as 3603 and isn't oily. I would imagine that it could hold on to a bit of dust, though.

:rofl::rofl::ROTF::ROTF:

[John Planet]

:rofl::rofl::ROTF::ROTF:

:up: Yeah, I could have phrased that in a more family-friendly way!


yea its static charged that draws the dust to tubing

And it's the tackiness of the tubing that makes the dust hard to remove.

[basserdan]

Thanks everybody, very helpful.

[Stealth42o]

That does look like it has a good shine to it. I could swear I read somewhere that it had a "tacky" feel and it held on to dust. Yes/no?

Nope, Been threw 30 feet and no tacky feel at all. I do recall the Tygon being very tacky though.

[santiagodraco]

I don't guess there's any solution to clouding hose so I'm considering black tubing. I want something with a hard-ish exterior that will stay looking black. I get the impression that the primochill is soft and holds dust to it, not good. The tygon looks a little like automotive hose(from what I've seen). To this end I've read a couple of decent reports about XSPC tubing (http://www.watercoolingshop.co.uk/store/p45-1/2%20ID%203/4%20OD%20High%20flex%20Glossy%20Black%203m.cfm). I actually plan to use 7/16" x 5/8" ($2 Jab-Tech).
Can anyone offer any experience with this XSPC tubing, the black in particular? I found a couple of posts here from a few months ago. Anyone since then?

Basserdan, have you tried Masterkleer tubing? I've been running it for quite a while with no clouding whatsoever. It could be due to my coolant (using Koolance) but I also haven't fully changed the coolant in like a year and a half. No clouding, no discoloration whatsoever.

[Sparky]

That does look like it has a good shine to it. I could swear I read somewhere that it had a "tacky" feel and it held on to dust. Yes/no?

First primochill tubing was like that. The newer Primochill LRT tubing is pretty good. I have some LRT green and it isn't any more tacky feeling than my old masterkleer tubing, but it is more flexible. Good stuff IMO.

[John Planet]

Basserdan, have you tried Masterkleer tubing? I've been running it for quite a while with no clouding whatsoever. It could be due to my coolant (using Koolance) but I also haven't fully changed the coolant in like a year and a half. No clouding, no discoloration whatsoever.

I was under the impression that clouding (or scaling) was caused by plasticiser leaching out of the tubing an redepositing itself. Is Koolance coolant designed to stop that from happening? If not, it must be the MK tubing, which means I'll be trying it. ;)

[Conumdrum]

I was under the impression that clouding (or scaling) was caused by plasticiser leaching out of the tubing an redepositing itself. Is Koolance coolant designed to stop that from happening? If not, it must be the MK tubing, which means I'll be trying it. ;)

Most clouding in a clean loop is due to plasticizing. If you ran clean (meaning xtal clear like distilled water) liquid you would see it. Methinks the colored Koolance liquid isn't xtal clear so you can't see it cloud. Clouding isn't bad, it's just not as pretty. Tygon has been said to cloud slower. Even if it does cloud, you can take the hose off and use soapy water and a hanger/cloth to scrub it out. One thing to take into consideration, as the plasticizer leaches out, in time the tubing becomes stiffer. I'm not talking weeks or a few months, I mean like years.

[basserdan]

Ok, gonna do some search other's experiences with masterkleer. I don't think I'd be willing to remove, clean and reinstall my tubing. Mainly because my tubing ends look so ragged from over tightened hose clamps when I remove them, I don't want to reuse.

[John Planet]

Thanks for clearing that up, Conumdrum. I tried some Tygon 2705 once, thinking that since it was advertised as plasticiser-free it would stay like glass for its entire service life. It did, but it was so damned stiff it torqued the hell out of my blocks and fought every turn. I'll give MK a try next time.

[Sparky]

In my experience with masterkleer it stays pretty clear for a while as long as you don't stain it with dyes and such. Don't know how long it is compared to tygon though. I've always ended up changing tubing within 6-8 months or so because of dye getting gunk in my blocks and staining the tubing. Now I'm not using dye anymore but I've changed to primochill LRT as well, hopefully I won't have to do a tubing change for a long time now.

[Serpentarius]

I don't guess there's any solution to clouding hose so I'm considering black tubing. I want something with a hard-ish exterior that will stay looking black. I get the impression that the primochill is soft and holds dust to it, not good. The tygon looks a little like automotive hose(from what I've seen). To this end I've read a couple of decent reports about XSPC tubing (http://www.watercoolingshop.co.uk/st...Black%203m.cfm). I actually plan to use 7/16" x 5/8" ($2 Jab-Tech).
Can anyone offer any experience with this XSPC tubing, the black in particular? I found a couple of posts here from a few months ago. Anyone since then?


hmm ... this may sound lame ... but i've been using those cheapo vinyl tubes every since i got watercooling .. hmm 2 years?

there's be slight cloudiness at start ... but recently i came to understand .. during fabrication of the rad, some manufacturers LOVE to use acid flux to weld their rads tight
acid flux is cheaper than non-acidic ones ...

but when you fill in the distill water, after a few days running, white dust tends to appear ... the solution is drain the loop, fill the rad with vinegar and left it 24-48hrs ...
refit the loop .. and that'll clear your cloudiness ...

previously at first i thought it was UV which cause the plasticizers to break down, but after testing myself ... by placing the vinyl tube on under the hot tropical sun for a month with rain ... it seems when like ... there no cloudiness ...

[basserdan]

More searching seams to reveal a little. It seems like there are just a few instances of MK problems, some of these were using dyes also so... One particular thread, a long one, had many recurring testaments to B-44 3 and B-44X (Tygon) as having long term clarity. It's coated somehow, to seal the plasticizer in as a requirement for food service. Not sure about it's durometer.

[DarthBeavis]

http://www.dangerden.com/store/product.php?productid=376&cat=100&page=1
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/2882/imagephpcg2.jpg
Under black light:
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/4356/image2cb6.jpg

[John Planet]

Uh, wow! That's impressive, black to UV blue, and a kick arse turn radius? :clap:

[santiagodraco]

I was under the impression that clouding (or scaling) was caused by plasticiser leaching out of the tubing an redepositing itself. Is Koolance coolant designed to stop that from happening? If not, it must be the MK tubing, which means I'll be trying it. ;)

No clue to be honest :) Just what I'm using and seem to stay pretty pristine!

[santiagodraco]

Most clouding in a clean loop is due to plasticizing. If you ran clean (meaning xtal clear like distilled water) liquid you would see it. Methinks the colored Koolance liquid isn't xtal clear so you can't see it cloud. Clouding isn't bad, it's just not as pretty. Tygon has been said to cloud slower. Even if it does cloud, you can take the hose off and use soapy water and a hanger/cloth to scrub it out. One thing to take into consideration, as the plasticizer leaches out, in time the tubing becomes stiffer. I'm not talking weeks or a few months, I mean like years.

If the tubing was clouding you'd see it even if the coolant is blue I'd think. I've checked with a light through the tubing as well.

But most importantly the tubing is still clear without liquid.

Probably the Masterkleer tubing. But I'm sure fluid choice plays a part.