Things I have learned from doing watercooling.

[wolven]

Since i'm going to be starting up my worklog again for the MM disaster ( which it kind of turned into the last few days ), I figured i'd post some 'good to know' things.

1: even though you leak tested your system before, any time you have to tug hoses around to drain it, and replace 1 hose, its really a good idea to re-leak test everything so the bottom of your case doesnt turn into a pond.

2: It is a pain in the :banana::banana::banana::banana: to solder fan cables together.. just spend the 40 cents for a Y adapter.

3: non ball-bearing based fans tend to get noisy when ran 24/7 on the horizontal axis... ( ---- instead of | )

4: fans tend to vibrate, so when using said horizontal layout, make sure to check your nuts once in awhile... otherwise you end up with them dropping off, into your running case, and hitting random motherboard components that have power going through them.

5: Make sure when you replace a tube, it wasnt the tube the silver killzcoil was in, or at least make sure to put it into the new one before :alien::alien: start growing.

6: and todays newly learned lesson: While miniature butane torches are really nice and make for a great heat-shrink when sleeving, you shouldnt: 1: after turning off, accidently step on the 'slightly' hot end barefoot.. nor 2: let a yappy dog walk up to the other side of the seperation fence, unexpectedly bark when flame is semi-close to hand, scaring the :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: out of you, and resulting in said fire breathing torch point at said close hand..



This has been a public service announcement :rolleyes::wierd::wierd::wierd:

[Kibbler]

2. Disagree, it's not *that* complicated. After you lose your soldering "virginity" it'll only get easier. And it's much neater.

5. It's worth noting that if you change/drain/re-do your loops frequently you should stick with PT-nuke and forget about killcoils. It takes time to build up the silver ion concentration again. Better yet, if you're re-doing and re-filling your loops frequently, like consistently a few times a week frequent, you can probably do without biocide anyway.

;)

[wolven]

I guess with my soldering, I was still trying to put them onto a 'connector' instead of splicing wire to wire.. if i'd done wire to wire it would have been alot easier.. and i used to solder quite a bit, but its been like.. 9 years haha.. I assume the fan splicing you do something like



\ /
\ /
\ /
\/
|


Where you are combining all 3 wires at the same time?


and as far as replacing/flushing.. I normally do it once a year, or a bit less frequent if i have a major upgrade coming.

[MegadetHCl]

4: fans tend to vibrate, so when using said horizontal layout, make sure to check your nuts once in awhile... otherwise you end up with them dropping off, into your running case, and hitting random motherboard components that have power going through them.

You're absolutely right. I actually make it a point to check my nuts quite often, sometimes several times a day... And sometimes, they even need to be tightened...

[Zigosity]

You're absolutely right. I actually make it a point to check my nuts quite often, sometimes several times a day... And sometimes, they even need to be tightened...

Also, don't tighten said screws when the system is on -- I dropped one on the back of a running 4850 and the whole system shut down. Refused to start for a good 2 minutes too :eek: .

It turned out okay in the end, nothing broken!

[kinghong1970]

why the hell are you using a mini butane torch to heatshrink? just take the wife or gf's hair dryer and put a strip of tape on the back end so it gets hotter... then blow away... er... shrink away...

if it makes you feel better... i roasted a patch of skin on my hand by grabbing the soldering iron on the wrong end... was too focused on holding the damned wires together...

oh.. and torch the dog... hahaha...

[[XC] Oj101]

oh.. and torch the dog... hahaha...

Am I evil for snickering? :ROTF:

[Delirious]

You're absolutely right. I actually make it a point to check my nuts quite often, sometimes several times a day... And sometimes, they even need to be tightened...

If this is happening then it might be a good idea to get some locking washers, lock tight for the threads or even better locking nuts.

[MegadetHCl]

If this is happening then it might be a good idea to get some locking washers, lock tight for the threads or even better locking nuts.

Oh man, nobody is getting my silly jokes..... :confused:

But thanks for your concern. If my nuts ever become this loose, I will.... I'll stop!

[kinghong1970]

Oh man, nobody is getting my silly jokes..... :confused:

But thanks for your concern. If my nuts ever become this loose, I will.... I'll stop!

hahaha... maybe they need to watch American Baseball more often... especially when they are playing the national anthem...

and if your nuts do come loose... don't stop... run to hospital!

[NaeKuh]

u need to add 7. Naekuh is most of the time correct.. :rofl:

[kinghong1970]

u need to add 7. Naekuh is most of the time correct.. :rofl:

8) Naekuh is always hearing this song in his head... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcbsy5SiCIo)

:yepp:

:rofl::ROTF:

[NaeKuh]

8) naekuh is always hearing this song in his head... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcbsy5sicio)

:yepp:

:rofl::rotf:

dayam straight!

Thats video is totally like me me trying to immigrate nils murdermod drawing. :rofl:
Yes i fail at drawing.. :rofl:

[kinghong1970]

dayam straight!

Thats video is totally like me me trying to immigrate nils murdermod drawing. :rofl:
Yes i fail at drawing.. :rofl:

and also in vocabulary...

immigrate is what your parents did when they crossed the pacific ocean...
imitate is what you're trying to do with a pen and paper...

:D

[voigts]

At least the bright side out of your above misadventures are that you won't have to experience them again.

On the other hand, there's a new batch of screw ups ahead just waiting for you... :rofl:

[Alexandr0s]

8) Naekuh is always hearing this song in his head... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcbsy5SiCIo)

:yepp:

:rofl::ROTF:

9). Naekuhitis is contagious ;).

[lennox]

Be careful with heatguns! On two different occasions I've burned my leg and my carpet by setting the heatgun on the floor next to me after use. :cool:

[Church]

Voigts: after your post i somehow cannot get out of my head "always look on the bright side of life" song from Monty Python's Life of Brian which was happily singed/whistled by crucified people :)

[[XC] Oj101]

8) Naekuh is always hearing this song in his head... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcbsy5SiCIo)

:yepp:

:rofl::ROTF:

The video you have requested is not available.

If you have recently uploaded this video, you may need to wait a few minutes for the video to process.

[NaeKuh]

and also in vocabulary...

immigrate is what your parents did when they crossed the pacific ocean...
imitate is what you're trying to do with a pen and paper...

:D

omg.. i blame firefox autospeller fixer.

:rofl:

Yeah i meant to say imitate... not immigrate.


Things i always recommend to a first timer:
1. Always get the biggest case you can possibly tolerate.. and even then it will be too small.
2. Always set a definite budget... and then add 200 to it to finish your list. Trust me, no one ever goes on budget the first time around.
3. There is no better test then you doing the test yourself. Why? If you get Gain, you already won.
4. If you leak, STOP... count to 5 while shouting bad words.. take a deep breathe... then clean... dont clean right away with fury.
5. Ask for HELP even if its a stupid question, instead of make the stupid mistake. Trust me... getting laughed at is better then crying over expensive hardware.

If i think of more i'll addon.

[eth0s]

5. Ask for HELP even if its a stupid question, instead of make the stupid mistake. Trust me... getting laughed at is better then crying over expensive hardware.

This is the best advice of all.

[wolven]

Yes, yes it is.. having spent a bit o money before i realized this lovely fact :)

Like, I have a bay res with 'cool' propeller that spins with current.... biggest.. ripoff.. ever.. and i got 2 haha... as soon as i posted it, everyone was 'dude, what the :banana:".. they were like $60 each haha

[prava]

6: and todays newly learned lesson: While miniature butane torches are really nice and make for a great heat-shrink when sleeving, you shouldnt: 1: after turning off, accidently step on the 'slightly' hot end barefoot.. nor 2: let a yappy dog walk up to the other side of the seperation fence, unexpectedly bark when flame is semi-close to hand, scaring the :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: out of you, and resulting in said fire breathing torch point at said close hand..



if it makes you feel better... i roasted a patch of skin on my hand by grabbing the soldering iron on the wrong end... was too focused on holding the damned wires together...

oh.. and torch the dog... hahaha...

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::ROTF::ROTF::ROTF::R OTF: Can't stop laughing, seriously :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::ROTF::ROTF::ROTF:




3. There is no better test then you doing the test yourself. Why? If you get Gain, you already won.

Can you explain me this one? Seriously, I don't get it. I've checked the dictionary and still I don't get what that gain is doing in there...

[Sadasius]

Can you explain me this one? Seriously, I don't get it. I've checked the dictionary and still I don't get what that gain is doing in there...

You come out smelling fresher....:rofl: With Gain you always win! Try new Ultra Gain for even more freshness! :up:
http://www.hotmomreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/gain1.png

We seriously should have a bloopers thread of goofed builds and accidents! It would be hilarious and at the same time a learning experience. Puts a nice spin to get new people in liquid cooling to actually read the stickies.

[prava]

You come out smelling fresher....:rofl: With Gain you always win! Try new Ultra Gain for even more freshness! :up:
http://www.hotmomreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/gain1.png

We seriously should have a bloopers thread of goofed builds and accidents! It would be hilarious and at the same time a learning experience. Puts a nice spin to get new people in liquid cooling to actually read the stickies.

Ok :rolleyes: Now I know how I couldn't understand it at all :rofl::ROTF: But at the beginning I was like WTF am I slow or what? :shrug::shrug: Even when the dictionary gave me nothing useful...

[NaeKuh]

omg ur confusing him even more.

What i meant to say is if you notice a benifit, you already won.

As you can tell i had too little coffee all day today.

[Sadasius]

Now I am confused....:rofl: j/k

[zanzabar]

...
2. Always set a definite budget... and then add 200 to it to finish your list. Trust me, no one ever goes on budget the first time around.
.......
5. Ask for HELP even if its a stupid question, instead of make the stupid mistake. Trust me... getting laughed at is better then crying over expensive hardware.

....

for #2 i went and was only $5 over budget thanks to thinking that sho cares if its acrylic its from bits power and its just a T fitting what could go wrong, then i had a pool in the bottom of my case affter my computer was off since the crystal T was crap and cracked slowly over 2 weeks until the point of when there was no pressure sucking the water into the pump it flowed out of a huge crack. BP or performance-pcs would not give me a replacement or refund. and i would suggest getting a bottom psu case with the liquid isolated for the most part from the rest of the system. so i would say $50-100 incase u need new tubing or a few angular fittings.

for #5 if u ask a stupid question u will get more help as its a good way to find people who u can ask more stupid questions.


for the thread
10) dont buy acrylic, and if u have to dont tighten more than to seal it (even max hand tight), and make sure to leak test it and check for mini cracks before putting it in the system.

[mbreslin]

1) 3 loops is a logistical nightmare
2) video cards can be manufactured in such a way that they are surprised to run so cool from watercooling and have a coldbug at 30c (which isn't even cold it's like 80F way to go ati.5900)
3) when buying multiples of anything electric (fans/pumps/etc) at least 1 of them will come with an unpleasant whine that will make you want to throw it out the window
4) having no budget just means you buy lots of extra doodads you don't need like lcd screens and other nonsense and you wind up with 5x the work because all that extra crap has cables that need sleeving
5) thermochill pa rads are godly so you don't need the extra 120.3+fans so thank god for ebay
6) bay res sure are easy to bleed
7) bay res sure aren't easy to drain

[Alexandr0s]

3) when buying multiples of anything electric (fans/pumps/etc) at least 1 of them will come with an unpleasant whine that will make you want to throw it out the window

Meaning if you can afford it, it's a good idea to get a spare one, so you can handpick the best ones. ;) This goes for almost everything btw: Always have spares.

[Church]

Yes, having spares ordered with main component orders is very good idea. It's very expensive to order some single parts/componens/fans or single feet of tubing and alikes with paying twice the cost of it for shipping :)
(it probably won't aply to not first timers though, as most will have big loads of components from previous builds, like NaeKuh's fitting box for example :). But theme is about advices to first-timers anyway, right?)

[wolven]

actually, original theme was 'everyone laugh at wolven being an idiot', but your phrasing sounds nicer :)

I have lost track of when i first started water cooling a year ago, how many 'just 1's " orders I had to make because i forgot crap: Y splitter for fan "just 1 please", 3 fanscrews short ( no, 21 is not a multiple of 4 ), anti-vibration uber gel from petras...thermal paste, we dont need that... on, and on, and on, and on.. i probably spent over $100 in shipping of piddly :banana: 's

[Kibbler]

i probably spent over $100 in shipping of piddly :banana: 'sAdd another zero to that and that's what it's like to live outside cont-US. ;)

[wez]

Add another zero to that and that's what it's like to live outside cont-US. ;)

Well said :D