Flow issues with new water blockes

[Megalamaniac]

I recently got a pair of EVGA 3g GTX 580's and EK water blocks. The are replacing 3x GTX470's and Koolance water blocks.

My problem started with the 470's and the Koolance blocks (I have a previous thread). The flow was seeming to get restricted and my flow meter would seem to "stick". I would give it a tap and it would start spinning. My flow was about 4.9 - 5.2lpm. I could feel the preasure building before the blocks and the lack of preasure after the blocks, which is where my flow meter is (Koolance FM17). note: My original loop had just 2 blocks and a XSPC 240 Rad and the problem started when I added a third block and swapped the 240 for a 360 Rad.

I opened up my blocks a couple of times and had to clean trash from the first block. I also emptied and flushed the Rad the first time this happened, and yes I cleaned it with hot water during the initial installation, but the problem persisted.

Now I have replaced the 3x GTX470's with 2x GTX580's and EK EN Nickel Acetal Blocks with back plates and a FC Parallel Bridge. My flow started at about 7.2lpm and then dropped to 4.9 -5.2lpm after about a day.

Also I drained the loop about a week ago when I removed the 470's and installed the 580's to run them before installing the blocks. I connected the hoses but didn't put water in, I just disconnected the pump.

What's the best way to fully flush and clean my loop and would a filter help or would it be too restrictive(koolance makes one)?
Any ideas on where the trash is coming from? I appears to be the same color as my tubing which is Red Primochil 1/2".

One more note: my temps don't seem to be noticably affected.
Loop contains: XSPC Dual bay Res w/pumps, Liang DDC 3.25, XSPC 360 Rad, 2x EK FC Water blocks

[eXa]

Are you shure you cleaned the rad enough? Sometimes it can take alot of time and work to get it all out. Are you running any additives in the loop?

[Megalamaniac]

Are you shure you cleaned the rad enough?

No, now I am not sure, at the time I thought I was. My other loop has a 360 Rad also but I haven't had any issues with it.

Are you running any additives in the loop?

Just PC Nuke in distilled water.

[Conumdrum]

Aha, your temps are fine right? Under load testing? Seem to be within the temps what lots of us see with somewhat of the same setup?

I really hate to say this, but maybe you need to quit worrying about your flow rate. The flow rate sensors we use for water cooling a PC, unless your one to buy a $200 flow tube (think Skinneelabs.com) are pretty worthless.

Cleaning a rad properly. Fill the rad full of water that was boiling and let sit 5 minutes. Fill the rad. Let sit 10 minutes. Drain 1/3 or so. Shake it, do the rad dance for a few minutes. Drain into a glass bowl. Let sit 15 minutes. Inspect bowl. Any stuff? If so, redo, redo, till spotless.

My Koolance 470 SLI blocks at the ONE year tear down were rather spotless. My rads have been around a few years tho, and I invented the 'Rad dance' term. So my rads were clean. One of my 470 blocks after a year. They look pretty darn clean eh? Distilled, Petras PHN Nuke, Ianh kill coils.


First 'Rad dance' coin. Never got to see a vid of a 'dance, I need to make one, my fat assed 53 YO shakin a rad, LOL.
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/s...d.php?t=592874



So I'm not sure what the problem is. Your temps are fine right?

There are VERY accurate PC based flow systems availible at many industrial sites, the PCI card interface and the software is easy to use I'm sure. The sensors are pretty small too. They could fit into a PC case if you have enough $400++ money.

Never used a flow meter on many diff configs, my component temps are fine. Get rid of the stoopid thing.

Lastly, are you doing the 6M and the annual cleaning?

http://www.overclockers.com/annual-w...build-journal/

[Soulwind]

Well first of all what are your temps under full load? That'll be your first indicator of whether or not there's really an issue.

"The flow was seeming to get restricted and my flow meter would seem to "stick". I would give it a tap and it would start spinning."

Is this still happening? If so, it sounds more like there's a potential issue with your flow-meter (maybe it's got some gunk in the spinner or something). Your flowrate should be pretty constant, even if your blocks are plugged up and blocking flow it shouldn't vary (just be low overall).

You'll probably have to do another breakdown and check your blocks for gunk, but it does sound more like a flow-rate-reading problem rather than an actual flow-rate problem (if your temps really are OK).

[Megalamaniac]

Aha, your temps are fine right? Under load testing? Seem to be within the temps what lots of us see with somewhat of the same setup?

Yep, my temps have been fine, even under load. That's why I haven't been terribly concerned, However, I found red trash in my first 470 block(They were in series) when I cleaned them. I haven't done the "Rad Dance" though, at least not yet

So what's the best way to get everything spotless again?

[prava]

So what's the best way to get everything spotless again?

If I were you I would buy a filter, plug it with quick-disconnects and be done with it (then you can just unplug the filter, clean it, and plug it back without having to fill and bleed your loop again).

Something like:

[NaeKuh]

First 'Rad dance' coin. Never got to see a vid of a 'dance, I need to make one, my fat assed 53 YO shakin a rad, LOL.
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/s...d.php?t=592874

lol but i saw a 52 YO run around a office building tring to get everyone he met drunk. :P

[Megalamaniac]

Well first of all what are your temps under full load? That'll be your first indicator of whether or not there's really an issue.

Temps haven't broken 60c under full load

Is this still happening? If so, it sounds more like there's a potential issue with your flow-meter (maybe it's got some gunk in the spinner or something).

Actually I replaced the flow meter when I installed the 580 blocks. The previous flow meter was doing the same thing, "sticking", but I think I killed it trying to use it on my bigNG (unsupported junk) while my TMS200 (slightly less junk)was being RMA'd. Both were vertical with the spinner at the bottom(flow is going up).

If I were you I would buy a filter, plug it with quick-disconnects and be done with it (then you can just unplug the filter, clean it, and plug it back without having to fill and bleed your loop again).

Thats the filter I was looking at.

My radiator is on a Rad Box attached to the back of my case so it's not that difficult to remove. It's the blocks I'm not to keen on opening, don't want to screw with the warranty with them being so new.

So I might just be chasing my tail and the flow dropped slightly as the air works itself out? What about being able to feel the difference in preasure when I squeeze the tubing before and after the blocks, I can feel less after.

First 'Rad dance' coin. Never got to see a vid of a 'dance, I need to make one, my fat assed 53 YO shakin a rad, LOL.

I don't dance, I just stand there with my arms folded, could be my whole problem.

[CedricFP]

I have the old style PA rads from thermochill, you know, flux monsters. I thought I had cleaned it well the first 3 or 4 times I put up, tore down my loop - nope. I was still cleaning stuff out of that rad 6 months down the line.

[Systemlord]

Also be aware of the EKWB silver plating problems that comes off pretty quickly, a forum member brought this to my attention yesterday after having my EK VGA block installed for over a year now and I have a bunch of nickle plating throughout my loop! My VGA block is now a copper block, I'll be RMA'ing it when I build my Sandy Bridge E in three months. If your EK part number says EN then those are the newer ones that aren't supposed have plating issues.

[Megalamaniac]

If your EK part number says EN then those are the newer ones that aren't supposed have plating issues.

I DID get the new EN versions. I almost didn't but after spotting a post about the old ones I did a little research. I then realized the vendor(who will remain unamed) I was about to buy from had old stock. I then got the EN's from Performance PC's.

I also want to give Performance PC's a . I ordered back plates and because of EK's labeling I ended up with GW back plates instead of GTX ones. I brought it to their attention and they immediatly shipped out the right ones and offered to refund cost of shipping wrong ones back. GREAT Customer service!!!

[Megalamaniac]

My flow has been pretty consistant and my pumps have always been about 4800 RPM. Thhe other day I noticed my GPU loop has dropped about .8 LPM and my pump RPM to 3990 - 4020 or about 1000 RPM.

Should I be concerned?

I have a vacation coming up soon and I plan on cleaning my loops. I was even contemplating dropping my XSPC Dual Res w/pump for the single bay Koolance Dual Res w/pump,(I could use the space) or I could get two and two more pumps and do some redundancy for each loop. Overkill?

[Panthols]

I thought rad cleaning was as simple as tap -> rad -> drain, turn on hot water... go do whatever then come back later and flush with distilled?

[paulbagz]

I thought rad cleaning was as simple as tap -> rad -> drain, turn on hot water... go do whatever then come back later and flush with distilled?

Me too lol

-PB

[Megalamaniac]

Well looks like My pump died. When I teurned on my machine today the pump wouldn't start. I drained the loop and pulled it (water was clean, no trash) and it looks OK but it won't spin unless I give it "help" by spinning the impeller myself to get it started. Guess I'm getting another pump.

Id the Swiftech 355 and the Koolance 400 the same as the Danger Den 3.25? I see a little difference in specs but they appear to be the same pump (except about $20 diffence)

[Utnorris]

The PMP-400 is a DDC3.25, so a little more powerful than a MCP355. The Swiftech MCP35X is a 3.25 with PMW control. Personally, I use a PMP400 and a MCP355 with a Heatkiller Dual top and they work great with the loop in my sig.

[Megalamaniac]

I figured they were all the same. I'm guessing the specs vary because of creative calculating for marketing purposes.

Whatever the case I've already got 2 PMP-400's being overnighted. Now I will have a spare pump. I also went ahead and ordered the single bay dual pump res from Koolance to replace my XSPC dual pump res.

I hooked up both loops in series on the single pump (just moved a hose and added a tee)so I can see if I prefer it that way instead of the dual loop as before. My GPU's are slightly cooler but my CPU is slightly hotter. I'll check it for a couple of days and see if I like it.

Any ideas on what's wrong with my pump and is it fixable? Would a PCB repair kit fix it? Didn't find any trash in it and the bead that the impeller spins on looks good(shiny and no pits).

[Systemlord]

I figured they were all the same. I'm guessing the specs vary because of creative calculating for marketing purposes.

Whatever the case I've already got 2 PMP-400's being overnighted. Now I will have a spare pump. I also went ahead and ordered the single bay dual pump res from Koolance to replace my XSPC dual pump res.

I hooked up both loops in series on the single pump (just moved a hose and added a tee)so I can see if I prefer it that way instead of the dual loop as before. My GPU's are slightly cooler but my CPU is slightly hotter. I'll check it for a couple of days and see if I like it.

Any ideas on what's wrong with my pump and is it fixable? Would a PCB repair kit fix it? Didn't find any trash in it and the bead that the impeller spins on looks good(shiny and no pits).

Most probably the PCB is fried since that's the hottest place in the pump, how long did your pump last you?

[Megalamaniac]

Most probably the PCB is fried since that's the hottest place in the pump, how long did your pump last you?

Bought the pump in April of 2010 so it's only a 1 1/2 years old.

Like I mentioned above, if I spin the impeller by hand I can get it to run but it won't start on its own. Any way to check voltages on the PCB or know what I'd be looking for to check it?

Found these. Anyone ever use them?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Laing-DDC-pu...25491327905900

[Systemlord]

Bought the pump in April of 2010 so it's only a 1 1/2 years old.

Like I mentioned above, if I spin the impeller by hand I can get it to run but it won't start on its own. Any way to check voltages on the PCB or know what I'd be looking for to check it?

Found these. Anyone ever use them?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Laing-DDC-pu...25491327905900

I would rather buy a new pump than mess with anything from Hong Kong, you never no what your going to get!