Guide To WaterCooling and Leak Testing - ALL New WaterCooler's Read Before Posting!

[adidassler]

Kindly help me iron things out...

im on the bleeding test last night, i slept at 2am, listening to the music with winamp in my pc, then i kinda notice that my room is so dark, which is supposed to be some blue and red lights in my room coming out from the case and my saitek 2, so i then woke up at 6:50 am and checked why i have no music and no lights (from the pc) i open the sidepanel then all the liquid in the res and all the tubes are gone, figured out that the hose from the inlet of my chipset block has been detached, coz, i didnt put the lock of my koolance 1/2 compression fittings coz it wont fit both of it, so the other one has and vice versa, i didnt expect that the hose will come out like this, because it is well fitted, and cannot be remove easily so i didnt bother to put other clamps that may do the job. (laziness)

now, the hard part is, that all the liquid flowed directly to my current 8800gt, the xfi is wet, same as the 2 120mm fans down in my rad, and lower part of the motherboard including the sata cables are also wet...

would you help me figure out, if there's any possible damage or parts that ill never have the chance to use again?

mobo?
processor?
xfi?
GFX Card?

???

Thanks

[adidassler]

help

[alo]

adidassler,
I think you should better create a new thread, because it's a kind off-topic here.

But regarding your problem, you should wash your parts with a clear water (especially if you were using something else than a distilled water in your loop) and let it dry for a couple of days. Than try to run them... If it works, you are very lucky! If not, tighten up your tubes well next time

[fireice2]

I did the vinegar thingy.

But I considerably shortened the time to around 30 mins. I let is soak for around 5 mins then shake it for around 5mins. I did this three times.

I flushed the vinegar completely using distilled water in between. The final flushing was done 3 times. I don't think it cause the radiator any damage at all.

[begrip]

a very good guide since im going for watercooling in a month or so!

[Jor3lBR]

Regarding item 4. Tubing is this valid:

"More recently people, including myself, have switched to 7/16" ID Masterkleer tubing which can be purchased from www.Mcmaster.com. Check out my stores guide for the exact part number. The reason for the switch is that it is considerably smalller than 1/2" ID Tubing (the outer diameter is 5/8" compared to 3/4"), gives a tighter fit on hose barbs, and does not loose any performance compared to 1/2" because of the smoother transition between barb and tube." - MaxxxRacer


And if so can you use those 7/16" ID tubing with your existing 1/2" fittings?

[alo]

Regarding item 4. Tubing is this valid

Yes. Masterkleer tubing is almost as good as Tygon, but much cheaper.

And if so can you use those 7/16" ID tubing with your existing 1/2" fittings?

[fireice2]

yup you can use them. Gives you a much tighter fit. That mean less leak possibility.

[krusu70]

OT:
Fix the link 5 (=
(shows forbbiden server)

[Jor3lBR]

Yes. Masterkleer tubing is almost as good as Tygon, but much cheaper.

Thanks for the info!

I forgot to ask: will those 7/16"ID tubbing work with 1/2"compression fittings as well (Primochill/Bpower or Koolance)?

[Waterlogged]

Thanks for the info!

I forgot to ask: will those 7/16"ID tubbing work with 1/2"compression fittings as well (Primochill/Bpower or Koolance)?

No. You can get away with putting the wrong size tubing on a standard barb because there is nothing with a specific size (such as a nut) on the outside of the tubing. It's normally held in place by a hose clamp/ziptie/herbie clip which adjust to the size of the tubing. The nut of a compression doesn't do that, the fitting was machined to use a specific size tube for both the inside and outside and those sizes must be used. To use anything else than the stated size, is to risk a leak.

[bigslappy]

running

[bigslappy]

this explained

[Th3MadScientist]

good guide, a lot of interesting info

[drizzt5]

good guide, Is all that cleaning with Distilled Water really needed though?

I am buying this once the cpu block is back.
Cpu block (OUT OF STOCK)
Petra's Tech Shop
Cpu quadcore Block insert
Petra's Tech Shop
Pump
Petra's Tech Shop
Radiator
Petra's Tech Shop
Tubing x6!
Petra's Tech Shop
Clamps x10!
Petra's Tech Shop
T fitting
Petra's Tech Shop
T line plug
Petra's Tech Shop
Biocide
Petra's Tech Shop

Total of this list: $241.41

How many gallons of distilled water will I need?

[drizzt5]

Why not a T-line? And I should buy 9.5 gallons of distilled water then?

[skinnee]

You'll be fine with all of those components you listed off...I disagree with RRR about the T-line, run with the T. I used 2 gallons of near boiling distilled and 1 gallon room temp for my 3 rads. You should be fine with 2 gallons for flushing/cleaning and another gallon for your loop with plenty left over.

Start a thread if you have more questions though.

Best of luck!

[skinnee]

I went Xtreme with the boiling distilled water....

Thank goodness its only $0.75 a gallon!

[drizzt5]

You'll be fine with all of those components you listed off...I disagree with RRR about the T-line, run with the T. I used 2 gallons of near boiling distilled and 1 gallon room temp for my 3 rads. You should be fine with 2 gallons for flushing/cleaning and another gallon for your loop with plenty left over.

Start a thread if you have more questions though.

Best of luck!

Thank you.
One of my friends agrees with you tottally.

Hmm, I'm sure to have loads of questions later on. But for now i hope i can avoid all problems with plenty of reading. This is my first w/c build, hope it works out

[masska]

Great guide MaxxxRacer, thanks for taking the time to put it together

[LockBreaker]

Is this kit okay to clean your radiator with? =)

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=24325

[Conumdrum]

Hehe, sure, if you want to spend the $$.

Almost boiling tap water, pour into rad, let it sit 10 min or so, drain 1/2 out or so, shake like a crazy man for 5 min. Pour into a glass bowl, let it sit 10 min. If perfe3ctly clear, great, if not do it again, again again. Then once the water is spoless, do it 2x more with distilled water and drain.

That's silly crazy price for something like that and it's not needed.

Once the loop is built, fill and let it run for a day or two, drain and fill again if you need to. I always open my parts and inspect them and rinse them, but that stuff you linked to? Wayyy overkill.

What liquid are you going to use in the loop?

[LockBreaker]

I think I will be going with some pre-made thing from Koolance. I'm not exactly a water-cooling professional you see (if you havent figured it out allready).

But if boiling water works just as good, then that would make a better option for me. Don't want to spend so many dollars on something I could get for free.

You see, here in Norway we don't have access to huge amounts of distilled water because some sort of Brainac figured out that it was okay to use regular, tap water instead of distilled water for batteries.
So it's not just as easy as going to the mall to buy some.

[bot@xs]

quick question in referance to the order of componants in a cooling loop
i saw this

Pump>Radiator>CPU>GPU(if implemented)>NB(if implemented)>Reservoir.

could i go

Pump>CPU>GPU>NB> (res>rad or rad>res)?

so i guess my question is, at the end of the loop should i go in the res first or in the rad first?
and why is the rad behind the pump in the first quote?

[T1Cybernetic]

Pump/s usually generate a small amount of heat so by going (Pump>Rad) it should have cooled the small amount of heat before hiting the (Cpu>Gpu>NB>etc>etc>Res)

I admit that is not always the case but it seems to be the best way & it makes sence to try and get the coolest water to the cpu first To be honest people can and do try all sorts of different orders but this way (Pump>Rad>Cpu>Gpu>NB>etc>etc>Res) seems to work the best for me and many others.

Mine is currently (Pump>Rad>Cpu>NB>Res) Hope that helps