Debunking the 90* myth?

[voigts]

part of the problem is the inlet and outlet of the bend having a "step" for the water to hit.

You are going to have that little "step" every place that tubing goes onto a barb no matter what you do, and that little bit isn't going to make a measurable difference at all.

Two 45 degree work fine, although I have grown to use a long sweep elbow in that it provides a smooth yet compact 90 degree transition. Even two 45 degree elbows are not smooth and take up more space.

[jaguarking11]

I use more than a couple of 90 degree bends in my loop. My system is happy.

Hell my whole loop is copper.

I think allot of this theoretical crap does not impact performance as much as you make it seem guys. I understand this is xtreme systems and all but sometimes one or two degrees can be negligible when there are more factors in a loop than just tubing size. (I cant believe I said it myself) Tubing size and flow rates as well as head pressure don't dictate performance alone. Its a combination of those factors coupled with surface area to produce a high performing loop. You can have all the pressure in the world as well as a great water block and if your rad is too small for the heat load then your performance is crap.


My .02c.

[voigts]

I use more than a couple of 90 degree bends in my loop. My system is happy.

Hell my whole loop is copper.

I think allot of this theoretical crap does not impact performance as much as you make it seem guys. I understand this is xtreme systems and all but sometimes one or two degrees can be negligible when there are more factors in a loop than just tubing size. (I cant believe I said it myself) Tubing size and flow rates as well as head pressure don't dictate performance alone. Its a combination of those factors coupled with surface area to produce a high performing loop. You can have all the pressure in the world as well as a great water block and if your rad is too small for the heat load then your performance is crap.

My .02c.

You have a point. I just figure that if I have to use any 90 elbows, I might as well use the least restrictive kind while I am at it. But you are right. I think the same thing myself sometimes that we really do nitpick on little things and blow them out of perspective when they really make little or no real difference at the end of the day.

[clokker]

You have a point...we really do nitpick on little things and blow them out of perspective when they really make little or no real difference at the end of the day.

Thanks to voights and jaguarking for unveiling the 800 lb. gorilla in the room.
A much needed bit of perspective.

Face it, creating and installing a waterloop is an exercise in engineering and, like any project, one starts with the blue sky ideals and then makes comprimises as necessary. Money, space and convenience are all variables that will modify the ideal parameters of a waterloop and to take a hard line on any single detail can create issues far out of proportion to it's effect on the whole job.

Whenever I begin to obsess over some small point I find it's good to remember that my Mom's eMachines idles at @42c and has worked flawlessly for almost 5 years.
My loop rarely (if ever) cracks 40c at full load and I turn over hardware like socks, so in the end, a right angle fitting (or two) is no big whoop.