Tubing Review - 18 Types of Tubing Reviewed [56k warning]

[MoreGooder]

It's stickied

It looks like it was useful bumping this for some, but does anyone have a
suggestion/some advice for my question? Is silicone tubing good or not?

Primochill tubing is primarily comprised of silicone. I've used it for years, and am building a new rig using 3/8ID 5/8 OD UV blue and UV green. Previous rig used 1/2ID 3/4OD UV Blue.

Advantages:
Good bend radius, esp. 3/8ID 5/8 OD
No need for UV die.
Long lasting
Even if there is a bit of "clouding" going on, you can't see it anyway.

Disadvantages:
Major dust magnet. The outer surface is quite sticky.
Same sticky outer surface resides on the inner surface too, so that means there's probably more flow resistance compared to same ID of PVC based tubing. This would likely be very difficult to notice since we're not talking about very long pieces of the tubing in the typical loop anyway.

[CyberDruid]

Is there any testing of which tubing lets the most uv rays through? I know in my loop, the tygon 3603 is acceptably clear, but it lets VERY LITTLE uv light in unless you are basically touching the tube with the uv light, so all of the uv coolant stuff I bought was a waist of money.

I think that the Koolance blue uv Tubing looks really good (a nice blue crystal clear when unlit, and a nice blue when lit), but it kinks too ez and doesn't stay that clear for too long .

UV tests plz then sticky!

I would say the MasterKller has one of the nicest reactions to UV...it tends to flouresce a light blue on it's own and really lets the UV dye glow fully.

Not at all impressed by ClearFlex60. I would stay away from it and that Primoflex crap altogether.

For the money it's hard to beat MasterKleer...although it does take a stain from some dyes after a long period of time.

Basically a higher durometer tends to have less Plasticizer leech too. The same stuff that makes Primo and ClearFlex so soft and flexible is the same stuff that makes for LCS smegma...

[Xilikon]

I think he is talking about how tubing comes under stress when there is large amounts of flow in the tubes and depending on the tubing they react differently. Not sure how much it really affects the tubing I don't notice anything but I've hear of Iwaki's collapsing tubes though lol

Ah, I see now... Stiffer tubing will react differently than softer tubing to pressure and collapsing. It's a valid test but I believe that it's more of a matter of getting the right thickness. Thinner walls will be more sensitive to bending and collapsing than thicker walls.

[Sunin]

I'll try to get some pictures, the DC5 is showing signs of causing colapse of the black tygon 3400 whatever coded tubing where the 3603 actually seemed to expand outward and kinks disappeared under pressure. Really weird. Overall I'm not worried as the pressure I have right now is gushing against the resevoir heavily I mean hitting it enough where I feel it in the res! So seems to be plenty of flow. Just thought it was a nice guide here and that adding testing under a set suction and a set PSI would be interesting and informative.

[Xilikon]

What is the thickness of your R-3400 and R-3603 tubing ?

I will probably order 10 feets of R-3400 in 3/8" ID 5/8" OD (very rare because most stores sell the 1/2" OD version, which have thin walls). I may be ordering from USPlastic.

[Frank M]

stay away from latex tubing from homedepot it only lasted 3 yrs with AC 60/40 mixed

Hm... that's not very reassuring.
I was not thinking about the latex from home-depot-type stores though, but
more like silicon tubing from car part stores and similar.

Advantages:
Good bend radius, esp. 3/8ID 5/8 OD
Long lasting

Disadvantages:
sticky.

This sounds better.

Also, I have no other options, it seems. There are some tight bends in the
loop between the rads and because of the hinging of the door, and the
regular 14/10 PVC is too rigid with too much torque; the bends are so tight
that it's kinking without an elbow. But some silicon tubing managed it quite
well. So I'm going back for some more silicon tubing and circuit-writer silver
tomorrow (erm 1.07AM means today i guess) morning.
Thanks for both the warning and advice!

[phillip684]

I would say the MasterKller has one of the nicest reactions to UV...it tends to flouresce a light blue on it's own and really lets the UV dye glow fully.

Not at all impressed by ClearFlex60. I would stay away from it and that Primoflex crap altogether.

For the money it's hard to beat MasterKleer...although it does take a stain from some dyes after a long period of time.

Basically a higher durometer tends to have less Plasticizer leech too. The same stuff that makes Primo and ClearFlex so soft and flexible is the same stuff that makes for LCS smegma...

Thanks! I was actually leaning towards koolance tubing. I used in the build I currently have because I ran out of tygon and had some lying around. I didn't think that it would make that much of a difference because it was just a small bit, but unknown to me it was clear/uv reactive blue. It definitely is much better looking than the tygon with uv reactive liquid.

I'm definitely going to try the masterkleer though because the koolance does not bend very well...

Is there any other tubing like the koolance tubing that is clear, but when under UV light is a nice dark blue and not as stiff as koolance tubing?

[Mech0z]

Is their any benefit by getting the Tygon R3603 over MasterKleer?

[NysoO]

Is their any benefit by getting the Tygon R3603 over MasterKleer?

Think it is harder to get cloudy.

I have to say that I was a bit dissapointed with my R-3400 7/16, and this test confirms it. The tubing is way to stiff.

[FallenCow]

Is their any benefit by getting the Tygon R3603 over MasterKleer?

Tygon is also softer and easier to work with when trying to put it on barbs.

[Xilikon]

Think it is harder to get cloudy.

I have to say that I was a bit dissapointed with my R-3400 7/16, and this test confirms it. The tubing is way to stiff.

I assume it's with 1/16" wall thickness ?

I agree it's stiff but if you get with 1/8" thickness, it works much better and that's what I noticed with my 3/8" ID 5/8" OD R-3400.

[Navanod]

Whats the word on the new Primoflex pro LRT tubings?

http://www.primochill.com/index.php?...ategory_id=258

No actual technical specs (such as bend radius) can be found (at least by me)...

wonder how it'll compare to tygon

[stoner]

I agree it's stiff but if you get with 1/8" thickness, it works much better and that's what I noticed with my 3/8" ID 5/8" OD R-3400.

i never see the Tygon R-3400 7/16 with 1/8" wall, only the 1/16

[Xilikon]

Reread my size, it's 3/8" ID 5/8" OD, not 7/16...

[stoner]

Reread my size, it's 3/8" ID 5/8" OD, not 7/16...

probably i'm a little bit confuse
he was talking about R-3400 7/16"

I have to say that I was a bit dissapointed with my R-3400 7/16, and this test confirms it. The tubing is way to stiff.

and you answered

I assume it's with 1/16" wall thickness ?

I agree it's stiff but if you get with 1/8" thickness, it works much better and that's what I noticed with my 3/8" ID 5/8" OD R-3400.

how he can get a R-3400 7/16"ID with 1/8" if it doesn't exist?
i know only R-3400 1/2" and 3/8" with 1/8" wall

[Xilikon]

7/16" doesn't exist in other thickness than 1/16" ... sorry for the confusion, it was a bit old and you bumped it.

Here is the pdf of the R-3400 with all the dimensions available : http://www.tygon.com/Media/Documents...3/TygR3400.pdf

[Kingslayer]

Hey Guys did anybody try the new PrimoFlex Tubing ???

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=23363

and would u guys rather us the new primoflex or tygon 3/8 5/8

[seamumc]

How the heck do you know if your loop has enough H20?

Thanks

[aoch88]

I think we won't go wrong with Tygons R3603 at least. Anyone against that?

[jonny_ftm]

delete please

[Arni]

Virtualrain very pr0 test GJ

[jonny_ftm]

Hi,

I well read the whole topic and now I'm hesitating on the tubing to choose for my two loops setup

Loop1: Tygon R3603 7/16" ID - 11/16" OD based
MCP655-B --> PA120.3 --> Apogee GT --> PA120.2 --> EK-Multioption 100ml Rev2

Loop2: Primoflexor or Tygon R3603 3/8" ID - 5/8" OD based
Laing DDC-1 Plus + Top --> PA120.3 --> MCW30 or SNBW1-SLI --> MIPS RAM Freezer 4 --> SilentStar HD Dual Rev. 1.5 --> EK-Multioption 100ml Rev2


Will the kinking on the tubes exert too much side pressure on the lightly fixed WB (MCW30 and RAM Freezer)? Or the Durometer is the most important so I could safely go with those two tubes as they have low durometer?
Also reading about the tubes loosing their clarity and the primoflex being too sticky is being a concern.

I don't mind using smartcoils on tight kinks also

Any other good suggestions for a tubing adapted to this dual loop setup?

Many many thanks for any help you could give me

[djstudio]

Tygon R3400 7/16in

[jonny_ftm]

R3400 has a high durometer and won't be suitable for tight bends on small blocks

I finally opted for the new Primoflex Pro LT tubes, both in 1/2-3/4 and 3/8-5/8. They are really soft with a great bending angle.

[Kinyin]

Something I haven't quite been able to figure out, even after a post. (Though the irrelevant information about past WC setups probably caused my question to not be answered.) I am trying to decide on what is safest for a WC setup for someone who has had two leaks in the past after successful leak tests.

7/16" ID over a 1/2" Barb (Is the measurement on the barb ID or OD in this context?) or Compression Fittings. Which has a lesser probability of leaking?

Sorry if this isn't the best place to post...