Usage of Rotary fittings in this manner okay?

[Fatfool]

Hello. I have a rather unusual setup here and have just started using rotaries. It's a Thermaltake Tai-Chi with it's previous built in loop gutted.

Is is alright if they move while in open and closed positions?

Open:


(ignore the red splotches.... I don't know where they came from)

Closed:



and if you're wonder why the hell the tube goes behind the case:




Yes, I use 1/4" tubing Huge tubes in my rig have never been my thing.
so, is this usage fine? since the rotary moves everytime I open my rig. Those are Feser Rotaries.

Could I also get a recommendation for 1/4" tubing? I've tried Tygon 3603 which was fine and the silver tygon which was as tough as beef jerky and refused to bend in tight spots. Anything plasticiser free yet has less stiffness?

[India48]

As long as it is not the G1/4 threading that is rotating, and thus breaking the o-ring seal, it should be fine, its situations like that that rotaries are designed for. You could probably test this by tightening the fitting whilst the case is open, and then close the case, and then check that the fitting is still as secure. Alternatively, by the looks of it, you could also look at the case front on, through the empty 5.25" bays, and watch the fittings as you close the case door, you should be able to see if its the rotary component of the fitting that is moving, or if its the G1/4" (knurled part) that is.

[Fatfool]

As long as it is not the G1/4 threading that is rotating, and thus breaking the o-ring seal, it should be fine, its situations like that that rotaries are designed for. You could probably test this by tightening the fitting whilst the case is open, and then close the case, and then check that the fitting is still as secure. Alternatively, by the looks of it, you could also look at the case front on, through the empty 5.25" bays, and watch the fittings as you close the case door, you should be able to see if its the rotary component of the fitting that is moving, or if its the G1/4" (knurled part) that is.

Yeah that portion is fine. the threaded part doesn't move at all. when i look at it through the 5.25" bays but will it wear out the... whatever it is that's keeping the fitting from leaking? I'm not exactly sure how a rotary works but i've seen it leak when strained too much. that's why you see that small portion of tubing from the radiator to the res has been changed from silver tygon to normal tygon.

By the way, any remedy for the tubing problem? the silver tygon is way too hard... normal tygon has plasticiser, hence that greenish streaks on the tube.

[India48]

The part of the fitting that allows it to rotate, should be internal to the knurled part of the fitting, and shouldn't effect the o-ring which seals the fitting to the radiator. However, and im just speculating here, there should be some form of sealing between the internal part of the fitting that allows it the rotate, and the inner wall of the knurled part of the fitting, i'm not sure if this is an o-ring or not. I guess that perhaps excessive rotating of the fitting could effect this internal seal, and that the fitting could begin to leak from the internal wall of the knurled fitting. Although I have no idea how much rotating would be neccessary, and again, i'm just speculating.

[SoulsCollective]

1/4" ID tubing is very, very uncommon - most do not use it as testing has shown that it imposes a performance hit. If you like thinner tubing, consider switching up to 3/8" ID - it's not much larger, but imposes less of a flow-rate penalty. I'd recommend Tygon B-44-4X "Food and Dairy" - contains no plasticizers and is fairly flexible - or alternatively Primochill Pro-LRT, which is very flexible and possibly the best tubing I've used (caveat - I haven't specifically used the 3/8" tubing, but it's all made of the same stuff so performance should be comparable).

As for the rotary fitting, continued swivelling will eventually wear it out, but how often do you open your case side panel? I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Fatfool]

The part of the fitting that allows it to rotate, should be internal to the knurled part of the fitting, and shouldn't effect the o-ring which seals the fitting to the radiator. However, and im just speculating here, there should be some form of sealing between the internal part of the fitting that allows it the rotate, and the inner wall of the knurled part of the fitting, i'm not sure if this is an o-ring or not. I guess that perhaps excessive rotating of the fitting could effect this internal seal, and that the fitting could begin to leak from the internal wall of the knurled fitting. Although I have no idea how much rotating would be neccessary, and again, i'm just speculating.

Yep. that was what I was afraid of. I wonder if there's any MTFB kinda thing on these.

[Fatfool]

1/4" ID tubing is very, very uncommon - most do not use it as testing has shown that it imposes a performance hit. If you like thinner tubing, consider switching up to 3/8" ID - it's not much larger, but imposes less of a flow-rate penalty. I'd recommend Tygon B-44-4X "Food and Dairy" - contains no plasticizers and is fairly flexible - or alternatively Primochill Pro-LRT, which is very flexible and possibly the best tubing I've used (caveat - I haven't specifically used the 3/8" tubing, but it's all made of the same stuff so performance should be comparable).

As for the rotary fitting, continued swivelling will eventually wear it out, but how often do you open your case side panel? I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Ah thanks.

Well, yeah I know 1/4" is very restrictive. and I have a solution for it:


I wouldn't think it would be a flow rate issue right? more of a head loss one?

Well, currently, as I'm still testing the loop. I open it quite frequently. but once its done. maybe once in two months.

[Shryne]

1/4" ID tubing is very, very uncommon - most do not use it as testing has shown that it imposes a performance hit. If you like thinner tubing, consider switching up to 3/8" ID - it's not much larger, but imposes less of a flow-rate penalty. I'd recommend Tygon B-44-4X "Food and Dairy" - contains no plasticizers and is fairly flexible - or alternatively Primochill Pro-LRT, which is very flexible and possibly the best tubing I've used (caveat - I haven't specifically used the 3/8" tubing, but it's all made of the same stuff so performance should be comparable).

As for the rotary fitting, continued swivelling will eventually wear it out, but how often do you open your case side panel? I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I second the Primochill Pro-LRT. It is very felxible. Almost too flexible. (Nothing a tube sleeve cannot fix!)

[Fatfool]

I second the Primochill Pro-LRT. It is very felxible. Almost too flexible. (Nothing a tube sleeve cannot fix!)

That white section from the res to pump is Primochill pro LRT.

It seems stiff to me..... then again, i've never used 1/2" before. My previous loop was a dual pump one so I just used the first pump to pump to the MCP 355


besides, Primochill doesn't have 1/4"....

[Fatfool]

1/4" ID tubing is very, very uncommon - most do not use it as testing has shown that it imposes a performance hit. If you like thinner tubing, consider switching up to 3/8" ID - it's not much larger, but imposes less of a flow-rate penalty. I'd recommend Tygon B-44-4X "Food and Dairy" - contains no plasticizers and is fairly flexible - or alternatively Primochill Pro-LRT, which is very flexible and possibly the best tubing I've used (caveat - I haven't specifically used the 3/8" tubing, but it's all made of the same stuff so performance should be comparable).

As for the rotary fitting, continued swivelling will eventually wear it out, but how often do you open your case side panel? I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Oh btw, is the Tygon B-44-3 similar to the Tygon B-44-4X?

http://www.tygon.com/tygon-b443-tubing.aspx