hi all!
 

hi all! :)
my first post here, as i eagerly await my Becooling waterblock and my blackice radiator :D hehe

newbie questions:

1/2" or 3/8" - whats the difference and which is recommended?
currently my block has 3/8" barbs. radiator has 1/2" connectors (barbs..what ARE barbs..:p are the radiator connectors called "barbs" too?) so will using adapters and converters actually deterimentally affect the system somehow?

also, could someone tell me EXACTLY how to fill and bleed a closed system. i read about using a T-line..but still kinda hazy..

thanks in advance! looking forward to a pleasant stay here ;)

1/2" vs 3/8" well 1/2" is bigger so u get more flow and less flow restiction so more water going in and out of each componant in the loop the better. Barbs are just those brass or aluminum things that u push the tubing onto. To fill a closed loop system take the pump put it in a bucket of water turn the thing on with the tube that comes back to the input of the pump spraying into the bucket. Let the system run like that until u get all the air out then while the pump is under water connect the tube to the input of the pump. Take the pump out and dry it off now your done.

you made it sound so simple there ;)

how about the t-line then..explain that a lil if you don't mind :)

--A T is at the top of the system, flow goes along the bottom of the T, and the top of the T connects to a capped tube. This causes air to go to the top of this tube, so even if you have air in the system after you bleed it; the air has a place to go. This also makes it easy to fill the system. Just use a funnel, pour it in, seal it off, and you're set. :D

hmm. ok so the T-line stays permanently in the tube? heh. i had the impression it was only included when you wanted to bleed the rig. then you take it off :P

anyway, so the air stays in the T-line, and capped, and so i just leave the air there? doesn't it somehow end up back in the water loop over time? there's no need to get rid of it or something huh? :p

Ablaze-

Ok here is an image of my water cooled system. This may answer some of your questions.

Let me point out that the silicone tubing looks strange here because I had to wrap it in plastic wrap. I got sinuous from hell and the odor was irritating them. I be damned if I am going back to air cooling, so I wrapped the tubing with food wrap and the smell is all but gone.

Anyway, you can see the tubes, the "T" and the filler section extending up. The water block is to the left of the "T". Pump at bottom right and heater core with (2) 120 MM fans out back.

That's it; it doesn't smell very good :D but is quiet and cools great!
:D :D :D

Jimhttp://images.andale.com/f2/104/124/...atercool_1.jpg

thanks jim. nothing like some pics :)

so the T connector has to be at the HIGHEST point of the entire system? or is it ok to put the T-connector low, as long as the T-line (the tube that collects the air) extends HIGHER than any other point of the circuit?

Ablaze-
NO, don't put it down low!

I did that at first and had to change it to what you see here. Air was getting trapped in the water block.

Also place the "T" in such a position so the water hit the back of the "T" and slams into it. This was good advice from others on this forum. Then the air can run up and the water down.

The picture doesn't really illustrate it very well but the "T" in my system is above the outlet barb on the water block, so the air could bleed up the fill tub.

Jim

oh shucks. ok so the T has to be on the absolute HIGHEST part in the entire system? *argh. goes back to the drawing board* :mad:

so..what you're saying is this


air goes up here
|
|
|------ <--- water goes in here
|
|
water goes down to the rest of the system


(pardon the crappy diagram)
like that?

right!
Don't F^@* up like I did the first time. After I corrected it and placed the "T" where I should have in the first place my temps dropped about 3C to 3.5C! It should be easier to fill this way too.



You drawing is fine.

Jim L

thanks jim :)

i connected a test rig with the t-connector at the highest point, following your advice, i'm hearing bubbles thru the rig .. how long does it take for all the air to bleed out into the t-line anyway? DAYS? i feel like peeing listening to the bubbling water..:D

oh btw, do i cap the top of the t-line when i'm filling? or leave it uncapped?

Nice copper work there Jim.

anybody? cap the t-line when bleeding? or leave it uncapped, THEN cap when fully bleeded..?

jim, hey i was reading this procooling article about bleeding the system, and their t-line is like this
http://www.procooling.com/articles/a...eederschem.jpg

http://www.procooling.com/articles/h...system_2.shtml

why do you recommend your setup above? care to enlighten me a bit? thanks :)

I left the "T" line open when I filled and bleed at first. DOn't allow the level of fluid to be too high, because in the beginning the thing burps and coolant shoots out.

After you think you are done filling, (the noise level of the pump dropping is a signal) then I fill the tube close to the top and cap it.
As air move up, the liquid level drops of course.
Jim

so..ok. leave cap off. fill. bleed. wait till fully bled (this is gonna take what..a few days?) then when fully bled, CAP IT. is that right?

and jim, you didn't tell me what the explanation was for not setting up the T like the above diagram

in fact, i tried your suggestion and did the water-slamming-into-the-wall-of-the-T method, and left it overnight..but still hardly any bubbles in the T-line..i tried the one in the diagram above..and within minutes..i saw a whole slew of lil bubbles on the T-line! :D

somehow the one in the diagram works (MUCH) better for me..wonder whats up with that..:rolleyes:

When I filled my system for the first time, it took almost three hours before Iplugged the top of the fill line. Lots of air to move out and my "T" was in the wrong position in the system.

When I moved the "T" to the location as shown in the image I posted above ("T" is located up high) it only took about 20 minutes to re-fill and bleed before I capped it off. We must take into account that I drained only the water block and the lines, the radiator was NOT drained.

In your case I honestly don't know why it worked better in the second setup unless of course the radiator was not drained.

It would help to see all the components and all the hose connections. It looks like you are pumping up to the "T" and then feeding off the side of the "T" to either the water block or radiator, I am not sure?


JIm

Thank you Triton.
jim

my "test rig" consisted of nothing more than a pump the T-line and the closed loop! nothing more! :D

i was just testing the effectiveness of the bleeding line..and which orientation worked best. and yes, each time, the T-connector was at the highest point of the rig!

btw, that image was from this procooling article http://www.procooling.com/articles/h...system_2.shtml

it was written by Joe (of procooling) if i'm not mistaken. and that was the loop he recommended. with the water coming from the bottom, then sucked out from the side. whereas the one you guys recommended had the water coming from the side and going down into the rest of the loop. as I said, from what i tried, it seemed like Joe's setup worked better for me..

any thoughts?

ablaze-

Things will behave a lot differently when you place a water block and the radiator full of air into the system and fill it for the first time.

Jim L

you think? ok..will try it out ;)

Trust me. After I moved my "T" to the correct location things went better. If you read the forums you'll see most of the "T" 's are up high, when using a closed system.

DOn't make the same mistake I made.

Air in the water block will only increase your temps.

Jim