What kind of clamps do you recommend?
 

It's getting real close to build time for me (my first watercooling project). My setup includes an Eheim 1250, BI-X, Tygon R-3603 and a Maze3 (All 1/2"). I may add GPU and chipset cooler to the loop eventually. I have seen several suggestions for clamps, the plastic adjustable ones (like at cooltechnica), metal crimp type, metal screw type and even zip ties. I've even heard people say that clamps aren't necessary. Zip ties sound fine to me since I have some on hand. With the parts I have, will it make a difference. If you have a product to recommend, please let me know where I can get it.

BTW, I'm working on a super secret fill/bleed manifold I'm anxious to show off. It's not that big a deal but I haven't seen anyone else do it yet.

i use the metal screw type clamps. i would use clamps on everything; better safe than sorry. the clamps are cheap; look for some @ your local auto parts store. also, these are reusable (unlike zip-ties), and easy to remove / install (unlike most other clamps).

as for a fill / bleed valving system, search the watercooling forum for "Turbokeu"; lot of good info there. click here to see pics of his setup.
also, Swiftech has a valve system in their watercooling cases. click on product info, watercooling kits, and scroll down. it should have pics and instructions on using the fill / bleed valves.

oh, looks to be a decent setup. just remeber to post pics when youre done!

I'm using zip ties, and they work great. 2 ties next to each other on each fitting. A bag of 200 ties is cheaper than even a few clamps.

Screw types are my least favorite. they are expensive and finding ones that seal uniformly is difficult. Too many leak under the gearbox.

The best IMO are spring clamps. They are the cheapest available and seal perfectly uniform.

....but are often a PITA to install / remove in tight places. for a watercooling rig they'ld be ok, but i dont like em lol.

oh, i bought 12 clamps for a little over 5 bucks; thats not too expensive lol

I use 1/2 by 3/4 tubing and the plastic clamps just don't seal with thick tubing so I switched to screw type and they work pretty good I haven't tried the spring ones yet. Will they work with the thicker tube?

Mine are 5/8 and 1/2 silicon. I'd think 3/4 would be fine, but with harder tubeing you might not get as good a seal.

Heres a pic

http://home.earthlink.net/~ggiacomelli/PCVres1.jpg

Red is 1/2, Black is 5/8.

Frankly I wouldn't use anything else. With gears I filled ~ 1month (I had a tiny bleed line). Its been over 2 months and I've haven't lost any significant amount of water accounting for bleedoff. I may make it 6 months before my res gets low. Aside for the new res and clamps, there was no other change.

I love the spring clamps, they are truly superior. They're not too difficult to deal with.

The screw type is unfortunately notorious for digging into the tubing, from the open threading on the band. (I've had a car rad hose cut open from those things). There are screw types that don't have that thread cut into the band, and they will work well. (except for the problem that RedLeader mentions above).

I noticed also that the gear ones somtimes are not completly round. I had to be carefull putting them on as the would pinch in spots if I didn't adjust them back and forth as I tightened them down.

I personally like to use zip ties. There easy to put on and even easier to remove with a pair of wire cutters. I can't see a down side to using zip ties at all.

ive used zip ties, screw clamps, spring clamps, and the plastic ratchet clamps.... they all work fine...
but i would sayd screw clamps would be the best.. but COULD leak...
spring clamps work best, but do cut soft tubing, and youll need a pliers to put them on and off.
plastic ratchet clamps suck trying to get off.
zipties suck to get off too.



my favorite overall method to securing tubing is simply using barbs that are one size up.
so go get some 3/8" silicone and use 1/2" barbs... even even run 3/8" on 3/8" (silicon and vinyl) and havent had a leak yet...


well i DID have a leak... but thats cause i use a barb that was cut in half... DUH :cool:

what about the spring clamps that are made with just wire about .093 in dia(the wire there made of that is)...they are the same as redleader except there made of wire?

The screw-wire clamps work really well, I've used them. Easy on-off, clamps better than anything I've ever seen, and won't damage the tubing.

Don't know about spring-wire clamps though...

Overall, I'd rather use a screw type, because I know how much pressure I'm putting, and that it will stay that way over a very long period of time.

you know where to get these screw-wire types you speak of? they sound good.

i have used the plastic ones mentioned earlier. they were all the rage last summer. but, i have found that they are a PITA to work with, are quite ugly (cuz they stick out) and are hard as hell to take off. they worked good though. i got a bag of more than 10 if someone wants them, i'll shoot them in an envelope for free.

i was going to go with the metal screw type. i know they pinch, but its not like i will turn them that hard. unless i can grab some of the screw wire ones, which sound great. would a pep-boys have them? i've never even seen them.

I've seen them used for pool applications, so they should be commonly available in sizes over 1 inch.

I'll run a search and let you know.

Ok, here are my search results:


Steel strap screw type
http://www.kifco.com/clamps.html

Steel strap with those holes in the strap are also known as Worm-drive hose clamps.
Bad, except like this:
http://www.compcams.com/gatorbrand/features.html

Here's the screw-wire type I was talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...328902-3820736
(except that that one is too big, they make them from 2 to 6 inches)

You see everything here:
http://www.roberts.ezpublishing.com/croberts/hose.htm
(except that there's only one that's not a screw type)

If you live in Taiwan:
http://www.hoseclamp.com.tw/w-1.html

(so they do exist, see:D )

And apparently, Popular mechanics disagrees with me. (well, sort of)

http://popularmechanics.com/automoti..._system_leaks/

thanks for the research bigben. so i guess there are no wire clamps that are the right size huh? at least not online (i just searched on google, and came up with the same links you did hehe).

Actually the best clamps would be special rubber bands. Their about 1 cm wide and about 1/8 tall. They are made especially for clamping tubing around barbs. Unlike the screw type clamps that pull the tube to the screw the ruberband ones pull evenly all around the hose. You can probably get them at your local hardware stoor in 1/2''. Other than those i have to say zip ties are the best, their cheap, easy to use and get off, can even be reused, work well, and come in alot of cool colors.

Oh I'm sure they're around, just not on the web. (Would you take the time to take a picture of an 85 cent item, and post it on the web?). an automotive parts dealer probably carries them.

no i wouln't expect you to take a pic, i have an idea of what it looks like now, thanks to your links. just wanted to know if they were common (the smaller sizes) at local hardware or automotive shops. all i have seen are the banded ones.