Help me please...why is my tubing slowly compressing by themselves??

[wasserkool]

This is really weird, when I first setup my watercooling loop all the tubings are round and now when I open my case and take a look at them, the tubings are gradually getting more oval in shape.. It is not kinking or whatever, but it is just getting flatter and flatter..

what could be the cause be? I am using 1/4 inch tubing with compression and push-in fitting.

The pic below shows what I mean:
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4367/oval1ic.jpg

the tubing was round at first and gradually its getting more oval...and it worries me because it might cut off the flow to the system..

[billbartuska]

Originally Posted by wasserkool

the tubings are gradually getting more oval in shape.. It is not kinking or whatever, but it is just getting flatter and flatter..

what could be the cause be?

I'll bet that the tubing that is compressing is before the pump and after the block(s). The low pressure caused by the pump "sucking" from the intake is causing the inferior tubing you used to collapse.

The solutions are to use zip ties or some other type of clamp to hold the tubing round. Use coolsleves. Replace the tubing with quality tubing.

[BillA]

transpiration in a closed system

[ElMoIsEviL]

Clearflex or Tygon should be the only tubings used. Others dry up and start to behave oddly. I've even had some (unknowingly) made of two pieces glued together... and the inner piece came undone.

[BillA]

nope
#3

[nexxo]

You may want to clarify that one, BillA.

[bobo5195]

Transpiration - water evapourating through the tube. Loop is closed so atomspheric pressure and the partial vaccum caused by there being less water in the loop causes the tube to be squished. undo the fill cap and see if it goes away i bet your tubes will expand and you will see there is not enough water in your loop.

Unless there are little goblins that nick all your water and squeeze your tubes which is of course a more fun explanation.

[nexxo]

Another salutory lesson in using the right tubing for the job.

[BillA]

the 'problem' is that low permeability tubing is not available in the US
no extruder will touch polybutylene due to past legal problems in the housing mkt

nexxo/bobo
can you buy such in the UK ?
black and flexible (see the Japanese modular units)

bobo for spoon-feeder of the day, lol

[bobo5195]

i'll ask in college as a genral rule the EU has more regs than the USA.

I think transpiration was too big a science word, bill. hardly helpful in this case.

I'll need to ask around college for this one. I have a lecture with a materials / fracture mechancis guy on wednesday who might know (works in the oil industru, can tell what a metal is from a holding it in his hands).

[bobo5195]

had a look yes it is legal in the UK supposedly recommened for plumbing

http://www.toolstation.com/?r=s&feature=56065

[BillA]

the problem here was actually with the connections
you want the flexible variant

the right tool for the job, google is our friend; learning is the goal
I am obtuse by design (or ineptitude ?)

[bobo5195]

I think 3 words - evapourate through tubing would be more clear; clarity is always of value. Quick google of transpiration would not help the uninformed and what is the point of posting if not to help the debate.

Connections tubing is another matter though would of been useful to say at start as it informs the solution.

[BillA]

do search this site, not a new topic and those words have been used

cut me some slack bobo, I am NOT a spoon feeder;
that is the role of others here and the resulting discourse is informative (some have learned a new word/concept I suspect)
if I wanted to post in baby talk I'd still be on OCF

the connections have nothing to do with WCing, that was for your benefit to understand the issue in the US
- anything else ?

I would like some of that tubing if you can source it

[BillA]

here bobo, look at the kiddies
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ad.php?t=89020

[ProHandyman]

Originally Posted by BillA

I would like some of that tubing if you can source it

Yes, here in the US the banning of PB tubing in residential/commercial useage was the lack of ability to make a reliable, long lasting/permanent leak-proof connection.

How much semi-flexible PB tubing in what sizes do you need, Bill? I have a few random lengths of 3/8, 1/2, and possibly 3/4" left over from my days of mobile home repairing. I'll measure up what I have (though I am sure they are all under 15 feet).

[BillA]

10' of the 3/8 would be cool
but it is the flexabilized stuff that is needed for WCing

Thanks

[bobo5195]

Ah i see, i'll ask in uni see what i can come up with. Know a mate who owns a building company so he maybe able to get me loads but after shipping a stuff to the usa it might be a little expensive.

They do make a good point that the system has to be sealed, although uber l33t tubing is not going to help here.

[ProHandyman]

Originally Posted by BillA

10' of the 3/8 would be cool
but it is the flexabilized stuff that is needed for WCing

Thanks

Will stop @ shop and dig threw the coils and see what/if I have... will check bending radius also.

[BillA]

Thanks to all

we need to develop a readership in the Far East, I know it exists in Japan and Taiwan
remember the Hitachi module ?

[stev]

Originally Posted by BillA

transpiration in a closed system

That will work if the short run cooling loop was pressurized above 8psi. It would take many years before the tubing would collapse.

Yes, open and fill the reservoir to balance the cooling loop.

[BillA]

Originally Posted by stev

That will work if the short run cooling loop was pressurized above 8psi. It would take many years before the tubing would collapse.

. . . .

what do you mean stev ?

I have many years of experience with flexible plastic tubing, all sealed at atmospheric pressure.
None at anything close to 8 psi.
The transpiration is a consequence of the (relative) humidity difference across the wall. (No losses if both sides of the tubing are in the fluid.)

It does certainly not take many years for the tubing to collapse; I can do it in the lab, and have done so.
If the tubing is thicker or of a less permeable material it will be slower, but it will occur with unsupported tubing.
Hence Coolsleeves to retard the effect.

[Brians256]

I'll second that. I've had much more happiness when my reservoir is 2qts and is only partially sealed.

It's easier to deal with respiration than to try to prevent it. Exotic materials are fine, Bill, but the better answer is to just have a large quantity of reserve coolant and use cheap tubing. This is a lot like the Prius: great idea but the cost/benefit just doesn't seem to pan out.

On the other hand, when have any of us used a cost/benefit analysis to really justify our watercooling? Hah! OK, I'll shut up now.

[BillA]

there is a reason Intel uses air
lol

[Joe]

But your case has holes... all the air will leak out over a while! Then the HSF's wont work!

hehe