pls help with my w/c setup...

[reloaded]

im planning to w/c my new rig. i did w/c before but with a koolance pc2-601bw so im basically new when it comes to building a customized one...

is this w/c configuration be ok?

pump->res->rad->cpu block->nb block->gpu block->pump

is the the res placement a little awkward? will it affect the flow rate? i planning to have the setup in aLianLi PC62 with a bix rev2, with 2 panaflo m1a fans in push/pull, placed in the top right between the psu and the res, which will be on the top drive bay... the pump (eheim 1250) will be placed below near the pci slots... i configured it this way to have the shortest amount of tubing possible i originally want to have this configuration:

pump->rad->cpu->nb->gpu->res->pump

but such configuration will have the tubes running all over the case since the rad is sitting on the top while the pump is placed underneath...

which configuration will yield the best performance? won't the first configuration kill the flow since the pressure of the pump will be minimized due to the res? and for the second configuration, will it be more restrictive since their would be a lot of elbow fittings and their will also be longer tubes that adds to the resistance? pls help... thanks...

btw, cpu block is a PolarFlo SF, nb block is a DangerDen Z-Chip, gpu block is MCW-50 with 1/2" barbs since il be running tygon 1/2" all the way...

[fhorst]

Connecting the pump directly to the reservoir will give you a boost, that some elbows e.g. won't mather that much.

With hoses I've noticed some change in flow with 1 meter and 2 meter. With 1 meter and 50 cm, the cange was not so big, with 50 an 25 cm, i could visually not see a change.

If I remember it correct, a "soft" elbow will give the same restriction of 15 cm tubing, a hard elbow (those plastic ones) the same as 25 cm tubing. with a 1250 (strong pump), one rad and 3 blocks, you don't have to worry that much. The 1250 is capable of handling quite some more!

Restricting the pump at it's inlet is far more worse than restricting it at the outlet!

[reloaded]

when you said "soft elbow" does it mean bending the tubes to have a near 90 degree angle?

so in reality, the first configuration is ok and having a res after the pressure side (outlet) of the pump is ok? im afraid that the flow rate will be diminished once it reaches the res due to a large volume of water that resides on the res. am i right? will it affect the blocks performance?

[WAJ_UK]

It won't really have an effect on any components which order they are in especally in terms of flow as you will get the same flowrate through all components. There may be a bit of effect due to the water temp but probably not noticeable. I would be inclined to go for the tidy set up with as few bends as possible to maximise the flow through the entire circuit

[8-Ball]

You don't really want the pump outlet going directly to the res. This has a habit of killing any flow, due to air trapped in the res.

In an ideal situation, the res should be the last component before returning to the pump.

8-ball

[WAJ_UK]

I would have thought that the res would cause the same restriction no matter where it is in the circuit, is this incorrect?

[fhorst]

Originally posted by reloaded
when you said "soft elbow" does it mean bending the tubes to have a near 90 degree angle?

so in reality, the first configuration is ok and having a res after the pressure side (outlet) of the pump is ok? im afraid that the flow rate will be diminished once it reaches the res due to a large volume of water that resides on the res. am i right? will it affect the blocks performance?

"soft elbow" is the slow curve you have with the coper elbows used with copper tubing. a bit like half a C
The plastic ones have a sharp 90 degree kink, it's not a bend, it like an L

The ammount of water in your res won't interupt your flow that much. Sure it will restrict a bit, but the added value of the pump beeing able to suck "all the water" it needs will be bigger.

Please also read THIS article. It explains it all.

[pHaestus]

Originally posted by WAJ_UK
I would have thought that the res would cause the same restriction no matter where it is in the circuit, is this incorrect?

In terms of resistance then yes. But the ideal way to plumb a res is by connect it via larger ID hose to the pump inlet. That way you ensure that the pump inlet is not restricted and that NPSHA>NPSHR. Compare a pump inlet with a 1/2" hose length (and so more like 3/8"ID fittings) toa pump inlet connected to a res via a small 3/4" hose run. Pump performance may well improve in second scenario.

[WAJ_UK]

If the inlet makes a big difference then I guess he could run pump=>cpu=>gpu=>NB=>rad=>res=>pump then he has the res before the pump and still a neat setup. I know that people prefer the rad after the pump but is it really worth making an extra run of tubing the height of the case to enable this?

[reloaded]

Originally posted by WAJ_UK
pump=>cpu=>gpu=>NB=>rad=>res=>pump

by putting the res directly after the rad, does this have effect on the water temprature since the water that being cooled by the rad will just only be combined with the remaining water in the res? is this much worst than killing the flow by having this setup?
pump=>bayres=>rad=>cpu=>gpu=>NB=>pump

[WAJ_UK]

I doubt it 'cause the water in the res has already been through the rad. I also think the effect of having the res after the pump won't be very significant. I think either would yield pretty similar results. There is only one way to find out

[pHaestus]

Why use a reservoir if it's not placed in a position to prime the pump though? Just use a T instead at that point.

[mad_max127]

This is how I managed to get it all into a Lian-Li using pump>rad>cpu>nb>gpu>res>pump
http://watercooling.mypicgallery.com/

Running @ 7 volt on all fans during normal condition, for gaming etc. I crank it up to 12 volt, always below 49 degrees Celsius.

Seems that under all conditions I have a temp difference between case and cpu of 10 degrees.

[killernoodle]

Originally posted by pHaestus
In terms of resistance then yes. But the ideal way to plumb a res is by connect it via larger ID hose to the pump inlet. That way you ensure that the pump inlet is not restricted and that NPSHA>NPSHR. Compare a pump inlet with a 1/2" hose length (and so more like 3/8"ID fittings) toa pump inlet connected to a res via a small 3/4" hose run. Pump performance may well improve in second scenario.

I agree completely.



The inlet is the max possible for the mag 3, the outlet is restricted to 1/2" ID. The only elbow is at the very end of the loop, this was the only way I could route a tube to the resevior, but I dont think this matters much because it comes after a WW and a heatercore.

Really, this is the ideal flow setup with a resevior, but for something like a T-Fill it doesnt matter much.