Hard line compression fitting

[Son Of Altair]

Hi forum

First time posting here being a long time ltt fan. I am currently in the process of finnishing my first watercooled PC build using hard line acrylic tubing and have been having issues when connecting the tube into EK HDC compression fittings. I am using 16mm od tube and fittings and the issue is the tightness of the tubing when trying to connect to the fitting resulting in scratching of the fitting part of the tubing. The only solution I have found to this is slightly heating the end of the tube and pre fitting it to the fitting to ensure a clean fit only concern is if this will result in leaks. Has anyone else had experience using these fittings before?

[W-L]

Hi forum

First time posting here being a long time ltt fan. I am currently in the process of finnishing my first watercooled PC build using hard line acrylic tubing and have been having issues when connecting the tube into EK HDC compression fittings. I am using 16mm od tube and fittings and the issue is the tightness of the tubing when trying to connect to the fitting resulting in scratching of the fitting part of the tubing. The only solution I have found to this is slightly heating the end of the tube and pre fitting it to the fitting to ensure a clean fit only concern is if this will result in leaks. Has anyone else had experience using these fittings before?

 

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Use a pair of calipers to check if your tubes OD is out of spec by a small amount that can happen sometimes and cause that. Also are you using EKWB 16mm hardline tubing?

[Son Of Altair]

Hi W-L

Thanks for the quick reply, I am using EK 16mm hardline tubing, I will check with calipers when I get home later, I believe the tube may be expanding from heat when cutting it to length with a dremel but it is also very tight on the new un-cut tubing straight out of the packet.

[Grrizz]

Are you reaming the ends of the tube?

[Son Of Altair]

Are you reaming the ends of the tube?

Yes, I am sanding them by hand at 45° at 0.5mm as specified by the EK page aswell as wetting the o-ring before installation

[W-L]

Hi W-L

Thanks for the quick reply, I am using EK 16mm hardline tubing, I will check with calipers when I get home later, I believe the tube may be expanding from heat when cutting it to length with a dremel but it is also very tight on the new un-cut tubing straight out of the packet.

 

It shouldn't cause any leaking by heating the tube slightly to install but is it that the ring is scratching the tube or hard for it to screw down all the way?

[Son Of Altair]

It shouldn't cause any leaking by heating the tube slightly to install but is it that the ring is scratching the tube or hard for it to screw down all the way?

Ill upload some pictures later but the recess which the inner o-ring sits in is what is causing the scratching of the tube after inserting which requires alot of force which is why I decided to try heating the tube. The outer compression sleeve is also quite tight on the tube which does make me suspect the tube might be larger than 16mm. The inner o-ring and compression o-ring does appear to make full contact on the heated tube and there is still some friction when inserting but nowhere near as much

[SuperPug]

Yes, I am sanding them by hand at 45° at 0.5mm as specified by the EK page aswell as wetting the o-ring before installation

 

Stupid question probably... but are you loosening the fittings before inserting the tube?

[Son Of Altair]

Stupid question probably... but are you loosening the fittings before inserting the tube?

Yes, I am taking the compression sleve and o-ring off completely and sliding them onto the tubing before inserting it into the fitting.

[Son Of Altair]

Welcome to the Forums!

Use a pair of calipers to check if your tubes OD is out of spec by a small amount that can happen sometimes and cause that. Also are you using EKWB 16mm hardline tubing?

I checked the outer diameter with digital calipers and found it to be 16.2 at the widest point which explains the tightness

[W-L]

I checked the outer diameter with digital calipers and found it to be 16.2 at the widest point which explains the tightness

 

You could lightly sand the edge to make it fit better but just be sure not to sand so much that it shows out of the fitting.

[Son Of Altair]

You could lightly sand the edge to make it fit better but just be sure not to sand so much that it shows out of the fitting.

Received some alphacool 16/12mm tubing today and it slides in like a dream. I think I will be ordering more of this as it has so far had better tolerances than the EK tube.

[Chiobe]

Received some alphacool 16/12mm tubing today and it slides in like a dream. I think I will be ordering more of this as it has so far had better tolerances than the EK tube.

There is always a few bad products in a batch. You just got unlucky with yours.

[Zyphron]

There is always a few bad products in a batch. You just got unlucky with yours.

this is im sure the case here. nevertheless OP should contact EK . they may be able to ship him out some new stuff. 

[Son Of Altair]

Already made do with what EK tubing I already have, ordered more alphacool to finnish off my build

[Zyphron]

Already made do with what EK tubing I already have, ordered more alphacool to finnish off my build

regardless if you use it now or later. they gave you out of spec lines. that's not right....

if they were a Store with a Brick and Mortar location would you not Go in and exchange? 

besides what about next build? or a Friends Build. I dropped 50 on the Primochill hardline I just bought... id be PISSED if it came in out of spec.