What causes a loop to leak?

[Tristerin]

I assume the following:

 

Operator Error in general

Loose fittings (is there a typical monkey tight not gorilla tight approach here?)

hoses cracking (from....?) or spitting at the barbs?

 

Is it often that a pump or reservoir develops a leak?  CPU block?  Would love to hear some testimonies as I begin my journey with my Cheapo Loop (learning experience)so I can avoid potential disaster if possible lol.

 

Already have my cheapo pump and reservoir on the way from China care of aliexpress lol.  Ill do a build log on the thing haha.

[Crunchy Dragon]

Usually if you get a decent waterblock from a decent company, the chances of it failing and leaking are pretty low.

 

Pumps tend to die rather than leak from what I've observed.

[Tristerin]

2 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

Usually if you get a decent waterblock from a decent company, the chances of it failing and leaking are pretty low.

 

Pumps tend to die rather than leak from what I've observed.

Ill be honest, Im going for cheapo for an old LGA 1155 motherboard...$15 shipped for the copper contacted brass block (lol) with barbs included.  Im willing to take the risk tbh as it can be an excuse to retire my PC to the HTPC if I blow it up.  LOL.

[Enderman]

#1 cause of leaks is fittings, #2 is probably reservoirs cracking or leaking from the threads.

Would highly recommend spending extra money on good quality fittings from bitspower instead of cheaping out and going with EK or some other budget brand.

[W-L]

5 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

I assume the following:

 

Operator Error in general

Loose fittings (is there a typical monkey tight not gorilla tight approach here?)

hoses cracking (from....?) or spitting at the barbs?

 

Is it often that a pump or reservoir develops a leak?  CPU block?  Would love to hear some testimonies as I begin my journey with my Cheapo Loop (learning experience)so I can avoid potential disaster if possible lol.

 

Already have my cheapo pump and reservoir on the way from China care of aliexpress lol.  Ill do a build log on the thing haha.

If you do the proper steps to leak test and take the necessary precautions leaks are not very common, seals would be the first thing to go. Most times it's more likely to be a spill from filling or draining the loop unless the PC gets dropped or physically damaged. 

 

That is baring that the components themselves are of decent quality and not complete junk.

[Tristerin]

3 hours ago, Enderman said:

#1 cause of leaks is fittings, #2 is probably reservoirs cracking or leaking from the threads.

Would highly recommend spending extra money on good quality fittings from bitspower instead of cheaping out and going with EK or some other budget brand.

Oh no sir, you don't understand.  Im talking sub $50 Cheapo Loop.  Its not about the money at this time but the learning experience.  And the...fun lol.  Pump and Reservoir so far cost me $23 shipped, CPU block with barbs $15, tubing will run me $5-6 for to much, and the radiator I haven't picked yet...lol...likely aluminum 80mm hahahaha.  

 

66% distilled, balance with glycol antifreeze.

 

3 hours ago, W-L said:

If you do the proper steps to leak test and take the necessary precautions leaks are not very common, seals would be the first thing to go. Most times it's more likely to be a spill from filling or draining the loop unless the PC gets dropped or physically damaged. 

 

That is baring that the components themselves are of decent quality and not complete junk.

Oh...junk.  I saw a few pics of people doing it in open cases with paper down to run the loop for a while (no PC parts inside) to check for leaks which I plan on doing.  But yea...from Junk.  Sourced from the cheapest I can find lol.  Ill do a build log (pump and reservoir...$23 shipped lol)

[Enderman]

12 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

Oh no sir, you don't understand.  Im talking sub $50 Cheapo Loop.  Its not about the money at this time but the learning experience.  And the...fun lol.  Pump and Reservoir so far cost me $23 shipped, CPU block with barbs $15, tubing will run me $5-6 for to much, and the radiator I haven't picked yet...lol...likely aluminum 80mm hahahaha.  

 

66% distilled, balance with glycol antifreeze.

Uh, don't do that.

Save up and build a proper loop or stick with air cooling and AIOs.

 

Unless you enjoy spending hundreds of dollars to replace dead PC components.

[Tristerin]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

Uh, don't do that.

Save up and build a proper loop or stick with air cooling and AIOs.

 

Unless you enjoy spending hundreds of dollars to replace dead PC components.

I have a bi-weekly budget I spend on PC parts...stuff to do with PCs, its a hobby.  Will it leak?  Maybe.  Will it destroy something?  Maybe.  But the odds wont be terrible because I understand how to put it together (mechanic) sans part failure.  Thus the topic.

 

So I guess the answer to your post is:

 

I already do that

 

Yes, especially if I change routes and do it with my FX PC and then can get a new one without wifes disapproval.  Strategy.

[Mick Naughty]

For me, it’s being up to 3 or 4 am finishing the build and forgetting something and start filling it. 

 

Forgetting to cap something off or tight down a fitting to a block. 

 

Only real leak I have are from over tightening a fitting into a quality cpu block and from a caps on a reservoir. Not sure what happened to it but started a very small leak out of no where but it wasn’t use for over a year and I have stored it improperly. 

[AngryBeaver]

The most common leaks are normally from either the fittings or from a seal on one of the blocks. Also depending on what your res is made from glycol can cause it to crack and leak.

[Tristerin]

7 minutes ago, AngryBeaver said:

The most common leaks are normally from either the fittings or from a seal on one of the blocks. Also depending on what your res is made from glycol can cause it to crack and leak.

acrylic, however the more informed I become on mixing in an aluminum radiator the less I think I want to keep this under $50 lol.  

[andrewmp6]

Most leaks i have seen are more user errors,Some are from the rotary fittings no matter the brand end up leaking.

[W-L]

13 hours ago, Tristerin said:

Oh no sir, you don't understand.  Im talking sub $50 Cheapo Loop.  Its not about the money at this time but the learning experience.  And the...fun lol.  Pump and Reservoir so far cost me $23 shipped, CPU block with barbs $15, tubing will run me $5-6 for to much, and the radiator I haven't picked yet...lol...likely aluminum 80mm hahahaha.  

 

66% distilled, balance with glycol antifreeze.

 

Oh...junk.  I saw a few pics of people doing it in open cases with paper down to run the loop for a while (no PC parts inside) to check for leaks which I plan on doing.  But yea...from Junk.  Sourced from the cheapest I can find lol.  Ill do a build log (pump and reservoir...$23 shipped lol)

I’d be a little weary and pressure test stuff outside of the case if I was doing it just I case. I’d still recommend a copper rad and especially something is a larger size since at 80mm you would be looking at the performance of a mid size to small air cooler. 

[For Science!]

Not using port extenders in recessed ports is my number one for a slow leak.

 

Apart from that ive cracked acrylic by overtightening a screw too.

 

Both are user error.

[AngryBeaver]

12 hours ago, Tristerin said:

acrylic, however the more informed I become on mixing in an aluminum radiator the less I think I want to keep this under $50 lol.  

For 25-35 you can get a copper 240mm radiator from them.

 

It is worth the little bit more for the increased cooling capacity and to take out the risk of galvanic corrosion.

[Tristerin]

2 hours ago, AngryBeaver said:

For 25-35 you can get a copper 240mm radiator from them.

 

It is worth the little bit more for the increased cooling capacity and to take out the risk of galvanic corrosion.

 

Ive decided to exceed my $50 budget, and go copper radiator and put the GPU on the loop as well, so went ahead and ordered a GPU block for $12.41 shipped from AliExpress last night lol 

 

If I do this in my FX rig, I may also Frankenstein my Corsair H100i GTX and add it into the loop as well.  Two pumps lol. 

3 hours ago, W-L said:

I’d be a little weary and pressure test stuff outside of the case if I was doing it just I case. I’d still recommend a copper rad and especially something is a larger size since at 80mm you would be looking at the performance of a mid size to small air cooler. 

Originally I was going to do this in my HTPC Microtower where that's the only option unless heavy case modification.

 

Im pretty sure I want to do this in my FX case now and go full bore.  Ive only ordered 1 GPU block (will fit in either scenario on the GPUs) and will leave the slave card on air for now (as this PC is at the end of its lifecycle for sure) if I do it in the FX rig.

 

But yes, I will be likely going with 240mm or 200mm square rad made of copper.  Since the radiator will transfer over to future endeavors. 

[Tristerin]

Since im putting the GPU in the loop now as well, I have a question...

 

Im either going to do this experience on a HD 7750 or HD 7850.  The block is compatible for both (only uncompatible with a few cards on the market actually - at least that's what the specs say lol from Aliexpress). 

 

Should I just use some slim 120mm fans zip tied to the balance of the card?  If I do it on the HD 7850 I wont have to (has 200mm fan pointing at both cards already) I don't think but I don't want to damage the GPU's long term as they are great additions to the parts pile down the road.

[Mick Naughty]

Your gonna add the H100 to the loop? Pretty sure that’s aluminum. Kinda going full circle here. 

[Tristerin]

3 minutes ago, Mick Naughty said:

Your gonna add the H100 to the loop? Pretty sure that’s aluminum. Kinda going full circle here. 

Thinking out loud in the most appropriate place possible to be corrected if needed - I haven't researched it, and this means that's a no - go if so.  Was hoping that wasn't the case.  At work atm so Ill have to confirm later - thank you for this!

 

Edit - I have the blocks already ordered so its not like I need the block/pump or rad - this actually means I can maximize the case as the top fits larger rads - my wifes going to kill me lol I already told her what I was spending...buttfuckit! lol

[Tristerin]

Since Im going all copper

 

Cheapest loop fluid?  I don't care about color (yet), just don't want to (have read about) get growth buildup, etc.

 

Distilled water and what additives I would assume?

 

EDIT - Ill likely drain and redo this loop with a new PC upgrade for myself later this year so just looking for cheapest now.  When I do this for a new PC I will get the gud stuffz.

[AngryBeaver]

3 hours ago, Tristerin said:

Since Im going all copper

 

Cheapest loop fluid?  I don't care about color (yet), just don't want to (have read about) get growth buildup, etc.

 

Distilled water and what additives I would assume?

 

EDIT - Ill likely drain and redo this loop with a new PC upgrade for myself later this year so just looking for cheapest now.  When I do this for a new PC I will get the gud stuffz.

Juat us the liquid utopia that comes with a box of primo tubing. You will also get an additive for cleaning the rads. The tubing box is like 20 or 25

[Tristerin]

1 minute ago, AngryBeaver said:

Juat us the liquid utopia that comes with a box of primo tubing. You will also get an additive for cleaning the rads. The tubing box is like 20 or 25

So I was planning on using Brewery tubing which I can get a 3.3 meter strand for $4-5, is the cost of the other items worth getting the bundle or is the primo tubing special compared?  Just curious, forever a newb here.

[Mick Naughty]

The cleaner and additive are around 5-7 bucks a peice. But the kits sold for 30+ locally for me. 

Guess it depends on what you expect out of the hose and if that’s worth it. 

[Tristerin]

Just now, Mick Naughty said:

The cleaner and additive are around 5-7 bucks a peice. But the kits sold for 30+ locally for me. 

Guess it depends on what you expect out of the hose and if that’s worth it. 

Well my initial thoughts are to keep this cheap af for the experience.  But as Im spending $$$ (I got a decent pump on sale with coupons and reservoir as well, Ive seen it used in many loops its just a no name one however) and talking with you all I would rather spend a little more up front for the experience - for re-usable items in a real loop later.

 

So I figure if I buy good tubing, and only plan on doing this for a short time...the cutting and splicing (shouldn't change actually now as I type this out...my case goes from build to build) may change when the guts of the PC change hopefully later this year. 

 

What I want to avoid is cheap tubing that will split on the barbs.  How many feet come in that box?  Sorry for all the questions, really do appreciate all the answers folks!!!

 

So Im not against getting it...just curious other than the brand why its a go-to I guess - cause if its a lot of hose (can go in parts pile) plus the additives it may be worth getting up front (for the extra hose)

[Mick Naughty]

Think the average is 10 feet. 

 

If theres a chance of the hose splitting, you shouldn’t be buying it. No company sells something that bad for pc cooling. 

 

Also id that’s a concern, need to be buying the correct size hose for the fittings.