Is this water loop done the right way?

[Techea]

Hello everyone, take a look at this water loop and tell me if the GPU's linking is made correctly. What's with the 2 tubes between them. The coolant can't flow that way. The loop has to go In-Out from first gpu to In-Out on second gpu. Only one connection or tube should be between them in order for the coolant to flow unaltered otherwise one of the gpu will have no flowing going on only sitting with coolant inside.

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, Techea said:

Hello everyone, take a look at this water loop and tell me if the GPU's linking is made correctly. What's with the 2 tubes between them. The coolant can't flow that way. The loop has to go In-Out from first gpu to In-Out on second gpu. Only one connection or tube should be between them in order for the coolant to flow unaltered otherwise one of the gpu will have no flowing going on only sitting with coolant inside.

They have this in parallel flow so the fluid essentially gets split between the GPU and then exits and merges back together at the top outlet. This is good for lowering flow resistance if you have a lot of restriction or blocks. 

[Applefreak]

One of the connectors between the GPUs should not be there. The way it is set up, the water will flow into the second one directly, leaving the first one really hot.

 

EDIT: I am assuming (because it says EK on them) the end tanks on the GPUs are not split into bottom and top but rather have a single channel from top to bottom. I've made that mistake on an EK block before on a 980 TI, it didn't fry the card because there was still some coolant travelling through the loop but the difference in temperature was concerning.

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Caroline said:

I've always wondered how are pumps like that secured? it seeems to be floating

 

any expert?

It's only held by the bottom pump portion with EKWB's anti vibration mount 

[Moonzy]

4 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

One of the connectors between the GPUs should not be there. The way it is set up, the water will flow into the second one directly, leaving the first one really hot.

no, the flow is split at the first card's intake, and flow rate should be equal on both cards since restriction is the same

and merged on the other outlet and continue along the loop

 

basically, this is parallel flow, less resistance, but less flow rate in each card

[Applefreak]

2 minutes ago, Moonzy said:

no, the flow is split at the first card's intake, and flow rate should be equal on both cards since restriction is the same

and merged on the other outlet and continue along the loop

 

basically, this is parallel flow, less resistance, but less flow rate in each card

Without seeing the block I would assume that is not the case. Why, because the end tank is so slim. Maybe I am wrong but seeing that being a showcase pc only, it's for aesthetics. 

[Moonzy]

2 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

Without seeing the block I would assume that is not the case. Why, because the end tank is so slim. Maybe I am wrong but seeing that being a showcase pc only, it's for aesthetics. 

this is what happens if you dont plug the hole, coolant flows out of it

Spoiler

 

 

so it's a T-splitter, and water dont just pick 1 direction and flow, it splits up

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

Without seeing the block I would assume that is not the case. Why, because the end tank is so slim. Maybe I am wrong but seeing that being a showcase pc only, it's for aesthetics. 

Here this illustrates it well it's the same as using tubing but they purchases a dedicated block to install between the GPU's. Fluid enters one side and gets split between the GPU blocks then travels around to the other port to recombine and exit. 

[Grabhanem]

4 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

Without seeing the block I would assume that is not the case. Why, because the end tank is so slim. Maybe I am wrong but seeing that being a showcase pc only, it's for aesthetics. 

The end tanks are connected directly through the block vertically, so water comes in from the same side on both blocks, and goes out from the same (other) side. This is how basically all GPU blocks are designed.

[Techea]

16 minutes ago, Grabhanem said:

The end tanks are connected directly through the block vertically, so water comes in from the same side on both blocks, and goes out from the same (other) side. This is how basically all GPU blocks are designed.

In the picture I posted water comes in through the EK hole on first GPU and comes out on the Tsplit sign or water comes in the second GPU Tsplit sign and comes out on the EK hole? Which one?

[Techea]

3 minutes ago, Techea said:

In the picture I posted water comes in through the EK hole on first GPU and comes out on the Tsplit sign or water comes in the second GPU Tsplit sign and comes out on the EK hole? Which one?

Definitely water should come in through the second GPU card on the Tsplit hole and come out through the EK hole. Is that right?

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Techea said:

Definitely water should come in through the second GPU card on the Tsplit hole and come out through the EK hole. Is that right?

So the fluid moved from the Res/pump towards the CPU block then the top rad and enters over to the right hand side of the GPU blocks. There it splits some of the fluid enters the top GPU and some fluid move down that same right side pipe on the right to the lower GPU after it goes around and comes out the left side and recombines to exit the bottom. 

[Techea]

1 hour ago, W-L said:

So the fluid moved from the Res/pump towards the CPU block then the top rad and enters over to the right hand side of the GPU blocks. There it splits some of the fluid enters the top GPU and some fluid move down that same right side pipe on the right to the lower GPU after it goes around and comes out the left side and recombines to exit the bottom. 

I will not argue about that. That's perfectly right.

[W-L]

Just now, Techea said:

I have to disagree with you here. The fluid enters first the bottom GPU through the Tsplit sign hole goes to the first GPU and then exit through the ek sign hole. 

It has to enter from the top right due to the flow path, the fluid clearly exits the pump/res unit as it's marked OUT (outlet) over to the CPU, top rad and then GPU blocks. The fluid however can flow in either direction through the GPU blocks as EKWB's GPU blocks aren't really directional, but in reference to the photo it enters from the top right and exits the bottom left of the GPU stack. 

[Techea]

37 minutes ago, Grabhanem said:

The end tanks are connected directly through the block vertically, so water comes in from the same side on both blocks, and goes out from the same (other) side. This is how basically all GPU blocks are designed.

This is a double block especially built with the fluid routing this way to accommodate 2 gpu's. Are you saying if I go in the picture with the tube in bottom GPU through Tsplit hole - come out on the other side through the ek hole - enter top GPU through the Tsplit hole and exit through the ek hole it's not going to work? 

[Techea]

49 minutes ago, Techea said:

This is a double block especially built with the fluid routing this way to accommodate 2 gpu's. Are you saying if I go in the picture with the tube in bottom GPU through Tsplit hole - come out on the other side through the ek hole - enter top GPU through the Tsplit hole and exit through the ek hole it's not going to work? 

Yes, that's correct.

[xentropa]

Looks correct to me.  The GPU blocks are in parallel flow.

 

I generally try to avoid parallel configurations but that is just me.

[Techea]

1 minute ago, xentropa said:

Looks correct to me.  The GPU blocks are in parallel flow.

 

I generally try to avoid parallel configurations but that is just me.

There is no parallel flow in reality. It impedes flow and the cooling doesn't take place. The connection is simply wrong. 

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Techea said:

There is no parallel flow in reality. It impedes flow and the cooling doesn't take place. The connection is simply wrong. 

The connection is fine and it's parallel flow. Not sure where you are concluding that from but as we explained earlier and by the photos of the clear parallel flow example that it splits by entering the right and recombines by exiting the left. 

[Techea]

33 minutes ago, W-L said:

The connection is fine and it's parallel flow. Not sure where you are concluding that from but as we explained earlier and by the photos of the clear parallel flow example that it splits by entering the right and recombines by exiting the left. 

What I'm trying to convince everybody is that there is no such thing as parallel flow. Why would you design something with a parallel flow, whatever that means, and which by the definition will hinder the direct flow and prevent from cooling properly. Who is that genius who designed the parallel flow because I don't think that's the case and I don't believe there is an engineer out there who will design such absurdity. 

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Techea said:

It doesn't enter the right side. It enters through the bottom left GPU Tsplit hole. What I'm trying to convince everybody is that there is no such thing as parallel flow. Why would you design something with a parallel flow, whatever that means, and which by the definition will hinder the direct flow and prevent from cooling properly. Who is that genius who designed the parallel flow because I don't think that's the case and I don't believe there is an engineer out there who will design such absurdity. 

Why do you think it doesn't enter from the top right? The fluid moves in a counter clockwise position due to the inlet of the pump/res being on the right and outlet exiting the pump/res on the left towards the CPU. 

 

The reason why you want parallel flow for block is to lower resistance and balance between the GPU's, at the beginning custom watercooling didn't have dedicated pumps with good pressure so parallel setups were sometimes a good option. Not to mention if anyone out there is still sporting a quad watercooled or even a 7 slot watercooled GPU setup for some reason having that in parallel is not bad idea due to it actually having an great effect on the pump's ability to push water through.

 

For a D5 pump like they have here it's more than capable of a triple block configuration in series. At the end of the day you are talking about a few degrees of difference between a series or parallel block setup. 

https://www.ekwb.com/blog/parallel-vs-serial-loop-why-choose-one-over-the-other/

[Techea]

13 minutes ago, W-L said:

Why do you think it doesn't enter from the top right? The fluid moves in a counter clockwise position due to the inlet of the pump/res being on the right and outlet exiting the pump/res on the left towards the CPU. 

 

The reason why you want parallel flow for block is to lower resistance and balance between the GPU's, at the beginning custom watercooling didn't have dedicated pumps with good pressure so parallel setups were sometimes a good option. Not to mention if anyone out there is still sporting a quad watercooled or even a 7 slot watercooled GPU setup for some reason having that in parallel is not bad idea due to it actually having an great effect on the pump's ability to push water through.

 

For a D5 pump like they have here it's more than capable of a triple block configuration in series. At the end of the day you are talking about a few degrees of difference between a series or parallel block setup. 

https://www.ekwb.com/blog/parallel-vs-serial-loop-why-choose-one-over-the-other/

Yes I agree with you here. The flow goes counterclockwise as shown in the picture and the coolant enter first GPU through the right and exit bottom through the Tsplit hole. But that's the wrong itinerary chosen by the builder. It should enter through the left Tsplit hole and exit through the ek hole, and again enter through the Tsplit second gpu and exit through the ek hole to have a continuous unimpeded flow in order to cool both gpu's equally.  

[Techea]

23 minutes ago, W-L said:

Why do you think it doesn't enter from the top right? The fluid moves in a counter clockwise position due to the inlet of the pump/res being on the right and outlet exiting the pump/res on the left towards the CPU. 

 

The reason why you want parallel flow for block is to lower resistance and balance between the GPU's, at the beginning custom watercooling didn't have dedicated pumps with good pressure so parallel setups were sometimes a good option. Not to mention if anyone out there is still sporting a quad watercooled or even a 7 slot watercooled GPU setup for some reason having that in parallel is not bad idea due to it actually having an great effect on the pump's ability to push water through.

 

For a D5 pump like they have here it's more than capable of a triple block configuration in series. At the end of the day you are talking about a few degrees of difference between a series or parallel block setup. 

https://www.ekwb.com/blog/parallel-vs-serial-loop-why-choose-one-over-the-other/

Sorry I was talking to two people in the same time and I was trying to make the argument that I can go with the flowing from the bottom left second gpu through right ek hole first gpu as exit and it will be just fine using only one connection between the two gpu's.

[Techea]

1 minute ago, Techea said:

Sorry I was talking to two people in the same time and I was trying to make the argument that I can go with the flowing from the bottom left second gpu through right ek hole first gpu as exit and it will be just fine using only one connection between the two gpu's.

 

28 minutes ago, W-L said:

Why do you think it doesn't enter from the top right? The fluid moves in a counter clockwise position due to the inlet of the pump/res being on the right and outlet exiting the pump/res on the left towards the CPU. 

 

The reason why you want parallel flow for block is to lower resistance and balance between the GPU's, at the beginning custom watercooling didn't have dedicated pumps with good pressure so parallel setups were sometimes a good option. Not to mention if anyone out there is still sporting a quad watercooled or even a 7 slot watercooled GPU setup for some reason having that in parallel is not bad idea due to it actually having an great effect on the pump's ability to push water through.

 

For a D5 pump like they have here it's more than capable of a triple block configuration in series. At the end of the day you are talking about a few degrees of difference between a series or parallel block setup. 

https://www.ekwb.com/blog/parallel-vs-serial-loop-why-choose-one-over-the-other/

Bottom line probably it doesn't really matter what hole you chose to enter and exit the gpu block the whole point was around the double connection between the gpu's called parallel bs connection which is totally wrong because in one of the gpu's the fluid will not move.

[W-L]

12 minutes ago, Techea said:

Yes I agree with you here. The flow goes counterclockwise as shown in the picture and the coolant enter first GPU through the right and exit bottom through the Tsplit hole. But that's the wrong itinerary chosen by the builder. It should enter through the left Tsplit hole and exit through the ek hole, and again enter through the Tsplit second gpu and exit through the ek hole to have a continuous unimpeded flow in order to cool both gpu's equally.  

The parallel will ahve the fluid split evenly since the blocks will have the same relative flow restriction, in both parallel and series you will get even cooling it's just a matter of aesthetics and what you are aiming for. There is some logic in spltting the flow between the GPU's also to not have heat get passed down the line to the second GPU in a series loop but in reality since the fluid moves so fast it has little effect once the system comes up to equilibrium. 

6 minutes ago, Techea said:

Sorry I was talking to two people in the same time and I was trying to make the argument that I can go with the flowing from the bottom left second gpu through right ek hole first gpu as exit and it will be just fine using only one connection between the two gpu's.

So series flow as in it enters and exits one GPU before going to the second like in the photo to the right? You would need to stagger the inlet and outlet pipes, if for example in the current photo (ie the left side diagram) if we remove either the left or right pipe that is between the GPU's one would not get any fluid passing through it and therefore no cooling. So in a parallel setup you need both sections between the GPU's to function.