Foam/micro bubble issue

[Ruune]

So I build my custom loop only with the CPU, no GPU:

I'm confident the parts are good and the build is done well.

 

Alphacool Pro 15 LT Res.

Alphacool VPP655

CPU Block

360mm Radiator mounted in the front with in/outlets up against the case roof.

3/8" tubing

Compression fittings, mostly straight but two 90

Mayhem Pastel Koolant

 

The order is Res - Pump - CPUblock - Radiator - Res

 

I build everything and when start filling the system I got a lot of foam and the system don't seems to "fill up" so to say, see picture. Not only in the res. but in the whole system, even inside the pump. I've bleed everything with res.top off over night but when shutting the system of the foam starts to build up again, so I guess I've a lot of air in my system. I've also noticed that the coolant enter the res. in quite high speed. Is that common? 

 

I know there are a lot of similar questions, but I've read the tips and nothing seems to help. I've tried rocking the case, pinching the tubing and start/stop. Nothing seems to help.

 

Can a 90-fitting cause air to enter the pump? Or maybe my drain vault connected to the second outlet of the pump?

 

Any advice? 

 

[CydiaDash]

Have you turned your case around?

[Ruune]

Yes, I've turned the case around every angle there is

[Naeaes]

How long have you been running it? Sometimes it takes like a day to get all the air out. Keep it running without power to the PC by bypassing the mobo (the thing with a jumper from the green cable to a black cable) Keep turning it to guide the air toward the reservoir and topping it up periodically.

[MorbidAngel]

I read somewhere that it has taken some people up to two weeks for all the bubbles to disappear, it's pretty much different for everybody, I had mine running overnight, about 8-9 hours and all the bubbles were gone.

[Ruune]

Ok, I guess patience is gold, but I'm a little worried that something is wrong.

 

So, should I run the system with the top off all the time?

Or run it with the top on, stop the system, turn the case, top off, wait for (how long?), put it back on and the run it again?

[blu4]

Give it time. My first loop took a week to bleed all the air bubbles out.

[Ruune]

Can in be something then? I mean, what can cause foam to build up?

 

Can the pump be to small to handel the loop?

Can a bad fitting cause the foam/bubbles?

 

It would be nice to know some differnet causes to troubleshoot while waiting.

[W-L]

Can in be something then? I mean, what can cause foam to build up?

Can the pump be to small to handel the loop?

Can a bad fitting cause the foam/bubbles?

It would be nice to know some differnet causes to troubleshoot while waiting.

 

Usually it's just at fill up run the pump at max speed and vary it if your have the Vario version of the D5. If you had a bad fitting or leak your loop would be leaking and everything seems good so just a matter of time. Most take a day or two to bleed out and stop making noises when the air passes through the pump.

[Ruune]

Usually it's just at fill up run the pump at max speed and vary it if your have the Vario version of the D5. If you had a bad fitting or leak your loop would be leaking and everything seems good so just a matter of time. Most take a day or two to bleed out and stop making noises when the air passes through the pump.

 

Great! I've done leak testing for about 12-14 hours now and there are no leak from what I can see.. The flow seems pretty good when the system is running, the res is full and just a small small layer of foam on the top. But the second I turn the system off it starts foaming up like, alot. I know it can take time but what's wierd is that there is foam/air inside the pump, which is on the bottom of the case. Shouldn't the water pressure from the res. move the air out from the pump first? 

 

I have the D5-pump which has 5 different speeds but (I think) no way to control it since I can't enter the BIOS to change the voltage.

[DieHörnær]

HOLA

 

So if the foam, not air bubbles, isn't dying down then maybe the speed is too high. http://www.alphacool.com/product_info.php/info/p808_Alphacool-VPP655---single-edition.html

That link is to your pump, I believe it is a manual pump i.e. you have to adjust the speed on the back of the pump there should be a little red screw thingy that you have to rotate to speed-up and slow-down the pump. If not then it is a PWM pump, there should be two connectors coming out of the pump - a 4 pin molex cable and a smaller fan cable, this should be plugged into your motherboard. Install your motherboard software and you can adjust the speed manually via the software, alternatively enter your BIOS [DEL, ESC etc on startup] and change the fan speed settings there.

 

If the problem persists then it may be due to your coolant or the mixture. Did you do a parts clean beforehand, i.e wash everything out? Is the coolant mixed properly, i.e 1 to X or whatever? If unsure and you have some spare coolant then drain and refill.

 

If the problem persists I would recommend using distilled water with and additive to see if the problem is replicated.

 

Hope this helps!

[Ruune]

HOLA

 

So if the foam, not air bubbles, isn't dying down then maybe the speed is too high. http://www.alphacool.com/product_info.php/info/p808_Alphacool-VPP655---single-edition.html

That link is to your pump, I believe it is a manual pump i.e. you have to adjust the speed on the back of the pump there should be a little red screw thingy that you have to rotate to speed-up and slow-down the pump. If not then it is a PWM pump, there should be two connectors coming out of the pump - a 4 pin molex cable and a smaller fan cable, this should be plugged into your motherboard. Install your motherboard software and you can adjust the speed manually via the software, alternatively enter your BIOS [DEL, ESC etc on startup] and change the fan speed settings there.

 

Yes! I found the little red screw thingy. I'll try with a lower speed to see if that helps!

[W-L]

Yes! I found the little red screw thingy. I'll try with a lower speed to see if that helps!

 

For all those small micro bubbles in the tubing and blocks they might linger around for a week or so before everything is completely gone as said you might want to lower your pump speed after the initial bleed.

[Prophet of Entropy]

Yes! I found the little red screw thingy. I'll try with a lower speed to see if that helps!

it will.  when I was bleeding the air out of my system I would pulse my pump from 30% (what I normally run it at) power to full to help dislodge air pockets.

 

foam isn't going to hurt you loop unless theres' so much that it air locks your pump

[Ruune]

I lowered my pump speed and all the foam went away! The flow into the res. was to high so the micro bubbles in the res. didn't have the time to surface and instead went back into the pump and the rest of the loop. 

 

Thanks for the help! The pump speed is usually not a solution mentioned in forums with the same issues so hopefully this will help someone else googleing around.