Planning A Hardline Loop

[wANKER]

I'm planning on doing a hardline loop in the shift X, which will be my first loop. 

I have a stupid question though. 

 

How do you all plan your loops? 

Mainly, how many fittings and what type etc. 

 

EDIT: In a case where there's 'obstacles' to maneuver around

 

 

[Semper]

At the bare minimum, two fittings for each component.
What type depends on where the fitting in question is are and/or where you need them to go to next. I use Bitspower for all my fittings.

Jayztwocents has some good videos on the subject matter, i'd encourage you to give them a look.

[wANKER]

Just now, Semper said:

At the bare minimum, two fittings for each component.
What type depends on where the fitting in question is are and/or where you need them to go to next. I use Bitspower for all my fittings.

Jayztwocents has some good videos on the subject matter, i'd encourage you to give them a look.

I've watched pretty much all his stuff. 

 

The only thing I'm struggling to 'plan' is where to use 45/90s etc. because the case isn't an open/conventional layout. 

Wasn't sure if people map out the layout exactly, or just have say a handful of angled adapters to hand and use as needed.... 

Stupid question thinking about

[wANKER]

Second question: 

 

From other loops I've looked at, they're using one rad for the CPU and GPU - so the coolant after the first component (heated) is being used to cool the second.... 

How does that work?

[WihGlah]

Prepare to spend at least double what you think you will need in fittings.

 

The position of rads v blocks in the loop is irrelevant. What matters is how much heat can the radiator dissipate and how much heat does the block absorb. The water temp varies by very little throughout the loop.

[wANKER]

2 minutes ago, WihGlah said:

Prepare to spend at least double what you think you will need in fittings.

 

The position of rads v blocks in the loop is irrelevant. What matters is how much heat can the radiator dissipate and how much heat does the block absorb. The water temp varies by very little throughout the loop.

So basically, running the loop as Pump/res > GPU > CPU > Radiator > Pump/res is fine so long as the blocks can absorb that heat and the rad space adequate enough to dissipate it? 

[WihGlah]

2 minutes ago, wANKER said:

So basically, running the loop as Pump/res > GPU > CPU > Radiator > Pump/res is fine so long as the blocks can absorb that heat and the rad space adequate enough to dissipate it? 

Yes - the only think you have to do is put the reservoir immediately before the pump. The water level in the res needs to be above the inlet of the pump as well, other than that you can do pretty much what you like. 

[Semper]

1 hour ago, wANKER said:

Second question: 

 

From other loops I've looked at, they're using one rad for the CPU and GPU - so the coolant after the first component (heated) is being used to cool the second.... 

How does that work?

The fewer the fittings you have in your system, the less points of failure you have. You'll want as many bends in the actual tube itself as you can manage. There may be situations where aesthetically, or due to space constraints that you are forced to use a fitting, but it's a balance of doing what you can with your tube, and accommodating everything else with a fitting.

For first time builders (or someone working with new fittings, new tube size, etc), generally what's going to happen is you'll buy your components, including fittings, assemble it, and then head back to the website at least once more to buy fittings you didn't realize you'd need.

One thing I've seen done before is people will plan their system out with the hardware installed with the aid of bendy straws. Buy more tubing than you think you'll need and expect to have waste from failed or incorrectly measured bends (assuming you're measuring at all)

Do yourself a favor as well, and build yourself a drain port into your plan. Future you will thank yourself.

[fabafaba]

19 hours ago, wANKER said:

Second question: 

 

From other loops I've looked at, they're using one rad for the CPU and GPU - so the coolant after the first component (heated) is being used to cool the second.... 

How does that work?

The water doesn't heat up that much while it's travelling through the blocks. My loop goes from the GPU (1080Ti) to my CPU (i7 6850k), and I  have a temperature difference before and after these two of 2-4°C under a combined load, so it really doesn't matter that the water isn't cooled between the components.

 

As for planning your loop: Get yourself a whole bunch of pictures of the case and start drawing where you can put the tubes or, even better, see if you can find a CAD modell of the case or make one yourself. I did just that for my O-11 Dynamic in F360,based on the dimensions given by Lian Li and a bunch of pictures. I was a bit off with some measurements and guesses, but it still worked out exactly as planned.

[bowrilla]

I'm working on the same case right now but still sourcing the GPU (for me there's only the Zotac 1080 Ti Mini as a GPU due to pump placement and an additional separated reservoir.

 

I'm going to put GPU and CPU blocks in parallel with the CPU block being the end of the loop (or the start, depends on your point of view). I'm going left straight to the GPU above the PCIe riser cable (I've flipped the GPU bracket so the top of the GPU faces the right side of the case and the glass panel. Since most blocks have several G 1/4 threads (and I'm probably building my own for the Zotac GPU anyways) I'll go out on the opposite side with two tubes in parallel over the GPU itself in a 45° angle to the middle line of the case and than in another 45° bend straight down with both parallel tubes that will rise back up underneath/left of the cable management flap, then it splits up to the output ofthe pump above/next to the PSU bracket with a small reservoir on top (bleeding and filling) and the input of the 280mm radiator in the front, then to the big tube reservoir in the middle and then to the pumps inlet. Might flip the radiator with the ports near the bottom/left side and use the reservoir inline though I'd need to run a tube beneath the reservoir in that case which is quite ugly. 

 

The PETG tubing will only be a mock interim mockup for me to know the exact lengths and bends so I can get the glass tubing right afterwards (or at least that's the plan).

 

Gonna use Primochill's Vue probably in Grey or Sterling. Both covers of the case will get some darker marble foil. And I'm giving those Thermaltake Pacific RGB fittings a shot and avoid other rgb strips - so it's only the glass tubes with the Vue that's going to glow and the memory.

 

The big tricky part of the case is the cable routing/management area beneath/next to the mainboard. Going above is a pain because changing cables will be nearly impossible thanks to the blocked flap, the space is small and you don't want to expose the messier bits down there. You could however use ports and to the back (as long as you're not using 2.5" drives) and make the jump underneath the backcover with soft tubing (it's out of sight).