Radiator Ports Top or Bottom for custom loop?

[Starlord808]

I’ve had my custom water cooled loop for two years now but I still question myself what is the best way of draining my loop. I have it normally set up like in the picture below where my radiator is set where the fittings are at the highest point and my drain at the bottom figure let gravity due most of the work but would it be better to put the radiator fittings at the bottom to make draining easier because I still find myself having to remove everything and empty the radiator still. 

I’m trying my hypothesis currently I flipped it cause I’m doing maintenance getting it ready for pastel fluid giving it another try. Third picture is the tube after a year compared to a new tube but only the tube changed color not the fluid and left no crud and build up though so that’s good.

[KarathKasun]

Put a tee at the lowest point in the system and a tee at the highest point.  Route the low tee to a drain and the high tee to a fill-port.

 

The radiator fittings on the bottom will make draining easier, but burping will be more difficult.  You could try to find a rad with fittings on both sides, or fitting on one side and a fill port on the other.

[RollinLower]

draining the loop would be s breeze with the ports at the bottom, tough you might end up with a less clean looking loop to connect the tubes to everything. 

 

at the end of the day, it wouldn't really matter which orientation you go for. the rad will work just fine in either orientation, tough as mentioned in the previous post each orientation has it's pro's and cons. so personal preference i guess.

[Starlord808]

44 minutes ago, KarathKasun said:

Put a tee at the lowest point in the system and a tee at the highest point.  Route the low tee to a drain and the high tee to a fill-port.

 

The radiator fittings on the bottom will make draining easier, but burping will be more difficult.  You could try to find a rad with fittings on both sides, or fitting on one side and a fill port on the other.

So I could have my drainport off a tee on the bottom of a Rad being that the bottom of the Rad is the lowest point lower than my res/pump combo and I can introduce air into the loop say from reservoir and I’ll sucessfully drain the system without having to remove the radiators to further tilt and move water till it comes out. 

[KarathKasun]

Just now, Starlord808 said:

So I could have my drainport off a tee on the bottom of a Rad being that the bottom of the Rad is the lowest point lower than my res/pump combo and I can introduce air into the loop say from reservoir and I’ll sucessfully drain the system without having to remove the radiators to further tilt and move water till it comes out. 

You will have to do the same kajiggling you would have to do to drain a system fully with the fittings at the top.  You trade easy fill fro easy drain.

[Starlord808]

2 minutes ago, KarathKasun said:

You will have to do the same kajiggling you would have to do to drain a system fully with the fittings at the top.  You trade easy fill fro easy drain.

So basically radiator fittings at the top easy filling. Fittings on the bottom easy draining. What if I was to go with alphacools Crossflow radiator where they have a single fitting on the top and single fitting on the bottom I get best of both worlds right, or ultimately if I want to completely draing my loop I have to drain each component separately by removing it. 

[KarathKasun]

Correct.

[Mick Naughty]

Cross flow are amazing. 

Could just design the loop so you can lay it on its face and drain it. Can keep the ports up that way. 

[Starlord808]

6 hours ago, Mick Naughty said:

Cross flow are amazing. 

Could just design the loop so you can lay it on its face and drain it. Can keep the ports up that way. 

What does that mean lay it on it’s face?

[Mick Naughty]

Just now, Starlord808 said:

What does that mean lay it on it’s face?

The front.