Tube management advice required

[Call_Me_Daddy]

Hi Guys !

 

Forwarding my yesterdays topic : I'm now ready to build my loop except my rubber insert isn't the right diameter. So I actually have a spare week before being able to bend my PETG tubing.

 

 

So I decided this morning to draw how i'm planning to manage my tubing in order to see how well it does.

 

I have put together (please admire my photoshoping skills) all the components i'll be using :

 

• Case : Phanteks p350x
• Rad : EK Coolstream CE 280mm
• Fans : Corsair ML140Pro
• CPU Block : Phanteks C310i
• GPU block : EK Vector 2080 ti
• Reservoir : Phanteks R160

 

 

I think it looks great like this. I managed to find a convenient flushing spot (bottom left, using a 4 way adapter).

The rad will be upside down in order to make flushing easier.

 

My main concern is for the tube linking the rad to the reservoir. I think it's going to be a nightmare to bend it as long as it's going to have to turn around the GPU.

 

Would you guys have any suggestions / alternative tubing management to give ?

 

Thank you !

Vincent

 

 

[Mehmy]

Maybe flip the rad so the ports are at the top, then go pump > rad > CPU > Gpu (Drain port here) > Res in ?

[Call_Me_Daddy]

1 hour ago, Mehmy said:

Maybe flip the rad so the ports are at the top, then go pump > rad > CPU > Gpu (Drain port here) > Res in ?

So you mean something like this ?

 

this seems way more efficient but I’m also afraid that it wouldn’t be as beautiful (no tubes at the bottom of the case). What do you think ?

 

 

other ideas also welcome

[SolarNova]

Pump > GPU > T - Drain > Rad > CPU > Pump

 

[Call_Me_Daddy]

14 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

Pump > GPU > T - Drain > Rad > CPU > Pump

 

This is a freaking good idea !

 

the only thing that would be annoying would be the reservoir to be too deep but I don’t think so I’ll have to double check !

 

how about this ? It’s the same but with draining point at the initial point  

[SolarNova]

17 minutes ago, Insorior said:

This is a freaking good idea !

 

the only thing that would be annoying would be the reservoir to be too deep but I don’t think so I’ll have to double check !

 

how about this ? It’s the same but with draining point at the initial point  

 

Make sure that tube clears the RAM, the reason i used the other RAD port was so it could do that. Hence why i used the T fitting and drain port to direct the tubing from the GPU to the back RAD port.

 

ofc there is a simpler route asuming these ports on the pump/res are correct.

 

[Call_Me_Daddy]

8 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

Make sure that tube clears the RAM, the reason i used the other RAD port was so it could do that. Hence why i used the T fitting and drain port to direct the tubing from the GPU to the back RAD port.

 

ofc there is a simpler route asuming these ports on the pump/res are correct.

 

Oh yeah ! 

 

I just misread your sketch ! Here’s another rephrasing.

 

Im just not sure that I’d like the tube to come over the reservoir.

 

i think it’s going to be more obvious once everything is installed, which I can’t do right now as long as I’ll only get my insert in the end of next week...

[SolarNova]

1 minute ago, Insorior said:

Oh yeah ! 

 

I just misread your sketch ! Here’s another rephrasing.

 

Im just not sure that I’d like the tube to come over the reservoir.

 

i think it’s going to be more obvious once everything is installed, which I can’t do right now as long as I’ll only get my insert in the end of next week...

 

Indeed. GL with ur build.

[Call_Me_Daddy]

7 minutes ago, Insorior said:

Oh yeah ! 

 

I just misread your sketch ! Here’s another rephrasing.

 

Im just not sure that I’d like the tube to come over the reservoir.

 

i think it’s going to be more obvious once everything is installed, which I can’t do right now as long as I’ll only get my insert in the end of next week...

Thanks ! I won’t miss posting pictures

[Call_Me_Daddy]

Hi guys ! Update on this topic

 

i started building my loop on yesterday and quite a few things changed.

 

1 - I had to switch to a 240mm rad because a 280mm was too large and wouldn’t fit anywhere unlike advertised.

 

2- I had 2 leaking points : from res to cpu and from rad to res. 

 

Im posting a picture of the first try :

 

 

My guess is it was because of too short angles before the fittings. I only was using straight fittings. So I flushed, removed the leaking tubes and I’m now wondering how I could improve my tubing while waiting for new ones.

 

my current idea are :

 

 

1) regarding the cpu to res tube :

1-a) switching both the fittings and going with 2 90° bends 

1-b) switching only the cpu fitting to a 90° a safer version of my first try

1-c) reversing the initial try with 2 90° fittings for a softer bend 

 

2) for the rad to res, switching the rad fitting to a 90° and leaving the rest as it was. My only problem is it will force me to do a very sharp 180° which I’m not sure is safe.

 

 

do you guys have any thoughts ? Ideas to improve my loop ?

please note that I’m not wishing to change the order because the other tubes are very fine ! 

 

 

Thank you !!

[Salticid]

I have a concern that you're res>CPU line is too close to your RAM, though it's hard to tell from the pics.  Are you giving yourself enough clearance to be able to remove/replace sticks if needed?  It doesn't take more than 5mm or so, because once unslotted you can turn it sideways, but it doesn't look like you have enough space to do that.  You don't want to have to take apart your entire loop just to replace or upgrade RAM...  Similarly, you need easy access to your mobo power cable.  That needs to be unplugged for your fill and leak test, and then plugged back in afterwards when leak testing passes.  If you don't have the space to do that...

 

IDK, like I said, perhaps you do have the room and it's just too hard to tell from the pics.

 

I love the curve design you have going on here.  Your 180s look fine to me, though I'm not very practiced at these so take that for what its worth.  I'd keep them.

 

If mobo clearance is an issue, I wuld put a 90 degree on the exit from the res and on the CPU block in.  Go around the outside of the CPU out.

 

A 90 degree at the rad out is a good idea and will make your life easier as far as bending too, that was my own experience on my build over this last weekend.

 

Best of luck!  can't wait to see the finished build!

[Call_Me_Daddy]

4 hours ago, Salticid said:

I have a concern that you're res>CPU line is too close to your RAM, though it's hard to tell from the pics.  Are you giving yourself enough clearance to be able to remove/replace sticks if needed?  It doesn't take more than 5mm or so, because once unslotted you can turn it sideways, but it doesn't look like you have enough space to do that.  You don't want to have to take apart your entire loop just to replace or upgrade RAM...  Similarly, you need easy access to your mobo power cable.  That needs to be unplugged for your fill and leak test, and then plugged back in afterwards when leak testing passes.  If you don't have the space to do that...

 

IDK, like I said, perhaps you do have the room and it's just too hard to tell from the pics.

 

I love the curve design you have going on here.  Your 180s look fine to me, though I'm not very practiced at these so take that for what its worth.  I'd keep them.

 

If mobo clearance is an issue, I wuld put a 90 degree on the exit from the res and on the CPU block in.  Go around the outside of the CPU out.

 

A 90 degree at the rad out is a good idea and will make your life easier as far as bending too, that was my own experience on my build over this last weekend.

 

Best of luck!  can't wait to see the finished build!

 

I'm glad that you talked about it because if I orient the tube correctly, then I'm going to have enough clearance for ram removal, but if you didn't mention, then I would have gone with going very close.

 

I mean, theoretically, I'm not going to need to replace my RAM every two weeks so I was initially thinking that as long as space matters in my PC case, it would be fine and in the worst scenario, I'd just have to flush, remove the tube, replace and reseal. Does that sound crazy ? As this is my 1st custom loop I don't already have enough experience to sort that out. 

 

[Salticid]

16 minutes ago, Insorior said:

 

I'm glad that you talked about it because if I orient the tube correctly, then I'm going to have enough clearance for ram removal, but if you didn't mention, then I would have gone with going very close.

 

I mean, theoretically, I'm not going to need to replace my RAM every two weeks so I was initially thinking that as long as space matters in my PC case, it would be fine and in the worst scenario, I'd just have to flush, remove the tube, replace and reseal. Does that sound crazy ? As this is my 1st custom loop I don't already have enough experience to sort that out. 

 

Makes sense on the face of it, but look at it this way.  Sometimes upgrades are spur of the moment. You get a bonus at work or a gift of some money and find some higher speed RAM on sale...  Or a new SSD/HDD you could add to your system and heck you could use the space....  Why not?

 

Unless a component is water cooled, you really do not want to have to remove your pipes and drain your loop just to quickly upgrade it.  It's a best practice. 

 

Ideally, once this loop is in place you want to keep it there for as long as possible until you have to take out and then re-seat tubes or replace a tube/bend for some reason.  Maintenance should really only require a flush - possibly with blitz if needed - and then changing out your fluid.  You should have full maintenance access to your board and any components and headers on it without messing with your loop.  Unseating and re-seating tubes can put wear and tear on the o-rings and seals as well.

 

I can't stress enough to not fill and leak test with your Motherboard plugged into the PSU.  Clearance to unplug and plug that alone should be reason to give yourself enough space there, even if you think you'll keep that RAM forever and the likelihood of any stick failing is almost zero.

 

I hear you on the bends the Thermaltake kit gives.  I wasn't much of a fan either, and yes I felt the same about the 90 degree not actually ending up a true 90 degree.  Not sure what that is.  I did find the cutter far superior to what I bought at the local hardware store though, and I also found the chamfer tool very helpful.

 

Really looking forward to seeing what you do.  It's so much work and planning but so rewarding.

[Call_Me_Daddy]

Ok so this is how the first tube try looks like ! It seems to be perfectly sealed. When i pull nothing comes off.

 

Any thoughts ?

 

I'm probably going to do the same thing with the other tube because I enjoy how it looks like

 

[Call_Me_Daddy]

Ok so after many new adventures, here is how my loop looks like ! 

Im really glad of the results and I’d really like to thank you all for helping out in this challenge which I loved !!!

[Salticid]

Nice work!  Love the curves!

[Call_Me_Daddy]

42 minutes ago, Salticid said:

Nice work!  Love the curves!

Thanks I really like it as well

[SolarNova]

Arrgh my eyes !! the RGBness >.<

 

lol

 

nice runs , looks good.

[Call_Me_Daddy]

20 hours ago, SolarNova said:

Arrgh my eyes !! the RGBness >.<

 

lol

 

nice runs , looks good.

Let’s get the party started !

[Call_Me_Daddy]

I just posted a build log video

 

i wished my spoken English was a bit better ! 

I discuss all the events that occurred during building in order to help other people avoiding the traps.

 

the end result can be seen from 16mn, I hope you’ll like it !

 

thanks again for all the help !