Soft tubing quality

[zawisza]

Hello, all the good people!

 

I am wondering whether there is anything special about the soft tubing sold by places specializing in computer liquid cooling?

 

How does (if at all) this tubing differ from what we can get at Home Depot or Lowes?

 

Thanks for your time,

 

-z-

[Windows7ge]

To my knowledge not particularly. You would need to watch-out if you use anything besides just distilled water & color additives as sometimes the materials certain tubings are made out of can break-down gumming up the loop or causing a leak when mixed with some chemical additives used in come coolants. A big one would be anything based on ethylene glycol. Certain PVC based tubings cannot be mixed with this as it chemically reacts breaking down the tubing over time.

 

Otherwise no there's nothing special that makes tubing designed for PC liquid cooling a requirement. You just have to be careful that you know what is in the tubing you buy.

[zawisza]

6 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

A big one would be anything based on ethylene glycol.

Thanks for the tip!

 

-z-

[Tristerin]

30 minutes ago, zawisza said:

Hello, all the good people!

 

I am wondering whether there is anything special about the soft tubing sold by places specializing in computer liquid cooling?

 

How does (if at all) this tubing differ from what we can get at Home Depot or Lowes?

 

Thanks for your time,

 

-z-

Loop tubing = brand named expensive

Tubing that can be used in a loop = Food grade, non heat sensitive.  I.E. I just ordered (doing a black industrial theme build) food grade, beer making tubing.  Why?  Its for extreme heat, and doesn't leech chemicals/color into the liquid (food grade).  That's the basics.

[zawisza]

14 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

I.E. I just ordered (doing a black industrial theme build) food grade, beer making tubing.

Brilliant.  I just placed my order - Thanks!

 

-z-