Does a free standing, square reservoir, that's currently available, exist?

[straight_stewie]

It's a long shot, I know, but does anyone know of a currently available reservoir with a square tube?

A google search didn't turn up much (except some Swiftech and XSPC stuff that doesn't actually use a square tube, and also an ION), but apparently the old Swiftech Maelstrom design had a cracking issue, and went out of production, to be replaced by the new circular tube with external frame design they have now.

To be clear, I'm looking for a reservoir with a free standing square tube. This seems to be difficult to find, if it even exists, so I'm not so worried about the details.

I thought I'd ask before I went about making my own, as square borosilicate glass (I'm afraid to use acrylic because of the Swiftech Maelstrom issue...) tube is expensive. (and I do mean expensive).

[starry]

30 minutes ago, straight_stewie said:

It's a long shot, I know, but does anyone know of a currently available reservoir with a square tube?

A google search didn't turn up much (except some Swiftech and XSPC stuff that doesn't actually use a square tube, and also an ION), but apparently the old Swiftech Maelstrom design had a cracking issue, and went out of production, to be replaced by the new circular tube with external frame design they have now.

To be clear, I'm looking for a reservoir with a free standing square tube. This seems to be difficult to find, if it even exists, so I'm not so worried about the details.

I thought I'd ask before I went about making my own, as square borosilicate glass (I'm afraid to use acrylic because of the Swiftech Maelstrom issue...) tube is expensive. (and I do mean expensive).

They dont look very good, and they seem very cheap, but I found 2.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UCMCFS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_wmmpFbST2C7GP

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N4NARM6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_ElmpFb3SNP41R

 

I wouldnt recommend these.

[kb5zue]

Square tubes were determined by the powers-that-be totally worthless and are therefore destined to take the course of the dinosaur and the dodo bird.

 

No really.  The square tube design at the beginning was interesting but was fundamentally flawed.  The square design itself was what killed it.  The main two reasons for its death are in that the plastic had a problem with cracking in the corners and along the seams where two sides met and came together.

 

The second reason was because the square tube did not provide for the lack of  "mixing" of the coolant in the corners.  When the machine was shut off, the coolant would come to a stand-still and the coolant would stop mixing.  When the coolant stopped moving, it could/would provide a place in the corners of the bottom of the square tube a place for any sediment to accumulate.

 

Hence, the square tube did not stay around long for these two basic reasons.  I mean, when you were a kid at school, you didn't like it when the teacher told you to sit in the corner did you?  No, not me either.

[kb5zue]

1 minute ago, kb5zue said:

Square tubes were determined by the powers-that-be totally worthless and are therefore destined to take the course of the dinosaur and the dodo bird.

 

No really.  The square tube design at the beginning was interesting but was fundamentally flawed.  The square design itself was what killed it.  The main two reasons for its death are in that the plastic had a problem with cracking in the corners and along the seams where two sides met and came together.

 

The second reason was because the square tube did not provide for the lack of  "mixing" of the coolant in the corners.  When the machine was shut off, the coolant would come to a stand-still and the coolant would stop mixing.  When the coolant stopped moving, it could/would provide a place in the corners of the bottom of the square tube a place for any sediment to accumulate.

 

Hence, the square tube did not stay around long for these two basic reasons.  I mean, when you were a kid at school, you didn't like it when the teacher told you to sit in the corner did you?  No, not me either.

And as with the two listed on Amazon, I wouldn't give my last dollar for either of them.

[starry]

Just now, kb5zue said:

And as with the two listed on Amazon, I wouldn't give my last dollar for either of them.

Same, but theyre there.

[starry]

Also apparently this exists.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZUG1EM/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_gpmpFb0MP265J

[kb5zue]

1 minute ago, seapriestess said:

Same, but theyre there.

I saw them before I posted my reply.  I still wouldn't go square because of the problems with the cracking and the sediment.  In a square the corners don't get flushed like on a round tube.

[starry]

Just now, kb5zue said:

I saw them before I posted my reply.  I still wouldn't go square because of the problems with the cracking and the sediment.  In a square the corners don't get flushed like on a round tube.

 I have to agree.

[straight_stewie]

54 minutes ago, kb5zue said:

I saw them before I posted my reply.  I still wouldn't go square because of the problems with the cracking and the sediment.  In a square the corners don't get flushed like on a round tube.

The cracking was likely partially due to the screw holes very near the corners of the thin acrylic that they were using. Since it looks like I'll be making my own, it would be using 3.5 mm wall thickness borosilicate glass (Pyrex...), with generous corner fillets. The specific brand and product line of tubing I am looking at is marketed directly at makers of large square test tubes, so I feel like it's a safe assumption that it could be filled with water/water-based-coolant and be fine, all other things assumed to be fine.

The sediment aspect does cause concern, however. My initial reaction would be to make the reservoir base have a taper to it, or perhaps be semi-spherical, such that there is no corner for sediment to settle into, but I'm not sure that this could be adequately done in a height that allows for good aesthetics. I'll have to work that out in CAD anyway ahead of time.

[kb5zue]

Thanks for the reply.  Was sitting here reading your note and one of the things that came to mind was a filter.  Maybe something like the fuel filter on the lawnmower.  Something like the fuel filters for the John Deere lawn tractor, etc.  Just thinking.....  don't do it very often.  Here's a link below for what I was thinking about.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors-Outdoor-Power-Equipment-Replacement-Engines-Parts-Maintenance-Parts-Lawn-Mower-Filters/Fuel-Filter/N-5yc1vZbx8xZ1z0zy7s

[thrasher_565]

15 hours ago, straight_stewie said:

It's a long shot, I know, but does anyone know of a currently available reservoir with a square tube?

A google search didn't turn up much (except some Swiftech and XSPC stuff that doesn't actually use a square tube, and also an ION), but apparently the old Swiftech Maelstrom design had a cracking issue, and went out of production, to be replaced by the new circular tube with external frame design they have now.

To be clear, I'm looking for a reservoir with a free standing square tube. This seems to be difficult to find, if it even exists, so I'm not so worried about the details.

I thought I'd ask before I went about making my own, as square borosilicate glass (I'm afraid to use acrylic because of the Swiftech Maelstrom issue...) tube is expensive. (and I do mean expensive).

only one i can thing of is the swiftech micro v2

[thrasher_565]

i found this