Drain Port Placement Tips

[jtk700cln]

Hey Folks,

I have been setting up a water loop. Plan was to have a second radiator on the bottom of the case (I have an Enthoo elite, and Ive seen a lot of people using this setup).  Ive realized though, that this might make the drain valve placement difficult.  How are you supposed to drain a system when the radiator--with the ports facing upwards (it has to), is the bottom of the loop?    Thanks in advance for any tips.  

[Bombastinator]

You can turn a case if you pick it up. 

[Mick Naughty]

I just the case on what ever side I need to. Gotta plan that into the build. If it isn’t perfect or simple, you won’t get everything out. Assuming that’s the goal. Takes some serious planning depending on the complexity.  

[W-L]

On 10/5/2020 at 11:46 PM, jtk700cln said:

Hey Folks,

I have been setting up a water loop. Plan was to have a second radiator on the bottom of the case (I have an Enthoo elite, and Ive seen a lot of people using this setup).  Ive realized though, that this might make the drain valve placement difficult.  How are you supposed to drain a system when the radiator--with the ports facing upwards (it has to), is the bottom of the loop?    Thanks in advance for any tips.  

A drain usually drains the majority of the water most times but may leave you with some sections with a front rad with top ports with fluid inside. Some rads a bleed port on the other end which I've used also as a drain in some situations but preplanning the loop for draining is the best. If needed you can place it flat down and move it around to try and move the fluid towards the drain. 

[AnonymousGuy]

Pro tip: if you use compressed air you can put the drain port anywhere that is convenient and blast all the coolant out.  You can't get absolutely every drop out of a bad layout (once there is an air-path thru the tubing that's where all the air is going to go...no longer pushing water) but it does a lot better than just gravity draining.  I cleaned out my LANRig machine today this way...detached a tube from a fitting, put one end in a bucket, put the blow gun tip on the other end...few pumps of the trigger until air starts flowing through the end in the bucket.

 

Just make sure you have the drain port open...bad things happen when you pressurize the entire loop from one end....you'll find the weakest point in a hurry (it's probably an o-ring).  I totally didn't find this out personally...