water cooling [I'll make it fit] Copper pipe water cooling in Node 202 (also, my first build)

[Smollie1]

Hello LTT community,

 

This is my first post so I've inevitably broken a bunch of rules and put this in the wrong place. Sorry about that.

 

I started watching the youtube channel even though I'm not a gamer or even a PC user. I shouldn't have done that. It was a terrible mistake. Now I want to build a PC for fun and you should probably know the following things:

1. I have never built a PC (although I've dug around in PCs in the past)
2. I'm an adult human person with practical skills (read: I can build things and learn quickly)
3. I would like to do a mini-ITX build in the Node-202 (which I've held in my hand x1)
4. Custom cabling is something I want to practice (so a (fully) modular power supply would be nice)
5. I am not going to use the PC I build (probably), but it has function enough to check everything's working
   1. read: components need to be modern enough that build skills transfer but only good enough to play NHL 2k6
6. I'd like to play with overclocking (if it doesn't add prohibitive $s)
7. Other than the Node-202, I would like to spend as close to $0 as possible

It seems like I have 2 options here:

1. Find someone's old build log (something baller from 2007), track down the parts separately and stuff them in the 202
   1. There is something appealing about building the sickest 2007 mini-ITX system 10 years later.
2. Buy a number of old mini-ITX builds and scrounge the parts

 

Any help at all would be appreciated. Also, if this is a terrible idea, you should say so.

Thanks, this seems like a great community.

[RAM555789]

Alright for a mini-itx build playing around with OCing will cost a little extra $ so I will make 2 builds, the first one will be cheap af. Something you can put together, mess around with but you won't be able to overclock. The second build will cost more, will have functionality, but with cost more, because it will be an older intel processor that requires cooling. I will try to make sure I don't have to put in a gpu.

 

Edit:I am also adding on an very small SSD since I am assuming that all you plan to do is mess around with BIOS settings then boot into windows. You could also use this is you have a PC you use for work or something and you want it to boot faster. And the NHL game won't take much space.

 

The Cheap AF Build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD A4-6300 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($29.33 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock A68M-ITX Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard  ($63.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Patriot 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($23.98 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Corsair Force LS 60GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($44.87 @ Amazon) 
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case  ($74.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: Silverstone 300W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply  ($48.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $285.15
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-18 18:45 EDT-0400

 

Overclock Build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($219.98 @ SuperBiiz) 
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler  ($38.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock Z170M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($123.99 @ Amazon) 
Memory: Crucial 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($26.90 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Corsair Force LS 60GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($44.87 @ Amazon) 
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case  ($74.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $529.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-18 18:58 EDT-0400

[TheRandomness]

-Thread moved to New Builds and Planning. @Smollie1 Welcome to the forums c:

 

@RAM555789 You can't overclock on a B-series motherboard.

[RAM555789]

5 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

-Thread moved to New Builds and Planning. @Smollie1 Welcome to the forums c:

 

@RAM555789 You can't overclock on a B-series motherboard.

Switched out the mobo. Also to the OP, I'm not sure if you had the case or not already so I just made sure to include it.

[SonoDanshi]

Welcome to the forums @Smollie1 The Node 202 is a great case to build in as it's been very well thought out but does make it a bit tough on the cable management side of things.

 

A few points have already been covered so I'll skip those. In terms of component choice the good news is that until recently CPU performance has been very close to static for 6 or 7 years so you can pick up a cheap 2nd hand cpu, board and RAM easily enough. You will need either a 2.5" HDD or an SSD though as the 202 doesn't natively support a 3.5" hdd. The other good news is that there is now a huge range of GPUs from team red and green for the low/mid end markets that will crush NHL 2K6 in their sleep.

 

For the custom cabling, unless you have the tools etc already then you will have to drop some cash on those. I use snips, a mini propane torch, crimpers and a pin extractor to do my cabling (along with the 16awg wire, connectors, plugs, heatshrink and sleeving).

 

Good luck and as I know you've checked out my custom Node 202 build log I am happy to answer any questions you might have.

[Aekim]

@Smollie1 If you get instead of the A4 an A6 7400k or 6400k you could overclock and don't pay much more.

And get 2 ram sticks for better grafics (sometimes really cheap to get used ram)

I wouldn't recommend much older stuff or more TDP because you have limited cooling space.

The custom cables are not really worth it imho (in a build like that) but of course you can try it. Or get first an old/broken psu so you can train

 

[Smollie1]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for the info. This has really helped. This is really fun.

I see what you mean about the two builds situation, @RAM555789. Maybe that makes more sense, although what @Aekim mentions about the A6 is interesting.

 

The custom cabling is to see if I can do it and will help save a little space in the build. I already have; soldering iron, paracord, techflex, heatshrink, pliers and a few other tools.

 

A couple follow up questions:

1. @SonoDanshi You used an R9 in your build. Is there anything equivalent from back in the day? I'm not sure the mini-fying of GPUs has been going on for long enough to get something small and cheap. This would certainly mean doing two builds as @RAM555789 suggests
2. I feel like I should get a GPU as that seems like useful experience for cable management and cramming things in?
3. Is there any reason not to go with a 2.5" spinning drive, rather than SSD to save a few $s?

Thanks again,

[Smollie1]

Also, which of these parts would be fine to pick up used? GPUs seem like they turnover pretty quick.

[RAM555789]

5 hours ago, Smollie1 said:

Also, which of these parts would be fine to pick up used? GPUs seem like they turnover pretty quick.

Any parts that are going to be older, and cheaper are going to be hard to turnover quickly, if at all. Demand is low for these parts now. A k processor however may be able to be turned over quickly.

[RAM555789]

I redid the AMD build, put in a better A type processor, and split the RAM, since it works better in dual channel mode, but you wont need more than 4gb.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD A6-6400K 3.9GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($39.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: ASRock A68M-ITX Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard  ($63.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1333 Memory  ($28.74 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Corsair Force LS 60GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($44.87 @ Amazon) 
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case  ($74.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: Silverstone 300W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply  ($48.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $300.57
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-19 09:06 EDT-0400

 

BTW this is using a A series processor from AMD that uses RAM as VRAM to generate graphics.

[RAM555789]

Heres with a 6400k 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD A6-6400K 3.9GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($39.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9a 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler  ($38.49 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock A68M-ITX Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard  ($63.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($32.44 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Corsair Force LS 60GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($44.87 @ Amazon) 
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case  ($74.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: Silverstone 300W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply  ($48.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $342.76
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-19 09:33 EDT-0400

[RAM555789]

This would be capable of playing Arma 2. (I added a GPU)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD A6-6400K 3.9GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($39.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9a 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler  ($38.49 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock A68M-ITX Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard  ($63.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($32.44 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Corsair Force LS 60GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($44.87 @ Amazon) 
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R7 240 2GB Video Card  ($59.95 @ Amazon) 
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case  ($74.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: Silverstone 300W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply  ($48.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $402.71
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-19 09:35 EDT-0400

[Smollie1]

Thanks @RAM555789, this is awesome.

 

What is the process you use for choosing components? I understand that CPUs and motherboards pair, but there are just so many things. Using PCpartpicker is helpful but I feel like I'm not getting the whole picture. A sensible process seems to be:

1. Choose CPU socket type (and whether you want to overclock)
2. Choose motherboard (based on features needed, max ram, ram slots, PCie slots, wifi, USB 3.0 etc.)
3. Everything else is straightforward as long as your PSU can handle what you put in

On 1, I don't know how many socket types there are. On, 2 it's just super overwhelming how much choice there seems to be and how horribly everything is named.

 

The reason I ask is that Ebay seems pretty promising for parts on the cheap. I've put together a little collection here. There are a few duplicates in there (ram, CPU, GPU).

I think I'm ending up in a middle ground between these two builds where I can get a slightly better component for $10 more and that's screwing me in the aggregate. I think I should make myself some rules:

1. No overclocking
2. No wifi on motherboard
3. Cheapest dual slot GPU available (should still be short)

It seems like there aren't that many mini-ITX boards for FM2 socket CPUs? Would an equivalent intel chip widen the range of motherboards (and therefore have more availability and lower prices on Ebay)?

 

Sorry that I have so many questions. This stuff is addictive.

[Smollie1]

OK, all parts are on there way, you can see what I ended up with below.

 

Everything came from Amazon except the RAM and the CPU which came from Ebay. It should all be here by the beginning of next week. Oh, and there's no SSD because I'm going to use a USB flash drive (probably Ubuntu) as I'm not really going to be using this machine. If that turns out to suck, I'll pick one up.

 

PCPartPicker part list
 

CPU: AMD A4-6300 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($29.33 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock A68M-ITX Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard  ($63.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Crucial 2GB (1 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($16.55 @ Amazon) 
Memory: Crucial 2GB (1 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($16.55 @ Amazon) 
Video Card: MSI GeForce GT 730 2GB Video Card  ($56.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case  ($74.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: Silverstone 300W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply  ($48.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $306.39

 

Thanks for all your guys help. I'll let you know how it goes. I think you/we did pretty well for ~$300

[SonoDanshi]

6 hours ago, Smollie1 said:

OK, all parts are on there way, you can see what I ended up with below.

 

Everything came from Amazon except the RAM and the CPU which came from Ebay. It should all be here by the beginning of next week. Oh, and there's no SSD because I'm going to use a USB flash drive (probably Ubuntu) as I'm not really going to be using this machine. If that turns out to suck, I'll pick one up.

 

PCPartPicker part list
 

CPU: AMD A4-6300 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($29.33 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock A68M-ITX Mini ITX FM2+ Motherboard  ($63.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Crucial 2GB (1 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($16.55 @ Amazon) 
Memory: Crucial 2GB (1 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($16.55 @ Amazon) 
Video Card: MSI GeForce GT 730 2GB Video Card  ($56.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case  ($74.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: Silverstone 300W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply  ($48.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $306.39

 

Thanks for all your guys help. I'll let you know how it goes. I think you/we did pretty well for ~$300

Congrats on picking everything out and good luck with the build. Did you opt against doing your own cables in the end as the PSU you bought is not modular. I believe Silverstone's lowest watt modular SFX PSU is the ST45SF-G

[Smollie1]

Thanks. Ordering the non modular PSU was just an amateur mistake, I got overexcited and didn't pay attention.

 

ST45SF-G ordered. 300w will be cancelled / returned.

[Smollie1]

Update - Apr 25, 2017:

 

Everything is going well. All parts have arrived except the CPU / cooler (coming today). I started doing some sleeving last night which went OK, by the time I got to the 10th one, I was getting the hang of it. Smaller diameter heatshrink in shorter pieces helped. I could not for the life of me get the heatshrinkless method to work. Could be that I was expecting it to be really secure (a la heatshrink) but actually it's kinda loose but that doesn't matter once sat in the plug. Not sure. Will try again tonight. I'll keep redoing the 24 pin until it's good enough. Cable combs and pin extractor tool coming soon, using staples is a pain in the ass.

 

@SonoDanshi I chose 'copper' colored paracord which turned out to be closer to your color scheme. This wasn't intentional. I was in fact trying to match to the copper pipe I'll use for the water cooling. But that's a project for after the cabling is done and the system is actually running. I'm fully aware of what a stupid and hard thing to do that is, but I think I can manage. Also, I think I should make my first build as badass as possible.

 

I did have a couple questions:

 

1. WTF is the deal with the 24 pin connector that came with my power supply. The cables aren't going to the corresponding plug on the other end. Instead they might go from say the top left plug on one end to a bottom middle plug on the other end. This doesn't seem to be how people do their cables when they sleeve them from scratch (see here)
   1. Although I really would like cables that run 1:1, I have no idea how the wiring of these things works so don't know what I could swap around to tidy it up. I know that there are 3 gauges of wire and that if I fuck it up, something will likely burn out. Any thoughts?
2. Why are the internal cables so goddamn long?
3. Who designed the USB 3.0 header cable. It's the worst.
   1. Has anyone had any luck sleeving / shortening / replacing these?

Thanks again to @RAM555789 @SonoDanshi @Aekim @TheRandomness for all your help getting started. I will keep you guys updated with my progress

[SonoDanshi]

9 minutes ago, Smollie1 said:

Update - Apr 25, 2017:

 

I could not for the life of me get the heatshrinkless method to work. Could be that I was expecting it to be really secure (a la heatshrink) but actually it's kinda loose but that doesn't matter once sat in the plug. Not sure. Will try again tonight. I'll keep redoing the 24 pin until it's good enough. Cable combs and pin extractor tool coming soon, using staples is a pain in the ass.

 

@SonoDanshi I chose 'copper' colored paracord which turned out to be closer to your color scheme. This wasn't intentional. I was in fact trying to match to the copper pipe I'll use for the water cooling. But that's a project for after the cabling is done and the system is actually running. I'm fully aware of what a stupid and hard thing to do that is, but I think I can manage. Also, I think I should make my first build as badass as possible.

 

I did have a couple questions:

 

1. WTF is the deal with the 24 pin connector that came with my power supply. The cables aren't going to the corresponding plug on the other end. Instead they might go from say the top left plug on one end to a bottom middle plug on the other end. This doesn't seem to be how people do their cables when they sleeve them from scratch (see here)
   1. Although I really would like cables that run 1:1, I have no idea how the wiring of these things works so don't know what I could swap around to tidy it up. I know that there are 3 gauges of wire and that if I fuck it up, something will likely burn out. Any thoughts?
2. Why are the internal cables so goddamn long?
3. Who designed the USB 3.0 header cable. It's the worst.
   1. Has anyone had any luck sleeving / shortening / replacing these?

Thanks again to @RAM555789 @SonoDanshi @Aekim @TheRandomness for all your help getting started. I will keep you guys updated with my progress

 

Hey, glad to see you are making progress with the build. I'll try to offer advice where I can on the above.

 

What size heatshrink are you using to try the "heatshinkless" method? I used 3:1 stuff as most of the stuff you buy is 2:1 and doesn't shrink enough. The main trick to the heatshrinkless method is to use the heat to melt the heatshrink and the sleeve onto the metal pins. You mentioned that you bought paracord, and I'm not sure how successful you will be with melting that as it tend to burn rather than melt. I personally use the Teleios sleeving.

 

1. Almost no PSU has a 1:1 run to the motherboard side. When you see these wonderfully straight cables it is either because they are extensions so you can just go 1:1 at that point, or they have been cable managed on the visible side to be straight, and then on the back of the case where they are normally hidden, all of the cross-over and splitting occurs. If you look at my Node202 build, the cables are straight coming our of the PSU and then all bunch up and cross over where it is (slightly) less visible.
   
   You must make sure that you match the pin-outs as they shipped from the manufacturer otherwise you won't be able to boot your system (or can possibly do component damage).
2. Normally to cater for the widest possible array of cases where the PSU would be used.
3. I don't know but I took a pair of wire cutters to mine and then got a low profile extender as well. I had success shortening mine - I took about 8" out of the middle. You should be able to see some photos of the internal wires exploding everywhere in my build log

 

[RAM555789]

On 4/19/2017 at 0:56 PM, Smollie1 said:

Thanks @RAM555789, this is awesome.

 

What is the process you use for choosing components? I understand that CPUs and motherboards pair, but there are just so many things. Using PCpartpicker is helpful but I feel like I'm not getting the whole picture. A sensible process seems to be:

1. Choose CPU socket type (and whether you want to overclock)
2. Choose motherboard (based on features needed, max ram, ram slots, PCie slots, wifi, USB 3.0 etc.)
3. Everything else is straightforward as long as your PSU can handle what you put in

On 1, I don't know how many socket types there are. On, 2 it's just super overwhelming how much choice there seems to be and how horribly everything is named.

 

The reason I ask is that Ebay seems pretty promising for parts on the cheap. I've put together a little collection here. There are a few duplicates in there (ram, CPU, GPU).

I think I'm ending up in a middle ground between these two builds where I can get a slightly better component for $10 more and that's screwing me in the aggregate. I think I should make myself some rules:

1. No overclocking
2. No wifi on motherboard
3. Cheapest dual slot GPU available (should still be short)

It seems like there aren't that many mini-ITX boards for FM2 socket CPUs? Would an equivalent intel chip widen the range of motherboards (and therefore have more availability and lower prices on Ebay)?

 

Sorry that I have so many questions. This stuff is addictive.

I understand as I love computers myself and spent several YEARS researching everything I could about computers and parts and how they work and stuff. 

1. When I choose a CPU socket type it is dependent upon my CPU socket. So Intel uses LGA where the pins are on the motherboard and AMD uses PGA. The socket type changes when theres architecture changes. I cant say for AMD but Intel works off a tick tock method it called. A tick is small changes (like when kaby lake came out) that makes changes to improve the chip while a tock is a big change like sandy bridge to haswell.

 

2.The most important thing with the mobo is if it supports your CPu socket type. PCPartPicker uses compatibility features to make sure that the mobo socket types fits your CPU. Theres diffrent quality of mobos so a mobo good for overclocking is going to cost more than a basic mobo.

 

3.You have to consider RAM and how much your games and programs are going to be using and storage based on if you want a fast SSD, multiple drives for RAIDS, ect.

 

Ebay is a much more reliable option now, PCPartPicker just uses major PC sellers for components.

 

1.Overclocking will extend the life of your CPU as you get more power out it so its usually worth the costs, but its more complicated to get the best overclocking when initially setting up, and you also need a better cooler.

 

2.Ethernet is love ethernet is life, you always get a better connection hard wired. I get 10mbps downlaods on steam compared to 3mbps on wifi. Thats more than 300% better.

 

3.By dual slot do you mean SLI, because one more expensive card is almost always better than 2 cheaper ones.

[Smollie1]

@SonoDanshi huh, I suspected that all those nice photos were just one section of the cable. I guess if you have cables routed around the back of your case you can hide them and give the appearance of it being up 'clean'. I will figure out a way to hide the tangled stuff as much as possible, the cable combs should help.

 

My heatshrink is 2:1 which is probably the problem. I will just deal with the short piece of heatshrink showing and get it nice and even. I don't really see what the big fuss about heatshrink showing is anyway.

 

Yeah, I just looked again and saw your USB 3.0 header surgery. I think I'll do the same. If my next motherboard has the USB header port miles away I'll buy a new one. The internal re-routed power cable is also a stupid length and runs across literally everything for no reason. I'll probably do that last to ensure I don't pick a new length / channel that will get obstructed later.

 

@RAM555789 Thanks for the reply. I hear you on the ethernet thing, although with moving around a lot, wifi is a nice bonus. There is something alluring about putting two GPUs in SLI, but mini-itx doesn't support two PCie slots and you're probably right that a single higher end card is better.

[RAM555789]

2 minutes ago, Smollie1 said:

@SonoDanshi huh, I suspected that all those nice photos were just one section of the cable. I guess if you have cables routed around the back of your case you can hide them and give the appearance of it being up 'clean'. I will figure out a way to hide the tangled stuff as much as possible, the cable combs should help.

 

My heatshrink is 2:1 which is probably the problem. I will just deal with the short piece of heatshrink showing and get it nice and even. I don't really see what the big fuss about heatshrink showing is anyway.

 

Yeah, I just looked again and saw your USB 3.0 header surgery. I think I'll do the same. If my next motherboard has the USB header port miles away I'll buy a new one. The internal re-routed power cable is also a stupid length and runs across literally everything for no reason. I'll probably do that last to ensure I don't pick a new length / channel that will get obstructed later.

 

@RAM555789 Thanks for the reply. I hear you on the ethernet thing, although with moving around a lot, wifi is a nice bonus. There is something alluring about putting two GPUs in SLI, but mini-itx doesn't support two PCie slots and you're probably right that a single higher end card is better.

Just carry around 100ft Ethernet cable, that what I do XD, get a good tight roll and it shouldn't take up to much space. As for dual GPUs they do look AMAZING but thats for people who can afford to burn a hole in their pocket.

[SonoDanshi]

@Smollie1 I just zoomed in on one of your pictures and noticed that the USB3 cables are now "flat" whereas my revision of the case had the round cables. I'll be interested to see if there are any material differences between the 2 styles once you chop them up!

[Smollie1]

@RAM555789 I guess carrying around an ethernet cable would solve the problem. And yes, dual watercooled GPUs look great. Even those EK blocks on their own look amazing.

 

@SonoDanshi Yea, they are flat but they still suck. getting them to go around corners / bending them is a nightmare. I will send picture of the 'innards'.

 

What happened to your 202 build? I know you had a bunch of reservoir trouble. Maybe you could resurrect the project?

[SonoDanshi]

11 minutes ago, Smollie1 said:

@SonoDanshi Yea, they are flat but they still suck. getting them to go around corners / bending them is a nightmare. I will send picture of the 'innards'.

 

What happened to your 202 build? I know you had a bunch of reservoir trouble. Maybe you could resurrect the project?

I completely removed the res and replaced it with a T-junction and a bleed valve (although the system is under too much pressure in too small a place for the bleed valve to only let air out

 

I may very well resurrect the project as I want to do a few other things and the pump noise on startup due to a small amount of air in the loop is really annoying (although it disappears after a few minutes of running).

[Smollie1]

Oh man. I wonder if you put a dimmer in the circuit you could run the pump slower allowing you to leave it to bleed without flooding everything.

 

Would something like a push fit open top reservoir work for small builds like these? You plug it in to fill / drain the system but otherwise it's not attached. That would make this whole thing a whole lot easier.