First Build Next Weekend - Advice

PureJaz

PureJaz

PureJaz

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26 Sep 2012
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205
Finally gotten around to order the last bits of my build and will be attempting to do my first water cooled build next weekend.

I am diving into the deep end and have gone straight into a hard line build.

Any advice on if i have all the necessary fittings and general advice would be appreciated as i am not 100% sure yet on how i am actually going to do it (tube layout).

I have a Phantek Evolv X and will be using a distribution plate. More specifically:

s-l500.jpg


All my fittings/tubing are Barrow. What i have at the moment (excluding fittings):

  • The above distribution plate with a Barrow DDC pump
  • Barrow OLED AM4 CPU Waterblock
  • 2 x 360mm black ice nemesis gts
  • 6 x corsair LL120's
I am not water cooling my GPU yet as i am upgrading to a 2080 ti later in the year.

How would you guys lay it out. So far i have:

K4NmR0D.png


Many many thanks.
 
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Practice 90 degree bends, it should be all you need to do. Where you may have trouble is getting to the rads. Look at mounting all your hardware and think about all the cables, then look at the various holes and see which line up with the least effort. The benefit of a distribution plate like that is to simplify the tube routes so take advantage of it.
 
No idea how they connect to the pump, I've never used one. One suggestion would be on your drawing to show ow the distribution plate itself is connecting the holes. And which holes will be blocked off. I can't tell if the connections you have will work.
 
Thanks i will have a good think.

The pump has a port in the side which in the pictures by Barrow are connected to the GPU.

HTB1jf6OadfvK1RjSspoq6zfNpXas.jpg


I am thinking to just do as per the above picture, but put stops where the GPU is connected. I.e. on the pump.

I will put the fill port at the very top left hole.

Then i think it will be ready to go :D
 
And that is why i need help (haha). I assumed it pumps via it's connection to the Reservoir.

Can i connect the outlet from the pump to say the reservoir just above it? or is this not recommended and maybe instead for now i will do a big L tubing run up to the top radiator.
 
PureJaz said:
And that is why i need help (haha). I assumed it pumps via it's connection to the Reservoir.

Can i connect the outlet from the pump to say the reservoir just above it? or is this not recommended and maybe instead for now i will do a big L tubing run up to the top radiator.
Click to expand...
I was going to suggest exactly that - run the outlet of the pump straight to a reservoir channel. Should work fine. Just make sure the pump is fed from above via a reservoir (think it's unavoidable in that distro).

And make sure you have a nice serial path from pump outlet, through all components, to the inlet.
 
PureJaz said:
Thank you. So now what i am thinking is:

TLEL8Lw.png


Looks good to you?.

Now i need to calculate if i have all the fittings i need :D
Click to expand...
Nearly there!

The pressure valve is part of the flow - the return from the CPU ends up there. So attach the black line from the right radiator to that port. Place the pressure valve (if you need it) in the central reservoir.

So, either it will be below the fill port (and may let liquid out). Or it will be at the top, and the fill port further down the distro. Meaning you can't fill the liquid all the way to the top. I'd consider simply placing the pressure valve in the fill port. It will need plugging anyway so may as well use that.

And don't forget a ball valve to allow sealing the drain point off. Consider putting it on the outlet of the pump with a T block though - that's the lowest point in your loop.

Looking good! Drawing the lines over a photo of the distro and parts could help visualise the flow path :)
 
Thank you so much for your help :D I think i have a good idea now of what i am going to do :D

tkniokN.png


Now i got to visualize the bends and flow path.
 
Cool! If you take a look at the photo in your first post you'll see the grey line needs to find a way into the main reservoir. A little joiner to the centre port (not on your drawing) could do it - or you might have some more creative ideas!
 
you have to think of the holes in the distribution block and what other holes they connect to. So you can't go out of a reservoir space if you didn't go in there in the first place. The two holes in the middle right aren't connected to each other as far as I can see. So your loop will have no flow.If you have the distribution block already, you muse start attaching fittings and labels to ensure it will actually distribute the fluid.
 
I am slowly getting there.

Will draw revision 5 shortly:)

I realised I made a little mistake with some of my components. I have 6 Corsair Fans. 3 of them are ML120 Pros and I was meant to order 3 more of these but instead ordered 3 LL120s.
Anyone have experience with these fans? I am thinking of sending the Ll120s back and getting the ML120 pros like intended.

Many many thanks

So taking the comments into consideration i think i have come up with 2 options that will actually work:

y3Fj8Tq.png


What do you guys think? i am leaning towards Option 2.
 
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Option 2 looks easier apart from the that diagonal connection near the pump. Draw the central channel as well that joins the fill-port and pressure valve to the pump.
 
so is the direction of flow from the pump to the top rad, into the bistro, into the cpu at the top, out at the bottom, across to the bistro, out of the bistro into the front rad, out the rad, etc.? put some arrows on the flow if that's not right...
 
Why cant you take the front radiator outlet (grey line) into the port you have stoppered in the main central channel? That would simplify your run somewhat and make the front rad easier to bleed. Its your inlet bend on the front rad thats going to be tricky. Thats a really short stretch for an accurate double bend. The 90 out of the plate is easy, its the bend to the radiator youll find difficult.

Heres a few tips off the top of my head for you. Hopefully others will chime in with more...

Buy extra tube in short lengths and make some practice bends. Its surprisingly time consuming and very hot work, itll take you at least twice as long as you expect.
If you're using a hairdrier itll take you a couple of hours just to get the feel of it as youll have to vary the distance from the tube to get the heat just so. Temp adjustable heat gun makes it easier as long as you keep your distance to the tube the same. This changes between tube manufacturers and even room temperature to an extent.
Find some thin gardening or cycling gloves to wear and dampen them while you heat or youll burn your hands over a few hours ;)
Dont be tempted to dip the tubes to cool them quicker, the slower they cool the stronger the bend and overheated or fast cooled tubes can crack at the bends over time or if shocked.
Underbending can be corrected easier than overbending, you won't get it right first time.
Small counter-bent runs are REALLY HARD.
Stick a cutout of your cpu block on the motherboard tray accurately positioned and with barbs marked so you can measure and build, dont do it with parts fitted especially on your first build.
Leak test with no electronics and using flushing fluid so any spillages dont cost you for fluid or drying time of components.
Take your time and enjoy it, its like training yourself to complete a new type of puzzle. Hard but honestly most rewarding first time when youre all done (follow the previous two tips again and it will be far less stressful but sadly no less difficult).

You have indeed gone off at the deep end. I admire your style, good luck :cool:
 
Thanks MrPills,

I am guessing the suggestion on the moving the grey line was in reference to Option 1?. That would make things a lot easier so once I get my radiators in will give see how hard the other bend would be.

Attempted my first bends yesterday. 1 x 500mm bit of tubing later, I managed to successfully create the diagonal bend just above the pump. I have to be honest. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

After sorting that out I then realised you know what would look better for the diagonal bit. Two 90" rotary connections with a straight bit of pipe (which is what I changed it too).
 
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