Stupid question from me :)

darkBytes · 25 Oct 2021 at 19:02

I know this is silly but, on my ek distro plate for lian li mini , it has gpu in gpu out , cpu in cpu out etc. Dous this mean the out on the distro plate gos to the in on the gpu / cpu block and vice versa

Sorry for newb question but there you go

Mcnumpty2323 · 26 Oct 2021 at 11:00

Never used a distro
But yeah sounds right
And it's never stupid to ask if you don't know something
Only stupid if you don't know but won't ask
It should be apparent by looking at the distro
I would assume the return will go lower on the distro

LePhuronn · 26 Oct 2021 at 12:47

The distro plate will be designed to have a specific flow direction, so will be expecting explicit flow inwards to route correctly to the outlets. However, it might be best to consult the distro's manual to see what EK's terminology means.

Do EK intend the ins and outs to be paired up? e.g. the "CPU in" on the distro is designed to feed the CPU by connecting to the "in" port on the CPU block? "this port is intended for tubing to go IN to the CPU block"
or
Are EK referring to flow direction? e.g. the "CPU in" on the distro mean "the flow from the CPU is coming IN", therefore "CPU in" on the distro should be connected to the "out" port on the CPU block.

To be honest though, it should be easy to work it out just by tracing the path of the fluid through all the ports. Start with the pump, follow where the pump outlets until you reach the first port on the distro and see where it's supposed to go. Then imaging that port connecting to a component and continue tracing the route. By the time you get to your first labelled CPU or GPU it should be clear which way the fluid is flowing and what the label actually means.

Mcnumpty2323 · 26 Oct 2021 at 12:51

Much better explanation than mine

But yeah as said
The return from each component should be lower
So you're working your way from top
To bottom of the distro
Is how I picture it in my head anyway

Edit probably still not a great explanation lol
Say there's 3 sets of 2 ports
Top ones for radiator
Middle for CPU
Bottom for GPU
In each of those sets of 2 the return from the component
Will be the lower of the 2 ports

Or maybe I should just tag someone who has a Lian li distro :cry:

Hey @Vidar please help me out here mate :cry:

darkBytes · 28 Oct 2021 at 07:55

Thanks both , much appreciatex

And yes the manual has reccomended layouts which can be changed up a little.
The bit that confused me was the use of "cpu in" & "cpu out" maybe its becoause im a leftie and its how my brain works, but for me , "from cpu" & "too cpu" would have been clearer , otherwise someone mighr be tempted to connect cpu in on a water block to cpu in on a resevoir.

Mcnumpty2323 · 28 Oct 2021 at 08:11

Yeah your brains scrambled since your a lefty :cry:

Yeah to and from would probably be better idea
Though bear in mind most of this stuff
Is probably made in non English language countries
So the subtleties of in and out compared
Against to and from may not be obvious to them

darkBytes · 28 Oct 2021 at 12:44

No manual in the box , but its online
https://www.ekwb.com/shop/EK-IM/EK-IM-3831109837016.pdf

Im going for five slot config, i just hope out on the distro means in to the cpu block

darkBytes · 28 Oct 2021 at 15:01

Has anyone got a definitve answer to this , sorry bit nervous as i am about to start bending tubes , have mailed ek but not heard back

Mcnumpty2323 · 28 Oct 2021 at 15:21

to me in would mean coming from the component
out mean going to the component
you should be able to follow it by looking
at the flow channels on it
starting from the pump since that only rotates/moves coolant
in one direction

V F · 28 Oct 2021 at 15:32

Mcnumpty2323 said:
to me in would mean coming from the component
out mean going to the component
you should be able to follow it by looking
at the flow channels on it
starting from the pump since that only rotates/moves coolant
in one direction

The inlet is always the down arrow. I kept reading people getting confused with that making it sound complicated when I was researching it.

Then of course if the block is on the wrong way, down is up. I've seen some do that on Reddit as well.

Mcnumpty2323 · 28 Oct 2021 at 15:37

no idea if theres arrows marked on it
they didnt say
is this it here?
about 3 minutes 50 seconds you can see the flow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThGpwYSJ0ns

edit
say you gave it to me
no instructions
and i couldnt tell by looking at it
then i would just do a simple loop--little U shape from 1 port to the other
and test it outside the case to see where it flows

darkBytes · 28 Oct 2021 at 17:07

Thanks man, i did search. its odd that vid, it has a different layout/ run then the one i got from oc today , despite them being the same block ( i did search), i also mailed ek but have not heard back. there are no arrows on the plate, as indicTed on page 11 of the pdf i linked it says "GPU IN/OUT , i just dont know if GPU IN means from the gpu out on my gpu waterblock or if it means the port should go to the GPU IN on my gpu water block.

darkBytes · 28 Oct 2021 at 18:00

Found a vid that has a good shot of flow
https://youtu.be/l4x3V-X-U_0

Mcnumpty2323 · 28 Oct 2021 at 18:03

ah good does that clear it up?
and yeah the pdf isnt that helpful
to me in would mean from the component
have asked some one with a distro but no idea
how soon they will answer

darkBytes · 28 Oct 2021 at 18:14

Mcnumpty2323 said:
ah good does that clear it up?
and yeah the pdf isnt that helpful
to me in would mean from the component
have asked some one with a distro but no idea
how soon they will answer

Thanks bud, i think i can get it from the vid, ill report back drunk n crying or chuffed n drunk , depending on how it gos . Heat gun is dead so off to b&q, first time bending ..... .

LePhuronn · 29 Oct 2021 at 09:53

This system is for sale in the Members Market. Not the Mini version, but shows very clearly how the flow works on EK's Lian Li distros.

Mcnumpty2323 · 29 Oct 2021 at 11:07

That's nice didn't notice it in mm
Though usually don't go past page 1 lol
Must admit it's probably slightly easier there
As the ports are above each other
Not side by side
But same principle really you can work it out
By looking at it
Am not really one for reading destruction manual anyway :cry:

Edit
Weirdly it appeared couple hours later on my mm

GilesGuthrie · 29 Oct 2021 at 17:02

The manual is really unclear, I agree. You see the fill on this video: https://youtu.be/l4x3V-X-U_0?t=259

The first fluid to exit the plate goes to the radiator from the port right near to the pump. Cross-referencing this against the manual, this port is labelled "radiator in." We can conclude that this means "in to the radiator" and the return is Radiator Out, as in "out of the radiator". I would follow this scheme for the rest of the runs also.

darkBytes · 30 Oct 2021 at 00:09

Well i got it done, all working 2 360 rads cpu and gpu wataterblock

Im really pleased with the gpu temps, i went for the bytski full block with active backplate (have a gigabyte rtx3090 gaming oc so choices where limited).

Whats most impressive is my gpu memory t junction temps run at 48 to 50 on full load, whist staying whisper quiet. 3090 owners will know how hot that memory can get so this is awsome .prevously on air it would run between 85 to 95 (which crazily is supposed to be pretty good compared tp some cards).

Was a ball ache an not cheap , but worth it for the quiet , cool performance

Mcnumpty2323 · 30 Oct 2021 at 09:59

Good to hear mate
And yeah those are great memory temps
Seen people say theirs were 100
Even after changing the thermal pads they were getting 80 ish
Much better than stock thermal pads
But still way higher than yours now
Yeah it's not cheap or always easy to watercool everything
But you get addicted to it lol