The problem with that is that the PC works one week or two and then breaks down - so testing would need to sustain for something like 4 weeks to really conclude that it's the tubing. We will redo the tubing anyways now, but thanks for the advice!
Custom Water Cooled PC breaks down
- Thread starter creyD
- Start date
Soldato
- Joined
- 29 Sep 2010
- Posts
- 6,097
I'd buy some soft tubing and fittings for test purposes, it's so much easier to work with if you have issues.
Associate
Yeah, your tubing looks really convoluted. I have a very similar system, using the same distro plate, a CPU, GPU and 2 rads. I'm probably using half the piping that you are.
I can't quite bend my brain around your tube runs properly, but I think you have a problem at the top of your distro plate. Actually, if I'm reading it right, you're trying to implement the following path: Pump > CPU > top rad > GPU > bottom rad > pump
This is not how the distro plate installation is documented, and there are multiple demos on YouTube about how loop order is essentially irrelevant. The documented install path is: Pump > GPU > CPU > top rad > bottom rad > pump
I'll describe my loop, going clockwise, starting at the EK logo (bottom left):
I suspect that if you follow your pipework you will see that you're causing a convoluted path for your fluid, which is causing the pump to struggle. EDIT: what my pic does do is clearly illustrates the chambers within the distro plate, which should help you to understand the natural routing of your fluid
Hope this helps
I can't quite bend my brain around your tube runs properly, but I think you have a problem at the top of your distro plate. Actually, if I'm reading it right, you're trying to implement the following path: Pump > CPU > top rad > GPU > bottom rad > pump
This is not how the distro plate installation is documented, and there are multiple demos on YouTube about how loop order is essentially irrelevant. The documented install path is: Pump > GPU > CPU > top rad > bottom rad > pump
I'll describe my loop, going clockwise, starting at the EK logo (bottom left):
- spare port, I have a temp sensor fitted
- out from distro plate, into GPU
- out from the GPU, into the distro plate
- spare port, unused
- out from the distro plate, into the CPU
- out from the CPU, into the distro plate
- out from the distro plate, into the top rad
- out from the top rad into the distro plate
- out from the distro plate into the bottom rad
- out from the bottom rad into the distro plate
I suspect that if you follow your pipework you will see that you're causing a convoluted path for your fluid, which is causing the pump to struggle. EDIT: what my pic does do is clearly illustrates the chambers within the distro plate, which should help you to understand the natural routing of your fluid
Hope this helps
Soldato
Its interesting that he just mentioned
It runs for a week or two
That suggests even though you took
An unusual looking route with the tubing
You must still have completed a loop
That follows in to out
If it wasn't actually circulating the coolant at all
It wouldn't last out an hour
So my money has to be on the tubing bends
Being flattened and also possible air pocket
How high were the cpu and gpu temps
When it worked?
And in and out ports on cpu block matter
So double check those are correct way round
Gpu blocks usually dont matter where you go
In and out
It runs for a week or two
That suggests even though you took
An unusual looking route with the tubing
You must still have completed a loop
That follows in to out
If it wasn't actually circulating the coolant at all
It wouldn't last out an hour
So my money has to be on the tubing bends
Being flattened and also possible air pocket
How high were the cpu and gpu temps
When it worked?
And in and out ports on cpu block matter
So double check those are correct way round
Gpu blocks usually dont matter where you go
In and out
Off topic but couldn't help noticing your tubing has a kink at the GPU inlet and CPU outlet no?
Associate
That tubing at the bottom is frightening. I can't help but think the pump is working crazy to try and get past those kinks.
If it were me, I would drain the system and take it out of your case. I'd then leave the pump fitted to the distro block and run one tube from an outlet at the bottom into an inlet at the top. I'd blank all the rest off and run the 'loop' with fluid in it for a while, to see what happens. Start removing parts that could be causing the issue.
I ran my reservoir/pump/radiator outside of the case without any CPU or GPU waterblocks included in the loop, just having the loop pumping coolant from the reservoir, to the radiator, back to the reservoir. An easy way of testing new stuff, especially if it's your first loop (like mine was).
If it were me, I would drain the system and take it out of your case. I'd then leave the pump fitted to the distro block and run one tube from an outlet at the bottom into an inlet at the top. I'd blank all the rest off and run the 'loop' with fluid in it for a while, to see what happens. Start removing parts that could be causing the issue.
I ran my reservoir/pump/radiator outside of the case without any CPU or GPU waterblocks included in the loop, just having the loop pumping coolant from the reservoir, to the radiator, back to the reservoir. An easy way of testing new stuff, especially if it's your first loop (like mine was).
What do you mean? Are temps absolutely crazy? Is the pump shutting off? Have you got your BIOS setup to shut the system down in the event of pump failure?
Soldato
I’ve never had a pump die in several years of watercooling pcs. They are generally quite reliable.
I’d say it’s likely down to the piping looking at your photos. No offence but that is some really janky pipework there almost like you’ve tried to bend the whole pipe. Only really needs 90/45’s or even a given angle and the rest straight. Can easily be bent with a bending kit.
They look very kinked in places and some odd layouts there also which I suspect are not correct. For a first build I’d have gone with flexi far more forgiving.
I’d sort out those bends making sure you follow the fluid path for every bend after to make sure the flow path is 100% correct.
I’d say it’s likely down to the piping looking at your photos. No offence but that is some really janky pipework there almost like you’ve tried to bend the whole pipe. Only really needs 90/45’s or even a given angle and the rest straight. Can easily be bent with a bending kit.
They look very kinked in places and some odd layouts there also which I suspect are not correct. For a first build I’d have gone with flexi far more forgiving.
I’d sort out those bends making sure you follow the fluid path for every bend after to make sure the flow path is 100% correct.
Soldato
Its not off topic
But I mentioned it almost immediately
Theyre pretty aware some of their bends
Are flattened/ kinked
Forum crashed again
If this posts several times thats why
In idle GPU 40°C, CPU around 40° too with maxing around 65°C GPU and CPU about 70°C if I recall correctly. So nothing concerning - at least what I thought.
@GilesGuthrie Thanks a lot for your post, this and the other posts will help us improve the layout of our loop for this.
No, yes, no. With unstable I meant, that it worked for a couple of weeks and another part broke down every time the last 3-4 months this PC exists.
None taken, like I said, it is the result of multiple change of plans after the fact and no experience in hard tubing at all.
For most of the bends we used an insert, just for the first two (one is the kinked down at the gpu) were done only by hand. We always wanted to redo them, but didn't find the time yet.
Associate
Yeah, it's tidier now (I was just searching for a pic that showed the distro plate so that OP could understand what I was on about). There is a slight kink, but when looking at it from the perspective of the fitting, there's still a good strong path for the fluid
Yeah, @im4gine3 was talking to me, not OP.
Created new thread for new layout in https://www.overclockers.co.uk/forums/threads/new-layout-for-our-loop.18899601/
Associate
I’d say your you gpu idle temps should be about 30c