Drain loop first time, for gtx1080 install, advice

grumpybeard · 5 Jun 2016 at 09:32

Hey guys,

Built first custom watercooled Pc last December, love it. Only cpu is currently under, been holding out with gtx680 until arrival of pascal. Now it is here I'll be adding a 1080 to the loop.

Dont have any ball valves and suchlike for easier emptying of loop. Would be grateful for advice on how to drain without making an absolute pigs ear of it and drowning everything!

Cheers

BriT · 5 Jun 2016 at 11:43

Got a pic of the loop?

Smffy · 5 Jun 2016 at 12:52

Not hardline I assume?

grumpybeard · 5 Jun 2016 at 13:23

BriT, yeah sorry, should have included pics in first post. Flex tubing.

Sorry about quality of phone pics. Inlet and outlet for CPU block run towards case top.

CPU block inlet fed direct from pump. CPU outlet to 480 rad inlet up top. 480 rad outlet to 240 rad in bottom of case, which you see in pic below.

240 rad outlet to res.

Res outlet to pump installed as you can see below, backend of case.

So plenty of res headroom to add a GPU, all this cooling just for the CPU so far, so it has to be done!

Thanks for the guidance on how to drain.

Smffy · 5 Jun 2016 at 19:15

I'd probably remove one by the pump. Looks to be the obvious point of drainage, give you have no drain port in place I would undo the compression fitting then pinch the tube just above and pull it off.

Obviously you should kitchen roll the entire thing and have something ready to catch the fluid, but if you get a hard pinch or clam on the tube it should be minimal.

BluD · 5 Jun 2016 at 19:38

Yeah old towels are great for this, i have loads of old hand towels i stuff around my components when ever i need to break the loop when its full.

I made a right pigs ear of it last time i pulled a joint off and water poured out everywhere but because i had stuffed a towel under it everything stayed dry.

grumpybeard · 5 Jun 2016 at 20:22

Thanks fellas. If i remove the one by the pump outlet ad you can see from pic, this wiill drain fluid above in tube and some from 480 rad above.

Wont whats in the res come p**sing out through the now open pump due to mavity?

Once Ive disconnected the pipe fom pump, how would you drain the entire system, so i can put the new plumbing in for the gpu block?

BluD · 5 Jun 2016 at 21:11

Does your pump unscrew easily? If so just lay the case down on its side, lift the pump out first so its the highest point, stick a towel under it then disconnect it. That way you should just get the water out of the pump and a bit from the pipe coming out, you could catch that in a bowl or just let the towel soak it up. Then just put the two ends of the pipe into a jug and lift the case back upright so it drains into the jug. Once it start draining open up the reservoir a crack to let air in so it drains faster.

grumpybeard · 5 Jun 2016 at 21:23

Great idea Blud, thanks for that, really appreciate the tips.

Just been watching this

Have an enthoo primo, so quite heavy and will take a bit of man handling, but thoughts?

tyler_jrb · 5 Jun 2016 at 21:44

Drain the one on the pump. Right side probably easiest. Remove any bits that might get damaged, PSU etc and put plenty towels around the pump area.

Take off the right side pipe and drain into a bowl. Might be easier to pre-cut a piece of pipe stick end into boiling water and stick onto the fitting quickly should water come out. You can drain that into the bowl aswell then.

I'd try to drain the res as much as possible first though. If you have a big length of pipe take the cap off the res and suck the water out into a bowl. Longer the better so you can get a good amount out.

Regards for draining the whole lot after. Stick a fitting and piece of pipe onto the outlet port on the pump. With the other pipe (that was on outlet). Place into a bowl. Blow through the pipe on the pump and it will push all of it out the other pipe into the bowl. Not too much pressure or will fly everywhere trust me

I always use this to get as much as I can out the loop, mainly all the blocks and rads etc that can have water left in before stripping.

Fit a ball valve to the pump aswell with a t fitting. That outlet port is pretty perfect for it.