GPU block "You can use any opening as an inlet/outlet port."

[Tom B]

I'm redesigning my loop and from a practical perspective it would be useful if I could use the two left hand ports (top and bottom) for the in/out. Currently I have top left and bottom right connected and I understand how it works. The water comes in, has nowhere else to go but flow around the block and then leave on the opposite port. But the manual says "You can use any opening as an inlet/outlet port." is that really true or does it mean any left and any right?

I have seen parallel loops where all four ports are connected and that made me think it should work but I can't get my head around it.

You can see through the opening at the top to the opening at the bottom, it is just a hole! Wouldn't the water just flow in then out without moving around the block? Intuitively I'd think some water will collect in the block but most water coming in just immediately flow out? If so how do parallel loops where all four are connected work?

I am probably missing something obvious!

 

[orbitalwalsh]

only GPU block that makes a big difference is Alphacool GPX blocks which are VERY restrictive but offer high performance , personally only block you need to get inlet/outlet correct

 

[weird_dave]

While you can use any opening as in/out, this doesn't mean all combinations of pairs/quads will work as intended. You haven't missed anything, use one left and one right.

 

[pastymuncher]

I don't think that would work at all and would go straight through as you suggest. Personally when I buy a component I want to get the most out of it and when it comes to waterblocks that means using the correct inlet and outlet to make use of the blocks jetplate. It may only make a degree or two of difference but I paid for performance so want everything it has to give.

 

[Disco_P]

As @pastymuncher said, one left and one right port.

The builds with all 4 ports used have the water split into two parallel flows of roughly equal resistance, one through the GPU block and one through another block.

I can get all sciency and technical if you want but hopefully the above makes sense.

 

[LuckyBenski]

As above, inlet one side and outlet on the other. Imagine you take the left port on each GPU block to be the "inlet" and the right port to be the "outlet", this diagram might help. It's reasonably clear the water has nowhere to go other than through the blocks, if it wants to continue round its path back into the pump's inlet. The flow rate is divided by the number of blocks so however much water is coming from the pump, one third goes through each block in this case (lowered flow rates in parallel).

Copyright me on my lunch break

 

[Steven_RW]

The flow rate is divided by the number of blocks so however much water is coming from the pump, one third goes through each block in this case (lowered flow rates in parallel).

When I look at this design I find it hard to imagine the resistance for each path is equal. What the exact split/difference will be is not something I know but a perfect third doesn't ever seem likely. I'm not looking to nit pick, it just struck me that it would be fun to test what the actual flow rates are for each. I have an engineer friend that works with pipelines and he may know .

RW