What fitting do I need?

Phunky Phish · 1 Apr 2010 at 09:26

Am going to tidy up my watercooling system and need either 90deg or 45deg fitting.

Have thermochill rads so have got a 3/8" to 1/4" reducer so I need either fitting to go onto those.

I use 7/16" tubing onto 1/2" barbs to ensure its leak free.

My question is would a 90deg fitting really reduce my flow rates?

If they would should I go for a 45deg fitting, with are compresion fittings, and what size do I need to go with my 7/16" tubing?

Thanks for your help

Bubo · 1 Apr 2010 at 11:37

http://martin.skinneelabs.com/MartinsFlowRateEstimator.html

Have a play with that. Make a loop with no bends, note the flowrate. Add a couple of 90° fittings and note the difference. The spreadsheet doesn't appear to include 45° fittings but I hazard a guess the difference will be half that of the 90's. Either way I doubt a couple of 90's will make any noticeable difference.

I guess measure the OD of your tubing and see if you can find any compressions to match. I think I have seen some specifically for 7/16" on a site somewhere but can't remember where, try the usual places.

Phunky Phish · 1 Apr 2010 at 12:01

Ok
But when they are listed as 13/10mm is that ID or OD of the tubing?

My tubing is 15mm OD, 10mm ID

Bubo · 1 Apr 2010 at 12:34

Phunky Phish said:
But when they are listed as 13/10mm is that ID or OD of the tubing?

Well unless there's some Tardis like behaviour going on, the 13 will be the OD and 10 will be the ID of the tubing

Phunky Phish · 1 Apr 2010 at 13:46

Thats real thin tubing then! only 1.5mm thick? I wondered if it was for a tubing ID ranging from 10mm -> 13mm?

Brizzles · 1 Apr 2010 at 13:51

If you're just running a single block, as per your sig, then the flow rate will not matter with either fitting.

Flow rates are only really relevent when you run a multi-block loop, and even then its a minimal thing compared to radiators/cooling.

In order of relevance to temps ;

Good cooling - radiators and fans

Good blocks

Good pump

then tubing size/flow rate/fluid ( these 3 have minimal impact on temperatures )

Bubo · 1 Apr 2010 at 14:05

7/16"ID=11.1mm
5/8"OD=15.875mm
Wall thick=2.38mm

This is what you are likely to have if you have normal 7/16" ID tube.

I have 3/8"ID (9.525mm) and 1/2"OD (12.7mm), the wall thickness for that is 1.5875mm. This is most likely the tube 13/10 is aimed at, they just rounded up.