All you watercoolers...... have a question...

[JustStarting]

I've had my cooling system set up for about three years with subtle rig upgrades.... rig is in the sig....

The thing that has me scratching my head is that about every 2-3 months I have to add ~ 1-2" of water at the fill port. The system is a closed loop and has NO leaks at all. Where is the water going? I can't imagine it is evaporating in a closed loop?

Heres the setup... the tubing just in front of the power supply is the fill port which is sealed with a cap and o-ring. I also have a drain on the back of the case with a cap and o-ring...nothing is leaking. Right now the water level in the fill port is about at the middle of the PSU.

 

[mktan42]

Do you have a reservoir? How are you able to tell that you need to refill the water?

 

[WoodButcher]

You do have leaks, the tubing is porous.

edit-

Do you have a reservoir? How are you able to tell that you need to refill the water?

a res is not needed, the t-line to the fillport acts as a res.

 

[smackababy]

You could have a very small leak, with the water evaporating before it can be noticed.

 

[Juddog]

From what I read, some tubing is just slightly porous enough that water escapes through it.

 

[nitromullet]

I thought a little evaporation through the tubing over time was normal. I personally upgrade too often for that to occur.

 

[alfa147x]

You do have leaks, the tubing is porous.

edit-
a res is not needed, the t-line to the fillport acts as a res.

Sorry to thread jack, but a reservoir is not needed? Are their any disadvantages to this?

 

[WoodButcher]

Sorry to thread jack, but a reservoir is not needed? Are their any disadvantages to this?

No disadvantages other than initial bleeding. Saves space and cost.

 

[alfa147x]

No disadvantages other than initial bleeding. Saves space and cost.

Well then why do people have them?

 

[nitromullet]

Well then why do people have them?

It takes about 10-12hrs to bleed a loop with just a t-line, and about 15-20mins with a reservoir.

 

[mktan42]

Well then why do people have them?

why not? I had mine, instead of having a fillport, just so I could pour the water in there if I needed to refill (never had to refill). And also it was an easy way for me to make sure the water levels were ok

 

[Billb2]

Let's use the correct terminology.
Water, exposed to the atmosphere, evaporates.
Water, inside a plastic tube, permeates through the tube.

 

[JustStarting]

It takes about 10-12hrs to bleed a loop with just a t-line, and about 15-20mins with a reservoir.

It does take a while to bleed with just a T-line....I just run the pump overnight and it's totally air free in the morning. I have an Antec SX1030 and didn't want to use the space for a resevoir. I made a 6" riser for the top of my case on a metal brake where the radiator and fans mount.....looks like factory new

 

[WoodButcher]

Let's use the correct terminology.
Water, exposed to the atmosphere, evaporates.
Water, inside a plastic tube, permeates through the tube, then, it evaporates....

fixed!:whiste:

I made a 6" riser for the top of my case on a metal brake where the radiator and fans mount.....looks like factory new

yeah it does! Nice job.
O.T. but, what did you use? alum? steel? tools? things like this make a good build thread.

 

[nitromullet]

It does take a while to bleed with just a T-line....I just run the pump overnight and it's totally air free in the morning. I have an Antec SX1030 and didn't want to use the space for a resevoir. I made a 6" riser for the top of my case on a metal brake where the radiator and fans mount.....looks like factory new

Yeah, there is no right or wrong answer, just preference. If I had a build that just wouldn't really work with a reservoir I'd skip it too, but for now the $30 expense and loss of a single drive bay is a worthwhile trade off for me to have the loop bleed in under 30 mins.

This is the res I'm currently using: http://www.xspc.biz/bayresalu.php

It's small and comes with black and silver brushed aluminum face plates, so it's easy to blend into any build fairly easily. I have it in the second bay from the top so I don't even have to slide it out to fill. I have a little funnel I can slot right in with the top bay cover removed. The top bay is unusable in my setup anyway because I have a 120.4 rad mounted in the top of my case, so it all works out.

 

[JustStarting]

fixed!:whiste:



yeah it does! Nice job.
O.T. but, what did you use? alum? steel? tools? things like this make a good build thread.

It's made out of steel and all the fan holes, fill port hole and screw holes were laser cut. If you have access to all that stuff it makes for a factory clean look. I could have used a holesaw to do the job, but a 5" holesaw is tough to make look clean.

 

[WoodButcher]

I use a holesaw and agree totally, laser is much easier. I've been wanting to try a punch but never have an electrician handy when I need one.

 

[JustStarting]

A punch would work great as well. I just happened to have access to a laser It took longer to program the laser it than it did to do the job...... I messed the first one up on the metal brake, but the second one was perfect.

 

[aigomorla]

Everyone here gave u the correct answer on why ur tline is shinking.
1 inch is fine... if its every 2-3months.

Have you taken a look at my guide?
Under leak test, i say apply toilet paper around your barbs.
Well its a good time for you to try it.

Tolet paper is very absorbent, and once it touches water, it sort of melts. It inst the same as dry toilet paper.

If you notice any of it deforming, u might have a very tiny leak.

If your really paranoid... do the leak test.
You dont need to turn off your system.. just run it live with toilet paper and verify if u do have a leak somewhere or not.

 

[ROJAS]

It does take a while to bleed with just a T-line....I just run the pump overnight and it's totally air free in the morning. I have an Antec SX1030 and didn't want to use the space for a resevoir. I made a 6" riser for the top of my case on a metal brake where the radiator and fans mount.....looks like factory new

Nifty case with that riser. It looks store quality. Great Job!