Reflections on watercooling: Difference between revisions
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As for soft vs hard tubing, I use soft tubing, and don't intend to ever do otherwise. Soft tubing is trivial to cut, cheap, has plenty of give, bends without a heating gun, doesn't shatter, and is already quite enough of a pain in the ass. Old types of soft tubing were prone to plasticizer leeching, but newer types don't have them. I recommend [https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-tube-zmt-matte-black-19-4-12-5mm EKWB ZMT] (zero-maintenance tubing), so long as you don't mind it being opaque. Cheap anti-kinking coil can wrap your soft tubing to give it more resistance, and also provide some color. | As for soft vs hard tubing, I use soft tubing, and don't intend to ever do otherwise. Soft tubing is trivial to cut, cheap, has plenty of give, bends without a heating gun, doesn't shatter, and is already quite enough of a pain in the ass. Old types of soft tubing were prone to plasticizer leeching, but newer types don't have them. I recommend [https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-tube-zmt-matte-black-19-4-12-5mm EKWB ZMT] (zero-maintenance tubing), so long as you don't mind it being opaque. Cheap anti-kinking coil can wrap your soft tubing to give it more resistance, and also provide some color. | ||
Reservoirs are primarily useful to keep pumps wet. Adding water volume doesn't solve any real problems in one's loop. Pumps will quickly deteriorate if run dry. | Reservoirs are primarily useful to keep pumps wet. Adding water volume doesn't solve any real problems in one's loop. Pumps will quickly deteriorate if run dry. It's doubtful that you'll have more than a liter of coolant throughout your loop. I've provided some component volumes in [[Schwarzgerät_III#Bespoke_loop|this table]]. | ||
Draining your loop will be a pain in the ass no matter what. The process is simplified with drains, which ought be put as low in your loop as possible (gravitational low). With that said, no drain is going to completely clear your loop by itself; there will be some shaking and leaning involved. The use of quick-disconnect valves can help; when engaged, they partition the loop. Draining is typically accomplished with either ball valves (they have a lever which controls flow) or drain valves (they are airtight unless depressed, at which point they allow flow). Drain valves typically come with two tops: a short closed one which is typically used, and a longer, open one which is used for draining (it presses the flow control, and allows a compression fitting to be screwed in). | Draining your loop will be a pain in the ass no matter what. The process is simplified with drains, which ought be put as low in your loop as possible (gravitational low). With that said, no drain is going to completely clear your loop by itself; there will be some shaking and leaning involved. The use of quick-disconnect valves can help; when engaged, they partition the loop. Draining is typically accomplished with either ball valves (they have a lever which controls flow) or drain valves (they are airtight unless depressed, at which point they allow flow). Drain valves typically come with two tops: a short closed one which is typically used, and a longer, open one which is used for draining (it presses the flow control, and allows a compression fitting to be screwed in). | ||