Please assist me in my first WC installation?

Hello all,

I have read extensively on watercooling and purchased at least most of the requisites, but I am a novice at this, have no hands-on experience or instruction or manuals, and would greatly appreciate your help.

Now the setup I bought was from a trader at an online forum like this, so it's a mix of stuff and without manuals, but cheaper than just buying a kit from any one manufacturer. It can be seen here:




I don't want to put this in my system right now as I've order a bunch of better hardware that's incoming, but I definitely want to know how to connect this all, to leakproof test it, and the method of installing it in my case.

First thing is, there are some small hose pieces here, they're all 1/2 ID 3/4 OD I believe, and some big hose pieces. Hose pieces cannot be connected to each other, right? It seems like they won't fit together. So I'm assuming the end of each hose has to connect to a component. I have a bag full of metal clamps for the latter purpose.

Second thing is, how do I attach the radiator to the shroud? It's a JR-120 but I don't see any mounting holes at the edges. I've got four long threaded rods which obviously connect the fan, radiator, and shroud together, as well as nuts to fasten them, but I'm not sure how to do it. Should I use washers as well?

Third, I don't see any switch to turn my Eheim 1250 on and off. Where is it? And as shown in the picture there are 3 plastic round things that were in the box with it - what to do with those?

Fourth, I have both a floppy bay res and what I think is called a "T-line", a plastic T-shaped thing with a long tube entering the middle of it. There's no way I'm going with the res. due to HDD/space considerations. How do I go about bleeding the system of bubbles with this T-line, how do I cap it, and what does it mean to "bleed" the setup?

Lastly, after leak-proof testing and draining the water out of the setup (again is there a method to this?), what's the best way to put it in a case? Just disconnect the waterblock, install it in the motherboard, and leave everything else connected to the tubes, put it in the case, and reconnect tubes to the waterblock, and fill?

Your help is much appreciated, thanks.

please please please resize that pic..... it does horrible things in netscape

1. yes. looks to me as if you'll need to buy some more tubing as there's not enough for a run (though some of that may be in re-useable lengths)

2. the fixing kit for a jr-120 shroud looks like this:


3. there is no switch on the eheim - to turn it off you unplug it, or turn of the socket it plugs into....

5. you need to leak test it after assembly - either in the case (with the machine turned off....) or ready to put in - if you disconnect anything to install it then you'd need to leak-test again...

well you dont need to install it in in the case! thats what I did.
basically if you want the whole kit inside your case prepare the case for your wc so you know where to put everything and you have enough space cut a nice bigh intake hole for the rad etc.

now if the pump goes inside the case you need to get the power cable through a pci slot.

now comes the trick. the installing the wc kit inside outside the case thats what I did.

basically you install the kit inside your case do all the measurements etc etc and get it all hooked up. but you dont install the cpu block, gpu etc block and fix the radiator hard into your case, put all the stuff next to your case (side panel open) and now fill the resorvoir up with water (pump is very loud dont be suprised!!).... gurgle gurgle...
fill it up. take the components lift them turn them, next component lift it turn it spin it etc etc to get air out, do this to all components and hoses a few times so no air is left... now let the system run......

check for leaks..... 24 hours later check for leaks.

shake all teh components again!!! get the rest of the air out. make sure your resorvoir is off.

now install the cpu block and gpu block carefully (pump off) and put the components all in the case. switch the pump back on... since you didnt disconnect anything you can be sure all is still leak proof (hopefully), switch pump back on and see what happens, make sure you tild the case in all directions and the rad to get air out again if any came in due to pump on off .

leak test with the computer off. all should still be leak free. switch computer on and voila WV heaven.

took me firday evening to test my system, saturday I build it in proper, let it run for 2 hours and then switched my comp on... and I checked for leaks the next 2 days and check the resorvoir if teh water level goes down.

germanjulian said:

now comes the trick. the installing the wc kit inside outside the case thats what I did.

Click to expand...

This is a step many people skip, but it's the best preventive measure you can take to assure every component is functioning as it should.
Being that these are all used components it make doing this step all the more important..


PS You bought some nice components, hope you get it all working soon and enjoy the H20 benefits soon

Thanks for the advice guys (I'll resize this picture soon).

To clarify and better understand:

1. Not enough tubing for a run, someone said - what is a run?

2. To get the bubbles out, I have to leave the T-line uncapped?

3. I'm definitely going to leak-test it before installing it, so no worries there.

4. I don't own any Dremel (yet), so the power plug on the Eheim can't be routed through the case because it's too big to fit through a PCI slot, and I can't cut a hole in the top for the radiator (though isn't it better to have it intake outside air from the bottom front?). Anyway my point is with my radiator and pump at the bottom of my case, it won't fit with my soundcard in the bottom PCI slot. The pump would clear if I move the Audigy 1-2 slots below my video card, but I seem to remember the card not behaving well in those slots. Then again I've ordered another mobo for other reasons which is coming in soon, so hopefully that works out.

Matrices1 said:

To clarify and better understand:

1. Not enough tubing for a run, someone said - what is a run?

2. To get the bubbles out, I have to leave the T-line uncapped?

4. I don't own any Dremel (yet), so the power plug on the Eheim can't be routed through the case because it's too big to fit through a PCI slot, and I can't cut a hole in the top for the radiator (though isn't it better to have it intake outside air from the bottom front?). Anyway my point is with my radiator and pump at the bottom of my case, it won't fit with my soundcard in the bottom PCI slot. The pump would clear if I move the Audigy 1-2 slots below my video card, but I seem to remember the card not behaving well in those slots. Then again I've ordered another mobo for other reasons which is coming in soon, so hopefully that works out.

Click to expand...

1. run, loop, whatever you want to call it i mean the system in total pump>rad>block>Y>T>pump.... (or whatever variation you lay it out in) - you seem to only have 3 lengths of 1foot or so and a bunch of very small pieces, which won't (imho) be enough as you'll need at least one longer piece, and maybe more depending on where you put the rad...

2. no - you want it closed - over time the air will connect in it - you can top it up as necessary but otherwise it should be capped.

4. yes outside air from as low as possible is best...