New to WC, and a few questions now that I have all the parts....

First of all, thanks for taking the time to tread this, even if you dont have an answer! At the end of the post I wil list everything I have in case someone wants to suggest something.

My first question is regarding the tubing:
Home Depot only had 1 kind of tubing, which cost $2.99/10' strip.I'm guessing this is low-grade tubing.Will thisd impair my WC setup? As far as kinking, is there anything I can do to give the tubing more flexibility ( for example, boiling the tubing, and will boiling it help make it more flexible?)

Secondly, the stainless steel clamps cost $5.49/10 pack.This sounds very expensive to me.Is it?

Thirdly, will paint on the Bonny core hurt heat transfer?

Also...I've read where some people put a capsule full of antiboitic medicine in their water to prevent antibiotic buildup.I'll be using distilled water, and ZZerex Racing Super-coolant.Is any other products needed, like the antibiotic or another additive?

Next: Will results be better if you lay the heater core/radiator horizontally, or vertically...or doesnt that matter?

Next: I was planning on running my loop like this: pump pullling from the radiator, and between the radiator and CPU block.Fom the CPU block the loop then runs through to the GPU block and onto the reservoir, which them leads back to the radiotr.Is this flawed, or does this seem like a good way to configure all the parts? essentilly, it would look like the diagram below...

CPU--->GPU
^ ..........\
|...........Reservoir (ignore the colored periods, which were added just to keep the diagram from truncating)
|........... /
Pump<--HC


Any suggestions on the loop setup?

Oh, before I forget...With the Swifteck MCW55 GPU block came some thermal paste, which they call Arctic Ceramique... is this the same Ceramique sold by Arctic Silver, or is it Swiftechs thermal paste? I wouldnt want to throw it out if it has any value!


Parts for the WC setup that I have:

DD 5 1/4" bay reservoir
Apogee CPU block(1/2" barbs)
Swiftech MCW55 GPU block(1/2" barbs)
Swiftech MCP655 pump
77 Bonnevile HC (w/o AC)
Zerex Super Coolant
(2) 10' strips of tubing (probably low-grade)
Stainless steel tubing clamps
1 gallon distilled water


I know I'll have more questions, which I will update through this thread...but there are a few just to get started

Thanks in advance!

That tubing is very cheap, and aside from it being difficult to work with, its performance is fine. Boiling it will indeed make it easier to work with, until it cools anyway. Just route it while its warm.

I don't use stainless clamps, so I couldn't even tell you what expensive is. I use zip ties, but it's my understanding that this makes some people a little uneasy...

You can paint a heatercore no problem, but make sure you spray the paint from an angle so it only paints the edges of the fins. You don't need paint in the middle of the fins where you can't even see anyway, and this WOULD hurt its heat transfer capabilities. Just keep the spray mist at an angle and only cover the very edges of the fins. If this doesn't make sense to you, speak up, because its not worth ruining a perfectly good core. Go ahead and douse the sides/edges and ends of the core tho.

I use iodine to prevent growth, just a few drops will do. (iodine is cheap and easy to get)

How the core is oriented shouldnt have an impact on its performance, AFAIK.

The order of components makes a small difference, don't worry about what order they are, and instead focus on using the least amount of tubing possible. (BUT MAKE SURE RES IS RIGHT BEFORE PUMP INTAKE!)

The thermal paste is the same as the Artic Silver brand ceramique. Great stuff, go ahead and use it.

cheers


EDIT:::
Placing the res right before the pump intake assures that the pump isn't starved of water, IIRC. Thats really the only thing thats a must as far as component order goes.

Well I can't answer everything, but it seems like you've done your hw before asking all of this stuff, so that's a good thing.

Depending on how bad that tubing is, you may have really bad kinking problems, which may hurt your flow. I've seen stuff in the hardware store that barely bends before it kinks. Any reason why you didn't just order some online? I couldn't tell you if boiling it would help.

For the clamps, that sounds about right if they are large. Maybe a little expensive. I think mine were .30 each or something for small ones.

I think a light coat of paint on the fins wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'm sure it doesn't help.

I've never heard of adding antibiotics but that doesn't mean someone hasn't done it. Most people just use antifreeze or a name brand additive, or even iodine. I've only used antifreeze and have never had a corrosion or growth problem, so I stick with that.

Radiator orientation doesn't matter.

For the loop, I've read that you want the res right before the pump, but I forgot the explanation for it. Someone else can explain that better.

That's all I have lol. Good luck.

everything sounds good, but switch the placement of the reservoir and heatercore in your little diagram


because your GPU block uses smaller OD tubing than you probably have for the rest of the system, PM me and i'll send you some 1/2" OD to 1/2" ID barb adapter for it (got em a while ago, never used em, would rather benifit someone else)


but i would suggest that for the sake of routing the tubing easily and not having to worry about kinking and whatnot, that you pick up some better tubing from www.mcmaster.com - i highly recommend the masterkleer 7/16" ID x 5/8" OD (P/N 5233K44) - its just smaller than 1/2" barbs so it fits over them very tightly, and is more flexible than any 1/2" ID tubing available (masterkleer is also stain resistant unlike tygon & clearflex60)


and it seems like you got a pretty decent price on the hose clamps - i'm still using the ones i bought for my first WC system which cost me 80 cents a peice, and i bought 30 of em

I see you have been taken care of so I just wanted to say you have a great setup, good luck.

Thanks for all the replies!

So, it seems like this is how the loops should go:

res-->pump--->CPU--->GPU--->HC and then back to the reservoir to complete the loop.

I only bought the tubing from Home Depot because I thought I could buy something equivalent to Clearflex, and wasnt expecting to find only low-grade tubing.I'll probably use the low-gade stuff to set everything up, and then replace the tubing once I have experimented.this way I'll only damage the cheap tubing while I try to assemble my first WC solution.

Oh, and the only reason why I really went to the Home Depot is because I am supposed to be saving, yet I keep getting shipments in the mail---I figured I could avoid my parents seeing another Fed-Ex box come to the house.

This is great info from all of you!

Do you think the Zerex Super Coolant negates the need for iodine or any other chemical additive that might prevent some type of buld-up, like algae?

Now, as far as the tubing that I bought...I just bought 1/2"ID tubing, but wanted the tighter fit of the 7/16" ID tubing.I'll but the tubing from McMaster-carr today.If someone knows a product code or link to the tubing thats equivalent to Clearflex, that would be sweet! Also, will regular food dye cause any problems, or do I need to buy special dye to make my water look nice in the loop?

I'm had another comment/question, but cant think of it now.

Please make all the suggestion you can, as I want to do this correctly, and since I am spending so much money on this, I want to get the most of my WC components.

Definately don't use food dye in the loop, get the real stuff from a wc distributor. You can pry get away with hi-liter ink, but some people belive it damaged their pump. Do some searching on the topic.

The tubing you want is Masterkleer, p/n 5233K44.

Most people say that Zerex negates the need for an algaecide, but I've seen algae growth on peoples loop even in the presence of 10% glycol, so I would still use an algaecide, just in case.

In exchange for our advice, we demand pictures of the final product. It's only fair.

citronym said:

In exchange for our advice, we demand pictures of the final product. It's only fair.

Click to expand...

Definately! I wasnt going to do the pics because I didnt want to brag or anything(and because I'm still a virgin to WC'ing and thought my setup might look noobish---but thats why I should post pics, so I can get feedback.I'll be doing this soon, but cant start until Fridat or Saturday....and thats just to leak-test it.Think 48 hours is enough, or too much time for a leak test?

I'll post before,during and after pictures!

res-->pump--->CPU--->GPU--->HC--->back to res is good

or if it makes it any easier you can do it this way:

res-->pump--->HC--->CPU--->GPU--->back to res



and 24 hours is usually enough for a leak test, but if you want to go 48 hours just in case, theres no one to stop you from doing that (besides your own patience)

Sneaky said:

res-->pump--->CPU--->GPU--->HC--->back to res is good

or if it makes it any easier you can do it this way:

res-->pump--->HC--->CPU--->GPU--->back to res



and 24 hours is usually enough for a leak test, but if you want to go 48 hours just in case, theres no one to stop you from doing that (besides your own patience)

Click to expand...

Not to doubt you, but would'nt the second example create resistance? I would imagine that pushing water into the HC would be less effective than pulling it through the HC.Can anyone confirm or deny whether its more effective to have the pump ppulling or pushing the water through the HC/RAD?

resistance will be the same throughout the loop. you dont make more resistance by changing order other than putting high restriction items right before pump inlet ( thats why people use a res there to possibly releave cavitation)

thorilan said:

resistance will be the same throughout the loop. you dont make more resistance by changing order other than putting high restriction items right before pump inlet ( thats why people use a res there to possibly releave cavitation)

Click to expand...

Can someone please explain what this means? My English is very good but I don't know what the meaning is.

Cavitation means that cavities are forming in the liquid that we are pumping. When these cavities form at the suction of the pump several things happen all at once.

* We experience a loss in capacity.
* We can no longer build the same head (pressure)
* The efficiency drops.
* The cavities or bubbles will collapse when they pass into the higher regions of pressure causing noise, vibration, and damage to many of the components.

they're just tiny bubbles of partial vaccuum.

you can help prevent kinks by putting zipties around the problem spots. It won't look too bad if you color match the ties and space them evenly. Just a little trick I learned here

oxid said:

Cavitation means that cavities are forming in the liquid that we are pumping. When these cavities form at the suction of the pump several things happen all at once.

* We experience a loss in capacity.
* We can no longer build the same head (pressure)
* The efficiency drops.
* The cavities or bubbles will collapse when they pass into the higher regions of pressure causing noise, vibration, and damage to many of the components.

they're just tiny bubbles of partial vaccuum.

Click to expand...

Ok, bubbles. I got it, thanks.

Flip-Mode said:

Ok, bubbles. I got it, thanks.

Click to expand...

If you know anything about chemistry, the bubbles aren't air. They're water vapor formed due to the extremely low vapor pressure inside a pump when it cavitates.

Cyrix_2k said:

If you know anything about chemistry, the bubbles aren't air. They're water vapor formed due to the extremely low vapor pressure inside a pump when it cavitates.

Click to expand...

Never took chemistry so any knowledge is welcome.

To explain it in layman terms, you know how the boiling point decreases as altitude increases (mountains)? What's happening here is the same; the pressure inside the pump becomes so low, the water boils at room temperature.

that's inside the pump, not the pump exhaust pressure
the pump pulls in water, and does this by lowering pressure in front of it. this makes somes of the water boil, and those bubbles quickly collapse when the pressure rises, and this causes the problems.

Actually what is happening here is exactly the same as in the mountains... there is a lower pressure in the mountains so water boils at a lowere temp. This is why some recepies tell you to cook in boiled water for longer times at high altitudes. Exact same thing for the pump. Low pressure=low boiling point.