3/8" tube ???

[Bureso]

Hi everybody :)

I'm about to start making my own watercooling system, but I'm note sure about the size of the tubes, I have read that almost everybody is using 3/8" tubes, but to make sure I use the right nippels I would like to ask if the 3/8" is the inside diameter of the tube or the outsite?, I have acces to some nippels with an insite diameter of 7mm, is that enough?

Thanks

Bureso

[Wicked Klown]

3/8 is the inside but for better water flow you might want to go with 1/2.

[Bureso]

Thanks Klownin 79 :)

I have also read that I need a pump that can pump about 600 liters pr. hour, but how many is there out there, the only one I have found is the Eheim, but I think it's a little expensive, and that wasn't the idea, when I decided to make my own rig, is there any alternatives? (cheaper but still efficent enough)

Tomorow I wil go to the scrapyard and se if I can find a nice cheap cooler(maze).

I,m building this rig because I want a quiert pc not a tornado under my desk.

Bureso

[Wicked Klown]

not sure if this will hlp you cause i'm not sure bout the diff between liters and gallons. I found a 120 G.P.H. sub-pump for $23 at 2cool computers.

[Bureso]

Thats about 454 liters pr. hour, and if thats enough in your rig , then I suppose is't ok for mine.

1 US Gallon = 3,785 liters
1 UK Gallon = 4,546 liters

I didn't know that, but found a some help on the net :D

What's the name of your pump?
I hope I can find it in Denmark.

[Wicked Klown]

go to www.2coolcomputer.com and they have it there it`s the Rio-180.

[Bureso]

Looks just fine, I'll se if I can find one in Denmark.

[The Overclocker]

go for 3/8, tubes should have enought strech to reach a few mm of depending if it is instrnal or external

[cowanrg]

no no no no!

you want your tubing to match EXACTLY! even a few mm off, it will not perform well.. it will leak, or eventually stretch too much, and not be elastic, giving it the ability to come off!

ONLY use tubing that works with your fittings. for instance, if you have 3/4" tubing, it will be 3/4" ID (inner diameter), and 1" OD (outer diamter).

1/2" ID tubing is usually 3/4" OD
3/8" ID tubing is usually 1/2" OD

(this is for some thick-walled tubing, which is good because it resists kinking better.)

[Bureso]

cowang, please read and help me out here :)

I first intended to go with the 3/8" tube, but today I vent to the scrapyard and found a maze from an Opel, and it has 1/2" ID, and I also found a nice pump (not at the scrapyard) that can give my rig 990 LPH/260GPH and a water column of 1,3 meters, that shut be sufficient, and it has 13.5mm ID at the outlet, so I think I have to go for the 1/2" tube, is that correct?

Then the next question.

I'm making a coolerhead out of copper, and it's almost a steal of the DD Maze2 series, but I'm not sure that it's possible to make this with 1/2" fittings, so here I need a solution, if I want to avoid any problems, or will the water just run faster true the coolerhead?

[Wicked Klown]

i agree with Cowanrg make sure they fit tight like. don't try to put to sizes together. make sure all fittings match and since your building it yoursle fthat shouldn't be a prob.:cool:

[cowanrg]

ok, first off, 13.5mm IS 1/2". so you are fine there. so, your heater core, and pump are 1/2" ID. so, if you are making a waterblock, fittings should be 1/2" also. this is the reason: if you have a tube going from 1/2" > 3/8" into waterblock, then 3/8" > 1/2" back into radiator or wherever, you are really creating 2 unnecessary connections! those connections reduce waterflow, increase pressure, and not only that, are just one more thing to worry about leaks.. ideally, you want 1 tube between each component. therefore, all fittings should be the same size.

[Bureso]

Hi again Klowing79

What do you think regarding the difference of the fittings on my coolerhead and the rest of the system?
I can make the OD of the fittings on the coolerhead fit the 1/2" tube, but that still doesn't make the ID fit, what do you think?

[Bureso]

Ok cowang, I will try to se if it's possible for me to make a waterblock with 1/2" fittings.

[Bureso]

It's possible, so I will start making it one of the next days, and my new case is coming at the end of this week or in the beginning of the next.

Now I just have to find a way to make a water container, that I can have in my case, and still move the hole system without spilling any water.

[cowanrg]

everyone (including me) uses underground electrical boxes. they are relatively cheap (~$10 USD), and you can get them in some good sizes.

some are: 4"x4"x4" or, 4"x4"x6"

mine is a nice big 6"x6"x6", a LITTLE big to fit into my mid-size case. the 4"x4"x6" should fit into a case.

tupperware works fine too. its cheap, and can be easily waterproofed with silicone water sealant, or RTV liquid gasket. and it comes in ALL sizes.

my underground electrical box is pretty decent, i can turn it upside down, on its side, etc, and it wont leak anything. my whole system is sealed. just get some RTV liquid gasket stuff, and seal it ALL up. its easy to remove, and easy to apply. non-permanent, but water cant get through unless YOU break the seal.

[Bureso]

Sounds great, I'll look for an underground electrical box.

Is that RTV some sort of special liquid gasket? or can I use some sort of silicone stuff, as the one you use in your bahtroom?

Another thing. I have read that I shut use demineralization (spell check :) ) water, shut I apply anything else in the water?

[cowanrg]

RTV is just basically a special kind of silicone used for gaskets. the bathroom silicon will work too, but its a little thicker, and just a bit different (but will work all the same).

are you referring to "distilled" water? (basically PURE water). if you are, this is yes. pure water (with no impurities) DOES not conduct electricity, and won;t harm your computer. however, there is just SO many impurities in most water, that water is said to conduct electricity. if you use distilled water, you will have a lower risk of zapping something in the event of a leak.

[Bureso]

Yes I am referring to distilled water, but I just isn't sure if I have to apply anything else, to avoid any problems with the maze?

[cowanrg]

watter wetter is popular. (basically, its a liquid that people use for cooling system flusing in cars.) it cleans out all gunk, and prevents corrosion, etc.. if you add a little bit of that into your system, it will help stop deposits from building up, prevent corrosion, and a few other things.

just goto an autoparts store, and tell them what you want to do. (prevent corrosion, etc..)

[Bureso]

Great :)

Thanks