Discussion -- Positioning of Res in relation to Pump.

I think this is the last part of my watercooling first steps that is still confusing me. But I felt that it would be best if it were made to be a general type of discussion rather than what to do in my particular situation. That way more people might benifit from my head scratching.

Now, it is apparent to me after a simple 2-3 inch rise in res level that the positioning of the res, when directly in front of the pump inlet has a big effect on things like priming and filling. What else can be done to make things go smoothly?

Guru's and everyone else please chime in on this. Lets make it a success like the one about less fluid a week or so back.



Below are the things spinning arround in my head that prompted this thread, a bit of background info i suppose.

A) How can postion the resevour as to minimise or eliminate the pump sucking in air when filling the loop??

B)How about the whole bubbles flowing really fast through the loop and taking forever to work them selves out at the res? Can positioning help out there? And what about foam? Once this becomes an issue, what can be done to resolve it?

A. If you place the res at the output of the pump you'll have no problem as far as sucking air into the system is concerned . Filling it may be a little hard though.

Really, you just want to make sure you have a large enough, well designed, res if you want to use one instead of a T-Line. On that note, I've never had problems with air being pulled in through a T-Line.

B. You usually need to move the whole thing around if you want to speed the bleeding process. I've never found a magic spot for my T-Line or res (for the limited time I used one). If you just let the pump run (while the computer is off) the bubbles will leave without issue.

I've often wondered, after hearing about the issues with a res, if maybe the best answer is to get a res and hook it up between the T and the fill port on a T-line. That would take care of the biggest complaint I've heard about a T-line - the time it takes to fill the loop. Bubbles may not bleed as fast through a T-line but I've never had that take more than an hour anyway. And when the loop is filled & bled there would be no problem with swishing or other noises and no air will get back into the loop unless you're really careless. It may also increase flow, though I admit I'm not sure how much restriction a res creates, if any. Done correctly a T-line creates virtually no restriction ...

Moto7451 said:

A. If you place the res at the output of the pump...

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Why in the world would you do this?

my swiftech microres is positioned just before pump in loop, it took about 2 seconds to remove all air from loop.

i filled res to a bit below max then switched it on, res went down to minimum level no air left, topped it up again, sealed loop.

took about 30 seconds to do this, havn't touched it since. Only issue with res is it takes up three drive bays so i might move to a t-line soon now that i know what im doing with water.

In the loop, it's best to have it directly before the pump intake. Positioning it such that even when off the water keeps the pump primed.

Indeed, but how far above the pump is needed? Just a small incline? Or is directly above optimal.

any drop from res to pump will do, unless your doing figure of eights with your looping or something...

I figure as long as the Resevoir floods the pump inlet... it's all good.
I'm building a Core2Duo system now.... I just may keep the ole Folgers!

WHERE DID YOU GET SUCH BULKHEAD FITTINGS!?!?!?!??!

OMG WTB those from some place...

Sorry, I'm in the process of my new build.... I bought those fittings from Home Depot. They were not in the barb area tho, best to ask a coupla employees(1 that will help).

Luck!

HungLo said:

Sorry, I'm in the process of my new build.... I bought those fittings from Home Depot. They were not in the barb area tho, best to ask a coupla employees(1 that will help).

Luck!

Click to expand...

LOL thats the real trick at home depot isnt it? Finding someone who didnt get a labotomy by a special kid on the short bus.
The "help" at home depot makes me sad.

@ Phrenetical -- Yeah, all straight runs in my loop. But I do want to make things easier on the pump if at all possible.

If you want things easiest to bleed, you simply put the res into the pump inlet and position the res at the top of the loop above any other components. Then you have your flow going from bottom at the pump to top and back to the bottom with minimal up and down zig zagging so that water (and any air in it) naturally goes up from the pump at the bottom through blocks, etc. to the res at the top.

A res, and for that matter a t-line, do not have to be at the top of the loop to work, but being at the top of the loop makes bleeding a breeze.