Make sure you test!

Just wanted to remind everyone to test their systems for leaks prior to installation. Last night the last of my parts for my WC setup arrived...and well, I put everything together in a spare case to mock up and check for leaks.... lets just say my computer would have been toast. normally I forgo testing and what not, cause about 99% of the time I put things together right the first time and testing is a waste of time (includeing the many cars I've built). regardless I tested it and my pump had a massive leak (my dumb *** didn't put the front cover on it correctly so basiclly half the pump was wide open, in my rushing to put stuff together I only had the cover half way on.). Then I realised my cpu block was leaking. From the factory the barbs were not screwed down tight (i didn't even think about checking them since they were from the factory installed, figured they did it right).
So after getting all of that figured out...I did a second check...the barb for the pump was leaking...apparently I tightened it too much and cracked the plastic on the front cover....so now i gotta figure out what to do about that...I may just try and melt it back together with a soldering iron.
regardless just a friendly reminder to test everything before installing.

I dont do a very long test but once every thing is together before I power the system on I fill and blead the system with Tissue paper around all barbs and connections if they are dry after the system is bleed then I feal good to go . No need IMO to leak test for 24 hours but 1 hour is a good idea .

||Console|| said:

I dont do a very long test but once every thing is together before I power the system on I fill and blead the system with Tissue paper around all barbs and connections if they are dry after the system is bleed then I feal good to go . No need IMO to leak test for 24 hours but 1 hour is a good idea .

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Exactly what I do.
Dan

I usually leak test over night while I'm sleeping (8-9 hours). When I was leak testing my latest setup, it was over 4 hours before a leak appeared. Since then, I will always leak test for at least 8 hours. This amount of time also gets all the air out of the loop too.

I never leak test overnight or extended periods of time. If you do get a leak that is severe enough, it is possible for the loop to lose enough water to damage the pump.

evilrad said:

I usually leak test over night while I'm sleeping (8-9 hours). When I was leak testing my latest setup, it was over 4 hours before a leak appeared. Since then, I will always leak test for at least 8 hours. This amount of time also gets all the air out of the loop too.

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How after 4 hours was there a leak ? the leak must have been there from the start but you didnt notice it . Did you have tissue paper around the barb ?

noxqzs said:

I never leak test overnight or extended periods of time. If you do get a leak that is severe enough, it is possible for the loop to lose enough water to damage the pump.

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QFT

I dont leak test either....

I take my own sweet time setting it up and makin sure everything is connected right.

I just feel under and around the barbs while filling. If there isn't anything, I fire it up and periodically check.

I had a close call a few weeks ago, the waterblock started leaking a few drips after a month, and was causing instability cause it was dripping on my videocard. Luckly nothing got fried, and I tightened the barbs.

I usually install and do a test for a hour, if no leaks, I run the system for a few days with paper towel over vital componets that might get water on them if there is a leak.

||Console|| said:

How after 4 hours was there a leak ? the leak must have been there from the start but you didnt notice it . Did you have tissue paper around the barb ?

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The leak was coming from one of those crappy plastic barbs that came with the ThermoChill PA120.3. Since I didn't like the idea of plastic on metal from the get go, I was checking for leaks every 30mins or so. I'm guessing it took a while for the water to find its way through the plastic threads and Teflon tape (over 4 hours). I made a thread about the incident a while back. I replaced those plastic barbs with metal ones.

No offense but man i would never let you touch my car. LoL.

Watercooling is nothing comparing to building engine (altho the hardest part is ECU tunning).

Good luck on your watercooling

evilrad said:

The leak was coming from one of those crappy plastic barbs that came with the ThermoChill PA120.3. Since I didn't like the idea of plastic on metal from the get go, I was checking for leaks every 30mins or so. I'm guessing it took a while for the water to find its way through the plastic threads and Teflon tape (over 4 hours). I made a thread about the incident a while back. I replaced those plastic barbs with metal ones.

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Oh never used plastic barbs mine are all Metal

evilrad said:

The leak was coming from one of those crappy plastic barbs that came with the ThermoChill PA120.3. Since I didn't like the idea of plastic on metal from the get go, I was checking for leaks every 30mins or so. I'm guessing it took a while for the water to find its way through the plastic threads and Teflon tape (over 4 hours). I made a thread about the incident a while back. I replaced those plastic barbs with metal ones.

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You probably broke the barbs feeling them every 30 mins, those aren't that thick of barbs. It does not take 4 hours if it is a leak through the threading, it is within 2 mins of running the pump.

thideras said:

You probably broke the barbs feeling them every 30 mins, those aren't that thick of barbs. It does not take 4 hours if it is a leak through the threading, it is within 2 mins of running the pump.

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I never said anything about "touching" the barbs. Why in the world would you do that anyway? That's just asking for problems. You can think any way you want to about water and leaks, but I'm telling you that leaks don't always appear immediately. And in my case, it took over 4 hours for the leak to appear. It was a VERY SLOW drip, not a gushing stream of water flowing out. So you can continue your 2 min leak test, that's your problem if a leak appears later on and fries your system. As for me, I'll continue to play it safe with at least 8 hours testing. You know what that say, "Better safe than sorry."

MameXP said:

No offense but man i would never let you touch my car. LoL.

Watercooling is nothing comparing to building engine (altho the hardest part is ECU tunning).

Good luck on your watercooling

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lol actually everyone takes their car to me... I built all 3 of my race cars (a 93 touring rx7,r85 turbo, full standalone,water injection,built from the frame up pushing almost 600whp/ 94 r2 rx7,gt35r turbo, full standalone, built for drift, 350whp/ 88 rx7 non-turbo w/10krpm cryo treated eccentric shaft and bridge ported...250hp auto cross setup) This winter I'm swapping a full sti drivetrain into my 95 impreza! Only car that gave me trouble was my drift car because of bad baffleing in the gas tank. I've also helped build a 69 stingray 454 convertable, a 70 chevelle ss, a 89 civic (b16 swap), a 95 prelude (h22a swap).
Anyhow back on topic... I got frustrated with 2 of my barbs leaking from the pump (developed after 15 min of testing) so I took the teflon off and the O-ring and grabbed my soldering iron and melted the fittings to the pump....so far no leaks!

akkuma said:

lol actually everyone takes their car to me... I built all 3 of my race cars (a 93 touring rx7,r85 turbo, full standalone,water injection,built from the frame up pushing almost 600whp/ 94 r2 rx7,gt35r turbo, full standalone, built for drift, 350whp/ 88 rx7 non-turbo w/10krpm cryo treated eccentric shaft and bridge ported...250hp auto cross setup) This winter I'm swapping a full sti drivetrain into my 95 impreza! Only car that gave me trouble was my drift car because of bad baffleing in the gas tank. I've also helped build a 69 stingray 454 convertable, a 70 chevelle ss, a 89 civic (b16 swap), a 95 prelude (h22a swap).
Anyhow back on topic... I got frustrated with 2 of my barbs leaking from the pump (developed after 15 min of testing) so I took the teflon off and the O-ring and grabbed my soldering iron and melted the fittings to the pump....so far no leaks!

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ill remember that!!! for when i do a setup other than the one i have now which was a kit i tested for 4 hrs and no leaks and no problems since

Knock on wood. Never tested all three of the loops i have done prior to installing them. Just installed them and let them run. All my tubes went on tight over the barbs. Making some shields to cover the bottom of the GPU. But it is a given to test before install. But man did you get lucky. Thanks for the reminder for all the noobs and who ever else.

evilrad said:

I never said anything about "touching" the barbs. Why in the world would you do that anyway? That's just asking for problems. You can think any way you want to about water and leaks, but I'm telling you that leaks don't always appear immediately. And in my case, it took over 4 hours for the leak to appear. It was a VERY SLOW drip, not a gushing stream of water flowing out. So you can continue your 2 min leak test, that's your problem if a leak appears later on and fries your system. As for me, I'll continue to play it safe with at least 8 hours testing. You know what that say, "Better safe than sorry."

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Yes, but I really do think that 8 hours of leak testing is a little overboard. I've only had one problem with watercooling, and that was with a plastic barb on the microres, rethreaded with teflon and it was good. Otherwise they have been slow drips that I find within either the time filling or a few minutes of the system running. I also use worm drive clamps, so maybe that is something (I tighten these guys down hard). I've never had a problem besides the first mentioned (user error), I feel very confident with my "2 min leak test" and will not deviate from it. But don't let me change what you do.