3/8" or 1/2 "" tubing?

[aznrice]

which size tubing is more preferrable for watercooling and why?

[Pepsi]

Good Question,
From what I have tested it all depends on a couple of things. How are going cool meaning a chunk of metal on the processor or direct contact. Say you want a production cooler something made of copper I have used as small as 1/4" with refigerated water. Direct contact on the other hand is not as effecient. I think as a rule if you have a pump that will move coolant correctly go BIG.
Stay Cool
Pepsi

[ButcherUK]

Larger allows better flow and gives less restriction, but is harder to fit into space. Unless you're pelting then 3/8" is probably adequate. For pelt setups the higher flow needed means you'll have to go with 1/2" really.

[Voodoo Rufus]

I'm using 1/2" tubing with no peltiers because it was easy to do and more convenient at the time. You can fit 1/2" ID tubing in a small tower if you put your mind to it as I did.

[tyshy]

I read a good article on the right size tubing and the liquid. First, you need to have at least a 200gph pum pfor it to make a difference. Second, you need to acess what coolant options you have. The best tested combination of coolant in you system if you have a submerged pump, Y not T connectors, and not a large verticle drop between the pump and the computer is as follows:

85% Distilled water.
15% antifreeze (glycol)
4oz. of water wetter for every gallon you have of coolant. aka.... 1oz. for every quart of mixture.

Explanation: The watter wetter will protect insides from corroding (especially copper), Also, watter wetter will reduce surface tension and viscosity of liquid. Antifreeze helps lower viscosity = less friction in hoses = better water flow = better temps. Distilled water is less corrosive because it has no minerals in it as well as still holding all the properties of water. It will keep the conductivity.

As for tubing....i would say go with 3/8 tubing and a good long rad. If you have a big rad...some pple say it reduces flow but if u use this solution it will not make a difference. My rad is 12"x5"x3" and it is great. 3/8" should be fine.

[Voodoo Rufus]

I'm afraid you are mistaken about anitfreeze. It raises the viscosity of water about 70% in a 50/50 solution. If you watched the water in the tubes to compare water wetter/wate solution and 50/50 antifreeze and water, you will see a large difference in flow rate. Antifreeze actually corrodes the insides of radiators I think, and softens the impeller blades on the water pumps.

I think that if you can easily accomodate 1/2" tubing, go for it. It doesn't hurt and it may help.

[tyshy]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
I'm afraid you are mistaken about anitfreeze. It raises the viscosity of water about 70% in a 50/50 solution. If you watched the water in the tubes to compare water wetter/wate solution and 50/50 antifreeze and water, you will see a large difference in flow rate. Antifreeze actually corrodes the insides of radiators I think, and softens the impeller blades on the water pumps.

I think that if you can easily accomodate 1/2" tubing, go for it. It doesn't hurt and it may help.


Actually......got to this site and see for urself what the best combo is for the coolant mix. http://www.wizard.com/~scfoster/wbasic.html

[Ottoman]

if I remember my physics correctly...

for a given flow rate as u reduce diameter don't u increase flow velocity?

[Voodoo Rufus]

Yes, but the PSI loss increases with decreasing diameter. That's bad.

[Voodoo Rufus]

I won't dispute Steve Foster's findings, as he has built a lot of cooling systems.

All I was saying was that antifreeze INCREASES the viscosity of water, not decreases.

[*JEREMY*]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Yes, but the PSI loss increases with decreasing diameter. That's bad.
Well I am currently building a water setup with 5' of 5/8" hose and a 250gph pump.Im intrested to see the results because I dont think that psi will really matter.I hooked up an 8' piece of 5/8 hose and a heater core and the water was still flowing decent with a 3' lift.

[Voodoo Rufus]

5/8" is monstrously huge, but as long as it works, keep on going.

[f155mph]

Use 1/2 and get some stiffer one, the clear one kink up too easy.

[Brant]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Yes, but the PSI loss increases with decreasing diameter. That's bad.

PSI loss i dont think so. Actually i know thats not true. How do you think hydralics work? The preasure is the same every where in the system.

Anyways

Dont use hose smaller than the tubes in the water block or the tubes in the radiator. Any hose larger should have the same performance. This way the bottle neck is the radiator and the waterblock.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Hydraulics are a different story. They have thousands of PSI. We deal with 10PSI or less. The difference between 1/2" IF and 3/8" ID is small, yes, but noticable I believe. If the cooling system can accomodate 1/2", you have nothing to lose, but you may gain some performance.

[The Overclocker]

Originally posted by dragon orb 3
I read a good article on the right size tubing and the liquid. First, you need to have at least a 200gph pum pfor it to make a difference. Second, you need to acess what coolant options you have. The best tested combination of coolant in you system if you have a submerged pump, Y not T connectors, and not a large verticle drop between the pump and the computer is as follows:

85% Distilled water.
15% antifreeze (glycol)
4oz. of water wetter for every gallon you have of coolant. aka.... 1oz. for every quart of mixture.

Explanation: The watter wetter will protect insides from corroding (especially copper), Also, watter wetter will reduce surface tension and viscosity of liquid. Antifreeze helps lower viscosity = less friction in hoses = better water flow = better temps. Distilled water is less corrosive because it has no minerals in it as well as still holding all the properties of water. It will keep the conductivity.

As for tubing....i would say go with 3/8 tubing and a good long rad. If you have a big rad...some pple say it reduces flow but if u use this solution it will not make a difference. My rad is 12"x5"x3" and it is great. 3/8" should be fine.

dont use antifreeze unless you must use it in sub zero applications, as for the tubing, having larger tubing also lowers the friction in the hose beacuse a smaller percentage of water is touching the hose. there is only a small price difference between 3/8 and 1/2 so it would be a good idea to go for the large tubing if you can

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Yes, but the PSI loss increases with decreasing diameter. That's bad.
I think your confusing pressure with velocity

[Voodoo Rufus]

I do not believe so. Yes, there is higher water velocity, but that causes increased drag. Larger tubing has less PSI loss, as well as slower water flow for a given pump size. There is less drag and resistance to flow with larger tubing. The same applies for radiators.

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
I do not believe so. Yes, there is higher water velocity, but that causes increased drag. Larger tubing has less PSI loss, as well as slower water flow for a given pump size. There is less drag and resistance to flow with larger tubing. The same applies for radiators.
there is no pressure accept the little bit that come from restrictions that is what cause pressure infact a larger line would reduce pressure but increase flow.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Total flow rate is what we want. The tubing does cause the pressure. If there was not tubing, then the only pressure would be what comes from the pump outlet. Smaller tubing causes higher water pressure and higher pressure loss over a certain distance. Larger tubing has less pressure, and less pressure to lose from water drag caused by the tubing.

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Total flow rate is what we want. The tubing does cause the pressure. If there was not tubing, then the only pressure would be what comes from the pump outlet. Smaller tubing causes higher water pressure and higher pressure loss over a certain distance. Larger tubing has less pressure, and less pressure to lose from water drag caused by the tubing.
lets just say that larger hose increases flow due to being less restrictive and that would cool better depending on the design of the block(some blocks respond better to higher flow than others)

[Voodoo Rufus]

All blocks respond better to higher flow rates to a point. Once they cavitate, then they become less efficient. I think we both are done arguing.

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
All blocks respond better to higher flow rates to a point. Once they cavitate, then they become less efficient. I think we both are done arguing.
agreed, were both saying the samething basicly. 3/8 aren't as good as 1/2.

[neo86]

IMHO 1/2" is better for watercooing with an in-line system because it holds more water. Not much more, but more is better.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Amount of water in the system isn't a factor in performance. If you use antifreeze then more water is neccessary since it takes longer to dissipate the heat in a 50/50 water/antifreeze mix.

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Amount of water in the system isn't a factor in performance. If you use antifreeze then more water is neccessary since it takes longer to dissipate the heat in a 50/50 water/antifreeze mix. omg:D all the extra water does is take longer for the temp to equalize which wouldn't be very long with that little bit of a difference. now if you had a 5 gallon res. it would take a day or two.

[Voodoo Rufus]

You are correct, but antifreeze is weird. I don't use it anymore since I got Water Wetter.