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Which approach for bleeding/filling an inline w/c system?

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SuperCoolDude

Registered
Joined
May 27, 2002
Alright, I've done numerous searches over at oc-forums and have read the bleed/fill articles at procooling.com countless times over the past few monthes. It seems there are 2 main ways of doing this.

First: Heres how I'm going to setup my system. Click HERE Notice the T-line is at the lowest point.


Method 1 Outside the computer:
1. Put the water cooling setup in a large container full of distilled water.
2. Prime the pump by sucking on the out line of the pump. After the pump is primed connect the out line back to the radiator.
3. Have everything assembled underwater except the in line to the pump.
4. Turn on the pump, plug the T line.
5. Every so often shake the blocks, rad, and pump alittle to release the bubbles. Tap the lines, etc.
6. Continue until all bubbles are gone, then connect the in line to the pump underwater.
7. Install in the computer. Run for awhile with the computer off and make sure still no leaks. Done

Method 2 Inside the computer:
1. Have everything already installed.
2. Use the T line to fill the tubing with water.
3. After the tubes are pretty well full and the T line is half way full. Turn on the pump.
4. Every so often shake the blocks, rad, and pump alittle to release the bubbles. Tap the lines, add water to the T line, etc.
6. Continue until all bubbles are gone. Done

Is there any important steps I'm missing? Which method would have a lower possibilty of messing up the pump? I've forked about as much money as I can, I don't want to buy another pump.

Which method do you prefer and why? Tips, advice, etc. welcome...
 
I used something similar to method 1 except in submerging the whole system, I submerged the pump so there is no need to prime it. I then ran the water through the system a couple of time with the outlet tube under the water away from the pump inlet. Once I bleed most of the air out of the system I connected the outlet tube to the inlet of the pump. When you fill by this method you will see a lot of air coming out of the outlet tube the first couple of cycles. Especially when you shake the different components. I then filled the T-Line as needed and let the system continue to bleed via the T-Line out side of my computer for 24hrs.

BTW, when I say outlet tube, I mean the tube that water cycles out of the WC loop and back into the pump, incase there is some misunderstanding in the terms I used.

Also, if you haven't assembled your system yet, from my understanding you want the T-Line somewhere close if not the highest point of your system since air tends to go to the highest point in a system.
 
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I would go with method two, and no you aren't really missing anything. Also, it's best to have the T-line at the highest point of the loop. It's not required, but if you do, the system will bleed much quicker.
 
actually, RnPgrosz, it wont matter for bleeding where the Tline is so long as it is pointed vertically so that the air in the closed loop can travel up. however, having the T at the highest point does make it easier to fill. most people get the two things mixed up...
 
Enigma422, thats what I had meant. Sorry I had not stated the steps clear enough. I was going to place the pump under water, though I wasn't for sure if the Eheims had to be manually primed first or not.

So Eheims prime themselves right?

If I followed Method 1, the T-line location would not really matter because the system would already be filled. Then I'd follow Enigma422's advice "I then filled the T-Line as needed and let the system continue to bleed via the T-Line out side of my computer for 24hrs."

Main reason I don't want to fill the system via the T-line is because I want to keep the setup the way it looks(T line on bottom). It seems that would make this method alittle harder to fill. Space is limited, meaning my options are limited and I don't want to use elbows connectors or 90% adaptors. I want to keep it as simple/but effective as possible.

Thank you all for your advice...it appreciated.
 
SuperCoolDude said:


So Eheims prime themselves right?


Actually the Eheim pumps don't prime themselves, you have to prime them yourself, but since you are submerging the pump, water will automatically fill the impeller chamber, so priming is not necessary. That is why I did it by this method. When you prime a pump all you want to do is get water into the impeller chamber and make sure that the pump is constantly fed with water. Submerging the pump for filling automatically solves both of these problems. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I've been doing.
 
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