How to drain a loop?

I had a leak at my MCW60 because I didn't screw a barb in tight enough. I am really lucky. I have had two pretty bad leaks and neither has destroyed any components. My system went weaks before it started to leak.

My question comes from the process of something as simple as twisting a barb about a quarter of a turn. This simple process involved me taking my 60lb rig downstairs to the kitchen table, pulling out he graphics card, pulling off a tube from one of the GPU barbs (probably getting some water on the card before I realized that I should take the block off the card first) and than trying to put these short little tubes into a bowl to catch the water. Those stupid little tubes constantly want to go somewhere besides where I want them to.

I flushed the system by slowly pouring in fresh water and with the disconnected tube in the bowl. I than had to remount the GPU block bleed and leak test the system. This process took hours. Ok . . maybe an hour and a half.

I hear of some guys changing the water in their systems every month or so . . .? How?

There has got to be a better way than this.

It all depends on your set up. Comes down to what tube is easier to pull off and drain.

A T-line works great for this, but for someone that doesnt use them like me, I take the tube from my rad to my CPU block off. I put towls over the spot where I am going to disconnect with a container to dump the water into. Then hold my thumb over the bard and put the hose into the catcher. Then take my thumb off, and let it drain.

Just look at what tube is the easiest to get to. The one that is lower in your loop helps too.

But changing every month? Not me. Once a year.

I dont know of anyone who changes the fluid that often. I would usually change it once a year or if it got cloudy before a years time.

As for draining, it depends on how your system is setup. Generally having a WCed vid card throws a wrench into the draining process and makes it a little more difficult.

In the past, the easiest way I have done it is to take a small towel and put it behind the lowest tubes in the system, usually on one of the pump barbs, then I will place a large bowl right next to the case and cut the tube. Usually I can quickly point the tube into the bowl and the towel prevents any fluid getting on any components.

When most of the fluid is drained, I tilt the case around a bit to get anything else left in the system.

Once that is complete I disassemble the loop and replace the tubing.

I usually pull the input off of my res and kick my pump on (ac current) for about 5 seconds to pump all fluid out, easiest way I've done it.

I'm actually thinking of putting in a copper T and a valve of some sort.

When I didn't have a T I'd unplug the pump intake over a big tupperware. There are some much better ways, but it depends on your plumbing, blocks, etc.