T line loop help

I was hoping to get some advice on my loop. Laying it all out I realized it was a bit more complicated than I expected. I was planning on having a T line in my loop for filling but don't know the best way of doing it. The picture illustrates my layout so far. The orange is my T connector.



I was hoping to have the T where it is in the picture, but that would mean I would have another hose from the T to the top of my case because the fillport has to be the highest point, right? So that entire hose would have to be full of fluid to keep air out of my radiator? Does all the fluid in the hose to the fillport slow down my flow? Would moving the T closer to the top improve my flow? It would also increase the length of my loop. I have a lot more tubing so this layout can be changed.
I also read some people would submerge their entire loop when filling to have a completely closed loop without a T line. Is this a better idea? I've read mixed reports on evaporation of closed loops and worry I'd have to dunk my loop in a tub every 3-6 months.

I thought of putting a valve right above the T connector to close off the fill line once it was filled but had no luck finding examples of this. Plus the couple valves i saw online were 10-20 bucks!

Another idea I had is to maybe fill/top off my loop while the computer is on it's side. So I could have a short (4"?) tube running from my T I could hold up while filling and bleeding. Then somehow close off the tube when done filling? But I think my reservoir would eventually fill with air, it being the highest point on my system, right?


my WC parts:
Koolance VID-NX480
Koolance CPU-350
Koolance HX-720 Rad
MCP-655-B Pump

All my fittings are Koolance compression fittings with 1/2" ID 5/8" OD Tygon.
I have my T connector but haven't gotten a fillport. I also bought a drain valve I was thinking of putting on the tube below my vid card.

This is obviously my first water loop so any help is much appreciated.
Thanks!

Quckly, dinner is done. From the 90, your T connector into the pump as input, up to the top of the case, drill a hole for the fill. It's a Tline. It's clean. Will work.

Top fill port
|
pump
|

to OCF!

Forbison said:

I was hoping to get some advice on my loop. Laying it all out I realized it was a bit more complicated than I expected. I was planning on having a T line in my loop for filling but don't know the best way of doing it. The picture illustrates my layout so far. The orange is my T connector.
I don't see any problems with that layout.

I was hoping to have the T where it is in the picture, but that would mean I would have another hose from the T to the top of my case because the fillport has to be the highest point, right? No. So that entire hose would have to be full of fluid to keep air out of my radiator? No - but you do need to keep the T-line from becoming empty or you will let air into the loop. As long as the T-line has some water in it you're good - though I tend to keep mine "topped off" so I don't have to worry about it. Does all the fluid in the hose to the fillport slow down my flow? No. Would moving the T closer to the top improve my flow? It would also increase the length of my loop. I have a lot more tubing so this layout can be changed. You should keep the main loop as short as possible.

Click to expand...

Hope that helped.

I also read some people would submerge their entire loop when filling to have a completely closed loop without a T line. Is this a better idea? I've read mixed reports on evaporation of closed loops and worry I'd have to dunk my loop in a tub every 3-6 months.
Those "some people" need to be shot! A T-line is too simple and cheap to not have one if you don't have a normal reservoir (res). A pump res usually needs a T-line.

Click to expand...

The top (open end) of the T-line does not have to be the highest point in the loop. The water won't run out of the loop (or be forced out) as long as the open end is above the 'T' and the 'T' is NOT at the pump outlet. In fact, the 'T' should be located near the pump inlet, which is where you have it!

The second thing to consider is the length of the T-line. All the water that will be in your loop has to go through the T-line. You'll fill the T-line, turn the pump on to move the water up the loop until the T-line is almost empty (usually a 1-2 second "jog" of the pump), then you re-fill the T-line and jog the pump again. You keep doing that until the loop is full of water. Obviously, the bigger the T-line the fewer times you'll have to re-fill it and jog the pump. In essence, the longer the T-line the better. Most people run their T-line to the top of the case to make it as long as possible. Many people drill a hole in the case top and add a fill-port to make re-filling easier and to "tie off" the loose end.

I think your loop diagram is fine and your prosed T-line location should work great. Keep us posted on progress ...

awesome! exactly what I wanted to hear. Thankyou!

I'll try to post some pictures of the final result.

you consider having the t go in on the straight side and just have a 45 on the top of the pump so there's less restriction?

m0r7if3r said:

you consider having the t go in on the straight side and just have a 45 on the top of the pump so there's less restriction?

Click to expand...

Actually, that's probably a good idea. I didn't think about it because I'd use a 3/4" T so there's no restriction problem. But being at the pump inlet a 45 would be better (if not using a 3/4" T). The inlet is the last place you want restriction/turbulence.


PS
Another option would be to flip the pump so it's outlet is "up" then put a normal T at the (new) inlet, which would be to the left in that diagram. That would make the T-line a little longer and put the rad and CPU before the video card, not that loop order is THAT big an issue ...

hehe, it's not an issue at all...man, I am so lucky i just posted this because it's still on my clipboard

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=225485

In this compact and simple setup, why not add one of those small reservoirs?

And do you really think that a single 2x120mm aluminum radiator can cool a GTX480 and CPU successfully? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835127088

Are all those koolance blocks nickel plated? I can't remember if nickel and aluminum react together in a loop...

Tonicart said:

Are all those koolance blocks nickel plated? I can't remember if nickel and aluminum react together in a loop...

Click to expand...

That rad is ALUMINUM???
Man, I thought we finally did away with all those.


I admit, I did NOT look at the loop components, only the T-line question.

m0r7if3r said:

hehe, it's not an issue at all...man, I am so lucky i just posted this because it's still on my clipboard

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=225485

Click to expand...

We've always said loop order didn't really matter. I guess we can change that to loop order doesn't matter ...

Tonicart said:

In this compact and simple setup, why not add one of those small reservoirs?

And do you really think that a single 2x120mm aluminum radiator can cool a GTX480 and CPU successfully? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835127088

Are all those koolance blocks nickel plated? I can't remember if nickel and aluminum react together in a loop...

Click to expand...

I was actually thinking of upgrading to a 3x rad. It's what I originally ordered but they were backordered so I downgraded. After reading through the forums I see this was a bad move.
Do you think I should get a copper rad? maybe a black ice? will 3x be enough? I'm not sure if a 4x will fit in the case.

Forbison said:

I was actually thinking of upgrading to a 3x rad. It's what I originally ordered but they were backordered so I downgraded. After reading through the forums I see this was a bad move.
Do you think I should get a copper rad? maybe a black ice? will 3x be enough? I'm not sure if a 4x will fit in the case.

Click to expand...

how much reading have you done on watercooling? It seems like you've done very little. Why don't you head up to the sticky and give that a readthrough, then head over to skinneelabs.com and use what you learn from the skinnee to make more educated choices on your loop.

Man, I agree 100%. OP, are you just looking at stuff to buy before you know much about watercooling? You really need to understand the basics and sit back for at least a few DAYS.

Gonna take some reading, bookmarking some important guides and reading them till you understand. Watercooling isn't a buy stuff, slap it in, and your good. It's not complicated, but it's different.

You really really need this link it seems.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6489396&postcount=3

You need to get the lingo, whats totaly wrong (like that rad choice) and whats mostly right.

I would do away with the Koolance stuff completely. You will probably need a lot more raddage, look in my sig for a similar setup. I don't know if a single 3x120 will be enough. Are you planning to OC?

BTW, are there any serious water coolers in here using Koolance parts?

koolance 360 is good for a multiblock loop low on pumping power.

Koolance makes good blocks for CPU and GPU. Thier new pumps are rebadged Laing. Their new rads are okay, not aluminum, they are not stellar performers. Koolance also makes a big selection of fittings that are decent.

I use GTX 470 Koolance blocks.