New Water cooling system bubble headache.

[StaticJPL]

Hello Overclockers I figured I'd post here in the thread to ask for some expertise regarding an issue I've been trying to trouble shoot on my first water cooling build for a while now. The issue I'm having is a constant small accumulation of micro bubbles in the CPU block that grow in size over a long period of time. I am currently running this spec of water cooling listed below.

Waterblock: XSPC RayStorm Neo

Water cooling Kit: EK-KIT L360 A Link here is provided for the Kit if needed https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-kit-l360-r2-0

Here is a diagram of the loop

https://imgur.com/a/4y5hrsO

This is the system

https://imgur.com/a/eCuxkd9

What I've done:

First time I've built this I had the similar issues so I constantly tilted it and got the large bubble out to the Rez, it would be fine for a couple of days then the micros bubble would appear over a couple of days and becoming a big bubble again. Eventually I did discover a micro leak from one of the Rad threads not being tightened enough so I fixed that.

I decided that must be the issue so I flushed the system, added new coolant, checked and re tightened some of the threads did a leak test and found no issues.

Fast forward, over a long period of time (Months 1-2) I've had no leaks but the micro bubbles still would accumulate in the same spot of the CPU block and grow into a big bubble overtime again. I thought maybe I still had some air trapped in the Rad. Every time it came back I tilted and pushed the bubbles out and refilled the Rez. After doing this 5 times it will be fine for a day or two then eventually micro bubbles would return and grow back. This is starting to give me a headache from constantly having to check it over and over.

Next Steps:

If this continues I am considering buying an entire new water cooling kit and salvage some of the parts and test them individually.
Before I do so I might consider getting a vacuum pump to see if there is a micro leak still persisting somewhere.

Do you guys have any advice for me to solve this issue?

 

[Thick8]

A vacuum pump will tell you in about 10 seconds if you have a leak. It will also draw the air pockets out of the system.
Something like this with their 20% discount coupon is a good choice. https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-69328.html
Just use a 3/8" fitting on your res and fill the pump res halfway with DW so as you release the vacuum it will draw in new fluid. You'll be suprised just how much air this thing will draw out of your system.

 

[StaticJPL]

Where is best I probe the loop with the vacuum pump? I suppose it doesn't matter. I do see in that kit it has a spliter. I will ask my friend to borrow his bleeder and test this out.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Since your res/pump are set at the lowest point of the loop, which is fine btw, it could take months to clear out all the air pockets. It could be grabbing it from your rad and circulating it throughout the loop till it reaches the res/pump. Depending on the speed and vortex of the pump, it could be circulated back into the loop but again, this takes months and it will work its way through.

I personally would have just used the same kit's CPU block instead of the XSPC but it shouldn't matter too much. I will say though that I don't know if it's me or if there's some type of dirt on the CPU block's fins from 1st picture you linked.



I also noticed some cloudiness in the reservoir but maybe it's just me.




Regardless, if you're still dead set on testing your existing equipment, this is a nice device made by the Germans at Aquacomputer.

 

[StaticJPL]

Thanks for your time on this replay. I did notice some gunk in the shunt. I suspect something got into the Res when I flushed it out last time. Next time flush the system I'll probably clean the cpu block. The fluid in the res seems to have this small layer that is separated and looks whiteish in residue. I went on the EK website and purchased a G1/4 T bypass and valve connector. So we will see.