Upgrades!

[Dlaw]

No your not missing anything.

When I drain my loop water splashes everywhere.
Not a good idea since my case is made of poplar and MDF

See if you can install a T in the line and put a simple ball valve on one end of the T so all ya gotta do is open the valve to drain. That's what I'd like to do when I re-do the tubing.

The only thing is PPCs doesn't have a blue compression T from Bitspower, I'd have to get one from a different manufacturer or go strait to BP for the fitting. I'd rather get everything from as few sites as possible, so I'm (hopefully) not waiting for parts to do this thing.

They do have black and chrome ones, but I feel like they'd look out of place.

Or I could go with a plastic T and some nice blue BP clamps, do you think that would look alright?

 

[Lochekey]

You could always drill a hole in the bottom of the case to line up with the fitting on the back of the lower rad. When you are ready to drain the system just pop the plug out of the radiator and let it drain.

If you want a little more control over the draining you could also flip the whole case over pull the plug hook up a fitting with a length of hose and flip it back over.

 

[Dlaw]

You could always drill a hole in the bottom of the case to line up with the fitting on the back of the lower rad. When you are ready to drain the system just pop the plug out of the radiator and let it drain.

If you want a little more control over the draining you could also flip the whole case over pull the plug hook up a fitting with a length of hose and flip it back over.

The lower radiator will be an Alphacool ST30, the fittings are only on one side from what I can tell.

I may have figured out a way though. I'm going to reverse the flow on the front and bottom radiators relative to the picture I've linked. So, in stead of the tubing running along the bottom radiator in the front, it will run along the back side, behind the reservoir. I'll use a black T fitting on that connection, one side will connect to the other rad with a compression fitting, and the other to a black valve with a black 90 degree fitting with dual male rotary G1/4" connectors. Cap that off with a black cap, and it should be relatively hard to see, and still stay fairly accessible.

I can always swap that assembly out with blue fittings if I decide I don't like it, but I think it'll work out alright.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

Or I could go with a plastic T and some nice blue BP clamps, do you think that would look alright?

That's what I would do. Barbed plastic T and good looking clamps

 

[knoober]

Ive for zero experience with WC but I wonder if you could add something like:



in the loop for draining ? I would imagine that you could just set it in the side of the case. Then you just drag it over to the sink for draining. You could use it to dispense iced tea while you are at it and then your rig would always have fresh coolant

(I know you cant have anything but water in the loop -- but the spigot suggestion was a real question )

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

Ive for zero experience with WC but I wonder if you could add something like:

View attachment 174136

in the loop for draining ? I would imagine that you could just set it in the side of the case. Then you just drag it over to the sink for draining. You could use it to dispense iced tea while you are at it and then your rig would always have fresh coolant

(I know you cant have anything but water in the loop -- but the spigot suggestion was a real question )

I don;t see why not.
Just need adapters to convert the pipe threads to 1/4" tapered and it will thread into any "G1/4" fitting on rads, blocks, res etc.

 

[Dlaw]

Thanks for the suggestion, Knoober. Unfortunately, I can't find anything like that that both fits in the case and looks good. When I'm looking into budget water cooling (when the wife's rig doesn't do what she wants anymore, hehehe...), I'll keep that in mind though. The case she has picked out is windowless, so something like that will work for her.

 

[knoober]

Ive noticed you like blue

I imagine some sort of T-fitting would lead into this little guy or something. Im big on theories.... not so much on the exexution though, so maybe it wouldnt work

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

This + This + This= Drain for your loop
That valve has a 1/4" compression on one end to attach some cheap 1/4" PVC tubing for a drain.

Those 3 I link should thread together.
Of course, you can get those 3 cheaper at Home Depot or wherever

 

[Dlaw]

Ive noticed you like blue

I imagine some sort of T-fitting would lead into this little guy or something. Im big on theories.... not so much on the exexution though, so maybe it wouldnt work

Indeed I do like blue, but the primary reason for the blue fittings is that I think they'll match the motherboard better than other colors. I wish the EK backplates and CPU blocks came in the same metallic blue, but I also think the black will look awesome too.

As far as the drain is concerned, I think I've got that sorted. I may change the fittings and tube out for 1/2" ID 3/4" OD so I can use the really nice BP clamps, but I have a couple of good options.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

Indeed I do like blue, but the primary reason for the blue fittings is that I think they'll match the motherboard better than other colors. I wish the EK backplates and CPU blocks came in the same metallic blue, but I also think the black will look awesome too.

As far as the drain is concerned, I think I've got that sorted. I may change the fittings and tube out for 1/2" ID 3/4" OD so I can use the really nice BP clamps, but I have a couple of good options.

What size tubing were you using before?
Just curious. Anything over 3/8" is fine. Below 3/8 is where your preformance drops.

 

[Dlaw]

3/8 ID 5/8 OD.

 

[Dlaw]

Decided on 1/2" x 3/4" tubing so I can use the clamps. I'm hoping to be able to order parts late this week or early next week. The fan on my 212Evo died in December, so I haven't gamed since then.

 

[Silver_Pharaoh]

Decided on 1/2" x 3/4" tubing so I can use the clamps. I'm hoping to be able to order parts late this week or early next week. The fan on my 212Evo died in December, so I haven't gamed since then.

1/2" is a common size in watercooling, should have no issues finding any parts for it

Sucks about the 212Evo.... All the more reason to buy all the parts soon eh?

 

[Evil-Mobo]

Decided on 1/2" x 3/4" tubing so I can use the clamps. I'm hoping to be able to order parts late this week or early next week. The fan on my 212Evo died in December, so I haven't gamed since then.

If you cover shipping I can toss you a fan that will at least get you running for now. Send me a PM if interested

 

[Dlaw]

If you cover shipping I can toss you a fan that will at least get you running for now. Send me a PM if interested

I appreciate the offer, man, but I just had a genius idea today at work..... ..... .. wait for it...... ... . ....... . .. wait...... for ... it............
Install the STOCK cooler that had all of 2 hours of use while testing, and has since been in the CPU box it came in that has been DISPLAYED ON MY DESK! Man, some times I can be pretty dense, I swear.

1/2" is a common size in watercooling, should have no issues finding any parts for it

Sucks about the 212Evo.... All the more reason to buy all the parts soon eh?

Yea, I was pretty upset when I came home that day, and my wife told me that my computer was making weird noises. On the plus side though, everyone knows that the fan that ships with the 212Evo is junk, and that it's not uncommon for them to die. Even better was the fact that I totally intended to replace it this year anyway. On a side note, the wife almost had me convinced to use this money to pay off her van (which isn't a bad idea, don't get me wrong). When the fan died, she not only told me to do the watercooling, but gave me twice the budget I told her I'd need. So I guess I should be thanking this crap fan for dying, eh?

I'm just waiting on the funds to hit the bank, and you can be sure I'll be ordering parts within the hour. I'm more excited about this project than redoing the floors in the kid's bedrooms and hallway, getting a car of my own, and getting a whole new home theater system combined (more or less all our wedding presents to ourselves, since nobody got us anything).

 

[Dlaw]

Finally got confirmation that the money will hit the bank on Thursday. IRS took forever this year.

Here's an updated (and possibly final) parts list:

So, to start, the actual PC parts upgrades:

Samsung 850 Evo 500GB

HGST 1TB 2.5" drive

This and this USB bracket.

Then, the peripherals.

Rii remote

3 Xbox One controllers

Then, the purely asthetic:

EVGA SLI bridge

Razer Firefly

4x UV lights with 2 molex connectors

Some cable combs for the custom sleeving

Now, on to the main event; the cooling parts!

8 Eloops with a Swiftech PWM hub

A 360mm XT45, 240mm XT45 and a 240mm ST30 with gaskets and a fan filter for the bottom

2x EK FC980 with backplates and an SLI terminal

EK Supremacy Evo

Primoflex LRT

Primochill Compression tube reservoir with a D5 pump and blue aquapipe

16x Blue strait fittings, and 3x nickel 90s and a 45

3 clamps for the T fitting to break of to the drain with plug

4x Silver plugs (so I don't have to buy any for a couple of years)

Some UV blue O-rings

And finally, some tools:

Hose cutter, funnel and a syringe

Hoping I didn't miss anything. Does anyone see anything missing? Something that can be improved?

 

[Dlaw]

Things changed a little bit. I decided to switch the angled fittings out for chrome, so I could get a 45 that matched something, and since I did that, decided to go with a chrome T and regular compression fittings for the drain line. I also skipped the funnel, since it was out of stock and I can grab one at one of the local stores. The SLI bridge will have to wait until I find one that isn't also OoS, and I decided against the cable combs.

However, with much pride and a little relief, I can announce that the project is underway! The parts have been ordered, and are currently in processing. Yay!

Thank you everyone for your help. I'll see you in the project log!

 

[Lochekey]

Hey glad to hear it all worked out can't wait to see some pics. In case someone else has not already mentioned it. Make sure you give your new components a thorough cleaning before assembling your loop, especially the radiator. Want to get ask of the funk and debris out so it does not clog up your water blocks.

 

[Dlaw]

Yea, read through the beginners sticky like 50 Times, lol. I will be sure everything is clean before it goes in the loop.