[SOLVED] Confusion around Gamer Nexus' AIO mounting video

[bumblebee953]

Either I just have severe viewing/listening problems, or it's very difficult to follow along that video on what exactly is the bad way to mount your AIO. He uses terms without defining them first. What exactly is "mount with tubes pointing up" vs "mount with tubes pointing down"? From the point of view of the pump to the rad or the other way around?
He says tubes pointing up is bad, referencing manufacturer photos of front mounted rads with the tubes ending at the top of the rad. So from the pump to the rad the tube is "pointing up". He says it's better to have the rad flipped so the barbs end at the bottom of the rad so that from the pump to the rad, the tubes would be "pointing down", which is preferred. Ok, makes sense.
But he also says rads mounted at the bottom of the case is bad because the tubes would be pointing...up? But I thought we're talking about point of view from the pump to the rad? In this case it would be pointed down would it not? Why is it bad then? If we flip the pov around, then what's explained in the front mounted rad scenario wouldn't make sense.
Same thing for top mounted rads, which he says is always going to be correctly mounted....but again...from pump to rad it's pointing up...?

Very confusing and poorly constructed video.

 

[TerryLaze]

Did you have the lesson of Communicating vessels in school?
Basically the only thing to take away from the video is that you should mount everything in such a way that the pump will always be completely filled with fluid which means that the radiator and optimally all the tubing should be on a higher level than the pump so that the pressure makes sure that the pump never has air bubbles in it.

But he also says rads mounted at the bottom of the case is bad because the tubes would be pointing...up?

Yup, air bubbles would make their way up to the highest point of the closed system and with the radiator at the lowest point the highest point would be the pump.

 

[NoFaultius]

Totally disagree. Gamer's Nexus does a great job of laying it out. It is the same as the manufacturers recommend as well. Notably, NZXT shows the WRONG way to do it in their marketing materials, but EVGA included a paper in my 2080ti hybrid that showed clearly how to set the radiator. Just put the tubes at the bottom and you are good to go. With a video card, try to have the radiator above the GPU and it will work better.

I watch the Gamers Nexus you tube channel all the time, I love that guy Steve, tech Jesus!

 

[bumblebee953]

and optimally all the tubing should be on a higher level than the pump

So how is it that in a front mounted rad, he says the rad should be oriented in a way that the tubes end at the bottom of the rad, instead of pictured in NZXT cases where the rad is flipped and the tubes end up at the top? Going by what you're saying, the tubing would be lower than the pump.
Wouldn't the NZXT example actually be the correct way?

 

[bumblebee953]

but EVGA included a paper in my 2080ti hybrid that showed clearly how to set the radiator. Just put the tubes at the bottom and you are good to go.

Do those instructions show a front mounted rad with tubes at the bottom of the rad?

With a video card, try to have the radiator above the GPU and it will work better.

Maybe with a 240mm AIO. This would be impossible for vast majority of cases if you have a 360mm AIO. Made even more difficult by the fact that graphics cards are trending longer now with rtx 3080.

I watch the Gamers Nexus you tube channel all the time, I love that guy Steve, tech Jesus!

Hey now, don't get me wrong. I watch GN all the time as well and have bought a couple of his merchandises. It's just that this particular video was difficult to follow along.

 

[TerryLaze]

So how is it that in a front mounted rad, he says the rad should be oriented in a way that the tubes end at the bottom of the rad, instead of pictured in NZXT cases where the rad is flipped and the tubes end up at the top? Going by what you're saying, the tubing would be lower than the pump.
Wouldn't the NZXT example actually be the correct way?

You have to always think about were the air bubbles will end up, if the tubes are at the bottom part of the rad there will never be any bubbles at the tubing because they will float up to the other side of the rad.
You don't want bubbles at the tubing so they won't be sucked into the pump.

In the video he showed that the best way would be with the rad at the ceiling of the case but if that can't be done you should at least make sure that the tubes and with that the pump never have any bubbles in them.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

His video was somewhat confusing till it hit me.

KEEP the PUMP to a LOWER LEVEL not the highest point.
The rad mounted in front ok with tubes down but still need the the top of the rad being higher then the pump so the air stays at the top of the rad not the pump.

 

[digitalgriffin]

Either I just have severe viewing/listening problems, or it's very difficult to follow along that video on what exactly is the bad way to mount your AIO. He uses terms without defining them first. What exactly is "mount with tubes pointing up" vs "mount with tubes pointing down"? From the point of view of the pump to the rad or the other way around?
He says tubes pointing up is bad, referencing manufacturer photos of front mounted rads with the tubes ending at the top of the rad. So from the pump to the rad the tube is "pointing up". He says it's better to have the rad flipped so the barbs end at the bottom of the rad so that from the pump to the rad, the tubes would be "pointing down", which is preferred. Ok, makes sense.
But he also says rads mounted at the bottom of the case is bad because the tubes would be pointing...up? But I thought we're talking about point of view from the pump to the rad? In this case it would be pointed down would it not? Why is it bad then? If we flip the pov around, then what's explained in the front mounted rad scenario wouldn't make sense.
Same thing for top mounted rads, which he says is always going to be correctly mounted....but again...from pump to rad it's pointing up...?

Very confusing and poorly constructed video.

Heres the easy way if looking at it: If the pump (which sits on cpu block) sits BELOW the highest mounting point on the radiator you are okay. Air rises to the highest point and its better its in the radiator and not the pump.

Remember air floats up. So the highest point in your loop will get the air. If your tubes are close the highest point there is a risk the pump will suck air into the cold plate. Then it becomes noisy and inefficient.


Just keep the pump (on the cpu block) well below the highest point in your loop. So if your rad is on the roof, or the top of the rad is well above your pump, you are good

Simple enough for you?

 

[rubix_1011]

I really feel that people miss the entire point of the video Steve made.

It is quite simple.

Avoid air being trapped in the cooler in a manner which prevents the pump from circulating coolant.

This is called an airlock and prevents coolant circulation. This is the entire basis of the Gamer's Nexus video that should be used as a general guide for AIOs as they will have some air in them.

Liquid cooling pumps for PCs do one thing: pump coolant.

Liquid cooling pumps for PCs do not pump air.

Custom loops are still capable of this happening, but usually to lesser degree as those pumps are far more powerful and the system builder can purge as much air as they wish from a custom loop and displace with coolant.