Experimental radiator \build log!!!

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toolmaker_03

toolmaker_03

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Mar 26, 2012
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well here are the radiators, my problem is the configuration of them, simply too many possibilities, so if you could find the time to give your opinions, I would really appreciate it.
I also need advice on a type of shroud for the radiators, the purpose is to inshore good air flow through the radiator.
and lastly how to attach the fans to the radiators?



all advice is welcome and thank you

 
Solution
rubix_1011
I don't use a flow meter, never have, never will.

Having a picture of a flow meter does nothing to support a finding, especially when you cannot be 100% conclusive that it is reading correctly or you are accurately converting what is being reported. Does the flow meter registering on the pump without restriction show a flow rate that is close to the rated flow of the pump with your conversion?

If so, great, but if so, you're still running lower than 1.0 gpm on your loop, meaning your delta-T MUST be offset to calculate your cooling potential. Meaning - you have to over-rad to accomplish the same cooling ability that you could achieve with a higher flow. Adding cost of 3x 360 radiators ($60, example) starts to get expensive...
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Wow 36 soft 90's later it is ready to pipe all of it together, along with the other fittings, like the extenders off the rads for adding fans to that side later. This build cost has risen a little, but it has been fun figuring all this out, and the configuration is complete, now all I have to do is prove that it works.
 
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Ok so what did I learn from this so far, well I learned that I might need to put in a second pump in, to increase the total flow rate on the system, but we will wait and see what the temps are, before I start adding hardware to this loop.

Alpha cool fittings suck, really bad, out of the 6 that I bought two leaked at the rotary section, so word to the wise do not buy alpha cool fittings, they are too weak at the rotary sections. On a side note the bits power fittings that I have bought have never leaked, I will probably stay with them for now on, I have learned my lesson well.

Being this large of a system it takes quite awhile to get all the air out of it, but as more of the air comes out of the system, the over all flow rate of the system keeps increasing, I am hoping to hit 4000RPM to 6000RPM on this configuration.


 
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Well I hade to add a second pump to the system to get the flows up enough, it is now at 5500RPM's or 5.5 liters per min.

With that said the system stays nice and cool still running benchmarks so it will be awhile before I have good pics of the cool temps
 
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ok well I am back with a update, XSPC rotary fittings also suck, they too will leak at the rotary section, is there no way to save a little on fittings, :sad: looks like bits power is the only company out there that fits the bill for building a trouble free system loop.
 
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TM_03 you're the first person to mention that the rotary fittings have the kink in their swivel area...worth contacting XSPC tech support? This is bad indeed since any sort of rotary fittings cost a hefty sum. Add that together with the blinged out setup you went with on your previous fittings :)
 
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Well to answer that question the system is still blended the compression fittings are koolance fittings so there is no rotary point on those fittings but it does have a barbed end that the hose attaches to so that the hose can not simply pop off. I do not use Enzotech compression fittings any more because they are straight on the end that the hose attaches too, and as a result the hose can simply pop off while the system is running and under pressure.

The T fittings are XSPC but again there is no rotary section on that fitting. The only rotary fittings that I have bought that do not leak, are the bits power fittings. Don't get me wrong, I am willing to try other companies products, otherwise I would have never bought the fittings that I did, but I do not want others to fallow in my footsteps if I have made a mistake along the way, and I do make mistakes, but I also try to fix them.

As far as the cost goes, well yea, it is high, but in this case you really do get what you pay for.

 
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Could just be a bad batch of them you acquired?

I have not had any leaks from my Alpha Cool fittings, even comparative quality wise Bits Power is the higher quality.

Alpha Cools swivel is noticeably a looser fitting constructed bond than the Bits Power swivel fittings are.

So for recommendations sake to fellow water coolers, even though they cost more, I do personally recommend the Bits Power rotary fittings over the Alpha Cool rotary fittings.

From owning and using both Bits Power and Alpha Cool, IMO the Bits Power is the highest quality rotary fitting.

But as I've already said, I have had no failures of the Alpha Cool rotary fittings I own, however the looseness of their fitting together, did not allow me the confidence to trust them enough to use them inside my computer where a leak could be devastating, I've only used them outside the main computer.



 
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I'll be jumping ship on the EK CSQ compression fittings, try them out because of all the raves people have been giving them about their build quality. I've noticed what TM_03 has spoken of and the Alpahcool's also lack the fine finish found on bitspower fittings. Apparently the paint chips off easily after a couple of turns/uses.
 
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don't get me wrong if there products worked I would be the first to say yea save some money and get this product (TTT), but unfortunately that has not been the case so far, I still have some alpha cool fittings on this build, two of them in fact, but they will stay on the radiator module, As putting them in the case would be a recipe for disaster. the same goes for the XSPC fittings, they are only on the radiator build, so you could say that I have taken the same approach to the situation that 4ryan6 has, by only using bits power fittings inside the case where the components are it is safer that way.
 
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Ok so I am over thinking my loop again, but I decided to add a third pump to the loop, the thinking being that I could lower the speed on all the pumps and still maintain the same flow. Well it kind of worked I can lower the speed on all the pumps a little so instead of having two pumps at the 5 setting, I now have 3 pumps at the 4 setting. With the same total system flow of 6.6LPM. I do not know if this will help the pumps last longer, but it cant hurt, so maybe I will leave it this way for awhile.
 
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