[SOLVED] How many fittings will I need?

[Oxidane]

All following parts are from the Corsair Hydro X Series:
XD5 RGB Pump/Reservoir Combo
XC7 RGB CPU Water Block
2x XR5 360mm Water Cooling Radiators
XF Ball Valve
XT Hardline 14mm Tubing

In addition, my GPU came with a water block right out of the box (EVGA 3080TI XC3 Hydro Copper).

DISCLAIMER: I have never built a custom loop before. From my understanding, I believe I will need two fittings per water block, pump/reservoir, and radiator. So since I have one pump/reservoir, two water blocks, and two radiators, that would add up to 10 fittings total. In addition, I am unsure of how to install a ball valve (I will just Google it the day of probably). Does this require fittings? I would assume two?

All-in-all, would this custom loop require 12 fittings total?

If that is the case, how many straight fittings should I get, and how many 90 degree rotary adapters should I get? This is where it gets slightly confusing for me. In order to use a rotary adapter, will I need to attach it to a straight fitting? Or is the 90 degree rotary adapter a fitting in itself?

Should I be getting a MINIMUM of 12 straight fittings? Then I guess eight 90 degree rotary adapters (I want to get a lot of them just in case I need them as I am building in a smaller case).

I am looking for all helpful feedback, however, I would prefer if you do not say "Please do not build a custom loop, you clearly do not know what you're doing. Whether you like it or not, you're not capable of constructing a custom loop. Please do not take offense to this, you just obviously lack the knowledge and skills required to take on such a task. Again, I mean no offense whatsoever, I swear!"

I will never truly learn how to build a custom loop unless I do one myself. Watching Linus Tech Tips or JayzTwoCents doing it on YouTube isn't really a learning experience. You may think I'm not cut-out for such a task, however, that's just your opinion and my opinion (as well as my money) is the only thing that is relevant.

Anyway, sorry for that off-topic tangent! Any HELPFUL or CONSTRUCTIVE advice as to choose how many fittings I will need would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Eximo]

Two fittings per object in the loop, an in and an out, so 10 for the most basic setup. Your ball valve probably needs a G1/4 to G1/4 fitting extension so you can extend it away from other things, but that depends on the style. If you want it at the bottom of the loop and your reservoir isn't the lowest point, then you want a T joint, and maybe additional fittings, so that you can place it at the bottom somewhere. Or you can place your T-joint at the bottom of another object that is at the lowest point, say a radiator, then you don't need additional fittings, just the T. Or you can do without, draining can be accomplished by flipping the computer over or just popping a tube off at the bottom. Just have to be careful with the outflow.

Rotary and 90 degree fittings are complete fittings, usually. There are certainly ones that are extensions and only meant to go between fittings and objects.

What fittings you need depends on your component placement, selection, and tubing choice, can't really answer that. Best to draw out your plans in some manner. Even maybe ordering all the parts but fittings to mock it up before settling on something. Wide tubes require wide fittings, make sure they will fit your devices.


Buy lots of paper towels (or blue shop towels like you see the youtuber's use when LN2 cooling, they are more robust) Get yourself some of those scientific squeeze bottles, they are nice. Gloves if you are going to be cutting tubing, or even just using compression fittings. Those knurled edges will tear up your fingers after a bit.

Hard tubing, you will need a heat gun. Sand paper, etc.



Everyone has to start somewhere, you will probably make mistakes on your first loop. My first mistake was buying too flimsy of tubing, it collapsed around the bends I needed to do. I ended up using actual radiator hose for a while. Also believe I forgot to order a critical part and had to pay additional shipping to get that from the same shop as the other fittings, could have saved that by remembering it in the first place.

 

[Oxidane]

Two fittings per object in the loop, an in and an out, so 10 for the most basic setup. Your ball valve probably needs a G1/4 to G1/4 fitting extension so you can extend it away from other things, but that depends on the style. If you want it at the bottom of the loop and your reservoir isn't the lowest point, then you want a T joint, and maybe additional fittings, so that you can place it at the bottom somewhere. Or you can place your T-joint at the bottom of another object that is at the lowest point, say a radiator, then you don't need additional fittings, just the T. Or you can do without, draining can be accomplished by flipping the computer over or just popping a tube off at the bottom. Just have to be careful with the outflow.

Rotary and 90 degree fittings are complete fittings, usually. There are certainly ones that are extensions and only meant to go between fittings and objects.

What fittings you need depends on your component placement, selection, and tubing choice, can't really answer that. Best to draw out your plans in some manner. Even maybe ordering all the parts but fittings to mock it up before settling on something. Wide tubes require wide fittings, make sure they will fit your devices.


Buy lots of paper towels (or blue shop towels like you see the youtuber's use when LN2 cooling, they are more robust) Get yourself some of those scientific squeeze bottles, they are nice. Gloves if you are going to be cutting tubing, or even just using compression fittings. Those knurled edges will tear up your fingers after a bit.

Hard tubing, you will need a heat gun. Sand paper, etc.



Everyone has to start somewhere, you will probably make mistakes on your first loop. My first mistake was buying too flimsy of tubing, it collapsed around the bends I needed to do. I ended up using actual radiator hose for a while. Also believe I forgot to order a critical part and had to pay additional shipping to get that from the same shop as the other fittings, could have saved that by remembering it in the first place.

Hello, thanks for all the helpful input. I am trying to create a custom loop out of entirely Hydro X Series (except for the GPU water card) for the sake of consistency and peace of mind. I see Corsair sells XF Hardline 90 14mm fittings:
https://www.corsair.com/ca/en/Categ...ttings/hydro-x-fitting-config/p/CX-9052015-WW

Obviously these are the complete fittings.

However, they also sell "90 Rotary Adapters":
https://www.corsair.com/ca/en/Categ...adapter-config/p/CX-9055009-WW#tab-tech-specs

Could you possibly give me an in depth description of how these are different than the 90 fittings? Also, what are they specifically used for? Could they be used for the ball valve?


Also, on another note, this is the ball valve I will be using:
https://www.corsair.com/ca/en/Categ...g/Fittings/hydro-x-ball-valve/p/CX-9055019-WW

If you were to choose only fittings from the Hydro X store (https://www.corsair.com/ca/en/Categ...Cooling_Tubing&text=&pageSize=12#rotatingText), what fittings would you get in order to incorporate the ball valve into the custom loop? Is the XF Rotary Y Splitter the "T Joint" you were talking about?

 

[Eximo]

Rotary Adapter has G1/4 threads on both ends. One to connect to something (male), and the other end to allow something to be screwed into it (female), generally another fitting (fittings are male, your parts have the female threads). So if you know you are going to do a 90 somewhere, you can get the fitting rather than the adapter.

Ball valve also has threads on both ends, in this case, both female. So to connect directly to something you need a male to male adapter, or you use two fittings to connect it with a piece of tubing (expensive)

I believe they are made by bitspower, if I recall correctly, so you might check out their fittings directly. Pretty sure the Corsair's have a steep markup and their selection is limited.

https://www.performance-pcs.com/water-cooling/fittings-connectors.html?brand=243

Male to male: https://www.performance-pcs.com/bit...w-fitting-black-matte-finish-bp-mbwp-c42.html

T-block: https://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-carbon-black-t-block-with-triple-ig1-4-bp-cbtb.html

I suggest buying some caps to plug holes (they also sell temperature sensor plugs) , I like to have one at the end of the ball valve as a double protection.

And lots more things out there