Liquid Cooling Pump not pulling/pumping fluid

[LainGG]

I installed an EKWB X360 kit last night and the pump comes on and you can here it run and it's just not pulling the fluid from the resevoir

wondering if i have my loop incorrect somewhere

 

[rubix_1011]

Your pump cannot run without liquid, this can permanently damage the pump. These pumps cannot pump air, so you need to make sure you prime enough liquid so the pump always has liquid to move. This means you will have to cycle the pump on and off several times in order to fill the loop.

Also, it looks like you might have your pump setup correctly, but can you confirm the pump output is sending to your radiator? If so, this is correct.

 

[LainGG]

Your pump cannot run without liquid, this can permanently damage the pump. These pumps cannot pump air, so you need to make sure you prime enough liquid so the pump always has liquid to move. This means you will have to cycle the pump on and off several times in order to fill the loop.

Also, it looks like you might have your pump setup correctly, but can you confirm the pump output is sending to your radiator? If so, this is correct.

it's not even making it to my pump, but i've tried cycling the power to no avail.

 

[TbsToy]

It is E.K.W.B. stuff. do you expect it to work?

 

[rubix_1011]

Right, you need to stop the pump immediately if liquid isn't moving and the pump is running dry. This can cause permanent pump damage.

You need to open the reservoir and fill it, making sure that liquid makes it to the pump so it has something to push.

Leave the reservoir open - you need to be able to move the air in front of the liquid. As the reservoir drains, shut down the pump before it completely empties so you can fill it again. Turn the pump back on to continue filling. Let it drain the reservoir, but not empty, shut down the pump, refill.

Repeat this process over and over until the reservoir never fully empties and water/liquid begins to fill it. At that point, leave the pump on (as long as it is still moving liquid) and slowly add to the reservoir to fill it. Leave the cap off and let it run. As the reservoir level drops, add more liquid - this means you are displacing air in the loop with liquid, which is what you want.

You will reach a point where the reservoir level stays relatively the same. Cap it at this point. With the pump running, slowly rock the case and tilt it to dislodge air bubbles trapped in the radiator - they usually get trapped at the end opposite where the tubing enters, so note this while you move the case. If you hear gurgling and the reservoir level drops, it means you have dislodged an air pocket, this is good. Continue to rock and move the case for several minutes until it seems you have removed the air...there still might be some that is there, but that's fine. Fill the reservoir to mostly full, 85-90% is fine as long as the pump isn't sucking in small air bubbles. If it is, you need to look into getting something to prevent agitation in your reservoir...pumping small bubbles back into your loop means they will end up 'stuck' in your radiator and collecting.

Remember, watercooling is less effective if air bubbles exist in the radiator - it means you have less water-to-radiator thermal exchange.

 

[rubix_1011]

It is E.K.W.B. stuff. do you expect it to work?

I use an EK pump/reservoir combo. EK makes good products, but all pumps will fail if they are not kept in contact with liquid. The ceramic impeller bearings become permanently damaged if not.

 

[LainGG]

Right, you need to stop the pump immediately if liquid isn't moving and the pump is running dry. This can cause permanent pump damage.

You need to open the reservoir and fill it, making sure that liquid makes it to the pump so it has something to push.

Leave the reservoir open - you need to be able to move the air in front of the liquid. As the reservoir drains, shut down the pump before it completely empties so you can fill it again. Turn the pump back on to continue filling. Let it drain the reservoir, but not empty, shut down the pump, refill.

Repeat this process over and over until the reservoir never fully empties and water/liquid begins to fill it. At that point, leave the pump on (as long as it is still moving liquid) and slowly add to the reservoir to fill it. Leave the cap off and let it run. As the reservoir level drops, add more liquid - this means you are displacing air in the loop with liquid, which is what you want.

You will reach a point where the reservoir level stays relatively the same. Cap it at this point. With the pump running, slowly rock the case and tilt it to dislodge air bubbles trapped in the radiator - they usually get trapped at the end opposite where the tubing enters, so note this while you move the case. If you hear gurgling and the reservoir level drops, it means you have dislodged an air pocket, this is good. Continue to rock and move the case for several minutes until it seems you have removed the air...there still might be some that is there, but that's fine. Fill the reservoir to mostly full, 85-90% is fine as long as the pump isn't sucking in small air bubbles. If it is, you need to look into getting something to prevent agitation in your reservoir...pumping small bubbles back into your loop means they will end up 'stuck' in your radiator and collecting.

Remember, watercooling is less effective if air bubbles exist in the radiator - it means you have less water-to-radiator thermal exchange.

I think I may have the connections to the radiator mixed up i filled the pump could push the liquid and it up but from there it doesn't seem to be pushing

 

[rubix_1011]

Can you list the loop order? To me it looks like:

Reservoir -> pump -> radiator -> CPU -> reservoir

Is this correct?

 

[LainGG]

Can you list the loop order? To me it looks like:

Reservoir -> pump -> radiator -> CPU -> reservoir

Is this correct?

Yeah that's correct would it matter what ends of the radiator the pump and cpu are connected to though?

 

[rubix_1011]

No, flow can go through the radiator in either direction.

When you turn the pump on and it moved coolant, where was it travelling towards? The reservoir or the radiator?

 

[LainGG]

No, flow can go through the radiator in either direction.

When you turn the pump on and it moved coolant, where was it travelling towards? The reservoir or the radiator?

Originally when i added more fluid into the system it seemed to go toward the radiator from the pump now the coolant is just sitting stagnant with bubbles.

 

[rubix_1011]

Hopefully you haven't damaged the pump by now.

You need to continually ensure that there is not an interruption of fluid from the reservoir feeding into the pump. The biggest problem you have is that the pump inlet is higher than the reservoir - water will not flow uphill on its own which can easily cause your pump to airlock and burn out. Pump should be lower than reservoir.

 

[LainGG]

Hopefully you haven't damaged the pump by now.

You need to continually ensure that there is not an interruption of fluid from the reservoir feeding into the pump. The biggest problem you have is that the pump inlet is higher than the reservoir - water will not flow uphill on its own which can easily cause your pump to airlock and burn out. Pump should be lower than reservoir.

Actually right after i read this i adjusted the resevoir slightly upwards and the air pocket was dislodged and the loop is running fine

 

[rubix_1011]

That should do it. Just follow the steps in the thread above to get the loop filled and air purged out and you should be set.