Water cooling, soft tubing compression lock issue

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
glytch5

glytch5

Reputable
Mar 22, 2017
535
0
5,060
I am sure this is an old topic but... I bought some compression fittings that i really like.
They are made by "touchaqua" which are designed by Bitspower.

Now I have tried 3 different soft tubings in my 3/8-1/2 size.
I have some tygon here, some PrimoChill and some of this weird cheap stuff from Amazon called (BXQINLEX)

My problem is.. with the primochill I CANNOT!!!! Get the compression ring on after the tube is put on the barb... I have even tried slicing it down at the end to make it a little thinner... using a belt sander and grinding the end down. WONT WORK! TUBING TOO THICK!

The tygon... though very difficult to get the compression lock in does work... but I found using a little silicon grease made it much easier... I really do not like the tygon though...

The BXQINLEX tubing works great... its slightly thinner! Works really well... I would simply use that stuff if I knew it wasn't going to leech all kinds of bad stuff in to my loop....

Anyone got any ideas? I spent like 25 bucks on the primochill... kinda disappointing. Is it the fittings?
 
Solution
lumineZ
Sadly that has been and always will be a problem when it comes to custom watercooling and really not mutch to do about it besides get new tubing...

Never ever used tubing since there is to mutch problems with it, so I have always stayed with hardline like PETG and acrylic. Very very seldom I have problems with it.


But as you say, if the ID is off by 1 milimeter, that will translate to OD when you put the tubing on the fitting.
Sort by date Sort by votes
I'm looking at the packages right here... the size is absolutely correct... 3/8s by 1/2... same goes for the primoflex, and the tygon.

I guess you did not read my post luminez since I stated the reason I bought primoflex was because I don't want to use the cheap stuff! THanks
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It should be a very tight fit and the reason speaks for themself so no need to explain it.

I know some people struggle to put the tubes on, and for that just use some water + dish soap.
Dont use silicone grease, since that can / will over time travel in your water loop and maybe clog your waterblocks / radiator.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Add post:

Can you messure the wall thickness on that primochill? It can just be that even if it reads one size on the packages that they have put the wrong tube in it.
I have even had this happen to me with my PETG hardline tubes. Got 4 tubes in a box, 3 where correct but 1 was wrong.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I hear that... and I know it can be "tight" but if I take my compression lock, and flip it over to see if it can fit over the barb with the tubing on it... if I take the whole barb and stand it it, the brass ring won't go... there is absolutely no way I see to do this... especially with this stuff screwed into a components... the amount of force required would absolutely destroy it.
I wish you could just post pictures on this forum... I find that a little annoying.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Its suppose to be tight. ID is inter and OD is outer so if you have 3/8-1/2 than its 3/8 ID - 1 /2 OD. 3/8 is super thick. Even so I use http://www.performance-pcs.com/tygon-e-3603-3-8-id-1-2-od-clear-tubing.html with http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-g1-4-matt-black-compression-fitting-cc2-ultimate2-for-id-3-8-od-1-2-tube.html and it fits just fine. You gotta really wiggle it down and if it not straight the ring doesn't always go on so I start with the bend part first but put it on straight so I don't have to play with it after the other fitting.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The tubing appears to measure correctly... but like I said, the ring on the compression fitting is 100% not big enough to fit over the primochill after it is on the barb... its just not possible... using all my force I cannot get it on... its like trying to stuff a child size pool tube onto an obese adult... its just not happening lol.
I guess it could be the fittings... but when I measure the ID of the compression ring, it has some extra size to allow for this...
I guess I have to go back and buy a different brands fitting.

At the store the guy let me try some different primochill on my fitting... and it was the same thing impossibly tight... but he wasn't sure if the size was correct or not. Can't return the stuff now... the box had shrink wrap on it! lol. I guess i'll have to use the terrible tygon stuff.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Makes no sence :s
If the tubing is correct, and the ID on the fittings are correct and they still dont fit..

Thats like... 1+1 = 3

Never heard of the fittings you are using. Just for the fun of it, check if the compression fitting is completly round, not oval.
Cause if every messurement is correct... Well... The fault HAS to be somewhere but you are not seeing it. Messure everyhing is my advice, try with extra fittings to see if same result (if you have spare fittings ofc)
Cause if the primochill has the exact same messurement as the 2 others...
Yea.... Just messure and messure is my best advice then, or go for a safe bet when it comes to fittings: Bitspower, moonson, EK, Barrow... well known brands.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
These are Barrow fittings.. exact same thing. "designed by bitspower" to order them, you go through bitspower...
Upon really measuring carefully, if anything the ID of the primochill is a bit smaller than it should be... meaning thicker hose. When you hold all three brands of hoses side by side... you can see that. The BXQINLX stuff is the thinnest, then the tygon a bit thicker, and the primochill the thickest. the OD of the primochill seems right on though... so yeah... I guess it really is the primochill. Harder to accurately measure than you would think!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The OD does not help if the ID is off by just alittlebit.

Cut a small tube from all 3 of them, place all 3 on a fitting and then messure the OD.

If you dont have the right tool to messure this things like one of this:
https://www.google.no/search?q=electronic+diameter+measurement&tbm=isch&imgil=V_qOYmz9JiGSRM%253A%253BcfFOpmCjrcPzNM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.aliexpress.com%25252Fprecision-diameter-measure_reviews.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=V_qOYmz9JiGSRM%253A%252CcfFOpmCjrcPzNM%252C_&usg=___aAVM0_dbLXhQwSE9dqaetg_2to%3D&biw=1920&bih=988&ved=0ahUKEwjCs5bB-LnWAhUHjiwKHd4YBZwQyjcIPA&ei=CJzFWcKPMoecsgHesZTgCQ#imgrc=N6HiDCBhNAvAxM:


Then just use 2 pieces of straight wood and press them carefully to the fitting + tubing and just messure the gap.

If you are off by just 1 - 2mm you will have problems
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yeah thats what I was saying... the ID is slightly smaller, therefor the wall is thicker... OD is 1/2, but the ID is off about a mil or so...
If you look at all three hoses next to each other you can see the thickness of the primochill anyway... but upon measuring you can just tell by a bit... so with the extra thickness the compression ring can no longer fit... too big.
This type of thing happens too often!

I emailed primochill... since I know the store I got it from won't be able to take it back since it had plastic wrap on it. So i'm kinda stuck with dealing with the manufacturer.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I would blame BXQINLEX over primochill. Never heard of them and who knows how good the tubing is. Ask anyone and they will say Tygon is best because it is the same stuff the use in labs with highly dangerous chemicals. It does not rip, kink or discolor. But it cost the most. However If you replace the cheap tubing a bunch it comes out the be cheaper and less work in the end.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Sadly that has been and always will be a problem when it comes to custom watercooling and really not mutch to do about it besides get new tubing...

Never ever used tubing since there is to mutch problems with it, so I have always stayed with hardline like PETG and acrylic. Very very seldom I have problems with it.


But as you say, if the ID is off by 1 milimeter, that will translate to OD when you put the tubing on the fitting.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
I wish I would have went with PETG now man... I just didn't want to deal with bending and buying a heat gun... it looks way better though too. I plan to move over to it after i get going. This is my first step into custom water... everything else seems to be working as planned... just can't get the tubing i want.

As for what iamacow said the Tygon I bought is far cheaper than the primochill, and kinks suuuuuper easily... thats why I hate it. Its also not as clear so i'm a bit confused on that one. Bought it from frozencpu so I know its the right type of tygon. Thanks guys.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Well... I decided I wanted cooler looking fittings anyway, so I actually just bought 6 primochill fittings. They work a lot better with the primochill tubing... but it is still very tight fit.
Now I see why people using PETG or acrylic... this compression fitting business is extremely irritating!

So I got these primochill chill ghost fittings... with an aluminum compression ring... little did I know that they don't even offer these on their web site anymore...

DOes anyone know which replacement o ring to buy for their ghost fittings? The g1/4 o ring that comes on these is not standard sized... and one of mine leaks on one of my fittings...

Going hard tubing down the road for sure.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
So strange discovery.. I was looking at these Silver ghost fittings... and I do not see them anywhere online but frozen CPU where I bought them.
I noticed something very disturbing... I CANNOT get them to screw into my XSPC radiator... the reason being that the threads are deeper than normal on these... in fact I am having trouble getting the o ring to come in contact with many of my adapters... the threads just go to deep...

So looks like again I will not be using primochill that I bought 10 feet of... and I think I just wasted 45 bucks on six fittings.... anyone want to trade? lol They are awesome fittings but man... they just aren't working. 0/2 primochill.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I have an AIO... I have en entire water cooling set up good to go. Just wanted to use primochill tubing and get some cool looking fittings lol.
As always for me, it is the most simple part of something that doens't work on my end.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm just ganna use my touchaqua fittings with my extremely ugly looking tygon tubing for now... i'm ganna order a set of XSPC PETG tubing and compression fittings...
Anyone know which tygon tubing is the most transparent? I have the 2475 and it is quite ugly looking.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom