Tips and tricks to draining a WC loop

[PaulieG]

Alright, I'm dismantling my WC loop for the first time, to make room for a new DFI x48 LP. So, I know the basics, but those of you with way more WC experience than me must have some tip and tricks to make this process easier. I'm paranoid about dripping water on components.

 

[Frogger]

link to a pic so we can see the line runs

 

[DOM]

start from the lowest point cuz its the pump right ?

 

[PaulieG]

Here's the loop:

 

[sneekypeet]

just remove the pump and set a bowl under it and remove a hose!

 

[Frogger]

lift the pump from the case set it in a bucket & pull the inlet The loop will drain from the tube & the res will drain from the pump

 

[Sasqui]

Plan ahead Do you have any drains in your loop? The obvious is wherever you are draining it from, have that at the lowest spot (duh).

When removing tubes that have some coolant traces left, I simply took small towels and covered up any components that might get splashed. Once, I had a tube snap back and spray the MB with some coolant - I took a towel and got what I could with that and used a compressed air can to dry, then a blow dryer to make sure. Getting a little coolant on it isn't horrible, you just have to make sure it's clean & dry before putting power back on.

A trick to remove hoses is to carefully slit them at the barb after removing clamps, they usually come off easier with a little wiggling.

One other tip if you need to clamp a hose shut - use vice grips with some popsicle sticks or something smooth and flat to protect the hoses from damage.

Have lots of towels handy!!!

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I can get my whole loop out of my case without draining it,hows that for planning

Though if i have to,then pulling the lowest pipe off over a jug serves me well enough.

Also make sure your pc is completely powered off on the back off the psu before you do this.

 

[Frogger]

When you reassamble put in one of

 

[Exavier]

where can I find those, frogger? linky plz

 

[Whilhelm]

Or you could try a T junction and a DD drain port. I put one in mine when I did a rebuild and now I can drain the system in seconds without making a huge mess. All you do is mount the T just after the pump, when you crack open the drainport not much will come out until you remove the reservoir cap. Then voila it will drain pretty quickly.

 

[PaulieG]

When you reassamble put in one of

Where's the best place to put this, near the pump?

 

[sneekypeet]

carefull paulie that type of connection is made for PEX tubing, without inserts it is going to fail in your install. Try to find a version made in copper or brass!

 

[Sasqui]

If you combine one of these with a threaded "T", it'll accomplish the same thing:

Plenty of other options if you poke around:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&category_name=44&Page=1

Fittings galore! I have these in my loop so I can take out/shunt waterblocks without draining the system:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/pr...=USPlastic&category_name=6917&product_id=7413

(Used with shut-off hose pinchers...)

Here are non-spill couplings:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/pr...USPlastic&category_name=6917&product_id=26604

 

[Sasqui]

Double post.

Here's the three quick-disconnects:

You may notice on the one at the top right, I used a sharpie to mark flow direction You can also see one of the the white nylon hose pinch clamps about middle right, behind the lower yellow SATA HDD plug - they have come in handy *many* times.

The CPU block uses barbs and the VID is barb/compression (If I recall). That was on my old HD2900XT.

Never had a leak - ever, but then again it's all ONLY 1/4" tubing.

 

[kyle2020]

In the past, i have drained my loops by putting the pump in something like a measuring jug or a high rise bowl, then pulling the hose off the end and letting it run into it.

Id invest in a drain line, possibly on a Y line off your left hand pump tube, and have it just tucked away in the lip of your case.

 

[Frogger]

I actually use one of these in most water rigs that i'built in the last year. easy to install .
usually put them in the loop 2/3inches before thepump inlet

 

[oily_17]

just remove the pump and set a bowl under it and remove a hose!

I usually do mine like that and have found that if I loosen the inlet bung on the top of the reservoir, to let some air in, that it drains alot quicker as well.

 

[Sasqui]

I actually use one of these in most water rigs that i'built in the last year. easy to install .
usually put them in the loop 2/3inches before thepump inlet

Hey Frogger, I was trying to rig something like that, where the outlet would be on the bottom of the case (like one at the top too).

My Koolance resevoir has a handy drain/fill plug that pokes through the bottom of the case (and is flush with it). Can't see it in my case pic above.

What you show comes close, but the cover would stick out and no threads to fasten it to the case. Any ideas... ?

 

[PaulieG]

I usually do mine like that and have found that if I loosen the inlet bung on the top of the reservoir, to let some air in, that it drains alot quicker as well.

This is exactly what I just did, and managed to only spill a couple of drops on the bottom of the case. Like most things. Far easier than I thought.

 

[Sasqui]

This is exactly what I just did, and managed to only spill a couple of drops on the bottom of the case. Like most things. Far easier than I thought.

You're studious... I'm the same way, it's the engineer in me Tough to get things done sometimes though, LOL.

 

[DaMulta]

I pull the blocks off then remove the motherboard tray.

Then pull a hose at one side of the res, and stick it in a budket.

Turn the PSU on and pump it out as much as I could.. Then I will blow into the line getting the rest of it out.

Good little video on it
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DzFBrviE1Co

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Wouldn't blowing into the line introduce bacteria onto the tubes? I'm not criticizing damulta,i just wondered.

Incidentally,putting a piece of silver into your loop can cut down on algae/bacteria.