• MODS RIGS
  • My first attempt at rigid tube watercooling loop. How did I do?
2020/02/25 01:30:29
a213m
Ok, I just finished rebuilding my loop a few days ago, and it's finally ready to be revealed:
 

 
This is my new build.
 
This is what it used to look like in case you forgot:

 
Quite a lot has changed:
  • CPU and mobo upgraded with 9980XE and Rampage 6 Extreme Encore
  • Went from soft to rigid tubing and replaced shiny fittings with black ones
  • Added a pressure release valve and a flow meter
  • Placed filters before each waterblocks
  • Swapped Radiator positions and added more intake fans
 
Now onto details.
 
For CPU I actually wanted to get a 10980XE, but as of February 2020 it's still a pretty much nonexistent CPU, I gave up and went with 9980XE. For motherboard I wanted something with a stronger VRM and was considering between Asus's Prime X299 Edition 30 and Rampage VI Extreme Encore, and went with the latter since it's benefits and features outweighed the E30 feature set.
 
Loop planning took the longest. I wanted to keep a blue and black theme, so I went with blue tubing and black fittings. I originally thought I was buying acrylic tubing, because that's what the seller's description was, but after receiving them I realized the tubing I got was PETG. From the beginning I wanted to avoid bends, so I didn't even purchase any of the bending tools, just bought a lot of 90 degree adapters. I also got a couple of accessories with blue highlights (pressure valve and drain valve) and used a blue coolant.
 
I also swapped the radiators around. My original loop in this case had the thinner radiator on top, while the thicker one was in the front. But thickness isn't the only difference between these two radiators. Thinner one is more air restrictive due to higher FPI density, and the top case filter adds another layer of unnecessary restriction, because filtering exhaust air doesn't make much sense. So I decided to place thicker rad with lower fin density on top as it would be easier for fans mounted on one side of the rad to push the air through. As for the front radiator, I placed fans on both sides since it's FPI is denser and the intake is filtered as well, so there's another layer of restriction intake fans have to work against.
 
With the thicker front radiator assembly, I had to push the top radiator all the way to the back, and with that the original 140mm exhaust fan had to go. And besides that, I didn't want anything in the back which might've possibly obstructed the motherboard's LCD screen.
 
During loop testing I had a couple of leaks, but both were due to my personal negligence. First, one of the GPU waterblocks leaked because I didn't tighten all of the screws after cleaning. Second time I just completely forgot to push the tube all the way into the top GPU intake fitting, and water splashed everywhere. I thought the filter got clogged and water pressure ripped the tube off the fitting, but then I realized it wasn't pushed all the way in.
 
Still there are a few scuffs I'd like to fix, but will do that later, I already spent way too much time on planning, I just felt like if I tried to get everything perfect, then I would've never finished it.
 
Things I don't like:
  • EVGA Powerlinks couldn't fit due to higher reservoir placement, so I went with original PSU cables for now
  • Opening drain valve only drains reservoir without tipping the system
  • The location of flow meter, but it's the only place where it could fit without ruining the symmetry
  • The RAM is totally inaccessible for swapping without disassembling the top loop portion
 
Anyways, what do you think? How did I do for a first rigid loop? Opinions, suggestions?
 
Thanks for looking.
2020/02/25 03:36:00
Hoggle
Really looks very clean and well laid out for your first rigid build. I really also like how you went into detail about the thought process that went into the build and even mentioned the things you don't like. Do you have the clearance to install or uninstall memory if needed would be my only real question since often when I am trouble shooting issues memory is a common thing I look at.
2020/02/25 04:47:57
a213m
Hoggle
Really looks very clean and well laid out for your first rigid build. I really also like how you went into detail about the thought process that went into the build and even mentioned the things you don't like. Do you have the clearance to install or uninstall memory if needed would be my only real question since often when I am trouble shooting issues memory is a common thing I look at.

 
Thanks.
 
Unfortunately the DIMM latches are behind the top fans. If I left the thinner radiator on top, then I would be able to access them, but the cables powering the RAM RGB lights would be visible then, and I didn't want that. On my previous Prime X299 Deluxe the CPU socket and the DIMM slots were a bit higher, but with the thinner rad on top the DIMM latches and the RAM were easily accessible with the fans unscrewed.
 
In my new build the top horizontal tubes are just really close to the RAM and the fans, I can't squeeze my fingers through to release them. I'm not fat, the tubes are just really close. And even if I remove the fans to release the latches, the tubes would probably obstruct the RAM from being fully released. I didn't realize that until I finished the build, because usually I install as much as possible onto the board, before installing it into the case.
 

^ One of the early planning stages.
(I had to unsleeve the EPS cables since the capped ends were too stiff to route through the top cutouts. It looks a bit ugly, but the top radiator hides this mess. For an ATX cable, I had to get an extension cable and route it behind the drive panel, because the designated ATX cutouts were covered since R6EE is a wider EATX board.)
 
The top radiator is screwed onto a removable top panel, which is installed separately after installing all of the hardware, so I never run into any issues of not being able to access the RAM during the building process, but what's done is done, there's no learning without mistakes. Anyways, this is an old proven RAM I had for months, so it's unlikely I'll need to rip it out any soon, hopefully.
 
But I'll still redo the top portion because I'll be doing some planned hardware upgrades in the upcoming weeks, so hopefully I'll address this and other issues as well.
2020/02/25 09:18:08
Cool GTX
Looks Very Nice - Great Job & impressive first loop
 
How hard are the filters to service ?
 
Did you do a final rinse before assembly of your loop ?
 
You learned why Leak testing is important ... leaks happen .. to all of us at one time or another
 
 
EK-Leak Tester  [bought mine from Performance PCS $39.99 & then used a discount code to save even more]
 
What size hard tube did you go with ?
 
2020/02/25 09:33:34
MasterMiner
Very nice. Very clean. I like the acrylic pipe with brass fittings - no pipe bends.

👍👍👍
2020/02/25 10:20:17
velodaddyjp
Can you come and do mine.  I love it. so nice. I'm going to message you maybe for some help.
2020/02/25 17:57:59
a213m
Forum glitched out after writing a big wall of reply, which I forgot to Ctrl+C. I'm not retyping the whole thing again, I'll reply in a reduced mode.


Cool GTX

Looks Very Nice - Great Job & impressive first loop

 

How hard are the filters to service ?

 

Did you do a final rinse before assembly of your loop ?

 

You learned why Leak testing is important ... leaks happen .. to all of us at one time or another

 

 

EK-Leak Tester  [bought mine from Performance PCS $39.99 & then used a discount code to save even more]

 

What size hard tube did you go with ?


That's a 14mm/10mm tube (OD/ID) with a wall thickness of 2mm, as it's really popular and inexpensive and is more resistant to heat deformations. A lot of people on reddit had their thinner tubes deformed and sagged over time due to constant exposure heat.


Filters can be either just flushed or taken apart if more scrubbing is needed, but either way they have to be taken out of the loop for maintenance.





Yes, I rinsed everything, but some of the paint particles got loose, so filters helped a lot in catching some of the fine paint debris, nothing got stuck in the blocks.


I did pressure test it with my own lungs before filling for the first time, it felt completely sealed and in fact the GPU block didn't start leaking until about 2 or so hours into testing, I don't think a leak tester would've helped in the first case.


MasterMiner
Very nice. Very clean. I like the acrylic pipe with brass fittings - no pipe bends.


👍👍👍


Thanks, but that's not acrylic, that's PETG tubing. I wanted to go with acrylic since it's more clear, less prone to deforming, but the sellers' description was wrong, I ended up getting PETG. I ordered 8 50cm pieces from different sellers and it proved an importance of not keeping eggs in one basket, one package arrived empty, one never arrived and one arrived broken. The other 5 pieces were fine though. After the loop was done I have 2 untouched pieces left and a few reusable leftovers.


velodaddyjp

Can you come and do mine.  I love it. so nice. I'm going to message you maybe for some help.




Lol, thanks.
2020/02/25 18:19:25
TwoEvilOne
She looks amazing!
2020/02/25 19:45:56
Delirious
Fantastic!
2020/02/25 21:55:04
EVGATech_DanielM
Looks boss.
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