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Safety Measurement in water cooling setup?

LegendMask

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Mar 29, 2012
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Montreal
Just wondering what are your safety measurement in your water cooled setup, if you have any?

As I’m noticing the chances of failures in hard tube setup is more than soft tubing due to pressure being built in the loop and how hard tubes handle it, and how fittings are working different in hard tube than soft tube....
 

Entz

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I think it will depend massively on the glass being used and how good/cheap it is. I cant see loop pressures getting high enough to actually break anything though. EKs little pressure tester tops out at 14 psi and that is considered above normal, glass I would expect will handle many times that without issue.

I have never had a fitting blow out or tubing fail or anything of the sort but have never seen the need to try glass.
 

sswilson

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I don't think it's water pressure affecting hard tube setups, I think it's pressure on the joints and bends from tubes not being exactly "square" to the fittings. Soft tubing has lots of room for play while hard tubing has to be cut/bent damn near perfect to prevent unwanted force being exerted at pressure points 24/7.
 

KaptCrunch

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ss nailed it craftsmanship is the issue

Near perfect mate up
Use a square for end cuts, plum line run of tube to fitting square
 

Jokester

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Don't use PETG and you will be better off. Stick to acrylic, can handle higher water temps if you did have an issue. PETG can deform and pop out easier.
 

clshades

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Hard tubing is the only water fittings I've ever seen that doesn't use a ferrule. It's stupid imo. In plumbing, all tubing uses a ferrule and soft tubing uses a ferrule and sleeve. Or barb, of course.

I doubt I'd ever use hard tube for water cooling.
 

JD

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I've had no issues with my acrylic hard tubes, not sure where you're seeing failures due to pressure.

I make sure my cuts are straight, usually sand it down with sandpaper on a flat surface, then chamfer (hope that's the term) the inside/outside edges with one of these: https://www.dazmode.com/shop/waterc...-internal-and-external-reamer-deburring-tool/. If you're bending the tubes, make sure you aren't over heating or over working them. And make sure it's not too long either where you're putting unnecessary strain on the tube once its in the fittings.

If you're really concerned, I think something like this: https://www.dazmode.com/shop/waterc...-fittings/air-exhaust-fitting-silver-shining/ would help relieve any pressure in the loop too if you left it open, though at the same time that means letting air in all the time too I would think.

The only time I had an issue with pressure build up in my loop was when I was feeding water into my reservoir with a pump without having any opening/drain. I don't even recall closing the drain port. That blew out the oring on my GPU block and leaked everywhere, but my hard tubes and fittings were fine. Really stupid mistake on my part 😂
 

Entz

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If you're really concerned, I think something like this: https://www.dazmode.com/shop/waterc...-fittings/air-exhaust-fitting-silver-shining/ would help relieve any pressure in the loop too if you left it open, though at the same time that means letting air in all the time too I would think.
You can get ones like this that are G1/4 sizes. I have on in the top of my Res. I will see if I can find a link (its like NCIX days old).

Edit: Oh those are G1/4 yeah same idea. Definitely not needed but can be useful. This is the one I was thinking of (and have):
 
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sswilson

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I started using pressure relief waaaaay back in the game. I’m surprised this is overlooked.

Is there really all that much pressure buildup in a flexible tube WC loop though? It's not like you're turning the water into steam, and there should be some amount of "give" in the flexible tubing itself.

I understand the concern in a closed loop metal pipe system, but never thought it would be that big of a deal in a soft tube WC setup.
 

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