Filling a loop. how to?

[walkitiki]

If everything goes how it should, I will be filling up my first loop when I get home from work today!!.. I just need to figure out how to do it. This is what I've got so far:

** Plumb all the tubing
** Fill resevoir with water
** Start pump
** Let pump run until it begins to take in air and turn it off
** Repeat above three steps until their is an excess of water in the res

My question is this: How do you get your pump to run without turning on the entire system? Also, as far as a GPU cooler goes, is there an input and output like with the CPU cooler, or does it not matter? I have this (http://www.alphacool.de/xt/product_info.php/products_id/3278/cPath/5_26_27/alphacool-pumps/alphacool-ap910-centrifugal-pump-12volts.html) pump, which is input and output?

These are basic questions I know, but it seems very hard to find the most basic of questions on all the watercooling sites. Danger Den's (http://www.dangerden.com) website had some nice videos, but I still don't know how to jump start the pump. Thanks in advance,

[jokkos]

First of all, I never used the pump you have, but from the link you posted the output should be the one going up (or the one that is movable in this case), the input is the horizontal one.

In answer to your main question: the turning on/off of the pump alone can be done by connecting only the pump to your power supply. (I use an older spare power supply for this). You can start a power supply without connecting it the your mainboard by connecting pin 14 and pin 16 (I think) of the 20-pin connector. This can be done by attaching a wire to them (it's easy if your power supply has a power switch, so you can leave the wire on the pins). Or you can buy this:
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=101&products_id=2850

[CandyKid]

Simply put, you're just trying to make a short between the green wire and any black (ground) on your 20-pin connector. Same goes for 24-pin PSU's. Paper-clips work wonders here.

This will turn on the juice so make sure ONLY your pump is connected to the PSU.

As for the pump, jokkos is correct, the input is in the center of the pump, the output is the off-set one comming out at an angle.

PLUR
CK

[walkitiki]

Thanks guys, I'll git 'er done (so to speak) when I get home. I have a spare PSU that came with an old chieftec/chenming case from a long time so I'll use that to start the pump.

[DickNervous]

The pump you are using is a centrifugal pump, which basically means that the inlet if the center and the impeller moves the water around to go out the top, which is the outlet.

As the others said, you can use a paper clip to short the black and green wires of the PSU, or use a PSU tester, to turn on the pump by itself.

However, before you do that you fill the res with water and try to get the tube between the res and pump to be filled. Move tubes, the pump, the whole case if needed to get the system as full as possible. Then using the switch on the back of the PSU turn it on for a moment and then off when the res is empty. Refill res and repeat until the entire loop if full. You want to avoid running the pump dry at all costs since it can destroy it.

Finally, the GPU coolers normally do not have inlet/outlet designations.

Good luck!

[Fibbles]

It doesn't matter on the Graph-O-Matic - either one will work as the inlet or outlet. Use whichever is the easiest to route.

The usual 'rule' would be that when [the block] is mounted, you would want to have the water go in the bottom port and exit thru the top. If the block has a specific inlet and outlet (with a NexXxos XP, the inlet would be right over the cups and poins while the outlet would be where the water leaves both areas), you'll want to orient it so that the inlet is on the bottom. If that's not possible, then don't worry. If it's sideways, either works.

Just make sure the pump is able to suck water and make sure you're able to keep it fed with water and turn it on.

Step 2 is getting the air out.

My first time was easier than most because I used a filltank. That's just a reservoir directly attached to the pump, but they only work for some pumps (the DDC has some, most Eheim 1046/1048's, some Hydor's). I also noticed that with a filltank, you can put another reservoir almost anywhere in the loop and not worry about flow issues (or at least I was able to).

[walkitiki]

Thanks for the advice guys, but I didn't get there tonight. I dropped my pump (its a heavy bastage). I didn't think it would seal as well (it felt a little loose) and it doesn't. Upon filling the res, it just leaked all over. It's almost like it's missing an o-ring, but I don't think there was one to begin with (?). Should I caulk it up, or just order a new pump?

btw. i'm so pissed.

[Fibbles]

Thanks for the advice guys, but I didn't get there tonight. I dropped my pump (its a heavy bastage). I didn't think it would seal as well (it felt a little loose) and it doesn't. Upon filling the res, it just leaked all over. It's almost like it's missing an o-ring, but I don't think there was one to begin with (?). Should I caulk it up, or just order a new pump?

btw, I'm so pissed.

If dropping it damaged it, you'd see a crack or parts of the plastic would have broken or chipped off. No o-ring or a broken o-ring would cause a leak becuase of no sealing.

Who'd you order it from? Frozen? Complain to them. If you can get another one or a new part directly from Alphacool, it's going to be a 2-3 week wait. You could do some measuring and get another o-ring from a local hardware store. It just need to have the right diameter and thickness as the original would, but that could be hard to figure out w/out having the original one.

If you do get another pump, you could go for something like the Laing DDC with the plexi top or filltank. That's got half the flow but nearly double to triple the head and if you're using a NexXxos XP, the head pressure will be more effective than flow will. They come in 3 flavors: normal, Pro and Ultra. Unless you really need all the extra power, go for the cheapest one (Performance PC's has them for cheaper than Frozen CPU). The Eheim 600 compact inside the square shaped reservoir's another one to check out if you're not too worrysome about a pump with less head pressure. Either of the 12v Eheim 1046 based pump's are good (the Aquastream or the HPPS) and they can effectively overvolt into Eheim 1048's, but they're pricey.

How about this one: http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=230&cat=4&page=1? It's pretty cheap, 12v and if you were able to get a new Alphacool pump, the Mag 2 could help get you up and running while waiting. It has G1/4" connections, so all of your fittings easily plug in.

[walkitiki]

I went ahead an ordered the Laing DDC pro from performance-pcs. There was chipped plastic when I inspected the inside of the rotating piece. Hopefully the new pump will get here before the weekend.. I've been so excited to get my WC'ed rig up and running but its been delay after delay.. ::sigh::

[fivecheebs]

Bummer! Thats the uprated version of my pump (AP1500) without the 24V step up transformer. You should be pleased with the DDC though. My kit came with a socket that does the paperclip trick ... its a shame they arent including that any more.

You got any pics of your pump damaged? maybe it could be salvaged.

Try not to let the pump suck in air, as DN said, its very bad for the pump. It also makes bleeding a right bugger the more air you let through.



with a NexXxos XP, the inlet would be right over the cups and poins while the outlet would be where the water leaves both areas)

Fibbs, i thought all the XP blocks had, clearly labeled, side inlets and outlets, the center plate re-routes the water over the jets. Is there another top i dont know about?

[Fibbles]

Bummer! Thats the uprated version of my pump (AP1500) without the 24V step up transformer. You should be pleased with the DDC though. My kit came with a socket that does the paperclip trick ... its a shame they arent including that any more.

You got any pics of your pump damaged? maybe it could be salvaged.

Try not to let the pump suck in air, as DN said, its very bad for the pump. It also makes bleeding a right bugger the more air you let through.


Fibbs, i thought all the XP blocks had, clearly labeled, side inlets and outlets, the center plate re-routes the water over the jets. Is there another top i dont know about?

Yeah, they're all labeled. Just illustrating that you want to 'in' to be on the bottom and 'out' to be on top unless you can get it sideways.

[CandyKid]

I have the small Laing DDC and am very happy with it, I'll definately be going with another of their pumps in the future.

PLUR
CK

[Pug]

You want to avoid running the pump dry at all costs since it can destroy it.

Qutoed for truth.

I tend to siphon prime my pumps before powering them, personally.
Essentially, I disconnect the return pipe to the res and suck the coolant pretty much all the way through the loop, then put my finger over the res outlet to keep the fluid level in equilibrium while I reconnect the pipe.

As for your pump, James; is it leaking where the round part meets the pump body?
if so, push the round part towards the body, whilst rotating it clockwise (in relation to the body).
It's a bayonet fitting, I'm willing to bet you dislodged it when you dropped it.
Hope I caught you before you ordered the replacement if it is.