Few basic Qs

[cah]

Right hi all. Here is one old chestnut for you, but i couldn't find the answer with the search function.
a) Which is better, screw fit connectors or push-fit connectors?
b) How would i hook up a laing D5 with 10/8mm fittings?

Also, where would i find in the uk either screw fit or pushfit connectors that don't require teflon/ptfe tape for sealant - as in this 'rubber o-ring' type? I've found G3/8" ones that fit the bill on the thermochill site but would like to find some for a G1/4" thread.
Would these be ok without tape? :
Alphacool ones (http://www.alphacool.de/xt/product_info.php/products_id/1204/cPath/5_45_246/screw-connection-adapters-10mm/screw-connector-rotary-1-4--to-10-8mm:.html)


THANKS!!!

p.s. setup i will eventually put together:
lian-li PC-G70b
PA120.3 (gotta work out what fans though).
laing D5 (can you get that for 10/8mm??)
danger den dual floppy bay res
alphacool nexxxos XP
MCT-5 coolant.

All 10/8mm or 3/8" OD for 3/8" ID according to danger den?

[Fibbles]

Airlines sells them, but you may have to add your own o-ring. Those Alphacool ones are fine too as are most (if not all) sold at Alphacool and at most water cooling stores. If it has an o-ring you don't need tape or sealant.

To answer the question, it depends. Neither is "better" than the other, they just do it differently.

Pushfits could be seen as better since the OD of the tube fits directly into the fitting letting the ID have a full unobstructed access to the flow (Pug can explain it better). The downside is needing to use somewhat stiff tubing.

Screw on fittings (aka compressions) work by having the tube fit over a nipple end that's secured with a locking ring/nut. You can use very soft tubing, but some of the problems are that the tubing will often bend in the direction you turn the locking nut. I use these kinds with 5/16" Tygon tubing and 11mm Alphacool nuts.

As far as I'm aware, you can't get a Laing D5 with a direct 8/10 connection. You would either need to use downsizers/converters and connect that to the 1/2" connector on the pump or boil a 3/8" ID hose head and slip it over the pump's 1/2" barb and then convert that 3/8" run to your 8/10 tubing.

Perhaps one of these: http://www.alphacool.de/xt/index.php/cPath/5_45_52/category/sleeves---ball-valves.html will screw onto this: http://www.alphacool.de/xt/product_info.php/products_id/4033/cPath/5_26_267/laing-pumps/pum-laing-d5-pump-12v-d5-vario-1-2--ot.html

Do you already have the pump or is there another reason to use the D5? The DDC is capable and offers many attachment options like plexi tops and filltanks and even a G1/4" direct screw thread on the pump (Alphacool sell many different versions).

[cah]

Hey, thanks fibbles.
Also from what i've read tubes can rotate nicely in pushfit whereas they start to twist in compression fits. Unfortunately I had a very bad experience with terrible asetek push-fit connectors hence my reluctance...
I would push in the button and the tube would still be a chore to remove.

Only reason i was thinking of the D5 was the rheostat on it to control flow speed so i can trade off between ultimate power and silence when i want to - and also because i want to put an alphacool block on it and eventually one of those G80 water cooled beasts i thought the D5 would have more than enough power for everything including the rad.

I've worked out how everything would fit together, but they sell the D5 with 2x 1/2" fittings....so i don't have a clue what fitting i would need to get it to the 10/8mm tubing. Would i simply need another G1/4" thread in the D5?
Having looked at that page (thanks because i didn't see it before) I would need a G1/2" to a G1/4" reducer and then the normal G1/4" thread:
Adapter (http://www.alphacool.de/xt/product_info.php/products_id/4070/cPath/5_45_52/sleeves---ball-valves/ansz-adapter-g1-2-od-to-g1-4-id.html)

Yeah, i didn't particularly care about a filltank because i was going to go with a dual floppy bay res (which i assume takes G1/4" thread too right?)

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

I would push in the button and the tube would still be a chore to remove.


You will get that with all push-fit connectors. ;-)

[cah]

yeah, well this time i won't care so much as i'll use mct-5. That can go everywhere!!!

Worst thing was with the push fit is that it would spray water everywhere because you couldn't do it in a controlled way without taking 10mins lol :(

[fivecheebs]

If this is for draining and filling then maybe a different res choice, or a drain valve is in order.

The alphacool info on the pump states it has 1/2" threads that need to be sealed with PTFE. It sounds like it could be a tapered thread of some kind, but im not sure which. See if you can find a product sheet or exploded diagram with measurements for it. You might be able to find a fitting that reduces at the same time as giving you a 10mm push fit.

It also could be worth considering a custom fill tank with a thread that fits directly on the pump inlet.

[cah]

Nah, I've never had a bay res before. I have no intention using the crap asetek kit ever ever again.

How would i seal with ptfe tape (as i have some at home anyway)?
Just wrap it around the 1/2" adapter then screw it in and voila?

Hmmm, yet again I'm going to have to decide between ease and lower performance with the DDC-ultra or D5 hassle and no regrets.

Yeah, I'm going to find the laing site and see what i can dig up. PErhaps i should buy the kit and then fiddle....but i would much prefer having everything sorted before i buy. AFter all I can't do anything until term is over anyway.
Only one of the D5 pages mentions tape....

WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO COMPLICATED? waaa. At least if everything clearly stated G1/4" or G1/2" etc and then the tube 10/8mm or 3/8in OD or 1/2" OD for everything i would be fine. Just they never make it clear. And i saw the pump you were looking at and it simply has a blank bit for the fitting you need....:(
Haha, edit - switched to german and noticed the hyperlinks - DUH sorry.

Right, I finally see the difference I hope
One has G1/2" (the tube one) and the other has an outer screw on ring or 2X1/2" Outer Thread (OT?). You need the weird adapter and tape for the one with the yellow sticker on. And you just need the G1/2" to G1/4" for the other which you can do with an o-ringed adapter.

Thanks guys.

[cah]

Oops, wrong again -
http://www.lainginc.com/images/PumpHousing.jpg

This is the threaded and the 1/2" tube stuff is just a simple barb.

So i would need to go for the threaded + the adapter + tape + G1/4" 10/8mm push fit jobbie. :(
I hope that's right.

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

I'm not sure how much of a performance difference you would see between the D5 and the DDC tbh. The DDC has more head pressure, which is more important in watercooling then flow rate. You dont have many components in your loop either.

[fivecheebs]

If it was a G1/2" thread you wouldnt need any PTFE though. PTFE is used for the tapered fittings, to give it a soft seal, exactly as you explained. Wrap it round the external thread and screw the fitting on. I'm not sure you'd have much success sealing a parallel thread with PTFE, but i guess it might work. :shrug: I'd expect any parallel threads to have a flat area at the end of the threaded part for the o-ring to seal against. It might be there, but i didnt notice it from the pics on the alphacool site.

If you'll have regrets with the DDC then dont get it. Maybe you should email the supplier to ask them the specs of the threads on the D5. there could even be versions about with different threads so i'd be checking anyway.

Rather than a weird adapter, look at the fittings available Here (http://www.airlines-pneumatics.co.uk/webcat/product-index2.asp?CATID=6) for example. The Legris LF3600s are nice. I dont like adapters much, so i try to avoid them if i can.

Thats a very good point about the DDC to be honest DRB, I didnt even think of looking.

[cah]

So you guys think that the DDC will be fine even if i add a water cooled G80 to the mix??

I have to admit i do appreciate the ease of installation and the tank of the DDC ultra.
But the D5 is variable...mmm.

Perhaps i just made the nubbie assumption that greater flow = greater pressure? And that greater flow would be good in the nexxxos XP.

Here are the specs:
50PSI D5 vs 22PSI DDC ultra
1500L/h D5 vs 600L/h DDC
3.7m D5 vs 4.7m DDC (head/delivery height?)

I take it you guys look at delivery height more than flow? 600L/h sounds pokey when the L20 can do more and from what i remember i got that last time with the asetek because it was low flow and 0 noise.

Yep, found the female push-fit thingy. It looks perfect...except that the only 1/2" female BST goes to 12mm OD tubing not 10mm. I can of course go compression fitting as they have 1/2BSP --> 10mm.

P.s. You guys are gold.

[fivecheebs]

For us, head pressure (or lifting/delivery height) is the pumps ability to push past restrictions. The more restrictions to the loop you add, the more the flow drops (flow is laminar through the whole loop). The higher the head pressure of the pump, the smaller the effect.

When using an impingement style block like the XP, the restriction is quite high. It works by forcing the water through a series of holes creating jets that hit the cooling surface of the block.

You also have to remember that all of the measurements are taken on a completely unrestricted pump. With the G5 you are creating restrictions just by adding the fittings. This is also true of the DDC (depending on which flavor you get) but to a lesser extent because the inlet and outlets are smaller to start with. The vanilla DDC is actually quite restrictive on the inlet, but the plexi top (and filltank) with the inlet directly over the impeller improves the pumps performance.

[cah]

yeah. Well I bow to all of you here. Revised spec I'm going to plump with as soon as term ends.

PA120.3 (+ neoprene gasket?) - £57
3x NMB-MAT L - £40
2*akasa juniors - £16
Alphacool Nexxxos XP £25
DDC ultra with res. £80
2x10/8mm pur tubing £4
6x G1/4" push fit from legris. (they own!) model: 111611 (these come with o-ring right?) £10
thermochill rad grill of course. £22
PC-G70b £141
alphacool tube cutter as i fudged up so much tubing before i got it right last time!!!

£395 ohnoes. Erm. :(

[ỒĊBłůē]

alphacool tube cutter as i fudged up so much tubing before i got it right last time!!!So you're only buying 2m of the stuff? :huh:

[cah]

lol - point. well if I have the cutter i shouldn't be so spastic. but ok, make it 4m :)

In my defence i still had plenty after my botching with the asetek kit, but i don't know how much they provided (1.5m? 2?). And i botched very short lengths repeatedly lol. in a vain attempt to straighten the end out for the push-fits.

[ỒĊBłůē]

Don't sweat it - I think we're prolly all guilty of cutting tubing sections too short at some time or another (even with a cutter).

That's the reason I normally order way too much tubing ^_^

[cah]

not just bits too short - but i kept on having to trim the tubes straight!! it was a nightmare...I think that's one of the reasons why i was going for compression fittings.

That crappy asetek 120mm antarctica L20 kit scarred me. very unhappy first wc experience a couple of years ago.

[fivecheebs]

You'll love the tube cutter ^_^

I'm actually guilty of making the tubes too long. I always have to snip a bit more off :shrug:

[Fibbles]

The DDC is more than fine. Heck, I still use an Eheim 1046 based pump and it has less flow and head pressure than the DDC and it has powered a loop with 5 blocks before.

My current loop will have 2 blocks and a few reservoirs.

The DDC makes everything so easy. By res do you mean the topside reservoir or just the plexi top?

I see you've got an XP :thumb: I've got the Light version (just to see the glowing water inside ^_^ ), but will use a Scopeworks Cerberus WB1 Rev2 water block.

I like pushfits and I have had bad experiences with those on the Waterchill kits too. The hose used to slip out of the fitting all the time :angry:

[cah]

Thanks for mentioning that fibbles. it's good to know that the 1046 is enough for you. And yeah, i think the tube did that on my rad - the right connection kept on leaking and the centre hole on the wb leaked too. Now I'm taking no chances with legris fittings.

Yeah, i was going with the DDC ultra + water tank. As far as i see it the extra 100mls seem to give the ultra a weird amount of extra performance for just a small res on top....and as you guys say i just can't wait to mount it in my HD rack and have it secure rather than use some damping sticky pad.

I will check out that water block you mention too, although i think the nexxxos xp is still on top :p i hope.


Hmm - was also wondering - how many of you have an elbow fitting on your radiator?
I was looking at one setup and it made it look very neat and rather pleasing aesthetically - but would an elbow overly restrict flow?
alphacool say they are 'fast flow' but my rudimentary physics makes me think otherwise. However, it sure beats having to over bend the tubes from a simple straight fitting to get them where you want to go...especially when that might cause it to leak. Thoughts?

In fact, looking at how my loop would be setup, it seems that 4elbow connectors and two standard would be sweet. So one pointing upwards on the pump-in, one straight on the pump-out, one elbow pointing down on block-in, one pointing up on block-out, one straight for rad-in and then a final elbow for rad-out back to res. Too many restrictive elbows? Can you even accurately orient elbow connectors? Should i just keep two for either end of the rad->res line?


p.s. I am going to meticulously plan this to the absolute detail - sorry. I've got plenty of time to waste ;)