water cooling issue

[MightyMar22]

I have a little issue with my cooling system. there is an air bubble that builds up at the exoust tube of the CPU water block. it starts right where the metal of the water block ends and the tube begins. i have "squeezed" this air bubble like 5 times but it keeps coming back after a few days.

[ThunderRd]

T-line or reservoir in the system?

[robbie]

I usually shake the crap out of my system with the pump on (and not connected to the cpu)

That usually helps get ALL the air out of it.

[ccperf721p]

Originally Posted by ThunderRd

T-line or reservoir in the system?

That's the key right there.

Air that keeps coming back is being pulled in on the suction side of the loop. Loose connection or turbulence in the resovoir..

[ThunderRd]

Also make sure that the T-line or the res is physically higher in the box than the loop. This keeps any air in the loop coming upwards, and eventually into the res or T-line.

[MightyMar22]

sorry guys but I'm not too shabby with water cooling, i don't really know what a "T-line" is.

this is what i have

Thermaltakeusa»Chassis»Liquid Cooling Chassis»Kandalf LCS : Kandalf LCS VD4000BWS

i have the resovoir is inside the case and i'm only cooling the CPU.

[ThunderRd]

A T-line is what it's called when you put a T-connector in the loop; the "cross" of the T connects the two loop hoses and the "upright" bit remains vertical, like an upside-down letter T. The upright bit has a short piece of hose and a cap, and you want the level of coolant in it to be between the cross and the cap somewhere. When the coolant flows through the line, the air bubbles will get caught in the vertical bit, rising to the top and lowering the level in the short hose. When you see the level going down you periodically top off the system loop by filling it through the T-line. With such a setup you don't really need a reservoir[cooling performance isn't significantly improved with a reservoir], but personally I use a res and a T-line as well.

Since you don't have one, check to make sure that your res is higher in the box than the problem point. This will help the bubbles traveling in the line to exit the flow into the res. Is the coolant level in the res on the low side? Splashing in the res can cause the turbulence that ccperf spoke of, and it can get sucked into the line that way, so check that as well

Here's a photo of a T-line:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/IMG_0389.jpg

You can't see it in the pic but the vertical bit isn't very long [perhaps 5" or so] and it's capped on the end. Over time the bubbles you see in the line will ultimately get trapped in the vertical, lowering the coolant level visibly. Then you fill it.

[MightyMar22]

ohhhh, thanks for the clarification.

yeah, i don't have a T-line and my resovoir is at the bottlom of the case.

the coolant level in the res is to the max. i guess ill just have to keep squeezing the air out.

[ThunderRd]

You will have to get the res to a location above the system loop. If you don't the air will continue to return forever. If you don't want to do that, or you can't for some reason, you must install a T-line up there, or the problem will never go away, causing you all kinds of problems and inefficient cooling. This is quite dangerous to your CPU if the place where the bubbles want to collect is inside the waterblock or next to it, leaving the block insufficiently packed with coolant.

The reason is that there is always a certain small amount of evaporation even in a closed system like a watercooled loop. When the coolant evaporates, it leaves a void in the loop with air in the void. With the pump circulating the coolant, it also moves the bubbles and they will collect at a place they find comfortable-usually at or near the topmost point of the loop, and NEVER AT THE BOTTOM.

By putting your reservoir at the top of the loop, the bubbles exit into it and collect there. This is as intended; if you keep the coolant full enough in the tank the tiny bubbles will not get sucked back into the loop-they just exit the coolant flow into the space in the tank. A T-line will do the trick as well.,

[MightyMar22]

i think i will have to buy the t-line becuase i just don't have any place where to put the res other than the bottom of the case.

i also wanted to mention that when i squeeze the air from the top top, it does travel down to the res, i can see it.
maybe not all of the air is actually going in the res, some of it could be getting left behind in the black hoses that go to the radiator.

[ThunderRd]

Try the T-line, it's easy to do with common parts and I'm fairly sure it will solve your problem.

[MightyMar22]

i got the t-line but i don't have a cap for it. they had some valves at the store where i bought it but they were for 1/2" tubbing and i have 3/8". they also had adapters available but since my drive cage seats above the water black, i didn't think i had space for the adapters and tubing.

[Samuknow]

If the T line is full and the open end is above the rest of the loop, you do not need to cap it. At leas not right now. Just keep it full and then cap it later.

[fluver]

I completely agree with ThunderRd

Lisa

aoaforums.com

[dabaerman]

Originally Posted by fluver

I completely agree with ThunderRd

Lisa

aoaforums.com

WELCOME Lisa, always nice to have another voice in the choir.

Ron