Watercooling Enthoo Pro

Soldato
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I managed to pick up a 2080ti on the MM, but it came with a waterblock, which means I have had to give up on my nice, simple AIOs and build a new loop. I currently have:

Phanteks Enthoo Pro Mid Tower Case with Window
EK Water Blocks EK-DBAY D5 PWM (incl. pump)
EK Water Blocks EK-Velocity AMD CPU Water Block - Copper + Plexi
EK Water Blocks EK-CoolStream SE 420 (Slim Triple Fan) Radiator

The plan is to run it as a single loop, using as clean and simple a tube layout as possible. I am having a hard time working out how to make filling and draining easy (although I plan to do as little maintenance as possible, but we all know how well that works out :rolleyes:) I have done a quick mock up and have this so far:

Watercooled1.jpg


The Bayres has the pump built in with in and out on the back, as well as a fillport on top - how easy is it to fill the system from the bayres, bearing in mind the rad is higher than it?

The dead end bottom right is where I was thinking about putting in a drain port - what's the easiest solution to allow easy emptying of the system?

I did consider putting the Bayres at the bottom of the case, upside down, and using the fillport as the fill and drain point (just turn the case upside down to fill) - but I'm not sure if it will run properly the wrong way up.

Also - I will still have to pick up the fittings - any reason to pay twice as much for the EK-torque STC 10/16 rather than the EK-STC Classics?
 
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Soldato
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I've had a little replan - added an additional 240 rad to the front and moved the routing around:

Watercooled2.jpg


The idea is to keep the visible tubing as clean as possible. What is the best way to manage the drainport? Are there any guides or clips I can attach to the frame of the drivebay to guide the tubes and keep them straight (not going through the pain of hardline!) The fillport on the bayres is on top - which looks like it will be a nighmare to reach - does anyone have one of these - any tips?
 
Associate
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I've had a few Aquatubes in my days which is a similar experience. I assume the 5 1/4" bays are fully tooless, i'd leave a bit of slack on both the outlet and inlet connections, so you can pull the res slightly out of the case to fill the loop. If you don't want to drill out a fill port in the case... on the assumption the case doesn't have one.

In keeping the loop as clean as possible, i'd run black zmt tubes behind the mobo area and clear tube exposed (if you want to see the coolant.. otherwise zmt all the way).. in which case, i would flip the top rad so the connections are near the rear of the case and run the loop like:

Res/pump > top rad (by hiding tube behind mobo) > cpu > gpu > front rad > back to res.

For the drain valve.. thats a bit difficult.. probably attach it to an empty port on the gpu block or run a T fitting on either rad

Pic for reference..
https://ibb.co/HBVKPFc

Edit: In case you are curious why i added a T fitting top rad as a possible location. It'll make sense if you drain with the case sitting on its rear
 
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Soldato
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If the gpu block is the lowest point, you don't need to build in a drain. Here's how you drain. Turn the case upside down. The gpu's underside is now the highest point. Undo a blanking plug. Add a barb and some tubing. Turn the case back upright. Open the top of the bayres. Bingo.
 
Soldato
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I did consider having the rad barbs at the back of the case, but I think I get a cleaner line by hiding them near the front. I think I will be going with the Black EK tubing - should give the case a nice look. With everything install, very little will actually be visible, depending on whether I route the tubes above or below the GPU it will be:

Watertop.png


or

Watertop2.png


Not sure which I prefer - and will probably have to see it in the flesh to decide - but I will probably go for 45° fittings between the CPU and GPU and a 90° out of the GPU - again - should keep the tubing nice and straight (almost like hardlines, without the swearing!)

I like the idea of a drain out of the GPU, and on the original design that would have benn perfect - unfortunately, with the front rad installed the bottom of it will be right by the bottom of the case. However, if I combine both those ideas it could work - I could flip the fron rad so the fittings are at the bottom, and put a T piece with a ball valve on it - when I want to drain I'll just add a length of tube and let it dangle down - should drain a treat.
 
Soldato
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Alternatively - if I vertically mount to GPU I could hide almost all the pipework:

Enthoo-Pro-Side.png


I'll definitely flip the front rad so I can drain from it - guessing a t-piece on one of the barbs with a stop **** attached for ease of use.

Does anyone know if there are any guide clips you can use for the tubes to keep them together like for cables? Or what they are called?
 
Soldato
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vertical gpu does nicely hide but be aware the route from the back of the card to the cpu inlet requires quite a turn. You will absolutely need at least a 90 on the cpu inlet. Also the gpu inlet is the one nearest the back of the case and the outlet nearer the front - unless you plumb it backwards which kinda works but isn't recommended - which means your neat straight lines won't work.

This is in a Phanteks P500A



This goes pump to back inlet on gpu, then gpu to cpu. cpu to rad, rad to pump top. Putting the cpu block that way round avoided the need for the pipes to cross.
 
Soldato
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Thanks for the heads up on the inlet/outlet on the GPU - hadn't had a chance to look at it properly yet. In a weird way it may make things easier to line up - even if it needs a bit more tubing - I can use a 90° on the gpu and then let the tube loop lazily round from the inlet to the CPU outlet (which is on the right side of the block. It means the tubes cross under the card, but it should be alright.

Enthoo-Pro-Sideinoput.png


There is quite a lot of card to hide under so I'm hoping the bends won't be too tight - I'd rather not use extra 90s mid tube

Looking at the short gap between the CPU block and the edge of the Card, I wonder if I could cheat with a couple of static extenders and make it look like metal tubing :)
 
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Soldato
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If you look at my pic carefully you'll see that I've done two 90s to then do straight pipe down to the cpu inlet.

Do remember that the cpu block can be rotated even on AMD. You just need to detach it from the mounting, turn it and reattach.
 
Soldato
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That could be helpful - I didn't want to rotate the block as the writing would then be upside down - but if I can just rotate the block that could simplify thing - cheers.

Do you know if anyone makes any guide loops for the tubes? Ideally I would want to place a couple of rings inside the drive cage to act as guides for the tubes - can't seem to find anything like that in the watercooling world - was considering just using some velcro loops - I guess the advantage with them is it is easy to take apart.
 
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Looking at the short gap between the CPU block and the edge of the Card, I wonder if I could cheat with a couple of static extenders and make it look like metal tubing :)

That could also work.. I mean most people would be looking at the rig head on so they won't notice it.. only if you are looking at a down angle you might. Kidna similar how my Jonsbo looks. My GPU outlet to chipset inlet used to be this way.. around 2x28mm static extenders and a 90degree connector on either side, before i converted them to hardline

72jDE00.jpg

24Z0Cgo.jpg

In terms of tube guide.. not to my knowledge, however the guides for copper pipes might work.. depending on the tube size you are going for though
 
Soldato
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Wow - that's and awesome build! Must have been quite a challenge to install - not a lot of room to spare. That pic is really useful - I had wondered if the 50mm extensions would be enough and was going to get 2 - but seeing how close the block is the the GFX card I may measure before I order :D. I did consider plumbing supplies for the tubing guides (just though we would have been beyond that these days - been a long time since I have to salvage heater matrixes from cars and run plumbing through the wall to cool my PC!) What is the black box at the base - flow/temp probe?
 
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Wow - that's and awesome build! Must have been quite a challenge to install - not a lot of room to spare. That pic is really useful - I had wondered if the 50mm extensions would be enough and was going to get 2 - but seeing how close the block is the the GFX card I may measure before I order :D. I did consider plumbing supplies for the tubing guides (just though we would have been beyond that these days - been a long time since I have to salvage heater matrixes from cars and run plumbing through the wall to cool my PC!) What is the black box at the base - flow/temp probe?


Yeah.. even surprised myself how cramped it would be.. and well i bought a bit too many fittings (probs enough for 2 builds anyways) as i let my brain gather a bunch of ideas before i took ownership of the case. Yeah the black box is a BarrowCH Multimode flow meter, though i'm contemplating replacing this with a simpler one. This one is no good since the display has changed to this.. probs due to fluctuating water temp but still.

Oj4DJK4l.jpg
 
Soldato
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Ha! Thought it had swapped back into Mandarin for a second on the close up there :D I am tempted by a temp sensor, but realistically you can get a good enough feel from the component temps so I'll probably save the cash for now. I really wasn't prepared for how expensive custom loops are when you start adding in all the fittings :eek:
 
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haha yeah.. i'd actually say the most expensive part in a watercooling loop are the fittings.. well depending on brand of fittings anyways. I spent around £200-300 for the Jonsbo build.. Bitspower for you.. and some of them were imported from the states
 
Soldato
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I miss the days when the scrap yard provided my radiator, steel screw clamps were the closest thing we had to fittings to secure the cheap tubing to the barbs, and the pump came from an aquarium shop! If you spent more than £100 it was extravagent and you were probably moving into pelts or phase :)
 
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