how much tubing

[Calzinger]

How much tubing would be a safe amount for my water loop? I might have to put my heatercore outside of my case. I won't be putting my heatercore like across the room from my computer, but likely right next to it.

Would 8 ft be a safe amount or could I escape with less?

I know it's hard to predict dependent upon the case and the setup, but what is the average amount that most people buy? I'd rather get more than less.

 

[pc_boy]

you want to use as little as possible, to make a more efficient loop... more tubing = more friction... harder for the pump and low waterflow, which can mess up your temps.

 

[Calzinger]

I'm not talking about how much I will use; I'm talking about how much I will buy. If I buy 8 ft but I only need 5 ft, then that is all I will use. I will save any extra should I replace the loop's tubing in the future.

 

[gaara]

I personally buy 10 feet every time, incase I make mistakes with cuts or simply need extra. You realistically only need >5 feet

 

[Nubius]

I bought 4 my first time and it wasn't enough

5 feet would have suited me for one loop.

That's about 4 feet in there...the first time around I had a longer T-line...so it's probably about 3 and a half realistically.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Man what a mess.....

 

[imation]

Haha organised chaos!

I love it.

Buy 6 feet and leave room for beginner miscuts and mistakes.

 

[waynejkruse10]

always buy a bit extra, you will always need it.

 

[Nubius]

Man what a mess.....

And? Like I give a crap what it looks like...I'm not taking it to a 'prettiest case' contest....come organize it for me then if it bothers you enough to make a useless post.

It does what it's needed to do

 

[Calzinger]

In that case, 8 ft sounds like a good extra. I would go with 10 ft, but the Tygon is very expensive.

How co I connect the tubing together? Would I need one of these dealios: Adjustable Plastic Hose Clamps? If so, think they have these available at Home Depot? Perhaps one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDU...earchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+3116&pos=n06

How often do you replace the tubing (if at all)? I'll definitely be saving any extra Tygon for a future check on the loop should I have to replace any tubing.

Ya'll know I have that ridiculously huge case. So my motherboard is at the very bottom. You can imagine how far the T-line will be. The T-line will be a bit less that 2 ft alone!

Nubius got it a bit easy there, eh? Your T-line is like 6 inches from your CPU! Look what I have to deal with:

The red-line gap is 2 ft. I'll probably end up connecting the T-line through the blue lines right after it cooles the GPU, so maybe half the distance.

I've even been having trouble trying to plan it out, despite it being such a massive case. I was thinking of putting the heatercore to the left there, but that would defeat the purpose of that left 120mm fan & 80mm intakes. It would just blow air right into the heatercore when I will have 2x120mm on it anyway. I guess it wouldn't hurt. That 120mm exhaust to the right is the only one pulling air out.

Speaking of fans (sorry to drift off-topic), should I arrange my 2x120mm on the heatercore to push air ONTO it or pull air AWAY from it?

As for messes, you should see my case. And I don't even have WC yet! That's what a massive case will do to you: place the PSU as far as possible from the mobo so everything is a damn stretch.