Leaky Reservoir | Linus Tech Tips | Page 1

paper wing May 7, 2023, 8:30 AM

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I built a hard-line water cooled system a few weeks ago (why would I do this to myself) and found out just today that the reservoir leaks. I checked for leaks at the time of building but the leak is ridiculously small, probably 1-2 drops per day. For now I have a paper towel stuffed in the case but I'm trying to find a more permanent solution, I have come up with the following and would greatly appreciate some outside perspectives:

Buy another, identical res/pump (I might be able to RMA the one I have but it's a Corsair one and I'm based in Europe, which means at least a month without a PC) and just swap them out
Buy a different pump/res and connect it up with soft tubing (I think I heard you're not supposed to mix tubing but I can't remember)
Aquarium putty
Screw water, go back to air cooling (I'm quite the fan of this approach, btw)

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 9:00 AM

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And what do you want from us? 🙂

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@paper wing what do you want from us?

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:14 AM

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Wondering if there's something I'm missing, or something I haven't considered

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 9:15 AM

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well have you checked all the out and incoming connections of the reservoir?

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Could just be a plug.

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what kind of reservoir? 🙂

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:16 AM

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rocky meteor well have you checked all the out and incoming connections of the reservoir?

I have, wrapped paper towels around all the fittings for a few days, no water

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:16 AM

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rocky meteor what kind of reservoir? 🙂

Corsair Hydro X Series XD5

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 9:16 AM

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ah I love the D5 pumps

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I own one myself as well.

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have you confirmed where the leaks are coming from?

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:20 AM

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No, I'm currently working on that
Very hard to pinpoint it when it's such a small leak

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 9:20 AM

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do you got rubber bands and paper towels?

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like the big paper towel ones? 🙂

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:20 AM

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Kitchen paper towel roll?

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I think I have rubber bands, let me go check

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Worst case scenario I can go get some literally next door

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 9:21 AM

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yeah I would just try and get some kitchen paper around it and see where the leak is coming from 🤔

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:22 AM

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I'll do that, keep you posted 🙂
Thanks!

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 9:22 AM

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I had a similar issue, turned out to be a fitting was not properly screwed in

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and hat to tighten it up .

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and another time one of the O rings was being crappy

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Most likely culprits are the fittings

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:23 AM

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I'll re-check the fittings, too
Just in case

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:53 AM

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@rocky meteor it has been a minute since I've done something like this, it's kinda nice actually

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I found the leak, it's on the back

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 9:58 AM

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you sure its not the top Coupling?

paper wing May 7, 2023, 9:59 AM

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Every time I put a paper towel in the back it's wet

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On the front there's like a plastic fitting, there's one on the back as well

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It's wet

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:00 AM

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is there a O ring on the reservoir?

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As in I have no idea how the reservoir is connected to the pump .

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:01 AM

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rocky meteor is there a O ring on the reservoir?

I haven't touched that stopper fitting, so it's as is from the box

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I'm gonna have to drain the whole goddamn loop

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Ffs

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:02 AM

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🤷‍♂️ well I started going on to distilled water

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because its frigging cheap

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:03 AM

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I have extra coolant, but I heard it like "goes bad" after a year or two

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So once that happens I'll switch to distilled water and not think about it again

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:03 AM

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Mostly the one with colorization is hard

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:03 AM

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Mine's clear

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:03 AM

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Since it clogs up the fins.

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aslong as you have no growth or anything you will be fine 🙂

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:04 AM

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Nice

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Ok how do I empty the loop

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Do I need the pump on? Or just move the case around a lot

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:05 AM

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well do you got an extra tube , a flexible one?

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:05 AM

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Nope

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I have only hard tube

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:05 AM

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do you got a feet bucket? 😛

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:05 AM

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But I have a spout

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:05 AM

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rocky meteor do you got a feet bucket? 😛

Let me see 😂

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:05 AM

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something in that size

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:06 AM

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I was planning on using a funnel to try and get it all back in the bottle

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:06 AM

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aslong as the bucket is very clean up front I would see why not

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:06 AM

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I have a mop bucket, let me clean it and use that

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I think it's good enough but since I don't trust myself I'm going to order distilled water

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Oh wow it really is dirt cheap

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@rocky meteor ok I have a bucket

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Just open the drain port and try and get it in the bucket?

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:14 AM

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yep

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make sure the pc is disconnected

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and turned off

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:17 AM

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Yup

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This is gonna take a while, isn't it

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:21 AM

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yes

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:46 AM

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and once your done its inspection time of the reservoir / pump combi

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and see if you spot anything weird

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:47 AM

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I was about to say I just finished emptying it

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😂

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:47 AM

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oh I just went to store 🤷‍♂️ bought some stuff

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groceries 🥲

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:48 AM

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Noice, I'm gonna go see if I can get distilled water in person because from what I found it'll take a couple days before I get it from amazon

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:48 AM

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usually most grocery stores have it 🤔

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at least in NL

paper wing May 7, 2023, 10:48 AM

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I'm in ES so we'll see 😂

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Gonna inspect the pump/res first

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Ty for all your help 😄

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 10:49 AM

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Np, just being here on the side road, helping 🙂

paper wing May 7, 2023, 11:06 AM

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I found the problem 🙃

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I had skipped a thread on the back one

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Heading down to see if I can get distilled water now

paper wing May 7, 2023, 11:24 AM

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@rocky meteor what now, put it all back in, fill it, and hope and pray?

paper wing May 7, 2023, 11:47 AM

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Welp I'm doing that

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Wish me luck

rocky meteor May 7, 2023, 3:33 PM

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well nothing wrong found?

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nothing weird found when opening it up ?

#Leaky Reservoir