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Tubing size

N

Nemesis429

Weaksauce
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
97
Has anyone got a side by side comparision of tubing as i would like to see the physical size differences, cheers.

p.s. first time posting a thread here so don't hate :D
 
Go to Home Depot, look in the plumbing section.

Take a ruler.:D
 
Plastic tubing comes in a number of diameters.
Nearly all used in watercooling has a 1/8th inch wall thickness....ie 3/8 inch inner diameter and 1/2 inch outer diameter.

Commom sizes are here:http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/tubing.html

What people use in their systems is arbitrary. The larger the ID the more expensive the bard or compression fittings.

I use 3/8 ID and 1/2OD, which is also 10mm/12mm in Europe and popular there.

Here alot of people use 1/2 ID by 5/8 OD.

To appreciate the tubing, you just need to actually look at it in person, Lowes and Home Depot have plastic tubing as do stores that sell fish tanks.
 
There is a thread about 2 inches below the one you just posted with the exact same title as yours, check that out. The guy posted a pic where he has 1/2" tubing and then has a reducer to 3/8", you can barely tell the difference in the pic.
 
IMG_3686.jpg
 
Nemesis429 said:
Has anyone got a side by side comparision of tubing as i would like to see the physical size differences, cheers.

p.s. first time posting a thread here so don't hate :D
Click to expand...

Dont get all butt hurt, what he said is perfectly logical... ACE Hardware, Home Depot, Lowes etc all have PVC Tubing and other flexible tubing that come in the standard sizes...
 
magoo said:
Plastic tubing comes in a number of diameters.
Nearly all used in watercooling has a 1/8th inch wall thickness....ie 3/8 inch inner diameter and 1/2 inch outer diameter.
Click to expand...

That's a 1/16th wall. 1/8th inch wall would be 3/8-5/8.
 
bacon11 said:
That's a 1/16th wall. 1/8th inch wall would be 3/8-5/8.
Click to expand...

3/8 = 6/16th
1/2 = 8/16th

that leaves 2/16th of an inch somewhere. 2/16th is 1/8 unless my math is incorrect.

The distance from the inner portion of the tube to the outer portion of the tube would be then 1/8 of an inch. That distance is the thickness of the wall of the tube. May not be convention, but the math is correct.

I do understand your comment, the wall thickness is conventionally listed as 1/16th, even though there are 2/16ths between the inside and the outside.....like this listing here: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2121/ex-mis-01/38_ID_-_12OD_PVC_Clear_Tubing.html?tl=g30c99s171

Nevermind.....I must be braindead.....side to side = 1/2 inch, therefore 1/16 wall thickness each side = 1/8 inch.....I was asleep at the wheel and you are correct......my mistake.
 
Last edited:
I'm from the UK guys, also which tubing is what in that picture?

Can you guys show me a couple more pictures with 3/8" and 1/2" tubing please guys?

Cheers
 
Last edited:
Nemesis429 said:
I'm from the UK guys, also which tubing is what in that picture?

Can you guys show me a couple more pictures with 3/8" and 1/2" tubing please guys?

Cheers
Click to expand...

The picture above shows the Swiftech MCP 655 pump and it's standard pump top which has 1/2 inch ID barbs. The clear plastic tubing directly attached to the pump barbs is a reducer.......1/2" ID to 3/8" ID (the black tubing is 3/8" ID tubing according to the OP in that thread.)

The wisest way to work with the MCP 655 or MCP 355 pumps is to buy an aftermarket pump top which has G 1/4 fittings allowing you to fit ANY size ID/OD bard or compression thus dictating yourself the tube size and position of the fittings.
 
Yeah, i've been looking at the EK D5 TOP v2, and i suspected those sizes, cheers.

What about this, what size tubing do you guys reckon this is?

45257449.jpg
 
I believe those monsoon compression fittings only come in 1/2", so I'd say the tubing is 1/2" :)
 
They do not look like Monsoon compressions. They have a hole in the compression ring wall. LINK

To me they look like EK compressions, but I cannot tell the size from the pic. Most likely 3/4"ODx1/2"ID
 
Monsoons come in 3/8-5/8 and 1/2-3/4 currently. Last I heard, they're working on 3/8-1/2 and 1/2-5/8.

Also, those aren't Monsoon fittings in there... the look like Bitspower or some other "standard" type compressions.
 
Can anyone confirm the size of those compression fittings?

Cheers.

edit: found closer shot

black-ops-assassin-unique-internal-design.jpg
 
Looks as if they are 3/8th ID and a 5/8th posted in their forums, now i'm not sure what size to pick arrrgh...

I'm either gonna go with

3/8IN ID 5/8IN

or

1/2IN ID 3/4IN

Hmm...
 
Last edited:
There's no performance difference between the two.

If you like the look of larger tubing, go with the 1/2" 3/4". If you have some tight bends you need to do and/or you like smaller tubing, go with the 3/8" 5/8".
 
That's what I redid my loop with. Man, IT"S BIG, lol.

Came out really good though. I am liking the look of the Fatter pipes, lol. Quick and dirty pic with my Galaxy Nexus.

IMG_20120309_002255.jpg
 
Last edited:
Wingless92 said:
That's what I redid my loop with. Man, IT"S BIG, lol.

Came out really good though. I am liking the look of the Fatter pipes, lol.
Click to expand...

Everyone one likes fatter pipes. :cool:

On a serious note, the size difference may seem small when you look at it on paper. But once you have everything installed, 1/2ID with a 3/4OD looks amazing compared to a 3/8 ID, 5/8 OD
 
I went from

3/8ID-1/2OD

to

1/2ID -3/4OD

I really didn't care if it offered any performance increase. I just wanted the right ID tubing size for the D5 pump. The barbs that are on it are 1/2ID so that is what I ordered.

I think it came out great.
 
Thanks! I am happy with it. I like builds that are very understated and I think I nailed it.
 
Wingless92 said:
I went from

3/8ID-1/2OD

to

1/2ID -3/4OD

I really didn't care if it offered any performance increase. I just wanted the right ID tubing size for the D5 pump. The barbs that are on it are 1/2ID so that is what I ordered.

I think it came out great.
Click to expand...

Looks good but you know you could have bought a D5 top that would have increased its performance and allowed you to use any size fittings you wanted? Just thought I'd mention it ;) http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1..._G14_VersionBP-D5TOPP2-BK.html?tl=g30c107s156

EK makes one as well.
 
mikemodano9c said:
I would do 1/2ID - 3/4OD

I just think if you are serious less than 1/2ID is too narrow.
Click to expand...

If you are serious about watercooling you'd know that the 1/2" ID vs 3/8" ID debate has been settled for a long time now. Difference has no impact on temps. So choose the size you find more pleasing for you.
 
xenon expert said:
If you are serious about watercooling you'd know that the 1/2" ID vs 3/8" ID debate has been settled for a long time now. Difference has no impact on temps. So choose the size you find more pleasing for you.
Click to expand...

Plus smaller tubes fit in smaller spaces and can do tighter bends, and you can fit more tubing in.

G1/4 means that the bottom of the fitting (where it screws into the component) is going to be slightly smaller than 1/2" ID anyway (meaning a 5/8 ID tube is still going to have to go through <1/2" holes at every junction). It really makes no difference, just pick the one you asthetically like, or the one you can find all the right fittings for.
 
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