Watercooling: Water flow sensor plug?

dicko_11_is · Oct 26, 2018

Hi

Im purchasing parts for my 1st custom loop and ive got a temp sensor plug which is pretty straight forward but i want a water flow/pressure sensor too but dont like the big bulky turnstyle's etc. Is there such thing as a flow plug like the temp 1?

Anything subtle you know of for water flow?

Karadjgne · Oct 26, 2018

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/FREE-HK-postage-19mm-3-4-OD-hose-silver-clamps-10pcs-lot/1097812459.html

This is all I could find. It used to be sold on Amazon and ModMyPC etc but is not in stock anywhere. Only place to get it now is eBay or international. Everything else is just a wheel or spinner strip that come in different sizes from about 1" square with or without RGB, on up. To go beyond this will mean something like using an Aquacomputer setup and thats going to be expensive.

dicko_11_is · Oct 26, 2018

Thanks for that. Still bigger than i was hoping for. I like how subtle a temp sensor plug is. I guess the way flow would read wouldnt work like that.

I think water temp sensor is a must. Do you think flow is necessary?

Karadjgne · Oct 27, 2018

Yes. Once air is out of the system, the only thing you'll actually be able to see in the tubing is coolant. Without any air bubbles that are moving, you can't possibly tell the difference between stagnant coolant and moving coolant, there's no frame of reference. That's why the 'spinning wheel' is so popular, it's a visual representation of movement. If the wheel moves, the coolant is moving. You'd know immediately if there was a pump failure of any sort, either diaphragm or trapped air bubble etc as the wheel stops/slows.

During testing or benchmarking etc many use overlays when gaming, showing cpu/gpu temps. Easy visual to see. But most don't also want the overlay when not testing, just want nothing but the game on screen. The spinner proves coolant is moving, and having already established temps, all good, game on.

It's not a necessity, don't know of any AIO that has any meter as such, so there's a reliance on the pump to do its job. But as easy as it is to add on a custom loop, it'd be foolish not to have that peace of mind.

rubix_1011 · Oct 27, 2018

I tested an AIO that had one integrated in the top of the pump. Downside is that it often would stall out and stop moving even when coolant was still moving. The problem here is that AIO pumps typically don't generate a high enough flow to properly maintain a flow indicator based on fluid head pressure and when there is ample area for coolant to simply move around the meter paddles.

Karadjgne · Oct 27, 2018

I like AIO's. I like the concept. I like the aesthetics. I hate the 'chincyness'. The only thing stopping me from custom loops is the price. Hard to justify a cooling solution that costs more than the $600 I paid for the entire pc.

So if actually going for a custom loop, my opinion is 'do it right', no half measures. There's plenty of space on a modern mid-atx tower to stick a flow meter, even unobtrusively, as a counter-balance to the pump. The trick is finding one that fits the build.

rubix_1011 · Oct 27, 2018

There aren't many flow meters that really work well or have the aesthetics that I would want. I'd rather have a non-intrusive digital version than mechanical.

That being said, you're right...watercooling is very expensive. The cooling loop for the Threadripper 2990WX that I just got done with was over $900 in watercooling parts alone.

Karadjgne · Oct 27, 2018

Well to be fair, that Threadripper honestly will benefit from a good loop, it's not exactly a cheap setup nor easily thermally controlled, it's a freakin monster of a cpu. Most of the enthusiast class cpus are similar, and similarly expensive to setup right. Unlike your average lga115x or AM4 pc's where loops are at best an expensive, aesthetic hobby.

After digging around the net for an hour, I'm wondering exactly why there aren't really any digital flow meters, other than engineering ones or the Aquacomputers which are not standalone.

Search

Watercooling: Water flow sensor plug?

dicko_11_is

Commendable

Karadjgne

Titan

dicko_11_is

Commendable

Karadjgne

Titan

rubix_1011

Contributing Writer

Karadjgne

Titan

rubix_1011

Contributing Writer

Karadjgne

Titan

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page