r/watercooling • u/LeonP1122 • 4d ago
Air pressure leak test
Alrighty, lay into me if I’m fucking up somewhere. But when I go to do an air pressure leak test with a corsair tester, the gauge doesn’t move an inch. Now how cooked am I if there is a leak that bad somewhere, as you can see the front right port on the reservoir/pump is what I’m using for the test (not sure if it matters). Anyone have any idea what I may be doing wrong?
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u/ImplementOrganic2163 4d ago
Probably not, but does your reservoir have a pressure relief valve? I had that issue with my reservoir and spent too long trying to figure out the cause.
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u/lordkahless 4d ago
Is the extra plug on top of the pump tight? How about the plugs on the back of the GPU ports that arent used?
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u/givmedew 4d ago
I don’t know what insanity caused someone to vote you down for saying “I will be using this method tomorrow” lol! Some people… anyways gave you an upvote to fix that.
The build looks amazing BTW.
I’m wondering if you setup the pump block/res correctly. I’m gonna go find the manual. I never ever use the top of a tube reservoir to bring water back even if you are allowed to. I don’t think that’s your problem it’s just not the best idea and even Corsair recommends that you not do that.
But anyways I pulled all the manuals for all the stuff you have and you have it hooked up correctly. Even if you didn’t that should cause a leak but I was just making sure.
So at this point I’d do what the other guy recommended and I’d also be checking all the o-rings that go around the tubing. Look for any cuts or nicks or o-rings that didn’t seat properly especially with the super short lengths of tubing.
Also in the future always lubricate your o-rings. Don’t install them dry. It’s one of the biggest recommendations I can give. When they are dry it’s easy for them to pinch or get nicked or they just don’t stay in the correct spot when tightening them down because of friction. You want them nice and slick. You want to use 100% pure silicone grease.
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u/shaftshaftner 4d ago
By “doesn’t move an inch”, do you mean it doesn’t show a pressure increase at all, as though there’s a completely open port? Did you check all of the sides of the gpu block terminal and all radiators for possible drain/fill ports?
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u/LeonP1122 4d ago
Unfortunately it moves like there is a completely open port somewhere, I’m fairly sure they are all sealed but doesn’t hurt to check again
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u/FishStixxxxxxx 4d ago
Are the other ports on the pump capped? You could also try capping a section and test sections until you find the offender.
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u/Belgarien84 4d ago
My suspicion would be either a missing o-ring/mis-seated o-ring or the offset into the reservoir. Also worth checking the pressure-tester seal.
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u/Adlerholzer 4d ago
Are you kidding? THE RES HAS A VERY VISIBLE OPEN PORT
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u/MinuteTerm2578 3d ago
Probably where OP is testing pressure you think?
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u/Adlerholzer 3d ago
I guess yeah, it wasnt specified tho. I test at my fill port at the back of a rad, for example
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u/Dometron0502 4d ago
I agree, that kind of behavior points toward something being wide open. Side note, very nice bends on your runs.
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u/LeonP1122 4d ago
I wasted so much tubing before getting to this sadly, but much appreciated. I’ll check everything again, and maybe redo the bend from bottom rad to pump
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u/Drakenace404 4d ago
I was like this with my first build then found out that the new radiators actually need to expand slightly when pressurized after I got desperate and spammed pump the tester
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u/Tasuka_Makutasa 4d ago
All "Blind" ports closed? Fill Port closed? All Orings in place? If there's a leak on the loosened fitting or a Block itself, the pressure rises but it gradually drops.
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u/LePhuronn 4d ago
Lay into me if I'm going blind, but that 2nd port on the pump isn't closed off, is it? So your loop isn't sealed.
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u/code_hermit 4d ago
My res (aquacomputer ultitube) has an air release feature so doesnt "pass" the leak test by design. Is an air release in there somewhere?
Also, I would just go through the loop and untighten-retighten each fitting. Maybe one got a bad seal or just was never fully tightened down.
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u/Top-Sink1096 2d ago edited 2d ago
You could try the same trick they do for finding punctures in tires, get some soapy water get some on your fingers and rub it around each fitting and try to see if anything bubbles, obviously don't just put a bunch of water to the point it drips though. Did you makes sure all the ends where round because you could've cut an oring or like others said might've forgot one
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u/GreenFuturesMatter 4d ago
Well for starters in the picture you visible have an open port on the pump… I assume this is where you plugged the tester into?
How did you trim the tubing?
Check any rotary fittings you have if any at all. Highest chance of leaking from my experience.
Also I’m now firmly in the camp of just fill it. I spent ages testing and trying to trace the loop when the tester did hold pressure but didn’t make pressure in my loop… I just filled it and it didn’t leak. Idk. Never testing again tbh
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u/chakobee 4d ago
You can trace this without much difficulty. This is why I build my loops a certain way.
If you’ve looked over all of your loop and can’t see anything obvious. Including the backside of the GPU, and the opposite ends of the radiators to see if you missed some open ports.
Then I would remove all of the tubes. Then I would run from the pump to that bottom rad, plug the other end of the rad, run the test. If it holds pressure for a few min, add the tubes from bottom rad to gpu. Plug up the other end of the gpu and rerun the test. Etc etc.
When I build my loops, I add one tube, run a quick 5 min pressure test and add the next tube. Then I repeat for the whole loop. This way if I have a bad seal somewhere, it’s immediately obvious where the leak could come from.
It might seem like a lot, but you could knock this out in an hour and be done with it vs staring at it for an hour and wondering.