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alternative to bitspower black sparkle fittings?

6K views 31 replies 9 participants last post by  BaK2BaK 
#1 ·
i'm almost done with my loop, got all the parts except fittings and tubing, but i only have $89 (that includes shipping) to buy them. And my build plan requires four 45 degree fittings, 3 90 degree fittings, and a single regular compression along with some masterkleer tubing ($9.99) So if you figure $12 shipping i'm looking at roughly $66 for the fittings. It doesn't seem possible to get four 45, 3 90 and a regular bitspower for that amount, but most of the other fittings i look at don't look anywhere near as good as the black sparkle and i've had a lot of people tell me "go bitspower or go home" saying that other fittings leak etc..

I thought of barrow but they're impossible to find in the specific adapters i want in 3/8" x 1/2" (hell i'd even move up to 3/8" x 5/8" if i could find some fittings) and they don't have the black sparkle color either which i really like.

So anyone have any alternatives or some links to cheap bitspower black sparkle's that might let me get them for under the ~$66 limit?
 
#2 ·
anyone?
 
#3 ·
Well, first question is, Is this your first custom watercooling build? I only ask because if it is, you should be aware that you may find that when you actually start putting it all together, you end up needing a few more parts than you had anticipated. So it would probably be wise to factor in the cost of possibly needing a few additional fittings. You actually may not need any; alternatively, if you do need any, it might only be one or two items. But I'm just raising this issue since it sounds like you are on a very, very tight budget.

Second, if you are buying from one of the major retailers (as opposed to buying from someone off one of the forums or eBay), and you are in the US, don't forget to factor into consideration the cost of sales tax if you happen to live in the same state as the business you are buying from. You can save a few dollars by buying from a business located in a different state.

Third, also don't forget to use the discount codes if you are buying from a retailer like PerformancePCs or FrozenCPU for additional savings.
 
#4 ·
bump?
Quote:
Originally Posted by quipers View Post

Well, first question is, Is this your first custom watercooling build? I only ask because if it is, you should be aware that you may find that when you actually start putting it all together, you end up needing a few more parts than you had anticipated. So it would probably be wise to factor in the cost of possibly needing a few additional fittings. You actually may not need any; alternatively, if you do need any, it might only be one or two items. But I'm just raising this issue since it sounds like you are on a very, very tight budget.

Second, if you are buying from one of the major retailers (as opposed to buying from someone off one of the forums or eBay), and you are in the US, don't forget to factor into consideration the cost of sales tax if you happen to live in the same state as the business you are buying from. You can save a few dollars by buying from a business located in a different state.

Third, also don't forget to use the discount codes if you are buying from a retailer like PerformancePCs or FrozenCPU for additional savings.
It's my first water cooling yeah, but i've been extensively planning out the build specifics exactly how i want it so i know precisely how many fittings i need, i'm just trying to find a good brand of fittings that isn't too expensive. I really love the black sparkle look of the bitspower but they're so damn expensive lol.

And good catch about the discount code, i'll have to remember where i got the 5% code for performance-pcs.com from.
 
#5 ·
I don't even think the OCN55 code works on PPCS anymore, it came and went for a bit. FrozenCPU has the "OCN" code still active. Anyway, even $100 for fittings on a build seems very restrictive to me. I'm not sure there is any way to do what you are trying to accomplish for that amount of money. Buy used would be my advice if it is actually an inflexible requirement to meet your budget.

I'm also not entirely sure I understand how a build could be completed using only 4 45 comps 3 90s and a single regular compression fitting... but I have a habit of using angled extender fittings and different things to limit tubing length and flow path. I think it's far better to use separate compression fittings with angled extensions than using the all in one types anyway.
 
#6 ·
Yeah I totally agree you can never have enough fittings. I planned out my loop, bought what I thought I needed, then doubled down on that amount just in case. Turns out I was still a couple fittings short here and there. Tried to make do with the other fittings I had that carried over from my CPU only loop, and while they worked, the aesthetics was simply terrible and there was no way I'd complete my loop like that. So bit the bullet and ordered those extra fittings needed to complete my loop, and let's just say in the end, I probably went over 3 times over my planned budget, and half of my entire budget was blown on fittings.
eek.gif
(and yes I went full Bitspower, they really do burn a hole in your wallet)
 
#7 ·
Can anyone point me to links of some barrow versions of the black sparkle fittings and 45 and 90 adapters etc..? i'm looking on like ebay and whatnot and can't seem to find much, the few i do find don't label very well, they'll say silver or chrome but look like black sparkle or they'll have one picture of matt black and another with silvery etc.. the barrows are the same company that makes bitspower so if i can find some of them in the black sparkle color or even matt black if there are no sparkle ones i'd be happy
 
#9 ·
Hmm, so the ones listed as silvery are the black sparkle equivalent then?

What about like these ones

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brarrow-90-Degrees-Two-Rotary-Adapter-For-PC-Liquid-Cooling-Chrome-G1-4-Thread-/191277704549

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brarrow-90-Degrees-Two-Rotary-Adapter-For-PC-Liquid-Cooling-Chrome-G1-4-Thread-/191277704549

listed as "chrome" or "black" but some of the photos are black while others are shiny-ish.

I also wonder if the EK black nickel would look close enough to the black sparkle's in color, i could always buy an EK black nickel adapter and just get a cheaper bitspower black sparkle fitting to go on it
 
#10 ·
ugh....just noticed that allexpress website is one of those damn chinese ones where it takes 30 days to ship them, i can't wait that long to get the system running since i have classes i need to use it for.
 
#11 ·
Barrow fittings seem to come from the OEM of both EK and Bitspower. The Black Chrome from EK looks similar to the finish on XSPC black chrome, not exactly like Black sparkle but close I guess? Black Sparkle seems... pretty silvery to me.

BP Silver Shining


BP Black Sparkle

CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), default quality
EK Black Chrome

CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 95
XSPC Black Chrome


Barrow Silver
 
#12 ·
Yeah the thing with those pics from frozencpu and stuff you're using (the black sparkle ones) is that they don't match up to the pics you see of peoples rigs and stuff on google images using black sparkle, these images make the black sparkle look quite a bit darker for some reason

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/sportrider12584/Maximum%20Security/fittings1.png

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=623&q=bitspower+black+sparkle&oq=bitspower+black+sparkle&gs_l=img.3...708.4568.0.4768.23.3.0.20.20.0.87.196.3.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.61.img..19.4.199.w4lVtMy4M4g#imgdii=_&imgrc=HEEYJZXVBOSUVM%253A%3Be_ve9d-ZnkLl1M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.overclock.net%252Fcontent%252Ftype%252F61%252Fid%252F1674457%252Fflags%252FLL%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.overclock.net%252Ft%252F1422597%252Fbuild-log-corsair-c70-with-twin-xspc-ax360s%252F20%3B1024%3B768

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=623&q=bitspower+black+sparkle&oq=bitspower+black+sparkle&gs_l=img.3...708.4568.0.4768.23.3.0.20.20.0.87.196.3.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.61.img..19.4.199.w4lVtMy4M4g#imgdii=_&imgrc=Ir7CfoPgxQCnIM%253A%3B8i-EGgtBVzErRM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.students.tut.fi%252F~huotari2%252FSeawolf%252F057.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fforums.bit-tech.net%252Fshowthread.php%253Ft%253D163306%2526viewmode%253Dauthor%3B640%3B480

I think the one difference black sparkle has is the shininess, if it wasn't as shiny it'd probably look similar to black nickel (unless it really does get the silvery/chrome look when under brighter lights?)
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Yeah i'm actually putting some of the black sparkle versions of those in my cart now, just noticed your comment. They're a bit cheaper there at performance-pcs than elsewhere, but it actually seems like it might be a little cheaper than that to actually buy the 45/90 degree with the fitting already on it rather than buying the adapter seperately in some cases too. i might have to try and sell some of my music equipment to afford the stuff i need though, i have a mesa/boogie guitar amp and a keyboard i'm selling on ebay so if i can actually get some bids on those things i can buy some decent fittings maybe. I gotta say that color of bitspower fitting is the ugliest thing lol...
 
#15 ·
#16 ·
It's not that there's anything wrong with the angled combo compression fittings, it's that they are pretty limiting in terms of future use. Me for example, I discovered that using soft tubing *can* be problematic and I started using acrylic instead. This meant I had to get all new fittings. The fact I had separate angled fittings allowed me to keep using those and just switch out the compression fittings.
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by electro2u View Post

Barrow fittings seem to come from the OEM of both EK and Bitspower. The Black Chrome from EK looks similar to the finish on XSPC black chrome, not exactly like Black sparkle but close I guess? Black Sparkle seems... pretty silvery to me.

BP Silver Shining


BP Black Sparkle

CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), default quality
EK Black Chrome

CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 95
XSPC Black Chrome


Barrow Silver
Barrow is not an oem to anyone, nor share the same oem as anyone else. Barrow is their own company and their fittings tend to be sort of knockoffs of Bitspower, but if you put the two side by side there's noticeable differences between them. They are not even the same size fittings as each other. The Bitspower and Barrow fittings have different IDs and ODs. Their finishes are markedly different also.
 
#22 ·
Does anyone have experience with the black nickel EK adapters and fittings? specifically i'm wondering if the color matches the black sparkle bitspower ones since the last picture i linked of an EK-AF adapter seemed pretty close. I've only got $89 for fittings, $10 worth of tubing and shipping so i'm pretty limited here. The only way to go bitspower that i can think of without robbing a bank to actually afford decent adapters is to use mostly regular straight compressions.

The problem with barrow is there's no place that i can find selling a good selection of them that actually labels them properly, you gotta head on ebay and stuff (especially if you don't want to wait 30 days for shipping) and ebay sellers seem to only have a handful of fitting styles from them and they'll label some of them as "chrome/chromed" or "silvery" and they'll look like black sparkle in the picture but if you look at some of the other item listing pics and it'll be almost like a carbon black type style so it's confusing as hell
 
#23 ·
anyone know of some kind of paint that would mimic the black sparkle finish of the bitspower? i found a couple 90 degree matt black bitspowers for $10 each which would give me a $10 discount over normal price but i'd like to be able to paint them if possible.
 
#24 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkIdeals View Post

anyone know of some kind of paint that would mimic the black sparkle finish of the bitspower? i found a couple 90 degree matt black bitspowers for $10 each which would give me a $10 discount over normal price but i'd like to be able to paint them if possible.
http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-SHD1000-Shadow-Black-out-Coating/dp/B003E2AC0E

Can't say if it matches BP black sparkle, but it's pretty much that.

EDIT: Just noticed that it would be cheaper for you to get the BP black sparkle.
 
#25 ·
Painting fittings almost never works, and a metalic finish certainly wouldn't. Just like all Nickel Fittings are very much the same, EK and bitspower black nickel is very close if not identical. Differences you see in pictures are just the lighting conditions.

Barrow don't make black nickel
 
#26 ·
well i just found a good deal on some bitspower black sparkle straight compressions ($5.99) unfortunately i already transferred $63 to my performance-pcs.com gift card so i'll only be able to get 5 of them, but that will save me $4 on each fitting over the $9 per straight compression price of performance-pcs, so i will be able to just buy the adapters for those 5 fittings, possibly saving me enough to get all i need.

I'm worried about rotary vs non rotary though, specifically the difference between these

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-g-1-4-black-sparkle-45-degree-ig-1-4-adapter.html

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-g-1-4-black-sparkle-90-degree-ig-1-4-adapter.html

or the rotary versions (below)

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-g1-4-black-sparkle-dual-rotary-90-degree-compression-fitting-id-3-8-od-1-2.html

http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-g1-4-black-sparkle-dual-rotary-90-degree-compression-fitting-id-3-8-od-1-2.html

My loop (corsair 900d case) is going to be going from the bottom port of my EK cylinder res down into the basement compartment curving left to my mcp655-b pump (which has two black bitspower fittings on it already, but it can't be seen so i don't care about the color of those) which enters into the side port of the pump then out the top, then i'll have to use a 90 degree adapter/fitting pointing down to catch the tubing coming up from the pump to enter my EK terminal bridge (parallel), then a 45 degree pointing towards the back of the case leaving the terminal that connects to another 45 on my supremacy evo cpu block. Then i'd have another 45 degree fitting leaving the cpu going up/left-ish to my radiator with a final 45 degree (with an extender possibly since i'm gonna be doing push/pull), then the back radiator spot will have a 90 degree fitting going straight right across the top of the mobo meeting with a 2nd 90 degree threaded into the top port of my reservoir.

So with a loop like that (sorry if it's confusing, it's hard to describe the loop path) would it be better to use rotary 45/90's? I kinda figured i could get away with using non-rotary on my EK terminal and rotaries on the cpu and rad but it kind of depends on how long the thread is and which direction it would point after fully tightened, since i wouldn' twant to leave fittings slightly loose just to get them pointing the right direction if you see what i mean.
 
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