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Leak testing without risking hardware
4 steps · 24 hr·Beginner-safe·Updated Jan 2026
A leak test is not a formality you perform on a finished build. It is a staged process designed so that the first time water meets your loop, nothing electrical is powered and nothing expensive is underneath it.
Steps
You'll need
Distilled water · 1 gal
PSU jumper or external pump
Paper towel or white cloth
Torch or phone light
Small mirror for blind joints
Step 01 of 4
Jumper the PSU so only the pump runs
Use a jumper on the 24-pin connector — green to any black — or an external pump supply. Disconnect power from the motherboard, GPU and drives entirely.
Why this matters
The pump is the only thing that needs to run. Anything else powered during a leak test is a component you are volunteering to lose.
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