Alphacool ES Distro Plate C5 (12995)

The Alphacool ES Distro Plate C5 is a water cooling distro plate for server cases with 22 G1/4 connection options, 56 x 130 x 22.5 mm in size. The top is acetal and the bottom nickel plated copper. The smaller plate is the ES Distro Plate C3.

Properties

Threads

22 x G1/4, 5 mm deep

Size (L x W x H)

56 x 130 x 22.5 mm

Material top

Acetal

Material bottom

Nickel plated copper

Pressure tested

8 bar

Color

black

What the ES Distro Plates do

Alphacool says its ES Distro Plates provide order in the system and, in conjunction with quick-release fasteners, facilitate the exchange of components. They offer extensive mounting options, and Alphacool calls them the ideal foundation for any enterprise system that is to be equipped with water cooling. Alphacool also lists high quality acetal and the easy exchange of cooling blocks among its features.

Mounting options

The ES Distro Plates can be mounted in many ways. The easiest and fastest variant is the mounting via the included self-adhesive Velcro: one side is glued (stuck directly) to the plate, the other side to any place in the case. After that, you can simply put the plate on the Velcro. Do not touch the adhesive surface while you do, because the manual warns that the adhesive is difficult to remove. Alongside the Velcro, the ES Distro Plates can be held by special feet and mounting frames, which provide multiple installation options; the box of this C5 holds two frames and no feet. With the mounting accessories, the plate can be mounted to any 120 or 140 mm fan space. Alphacool says the feet offer many mounting options of their own, including a vertical mounting option on a single foot. Fan brackets are not in the box, and the plate can also sit directly on a fan or radiator. Close every connection a universal bracket will cover before you screw the bracket on. Various threaded holes on the sides and back offer more direct mounting options, including customized holes for special mounting rails in Alphacool's server racks.

Connection options

The plate has a total of 22 connection options in G1/4 format with 5 mm deep threads. There are 5 connections on each long side, 10 on the top side and one connection thread on each front side. However, it is important to note that all connections are in pairs, so you can only use the top or the side connection. The exception are the ports with 3 sides: here, only the lateral, upper or the connection on the front side can be used. Lines on the plate join the connections that belong to one group, which makes the water flow easier to follow. One connection of a group serves as IN, another as OUT, and an OUT must always be connected to an IN to form a water circuit. The exact options are illustrated in the instructions, with examples that put the pump with expansion tank on the front sides or on the side. This configuration makes it very easy to connect all components in the water circuit to the plate. Of course, several plates can also be connected in series: the manual joins two with a male to male G1/4 fitting.

Why an ES Distro Plate?

Especially in narrow server cases, it is essential to allow a clean setup of the water cooling. If you draw the cooling loop beforehand, you will quickly find the ideal place for the plate. An ideal place is when all hoses can be laid as straight as possible. Bending tubing too tightly should be avoided where possible.

What the loop needs

Every connection in use takes a fitting with a G1/4 external thread, and every unused one must be closed with a screw plug. The box holds 12 of them; more are in our plug and stop fittings section. If components are to be replaced, the use of Alphacool ES quick connectors with external thread is recommended; they are among our quick disconnect fittings. This way, each part of the loop is mounted directly to the plate with quick connectors. That makes the replacement of one or more radiators, for example, possible very quickly. Additional or larger radiators can also be integrated or replaced easily.

Technical data

Notes

• The manual recommends only clear cooling liquids from Alphacool's own production, no UV liquid, or pure distilled or osmosis filtered water.
• The screw plug tool to tighten them is in the box.

In the box

• 1x Alphacool ES Distro Plate C5
• 12x Stop Plugs
• Mounting Materials
• 4x M3x4 Screws
• 4x M3x8 Screws
• 4x M3 nuts
• 2x Universal bracket
• 1x Velcro tape
• 1x Screw plug tool

Alphacool's manual and data sheet can each be had as a PDF download.