The Sentinel: Project Worklog

[MikalCarbine]

Just got my Lian Li A05-B in today, time to start my latest build; The Sentinel. The goal of this build is to cut down on my bulky and heavy P180 to a small portable computer that looks clean and nice.


http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/9662/reviewsentinel1fv4.jpg

The old build:
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8780/dsc01857rs9.jpg

Here are some pr0n pictures of the case, nevermind the fingerprints, I had some off camera "quality time" with the case ;)
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5901/dsc02205hp1.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/2231/dsc02206ad6.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/3667/dsc02207gr2.jpg

One of my favorite features of this case, no more wires with the front panel :up:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1150/dsc02208lm9.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1481/dsc02209ws9.jpg

This seems pretty restrictive, I'll probably use a regular fan grill
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5180/dsc02211ko1.jpg

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/7131/dsc02212xg6.jpg

This will go in place of a yate loon
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2152/dsc02213gd5.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2809/dsc02214ew1.jpg

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/111/dsc02215xd1.jpg

I plan on mounting this (http://www.cdiweb.com/datasheets/meanwell/sd-25.pdf) behind the HD bay to overvolt my pump
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/962/dsc02221sa1.jpg

This will be gone soon enough ;)
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/182/dsc02222dc6.jpg

And a plan of the loop to go inside:
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7844/loopma5.jpg
I plan on using an acrylic or aluminum plate attached to the HD rack to hold the pump up

Here is more detail on the acrylic shroud I will be creating:
The acrylic:
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5153/dsc02223kp9.jpg

The plan:
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/3056/shroudrg0.jpg
This will save me some space for my PCI slots and give the build a little bling. I plan on placing red LEDs somewhere on the shroud to go with my color scheme: Red, Black and Silver, just like a sentinel ;)

I'm going to add a clear side window using this kit (http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3912/win-111/10x12_Clear_Window_Kit_w_120mm_Fan_Hole.html) with red LEDs throughout the case to match the acrylic shroud.

I plan on using the same hardware as I have now in the build. For water cooling parts I will be using:

D-Tek Fuzion V2
MCW60
MCR320-QP (downgrading from my PA120.2 for space concerns)
My trusty ol' AQX50Z which will be overvoltage via a Meanwell SD-25 (http://www.cdiweb.com/datasheets/meanwell/sd-25.pdf)
5x Yate Loon D12SL-12
Tygon black tubing (http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/ty7id9odlatu.html) with silver or red coolsleeves/smartcoils (this is up in the air)

I might end up using a swiftech res if I can't find somewhere nifty to stick a T-line and my fillport

I'll be updating this worklog as much as possible, feel free to add any input or suggestions!

[disruptfam]

1st thing i thought was HOLY SHIET!!!! IS THAT HIS PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! first pic


planning looks good mate.. :)

[lokitexas]

What IS that thing from...the first pic. I swear I have seen it before...

[disruptfam]

sentinel in the matrix movies

[biftek.]

I love these cases! :)
Subscribed.

[Ashraf]

sentinel in the matrix movies

Or this? ;) http://www.xoxideforums.com/worklog-section/81772-matrix-sentinel-acrylic.html

[lokitexas]

I love these cases! :)
Subscribed.

Same Want to see how this turns.

[CedricFP]

Wow, looking forward to the finished result.

[lokitexas]

sentinel in the matrix movies

Thank you! Hence the name of the project. I feels smarts...

[eXclusive]

Subscribbeeedddd

[fungry]

Yup. Definitely looking forward to these. Smaller cases are beginning to appeal to me :D

Btw... you care to give me that bag of Dunkin Donuts?

[H2omg]

1st thing i thought was HOLY SHIET!!!! IS THAT HIS PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! first pic


planning looks good mate.. :)

lol, QFT Too funny, too true.


@OP
Man, Lian Li cases are just darn slick looking. It's hard to go wrong. I look forward to seeing your setup with the small size case. I was thinking of tackling one myself, but picked up a rocketfish instead.

[ultimeus]

I have same case , subscribed

[fungry]

lol, QFT Too funny, too true.


@OP
Man, Lian Li cases are just darn slick looking. It's hard to go wrong. I look forward to seeing your setup with the small size case. I was thinking of tackling one myself, but picked up a rocketfish instead.

Hahaha likewise here. Instead of going A05, i went A10 X_X... Great case either way.

[Anemic]

1st thing i thought was HOLY SHIET!!!! IS THAT HIS PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! first pic


planning looks good mate.. :)

Hahahaha, that would have been one crazy looking build! ; )

Planning lookgs good Mikal, looking forward to more pics!

[septim]

this should be good. cram everything into that small case...

good luck cutting up acrylic, it tends to be tricky, you'll need a steady hand and patience...
and also lots of wet sanding after the cutting and make sure of those perpendicular and right angles before joining pieces together...

[MikalCarbine]

Yup. Definitely looking forward to these. Smaller cases are beginning to appeal to me :D

Btw... you care to give me that bag of Dunkin Donuts?

Already been eaten ;)


this should be good. cram everything into that small case...

good luck cutting up acrylic, it tends to be tricky, you'll need a steady hand and patience...
and also lots of wet sanding after the cutting and make sure of those perpendicular and right angles before joining pieces together...

Thanks for the tips, I'm going to sketch out the shroud today with AutoCad or Google Sketcup, then hopefully tomorrow I'll get the time to start building it


Sorry for the misleading picture of the sentinel :p: Does anyone know where I can find 7/16" ID silver tubing and black smartcoils?

[Ashraf]

Does anyone know where I can find 7/16" ID silver tubing and black smartcoils?

I don't think there is 7/16" ID for Tygon Silver or other silver tubings. They just didn't make one. :p:

[MikalCarbine]

A taste of what is to come :)

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9867/finalshroudbs6.jpg

I plan on putting 3 A.C. Ryan Red LED fans in here, 77cfm at 28dba, with a fan controller of sorts

http://www1.acryan.com/_fan/ACR-BF4685.shtml

[MikalCarbine]

Turns out I screwed up on a couple measurements and once I fixed some of them it turns out my shroud will only hold the fans ~5mm off of the radiator. I don't think this is enough space to show any improvements so I might be tossing the shroud idea and just dealing with the lack of PCI slots, I'll keep everyone posted

[oerekum]

Sorry for the misleading picture of the sentinel :p: Does anyone know where I can find 7/16" ID silver tubing and black smartcoils?

Primochill makes black smartcoils:
http://www.chilledpc.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=44_106_108&products_id=378

That's where I've seen them, not sure where to get them in the US tough.

There we go:
http://www.jab-tech.com/PrimoChill-Anti-Kink-Coils-1-2-Black-pr-4000.html

[MikalCarbine]

Update 5/23

Thanks for all the input everyone. I have some updates, nothing big though :( I am tight on money at the moment and in between jobs so I won't be able to place my order for anything for another week or so...

If anyone has been following this thread (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=187949) you will see that Koolance finally posted up just their shrouds for sale. I'll be buying a black one of these instead of making my own shroud now (much cleaner than DIY in my case)

I wanted to keep my AQX50Z and run it at 13.8v instead of upgrading to a DDC (trying to keep expenses low) but there was one problem...
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3928/dsc02190ll8.jpg
I had previously wrapped this in neoprene that had the stickiest adhesive I have ever come across. Nothing would take it off... I decided I'd try dismantling the pump and soaking it in isopropyl for a few days.

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4870/dsc02194nc4.jpg

Once cracking it open I realized it was impossible (or seemed at least?) to get the magnetic wire wrapping? out from the motor casing. I decided I would reassemble it and start back from square one, not without a little modding :up:

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/5349/dsc02195yh9.jpg

The circuit inside the pump had a little aluminum strip cooling three chips, I decided since I'd be overvolting the pump I'd craft up a quick heatsink (5 minutes of work :) )

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/5628/dsc02198vs2.jpg

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/771/dsc02199ez3.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5658/dsc02201ca0.jpg

Epoxied on :)

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9633/dsc02203od4.jpg

Greased this back up with some quality grease

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/2370/dsc02225vt5.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5686/dsc02226rd1.jpg

Assembled again and ready for cleaning...

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/476/dsc02227lt6.jpg

I did some research on sticky stuff removers and tried spot testing some house hold products (LOL). Surprisingly enough, peanut butter did the job!!! It took a couple overnight 'soakings' though

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/4195/dsc02260ba7.jpg

Good as new (almost)

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/4014/dsc02264hl7.jpg

Some ugly scars from a razor when I tried getting the stickyness off long ago...

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/763/dsc02265sg9.jpg

I decided I'd strip the paint all together :)

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7932/dsc02288na5.jpg

Finished product, didn't come out exactly as I had expected but I wasn't about to sand it down with quality sandpaper after dremeling it for 3-4 hours :down: I also sanded the impeller imperfections (saw it on an old thread by MaxxRacer) and it seemed to quiet the pump a little.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6426/dsc02289fq9.jpg

Testing the pump with its new voltage setting (see below) and lack of paint job

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/1494/dsc02290qb2.jpg

Let's face it, I'm cheap. I also wanted to test the pump at 13.8v for a bit to make sure it wouldn't just get up and croak on me. So I decided to mod a 12v 1amp power brick to run my pump at 13.8v. I cracked one open, took some measurements, did some calculations and change a resistor. I had to ghetto series some resistors to get the resistance I required.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3171/dsc02293og9.jpg

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/3999/dsc02294vy9.jpg

It worked great, except I forgot to compensate for a voltage drop under load, and with these wall warts/power bricks, it can be a drop! The new and cleaner setup:

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/268/dsc02301tn3.jpg

This brick gets damn hot, so I used the back fan mesh from my A05B and a little creativity:

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2065/dsc02302xa4.jpg

Remember kids, always wear proper eye (somewhat in my case, Chem Lab goggles :rofl:) and respiratory protection! Don't mind the ghetto background, it's my ghetto apartments sketchy basement LOL

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6809/dsc02304mr2.jpg

El fin. Keeps it a little cooler, I might brew up a fan or something. My voltage is now 13.78+/-.01v at load :)

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/546/dsc02306mm5.jpg

I'm debating if I really want to keep this or not. There are several reasons why:

I'd have to mod the power source for the brick into the existing cases cord
It gets really hot
Is it reliable/safe with the nature of this mod?


The pump also gets pretty toasty, I can't remember how warm it used to run but putting a fan on it seemed to help, something I'll need to incorporate into the build.

Any inputs and comments are welcome :)

[septim]

yah ghetto setup. keep the pictures coming.

[[XC] NetburstXE]

Awesome work so far!