Arctic Stealth Build Log

[lmark84l]

Hey everyone, this is my first post here so I hope you enjoy. I've been working on this build for some time now in my spare time. There is still quite a bit left to do, but I figured I'd share anyway. This is pretty much a huge picture log that tracks progress to date.

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Since the build is finished I'll throw a few pictures here of the finished build...feel free to read on for all the details!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2747-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2746.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2727-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2698.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2692.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2660.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2694.jpg

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First here are the specs:


Mountain Mods H2gO case
Intel Core 2 Q6700
2 x GTX EVGA 260's Superclocked edition (896MB each)
4 x 2GB of Corsair XMS2 DHX (PC2 6400, CL4)
PC Power and Cooling 860W PSU with ESA
2 x WD 6400GB 7.2k rpm HD in RAID 1
EVGA 780i mobo
Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty Sound Card
GIGABYTE 802.11b/g PCI Wireless Adapter
2 x Samsung SATA 22X DVD Burner
Silverstone Commander Series ESA Certified 5.25" Controller


...And of course the water cooling parts!


TC PA 120.1 Rad (it is going to be a challenge fitting this in the case!)
TC PA 120.2 Rad
DD MC-TDX Block
Tygon Tubing
DD Fillport
DD D5 Variable Speed Pump
(UN) Designs 360 Pump Bracket (for D4/D5 Pump)
Danger Den 780i NB Block
Danger Den 780i SB Block
2 x DD Tietons with Copper backplates
Bitspower Compession Fitting 1/2" ID 3/4" OD where ever I can use them


These lists don't included all the little things like sleeving, T's, elbows, etc.

Now for the build log!

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Info Uploaded on August 17, 2008

Alright, it's been a while since updates, so here are some pics. The big thing I am still waiting for is the 780i water block from Danger Den. The good news is they are finished and I should be able to get them on order this week! It will still be a while until I get everything done as there is a lot of wiring and wire management left to do aside from the WCing setup. Anyway, time for pics!

ESA Controller (not wired up in this image)
This ESA controller is capable of controlling through software 5 fans, 4 thermocouples, and switching three 12V sources on and off. Super handy device!
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2119.jpg


Thermocouple for temperature monitoring on RAID array (via ESA)
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2123-1.jpg

Underside of Mobo Tray
Lot's of zip ties and clamps to help with wire management. All of these will be concealed.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2121.jpg

Sound damping and light blocking
The following 3 images are sound damping material I got from FrozenCPU.com a while ago for sound damping. Turns out the material works awesome for filling gaps in the case where the drives bays are. So, I used lots of this material to fill in the gaps and also to help with sound and vibration issues from the drives. I've also used this on some of my fans to block LED light. Really good stuff.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2118.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2116.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2114.jpg


Side View
Just a simple view of the side of my case. I had to mod the bottom fan a bit to attach the PA 120.1 radiator, but now it is mounted. You can also see the big spot I have in place for the pump.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2129.jpg



Info Uploaded on July 27, 2008


This is my preliminary loop layout. I am not super thrilled about the PA 120.1 location, but I don't think it will cause any issues. I made a post on the DD website to see what the water cooling experts think about the layout. Let me know if anyone here has some suggestions as well.


So, I am trying to squeeze a PA 120.1 and 120.2 into my H2gO case, which is not an easy task. I will be WCing my CPU and NB. I am wondering what people think of this particular loop layout. The PA 120.1 is in a weird place in the loop, but it is the easiest way to implement it. Does anyone see any issues associates with putting the 120.1 in that area? I attached one picture showing the current planned tubing route and also a clean picture without my messy paint skills. :) Thanks for any feedback!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2098_Mod.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2098.jpg

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Info Uploaded on July 16, 2008

New SATA DVD Burners
They were a good deal on newegg and plus the location of the connectors is more beneficial to fitting all the watercooilng components in my case.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0726.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0728.jpg


Delrin Power Switch
This is a black Delrin power switch that also has a blue ring connected to my HD LED to show activity. You may have to enlarge the picture to see it.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0731.jpg

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Info Uploaded on July 13, 2008

Mock up on ESD mat
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0450.jpg

ESA Controller for Mobo
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0443.jpg

Mock up build on air
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0535.jpg

Mock up build on air - all blue fans
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0541.jpg

Mock up build on air - 2 blue fans in front, all the rest black Late Yoons
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0554.jpg

Mock up build on air - side view
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0555.jpg

Danger Den MC-TDX Block
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0460.jpg

Fesser One Coolant, Tygon Tubing, DD D5 Variable Speed Pump
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0459.jpg

Fan Painting - Masked
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0587.jpg

Fan Painting - Results
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0610.jpg

New Black Mobo Tray from Mountain Mods!
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0580.jpg

Fans with sound dampening on TC PA 120.2
This also helped to prevent light leakage into the case from the fans, which I didn't want. That was the reason I spray painted some fans as well, but that didn't work out how I wanted.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0618.jpg

PCI-E Power Cable Sleeving - Removing pins without proper tool
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0603.jpg

PCI-E Power Cable Sleeving - Labeled Cables
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0594.jpg

PCI-E Power Cable Sleeving - Finished Cables
I cut the piece of sleeving a little too short, but it worked out well because it was easier to get a 90 degree bend out of the power supply which is idle for the H2gO case.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0604.jpg

PCI-E Power Cable Sleeving - Finished Cable Ends
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_0607.jpg

[lmark84l]

My bad, I accidentally deleted the good part of the post with all the pics! Hopefully now you can enjoy! :)

[BlueAqua]

Looking good, but can you make the pictures any larger without clicking on them?

How much was it for the other motherboard tray?

[lmark84l]

Looking good, but can you make the pictures any larger without clicking on them?


I can.

Is there a way I can do that without re-uploading them?


How much was it for the other motherboard tray?


They charged me $20 for it. Luckily they had some black acrylic in stock. :)

I've enjoyed talking to folks from both MM and DD for this build. They are full of helpful advice and more than willing to chat.

[inCore]

You can reupload all of your images at once onto photobucket, get an account and using one of the uploading methods, just select all of them and press upload (or something like that, you'll see, it's all self explanitory).

Keep going! :up:

[whe3ls]

nice build. i really like the smaller case like that its big enough you can have water cooling internally.

[MomijiTMO]

Ja, nice H2GO log.

[lmark84l]

Alright, I am going to fix all those pictures and make them bigger. I was using imageshack, but I couldn't figure out how to resize so I will just switch to photobucket instead. Also, I may have some more pics to post later of a little test loop I made yesterday. ;)

UPDATE:

I've converted them all over. I agree this is much better for viewing! Also, photobucket is a lot nicer to use than imageshack. ;)

[mpower1001]

Pictures look great, nice build.

[lmark84l]

Alright, some updates.

First, I've updated the parts list in the first post. Decided to upgrade my 8800GTX and watercool the GPUs. All the parts are on order at this point and I am hoping to get this rig done over the next couple of weeks. I'll be sure to keep posting more pictures!


Mountain Mods H2gO case
Intel Core 2 Q6700
2 x GTX EVGA 260's Superclocked edition (896MB each)
4 x 2GB of Corsair XMS2 DHX (PC2 6400, CL4)
PC Power and Cooling 860W PSU with ESA
2 x WD 6400GB 7.2k rpm HD in RAID 1
EVGA 780i mobo
Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty Sound Card
GIGABYTE 802.11b/g PCI Wireless Adapter
2 x Samsung SATA 22X DVD Burner
Silverstone Commander Series ESA Certified 5.25" Controller


...And of course the water cooling parts!


TC PA 120.1 Rad (it is going to be a challenge fitting this in the case!)
TC PA 120.2 Rad
DD MC-TDX Block
Tygon Tubing
DD Fillport
DD D5 Variable Speed Pump
(UN) Designs 360 Pump Bracket (for D4/D5 Pump)
Danger Den 780i NB Block
Danger Den 780i SB Block
2 x DD Tietons with Copper backplates
Bitspower Compession Fitting 1/2" ID 3/4" OD where ever I can use them


These lists don't included all the little things like sleeving, T's, elbows, etc.


Second, some pictures of a little test loop I made yesterday. I flushed the radiators, and then made the loop to make sure the pump was in good shape and to make sure the radiators didn't have any leaks.

Radiator Flushing
I started with hot water from the tap to loosen things up a bit in the radiators. Then I flushed the heck out of them with distilled water, There were lots of little particles inside the radiators and it took quite a bit of time to get them cleaned up. Also, just a side note, don't flush your radiators out in series like it is shown in this pictures. You ended up moving all the debris from the first radiator into the second, and it just ended up taking more time to clean the second radiator out, at least from my experience.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2143.jpg

Setup
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2144.jpg

Setup with fans
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2157.jpg

Pump Power Draw
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2153.jpg

Pump Current Draw @ 12V
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2152.jpg

Ultra 550W PSU 12V rail votage
This is a spare PSU I have that I just use for test setups.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2146.jpg

Micro Res flow with D5 Pump at low speed
Notice the nice calm flow.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2160.jpg

Micro Res flow with D5 Pump at high speed
Notice the more turbulent flow. BTW, this pump was nice and quiet even on the highest speed! Very nice!
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2159.jpg

[lmark84l]

Got some parts in the mail today. There will be many more coming this week, I'll keep posting pics.

(UN)Designs 360 Pump Bracket (for Laing D4/D5 pump) from Performance PCs:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2168.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2173.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2174.jpg

Thermalright HR-09 Type 4 from Sidewinder Computers. First thing I thought when I looked at the base was that it needs to be lapped. Very poor surface finish.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2181.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2182.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2183.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2184.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2185.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2187.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2189.jpg

Some #10-24 black oxide button screws (1/2" long) - these took me a long time to find, ended up getting them from Fastenal
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2175.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2179.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2190.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2192.jpg

Inside the D5!
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2170.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2172.jpg

[BlueAqua]

Nice pictures!! I love the black oxide screws too, I bought a bunch from McMaster Carr. Why doesn't Mountain Mods just include some of that stuff, it would be cheap for them and save users a lot of trouble. Anyways, looking great.

[lmark84l]

Nice pictures!! I love the black oxide screws too, I bought a bunch from McMaster Carr. Why doesn't Mountain Mods just include some of that stuff, it would be cheap for them and save users a lot of trouble. Anyways, looking great.

I totally agree. At least I have plenty of extras now since I could only by 100 at a time. :)

They do have #6-32 black oxide button head screws now, but those are pretty useless for fan mounting. :)

http://www.mountainmods.com/632-25-inch-black-oxide-hexbutton-head-screws-p-484.html

[skinnee]

Nice pic log!!!

[lmark84l]

Nice pic log!!!

Thanks, glad everyone is liking it! I'll be sure to keep posting! :)

[Flip_Lx]

nice pics, looks good so far, this your first time using that fan controller as i'm very curious about it and how it works

[lmark84l]

nice pics, looks good so far, this your first time using that fan controller as i'm very curious about it and how it works

Yup, this fan controller is new for this build. It uses EVGA's ESA technology. Is there anything specific that you'd like to know about it?

Quick details are that you plug it into a USB header, and then through software you can monitor 4 thermocouples and control 5 fans (variable) and three 12V sources (on/off).

It works really really well, I like it a lot!

[MrMojoZ]

Are these screws similar to what you used? http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=236&products_id=991

[lmark84l]

Are these screws similar to what you used? http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=236&products_id=991

Similar, but only in terms of size and thread pitch:

Performance PCs are .25" longer, have a phillips head instead of a button head, and are actually self tapping.

[lmark84l]

Got some more parts in the mail today! Won't be much building going on until the weekend.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2195.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2196.jpg

[lmark84l]

Well, I may have to wait a few days to work on my build again. I had a little incident tonight with some 94CFM fans where I ended up getting both my thumbs wrapped up in it. :)

Of course, I have some pictures if anyone wants to see. I didn't post them directly because they will probably gross some people out.

Left Thumb Pictures (This one took most of the beating):
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2231.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2249.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2242.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2247.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2253.jpg

Right Thumb Pictures (this one isn't nearly as bad)
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2245.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2244.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2256.jpg

[MrMojoZ]

My advice would be to not shove anything you'd prefer not to destroy into high speed fans. :p:

Also, get back to work! My H2go arrives next week and I want to see some loops going on here.

[Rise]

i thought 3/8-5/8 tubing didn't fit in compression fittings? I thought they worked with 1/16" wall thicknesses only... is that not true??

[lmark84l]

My advice would be to not shove anything you'd prefer not to destroy into high speed fans. :p:

Also, get back to work! My H2go arrives next week and I want to see some loops going on here.

I was hoping to work more on this over the long weekend, but I don't have my blocks from Danger Den yet anyway. I do plan to pick at what I can over the weekend though, it will probably just be a little slower pace than usual.


i thought 3/8-5/8 tubing didn't fit in compression fittings? I thought they worked with 1/16" wall thicknesses only... is that not true??

I have the 3/8" Tygon tubing with 1/8" wall thickness and it seems to work fine with the fittings from Danger Den's website.

[lmark84l]

Got some more goodies today. Big thing was an 860W PC Power and Cooling PSU with ESA. Seems like a very nice supply so far! I also got a bunch of odd and ends from Performance PCs. Oh, and here are some pics of my thumb almost a day later. It's not really looking too good, and is really hampering my ability to do anything well.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2275.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2274.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2277.jpg

Here are some pics of the PSU as well as installing the PSU into the case. PC Power and Cooling even includes test report! In the picture with two PSUs, you are seeing the PCP&C and my old Corsair HX 620W PSU (to be used in a later build). One of the big reasons I went with the PCP&C supply is because it is very tiny considering it's power output. Fitting a 1kW PSU in the H2gO would not be the easiest task for my layout due to the increased depth.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2262.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2271.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2270.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2289.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2279.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2280.jpg

Also, some pics of the GTX 260's in SLI.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2287.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2291.jpg

I think I may play around with the PSU cables a bit to clean them up and make them look nicer, not that they are really that bad or anything. I'd just like to tidy up the wiring quite a bit.

Also, the last package I am waiting for is from Danger Den with all my waterblocks. Unfortunately, that has not shipped yet.

Anyway, hope everyone likes the pics. There will be plenty more to come!

[Flip_Lx]

neosporane(sp) and a band aid for the finger and you'll be fine...

[lmark84l]

Well, it's been quite a while since an update, and I've gotten many thing finished for this build including the water cooling! The temps are amazing under load. The hottest temperature I've seen so far was 60C on the GPUs. The NB and SB never seem to exceed 40C, and the CPU seems to stay under 50C (this one actually surprised me a bit, I'll have to make sure the block is seated nice and tight. The best part is this is all on a PA 120.1 and PA 120.2, not to mention I managed to jam it all into the H2gO! Anyway, picture time! I've broken the pictures up into groups with descriptions.

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I wanted to put some UV blue fans into my Corsair RAM cooler. I saw someone do this on their build (these forums maybe), and that is where the idea came from. This was quite the tedious process. For starters, having all 3 wires for the fans silver made it difficult to keep track of them (I marked them to help). Second, there is not a lot of room to run wire within the fan housing. It took a good part of a day, but I am really pleased with the look.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2302.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2305.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2307.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2311.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2313.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2316.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2319.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2355.jpg

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I also did a little work on the UV lights and mounting in my case. I sleeved them all and then used zip ties and some wire tie-downs and clips to get everything secure and clean looking:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2335.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2339.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2340.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2342.jpg

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I bought Everest and am very pleased with its capabilities for working with the G15 keyboard. Here is the display I made to monitor my temps and loading:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2363.jpg

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Now on to the water cooling. First, removal of all heatsinks, application of new thermal paste, etc.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2373.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2374.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2378.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2398.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2408.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2409.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2410.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2420.jpg

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My new Thermalright MOSFET cooler:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2405.jpg

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Don't crush your UV tubes under your knees! ;)

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2435.jpg

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Also, be careful when tapping your radiators! This holes when right through the channels. :(

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2464.jpg

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Tapping fans with 10-24 threads. To install the Thermochill radiators, I used set screws to attach the fans to the radiators and embedded them in the fan housing. Then I simply bolted the rad/fan assembly to the case with another 10-24 screw. It worked out really well, except for when I damaged the PA 120.1 in the previous picture....

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2472.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2469.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2503.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2500.jpg

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FrozenCPU power supply tester. This one is great as it tells you voltages. I was able to in conjunction with the adjustable voltage on my PSU to fine tune it. Good stuff!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2522.jpg

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Lapping time! The MOSFET cooler was installed on the mobo in a previous picture. The Zalman cooler I lapped because I will be using it when I rebuild my Air Box (as a back up computer).

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2484.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2493.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2485.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2494.jpg

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Getting the GTX 260's ready for their water blocks! Always a scary process taking expensive GPUs apart! ;)

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2509.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2511.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2512.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2513.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2515.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2516.jpg

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Better get the CPU ready for its water block too!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2518.jpg

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Installing UV blue connectors on 24 pin connector and PCI connectors. If you want to make your finger tips sore, this is a great way to do it!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2526.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2531.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2535.jpg

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EK D5 top = very nice! This allowed me to put compression fitting on. Plus, I dropped down from 1/2" tube to 3/8" tubing and my D5 had 1/2" barbs so that was taken care of as well.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2538.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2539.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2540.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2541.jpg

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Thermocouples on hard drives for monitoring through ESA:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2554.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2563.jpg

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PA 120.2 with some high speed blue Late Yoon fans and sound damping material.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2570.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2571.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2573.jpg

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Watercooling! I'll be a little more descriptive on these pictures. First off, since the H2gO isn't a huge case, I really had to think about how I wanted to lay things out, especially since I wanted everything internal and have five water blocks. I ended up using a Koolance block to make the piece below that allowed for a fillport, drain, and pass through from the last block in the loop to the radiator. It worked amazingly well and I was able to use compression fitting on it! Good stuff!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2576.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2580.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2613.jpg

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Leak! Here is a tip, don't over-compress o-rings. This is what I did on this perfect seal fitting, it actually rolled the o-ring out from in between the plastic top and metal fitting and it leaked! Yikes. The fix was sort of difficult since I was half filled with fluid. I had to put the hole PC upside down with the help of my brother in order to get the fitting replaced without spilling. A special thanks to gravity for making this possible! :P

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2590.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2595.jpg

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Bleeding...good times....this takes a lot longer with a fillport, that is for sure. I tilted the case so I could use gravity again to force the air bubbles out. It actually worked out pretty well after the tilt:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2604.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2606.jpg

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UV lighting preview....unfortunately, I don't have the UV lights wired yet. I just need to make a cable harness for the inverters and rocker switches.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2608.jpg

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Case front view!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2617.jpg

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Water cooling loop layout and block close ups!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2586.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2587.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2618.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2621.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2623.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2622.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2624.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2625.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2626.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2627.jpg

----------

Alright, that is all the pictures I have for now. I realize I didn't write a lot about all of them so feel free to ask me about any question you may have. As you can see, I got a bit of wire management left to do, and wire the UV lighting. After that, I'll get a good clean install of Vista x 64, close it up and enjoy it! I may call Mountain Mods to see about getting a custom side panel though with a bigger window so I can keep an eye on my fitting below the mobo.

[Racerman]

Really nice , as i like blue color , i like your comp even more.......

[lmark84l]

Really nice , as i like blue color , i like your comp even more.......

Yea, I like the blue a lot. The color is much deeper than I though it would be, although it might be from all the black surrounding it!

[SafeFire]

Good job :up:

You forgot the RAM Cooler though :p:

[lmark84l]

Good job :up:

You forgot the RAM Cooler though :p:

No worries, it is only 95% done in the pictures I posted. The fan cooler will make its way in soon! :)

[lmark84l]

Since I got a free key to 3DMark Vantage (with GTX 260 purchase), I'd figure I'd run it to see where it stand. I am not too familiar with what the scores mean exactly, but here are my results with everything stock, except the SLI 260's are OCed from SC speeds to FTW speeds.

I ended up scoring 17083 with performance settings, I'll run the quality settting at some point.

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=380993

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/Capture.jpg

[bianco]

hi lmark84l. first of all, nice build. :up:
i hope you don't mind me asking about the sb wb, would you still be able to put a third gtx with wb in there.. with wb, barbs and tubes? thanks.

[lmark84l]

hi lmark84l. first of all, nice build. :up:
i hope you don't mind me asking about the sb wb, would you still be able to put a third gtx with wb in there.. with wb, barbs and tubes? thanks.

Thanks for the compliment.

In terms of the SB WB, that is a tough call. For one thing, to even think about using the SB block, you have to be WC your GPUs if they aren't single slot.

With that said, if you were running 3 WC GTX 260/280's, you might be able to squeeze the block in there. I had to drop down from 3/4" OD tubing to 5/8" OD tubing just to be able to fit hose clamps around the barbs. From looking in my rig, I think it would be possible, but it would be a very tight fit, and it would be tough to get any sort of hose clamps around the fittings. What I am worried about in terms of interference is actually the copper back plates on the cards; that is what will make the fit really tight.

However, on the Danger Den website, it does say the following:


This block does fit under the video cards and the fittings are between the upper two video cards. This will work with watercooled video cards but may interfere with stock air cooled videocard.

That leads me to believe it would fit for sure. You could always just email them (Danger Den) to double check as well.

Sorry I couldn't give you a more definitive answer.

-Mark

[bianco]

Thanks for the compliment.

In terms of the SB WB, that is a tough call. For one thing, to even think about using the SB block, you have to be WC your GPUs if they aren't single slot.

With that said, if you were running 3 WC GTX 260/280's, you might be able to squeeze the block in there. I had to drop down from 3/4" OD tubing to 5/8" OD tubing just to be able to fit hose clamps around the barbs. From looking in my rig, I think it would be possible, but it would be a very tight fit, and it would be tough to get any sort of hose clamps around the fittings. What I am worried about in terms of interference is actually the copper back plates on the cards; that is what will make the fit really tight.

However, on the Danger Den website, it does say the following:



That leads me to believe it would fit for sure. You could always just email them (Danger Den) to double check as well.

Sorry I couldn't give you a more definitive answer.

-Mark

thanks Mark! good info. i think switching to single slot/thinner gpu wb would be out of the question for me (spent a fortune on the ek ones already... haha). i guess i just have to settle for non water cooled sb.

[lmark84l]

thanks Mark! good info. i think switching to single slot/thinner gpu wb would be out of the question for me (spent a fortune on the ek ones already... haha). i guess i just have to settle for non water cooled sb.

I here ya on that. Watercooling parts sure add up fast!

I don't think the SB is a necessary part to cool really so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Especially if you won't be OCing.

[bianco]

I here ya on that. Watercooling parts sure add up fast!

I don't think the SB is a necessary part to cool really so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Especially if you won't be OCing.

haha. yeah. i see my cc bill and i go... :shocked:.
ok, enzo aircooling for sb then. :up:
thanks again Mark.

[lmark84l]

Alright, a couple more updates about the last touches before I post some pics of the final build.

--------------------------------

First thing I needed to do was wire up the inverters for my cold cathodes. Unfortunately, the ESA controller I had didn't seem to put out enough current to power the tubes...or I didn't wait long enough for the bulbs to heat up. Nevertheless, I figured I'd just wire it straight to the PSU on a switch. Since I had four tubes, I needed to inverters, so I decided to doing a little wire splicing to run the two inverter on the same switch. I then mounted them on the side of my HD cage so they are completely hidden, along with the wiring. You can also see where the majority of my wiring is that is not being used for the build (non-modular supply).

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2651.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2653.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2648.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2672-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2654.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2671.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2699.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2647.jpg


--------------------------------

Once that was done, it was time to start installing all the remaining hardware, panels, etc. I started with the PCI slots, but quickly ran into a problem where my sound card was not seated right when I bolted the PCI screw in. In retrospect, my whole motherboard seemed a little lower than it should be and I may have used the wrong size stand-offs, but I wasn't going to tear everything apart for that....so I took a Dremel and grinded the PCI bracket so I could get the card to seat right. I later found out that my wireless card had the same issue so it also got Dremel treatment. :) You can clearly see how much I had to shift the screw slot back in the images below by looking at the adjacent slots.

Card does not make enough contact with the mobo in the image directly below.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2673.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2682.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2680.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2685.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2684.jpg



----------------------------------------

On my ESA controller, I had two extra themocouples, so I obviously had to use them. :up: Two were already on the HDs so I decided to put some on some tubing in the bottom of the case (where they are concealed) to pull some liquid temps. Ideally, I'd put one before and after the rads to measure temperature drop, but I couldn't conceal it well enough to my liking. I also used some spiral wrap to bundle some wires together since they aren't visible (instead of full out sleeving).

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2690.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2691.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2645.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2646.jpg


----------------------------------------

I also wanted to tidy up the 4 PCI-E power cables for the GPUs. Initially, I put UV blue zip ties on, but I didn't like the look and went with black zip ties instead (with blue UV connectors):

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2640.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2639.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2641.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2638.jpg

----------------------------------------

While I was putting things together, I found a really good way to get the mesh dust out of the fans grills. It is a micro attachment for my mini shop vac! :cool: It breaks the dust loose and sucks it right in!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2700.jpg

----------------------------------------

I also made another LCD display in Everest:
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2751.jpg

-------------------------------------------

Lastly, here are some more general loop pictures:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2698.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2694.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2692.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2688.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2687.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2668.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2660.jpg



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Well, that is all for today. I'll post the finished build pics in the near future. I finished over the weekend, but I figured I'd show you what was going on in the final details before I posted the finished pics. ;)

Cheers!

-Mark

[lmark84l]

Keep :up: the GOOD work.....

Thanks! :)

[lmark84l]

:welcome:

Alright, pics of the final build! A couple exterior things to note:


I went with all black hardware on the outside of the case. I really like the look of it with everything black included fans grills, filters, etc. IMHO, it looks much better than have all the shiny hardware...I am personally not really a fan of shiny things. :)

For the fans grills, I actually have things stacked up in this order: case, MM fan grill, MM fan filter, and then the fan. The reason I did it this way was to keep the outside of the case nice and flat, there are no external protrusions from anything really except for the black Delrin case switch. Funny thing is I was talking to MM one day and they were surprised that I actually could get the fan filters to fit over the fans without having interference. Luckily, the fan filters have a bulge in them which was perfect for avoiding contact with the fan.

Alright, that is about all I have to say. For all those building H2gO's out there, fell free to ask me questions. I took a lot of consideration into how I did things for this build.

Enjoy! ;)


----------------------

First some pictures of the build not powered on from various angles. I am going to apologize up front for the bad pictures. :down: I am not a photo taking expert! :cool:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2721-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2722-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2723-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2715.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2709.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2706-1.jpg

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Alright, now some pics powered on without the UV lighting switched on:


http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2746.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2736-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2737-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2735-1.jpg

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..........and one of my desk with everything powered off.....

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2728.jpg

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Now some pics in the dark with the UV lighting switched on:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2748-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2744-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2740-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2741-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2742-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2743-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2732.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2729.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2731-1.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2730.jpg




----------------------

And one last picture, UV lighting on with lights on:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/lmark84l/IMG_2747-1.jpg

-----------------------------


Hope everyone enjoyed! Please feel free to ask me any question or for different pictures. Hope you all enjoyed the build log! :) Now that I got my first water cooled build under my belt I am already planning my next! :rolleyes: