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View Full Version : Project "xaedius64" - First Time LC Build


Armstrong57
10-10-2008, 08:27 PM
Well after a gruelling couple of days I have my first ever Liquid Cooled system up and running. I ran into a few hitches which were entirely my fault and had nothing to do with poor/missing parts.

I ordered all of my hardware and LC parts from NCIX. I've used them before and I will continue to use them.... <3 those guys!

I don't want to babble on too much, so here's the hardware parts list:



Antec 1200 Tower
Antec Truepower Quattro 850W
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500
ASUS Striker II Formula 780i
8GB OCZ Platinum XTC DDR2-800 Dual Channel
BFG Geforce GTX260 Maxcore OCX
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit


I had also purchased a Thermalright Ultra120 for the CPU before I decided to go with watercooling. I also chose the Antec 1200 when I was planning on using air cooling, which turned out to be a hassle because of the way I wanted to do things. Had I known I was going to watercool I would have chose a different case with more room (although an external rad mount would have solved that problem as well).

Moving on... Watercooling parts:

Swiftech MCP655 Pump
Feser One X-360 Rad
Swiftech Apogee GTZ CPU Block
MIPS MCH1038 Striker II Formula NB block
EK Multioption Reservoir Rev.2 + Anti-cyclone insert
Koolance VID-428 Full Cover GTX260/280 Block
3x - Scythe Ultra Kaze 1000RPM
Swiftech Radbox
Koolance Universal Nozzle (hasn't arrived yet)
Swiftech 7/16 ID Tubing
Swiftech 1/2" Chrome Plated Barbs
PT Nuke

I'm going to apologize in advance for the terrible quality pics. The digital camera I have is ancient!


NCIX Shipment:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/shipment.jpg

Swiftech Apogee GTZ:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/apogee_gtz.jpg

MIPS NB Block:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/mips_nb_top.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/mips_nb_bottom.jpg

GTZ installed
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/apogee_gtz_installed.jpg

Time to create the rad mount. I was determined to have an internally mounted rad, which turned out to be the biggest hassle. This case is great for air cooling, and great if you mount your rad externally, but I wouldn't recommend the way I did things here. There simply isn't enough room once the front of the case is taken up by this monster.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/radbox1.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/radbox2.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/radbox3.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/rad_installed.jpg

Continuing the work. Extremely tight spaces eventually led to me mounting the reservoir on the back of the case. I don't mind it, but now I know to get a different case for my next build, or just do an external rad mount.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/wip1.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/wip2.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/wip3.jpg

As it sits now. I have UV cathodes ready to go in, but I may hold off on that and get something better. I also have a Koolance universal nozzle on the way so I can run a decent drain line. I'm also considering installing a 90 on the back of the reservoir to get rid of that loop.
This build wasn't planned out very well. I knew where I wanted the rad, and worked so hard on making it work that once it was in I wasn't going to change it, which dictated how the rest of the setup had to go. Eventually it came together and I'm still pretty happy with the result.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/complete1.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/complete2.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/complete3.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/complete4.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~armstrong57/xaedius64/complete_front.jpg

I didn't end up using the MIPS NB block because the heatsink/heatpipe setup for the NB, SB, and MOSFETS on this board all come out as one piece, and I wasn't prepared to start chopping them up. I decided to stick with the stock coolers there. I added the two fans on the MOSFETs and will also be adding a fan to the NB heatsink.


Thanks for taking a look! I promise my next build will be better! :cool:
skinnee
10-10-2008, 09:57 PM
Despite the hassle you had mounting the rad, I think the placement is great! I'd say you did an excellent job on your first WC build!

Congrats! :up:
Armstrong57
10-10-2008, 10:07 PM
Thanks skinnee!

I figured it would be a good spot with the three intake fans already there, then the nice big ultra kaze fans to help it along. I wondered about the heat xfer from the rad into the case, but with the two 120mm exhaust fans at the back and the 200mm exhaust up top I figured it would be fine. This thing moves a ton of air! :)
Kibbler
10-10-2008, 10:31 PM
I like it! I'm partial to front-internal rads so any case with 5.75" bays down the front is a plus for me. Couple of comments:

1) The rad assembly might be too heavy for that mount. It's putting a lot of cantilever force on that intake, and it's leaning. This (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=332&products_id=21047) or something similar might help. I have a pair and they're really well made.

2) There're 2 120mms in the back, that should be plenty of room to mount the res internally, which would help shorten your tubing, too.

3) Is that your cat's tail at the bottom of the 13th pic? :D
MomijiTMO
10-10-2008, 10:37 PM
Nice. You didn't make the mistake I did [high speed fans]. The rad attachment was a great idea.

It looks like a rear left leg Kibbler to me????
Armstrong57
10-10-2008, 10:38 PM
I like it! I'm partial to front-internal rads so any case with 5.75" bays down the front is a plus for me. Couple of comments:

1) The rad assembly might be too heavy for that mount. It's putting a lot of cantilever force on that intake, and it's leaning. This (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=332&products_id=21047) or something similar might help. I have a pair and they're really well made.

2) There're 2 120mms in the back, that should be plenty of room to mount the res internally, which would help shorten your tubing, too.

3) Is that your cat's tail at the bottom of the 13th pic? :D

1 - The lean is partly because the bleed screw at the top of the rad is touching the bottom of my HDD bracket slightly, so I had to tilt it just a bit for it to fit. I used zip ties in a few spots to help carry the load and I think it's got enough support to not be a problem. If the radbox does end up letting go, the ties will be able to hold it in place to avoid disaster. Extra brackets couldn't hurt though!

2 - There is no way the rad would fit inside if it were mounted to those exhaust fans, it isn't even close to possible.

3 - Yes that's my new kitten's foot/tail. He's been really curious about what I've been up to (and why he has so many shiny little objects to steal and play with) so he's always snooping around. He was close to getting his tail caught in one of the exhaust fans while I had the side panel off too, silly guy! My other cat just doesn't care... :)
MomijiTMO
10-10-2008, 10:44 PM
ehh just don't have the side panel off in case he zaps something.
Armstrong57
10-10-2008, 10:47 PM
Hehe no, I have the panels on. I was just finishing the build when I snapped that pic, and that's when he did that. The panels are on and will stay on for good. All fans are protected from the outside..

I can't believe how much air this thing moves, and is quiet! I have all of the fans on high setting and it just purrs. Both cores are sitting at 23*C at idle according to CoreTemp.
SoulsCollective
10-10-2008, 10:52 PM
Nice parts. Before anyone else passes comment, I will note that the Koolance block used here is actually Ni-plated Cu, not Al - so don't panic. Personally I would've mounted the reservoir internally - either as suggested next to the two 120mm rear exhaust fans, or horizontally across the top of the MB, but otherwise good job.

On the camera aspect, yours isn't too bad - when it's held steady and in good light (as in some of the shots). If you just get a tripod (or even a stack of books, anything but holding it by hand), bump up the ISO setting a notch, and whitebalance properly your shots will improve drastically.
MomijiTMO
10-10-2008, 10:54 PM
I like the new Koolance blocks [wouldn't use them myself but they are stunning].
dopestuff
10-11-2008, 02:03 AM
nice build armstrong :up:

and i see you using those "is watercooling put these on your passive heatpipe blocks"
but i (like you probably) have plenty of air going through the case and so they are not needed (yeah i checked did't even win a degree whit it) so if you don't like the looks of it (or rather like the copper looks of the passive blocks) you can do pretty well whitout them ;) (just a tip)
Armstrong57
10-11-2008, 02:55 AM
Thanks for the tip, dopestuff. :)
BlueAqua
10-11-2008, 06:31 AM
Looks like a really nice setup, especially for your first build. I think you have great component placement and implementation. It definitely shows that you did your research and that you're happy with how it turned out.

Good job, and thanks for sharing with us.
LonghornN
10-11-2008, 12:24 PM
Please, can you post more pics of the VID-428?

Nice build :clap:
Cralle!
10-11-2008, 12:52 PM
GJ :)

I did the same rad placement as u but i have a Antec 900 and and a TFC 240 rad, Thats ever more less space:/
dopestuff
10-11-2008, 12:58 PM
hey armstrong i am wondering....
what hapened to the mips NB block shown in you pics?? :D
Armstrong57
10-11-2008, 01:50 PM
Please, can you post more pics of the VID-428?

Nice build :clap:

Sorry for the lack of the VID-428 pics. I ran into a couple snags when removing the air cooler from the video card, and when I got around to installing the Koolance block I was in a bad mood and forgot to snap pics. I could get a couple of it as it sits now, but really there wouldn't be a lot to look at - I'll see what I can do :)


GJ :)

I did the same rad placement as u but i have a Antec 900 and and a TFC 240 rad, Thats ever more less space:/

Man that must be tight! Do you have any pics of your build?


hey armstrong i am wondering....
what hapened to the mips NB block shown in you pics?? :D

I have the block sitting in its package with an undetermined future... lol
emuexport
10-11-2008, 05:56 PM
Nice work!

Woulda been better as you said if you coulda fitted the Res inside but maybe on your next rebuild!

I put an MCR320 in my Tt Soprano that was a pita and is still not finished (cosmetics). Checkout my worklog if your interested (dont wanna stela your thread!).

I think the mounting system Kibbler used would be perfect for handling the load of the Rad and would give you more space back and maybe let you use the last bit of the 5 1/4" bays as a tunnel for the air (give it direction). I woulda flipped the rad but thats just how I have mine.

Most importantly (IMO) whats the noise vs oc results temps etc with this setup?


Have fun with it!
emu
Armstrong57
10-11-2008, 06:24 PM
It's really quiet even with all fans on high. There is tonnes of air flowing through, if you're anywhere near the case you can feel it coming out. I just started messing with OC'ing, it's at 3.8Ghz (400x9.5) and idling around 27*C. Vcore is up around 1.35 I believe, but I haven't fine tuned anything at all. I basically just upped it to 400mHz clock and added some vcore to help it. I'll post more when I get some time to do a proper OC.