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totalgeek
08-20-2011, 04:56 AM
Wanted to say hi and introduce myself. Been a longtime forum reader but never really contributed much. When I decided to build my WCG farm I found some great information here on XS. Just wanted to say I appreciated all the help and information, helped me out a lot. I'm going to be joining the team. Hopefully outsiders are allowed. ;)

I've got 3 overclocked SB 2600k humming along in a giant Lego case. All of the systems run off one Antec 1200 HCP PSU and at full load I'm using about 670 watts. I think someone here posted a link to it a couple of weeks ago when it was on Engadget. I can post more info if people are interested.

Currently looks like I'm averaging between 125-145k WCG PPD right now or about 17-21K Boinc Credit per day. I use the system for other tasks throughout the day so my numbers seem to move around a bit depending on how much CPU time I steal for video editing/photoshopping/etc.

I've still got more PSU headroom in the farm so when money becomes available I hope to add another 2600k into the mix with a 4th system. I still have left over Lego bricks, so the plan is to add another tier on.

Thanks again!
Evantaur
08-20-2011, 05:22 AM
welcome aboard :up:
SMTB1963
08-20-2011, 06:53 AM
Is this your rig?

http://www.totalgeekdom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Side-Doors-Closed-1024x988.jpg (http://www.totalgeekdom.com/?p=572)

I remember seeing the write-up on Engadget, and I forwarded a link to my nephew who's a HUGE lego fan...he thought it was one of the coolest things he's ever seen! Hell, it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen. :yepp:

Awesome! :clap::up:
Otis11
08-20-2011, 07:01 AM
Sweet man! Welcome to the team! :welcome:
totalgeek
08-20-2011, 07:06 AM
Is this your rig?

http://www.totalgeekdom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Side-Doors-Closed-1024x988.jpg (http://www.totalgeekdom.com/?p=572)

I remember seeing the write-up on Engadget, and I forwarded a link to my nephew who's a HUGE lego fan...he thought it was one of the coolest things he's ever seen! Hell, it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen. :yepp:

Awesome! :clap::up:

Yep, that's my rig. There's more pictures and details at http://www.totalgeekdom.com/?p=572

Thanks!
Plan.B
08-20-2011, 07:17 AM
Holy crap, that's awesome! Welcome to the team TG!
sierra_bound
08-20-2011, 07:27 AM
Nice box! Thanks for helping out.
OldChap
08-20-2011, 08:02 AM
Welcome aboard

I think he'll fit in nicely here at xtreme :D

Have a guess at what the Lego would cost... just so we can see that vs a bought case
totalgeek
08-20-2011, 09:41 AM
Thanks all for the warm welcome.


@OldChap

The Lego bricks cost about $400 total, I spent about $300 out of pocket since I already owned a bunch of black bricks. I had looked into buying 3 separate cases at one point but that would have set me back around $300 and it would have made it much more difficult to wire the single PSU into each separate system. The Lego case worked well for allowing all 3 systems to fit in one box and utilize one power supply. You could do something far cheaper though with steel and aluminum, though it would require some fab skills. :)
DimmuKlokSC2
08-20-2011, 12:09 PM
That's a really sick rig. Welcome to the team, Totalgeek, and thanks for your contribution! :up:
SMTB1963
08-20-2011, 12:51 PM
Beautifully designed & executed. Love the "upside down" space-saving configuration...did you use any CAD software during the design phase of your project?
totalgeek
08-20-2011, 05:29 PM
Beautifully designed & executed. Love the "upside down" space-saving configuration...did you use any CAD software during the design phase of your project?

Thanks! Nope, no software. Just kind of kicked the idea around in my head until I had something to work from. :)

Ugh, power has been out for like 3 hours now and it looks like it's going to be out until at least tomorrow. There goes my numbers. :(
1200W
08-21-2011, 12:56 AM
Welcome :D And the Lego case loooks aawwwwsooome :up:
Snow Crash
08-21-2011, 03:49 AM
I believe that perhaps more important than the amazing execution of your vision and the incredible direct crunching numbers you have acheived is that your article brings a focus to WCG and grid computing in general that I can see making people curious about that aspect of your project and bringing in more crunchers to the big picture.

Serious gratz and welcome to the team :welcome:



ps. if you are still interested in GPU for biomedical research we have a team here that contributes to GPUGrid.org
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?298-Xtreme-GPUGRID-Team
Sparky
08-21-2011, 12:24 PM
Freakin' A :clap:

Welcome!
totalgeek
08-21-2011, 03:05 PM
Thanks guys! Appreciate it! :)
lkiller123
08-21-2011, 06:31 PM
That is an amazing piece of work right there.

:welcome: and thanks for the help mate! :up:
totalgeek
08-22-2011, 05:09 AM
That is an amazing piece of work right there.

:welcome: and thanks for the help mate! :up:

Thank you very much. :)
shoota
08-22-2011, 07:15 AM
I feel insta-celebrity status has befallen you. Sick rig and welcome to the team!
jspace
08-27-2011, 04:33 PM
I tip my hat to you and your Lego skilz.
Also, when I first read that article, I was like, "Man, it would be awesome if that guy crunched for XS!"
totalgeek
08-28-2011, 08:55 AM
I tip my hat to you and your Lego skilz.
Also, when I first read that article, I was like, "Man, it would be awesome if that guy crunched for XS!"

Thank you sir.

haha, I'm onboard and crunching away.
PolRoger
08-28-2011, 02:34 PM
Wow! What a cool crunching project/build/case!
stoneageman
08-28-2011, 02:44 PM
Those SB's are working hard. They just need two more companions to get regular pie:up:
MaadDaawg
08-28-2011, 03:21 PM
Beautiful rig Bro :up:
totalgeek
08-29-2011, 12:49 PM
Thanks guys!

I'm hoping when BD comes out it will push the SB prices down a little bit and I can get at least 1 more SB system to add to the farm. I'm pretty sure I've got enough PSU headroom to add 2 more SB systems and still be within the max of the PSU. I'm dying to punish that Antec. muhahaha
stoneageman
08-29-2011, 01:56 PM
Trouble is, when BD comes out it could push SB prices up :eek:
Otis11
08-29-2011, 08:15 PM
TG, The other thing you might want to consider is what rails you're pulling that power from.

Most of you motherboard is using 5V or 3.3V rails where your PSU has the bulk of it's headroom on the 12V rail... Might actually want to take a look at what it's capable of pushing out on the other lines...

Edit:

+3.3V@25A = 82.5W
+5V@25A = 125W
+12V1@30A = 360W
+12V2@30A = 360W
+12V3@30A = 360W
+12V4@30A = 360W
+12V5@30A = 360W
+12V6@30A = 360W
+12V7@30A = 360W
+12V8@30A = 360W
-12V@0.5A = 6W
+5VSB@4.0A = 20W

So on the 3.3W and 5V rails you've only got 207.5W of power at your disposal... so I know the systems are using some 12V power, but the question is how much. You could easily add a Graphics card to each of them and join us on GPUGrid, but I don't know how much more you can draw from that thing before it blows... :shrug:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news... :shakes:
totalgeek
08-30-2011, 04:59 AM
Thanks Otis11, very good points you make.

I'm not entirely sure how much power I'm drawing off the +3.3V and +5V rails when spread out over the 3 boards. I guess I might be able to reference the numbers with just one system running and the watt measurements of the CPU in software like SIV, then subtract the difference and have a ballpark?

Or I could just banzai test it and throw a 4th system at it and see what it does. :D

I'll try and do a little more research and see if I can't figure out just how much more room I have.