The Black Widow Is Finally Done

[bigdawginva]

Well, my first case-modding and custom WCing effort is finally done. This includes mods I've never attempted before like a window, FanBus, re-wiring fans, pump relay switch, and hole cutting.

Is it perfect? Of course not.

Am I satisfied with how it turned out? Yes.

Would I do it again if I had it to do over? No. I determined during this initial effort that I'm happier "tweaking" a system that's already built than building one from scratch.

Does it run cooler than my Koolance? That's hard to tell since I'm using a completely different mobo that reads temps differently than my KX7-333R.

Is it quieter than my Koolance? You bet! By more than "double". I can't hear anything on this system except the BayRes water sloshing.

My goal had always been to build a WCing system that cooled as well as my Koolance but the loudest thing being the PSU. I accomplished that.

How much did I spend? Well, that's hard to define since I had the CPU, memory and some other parts laying around as spares anyway. But not counting costs for items I already had as spares, tools, and items like sandpaper, masking tape, Dremel wheels, etc., I have about $700 invested.

So what's all in it?

Abit KD7-E
AMD 2400+
Corsair 512mb XMS 3500 Platinum
ATI 9700
Western Digital 120gb 8mb cache HD
EPS TTGI 520w PSU
Black Lite-On 16X DVD
Black Lite-On 48x24x48 CDRW
Black Keyboard and Mouse
Maxtop Full Server Black Case

WCing System

1/2" ClearFlex
Scoop/XLR Rad/Shroud
BayRes
Hydor L30 pump
Pump Relay Switch
Dtek Spir@l WB
6 Port Fan Bus
Pabst 80mm fans front and rear

Leak Testing (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482333.html)
BayRes (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482335.html)
Fans and PSU Installed (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482337.html)
PSU Installed (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482338.html)
FanBus Installed (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482340.html)
Window Hole Cut (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482341.html)
Window Installed (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482343.html)
Complete Profile (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482344.html)
Complete Front (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482346.html)
Complete Window (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482347.html)
Complete Inside (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-482348.html)

[IFMU]

Nice job!
I love the idea you have there for the res in the drive bay. Very interesting way to do it indeed.
Kinda gives me more ideas for the thoughts Ive come up with off and on. And money/time restraints have kept me from doing...
Looks great man.

[TheDude]

Looks very nice! Good job!
:toast:

[bigdawginva]

Thanks. After running for 18 hours or so I'm very satisfied with the temps. Time to start tweaking and overclocking.

[bigdawginva]

Some initial temps. The performance of this gear under load, using the fans at 5v, is phenomenal.

Idle (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-483165.html)
After 4 hours of Sandra Stress Burn-In (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-483394.html)

[nikhsub1]

Originally posted by bigdawginva
Some initial temps. The performance of this gear under load, using the fans at 5v, is phenomenal.

Idle (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-483165.html)
After 4 hours of Sandra Stress Burn-In (http://home.attbi.com/~96impalass/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-483394.html)
Seems like you got your mobo and CPU temps flopped, ain't no way your mobo is 15C hotter than your CPU.

[bigdawginva]

ain't no way your mobo is 15C hotter than your CPU.

Well, as my daughter would say "yes way".

You're obviously not familiar with the mobo temp readings of the KD7 series mobos. They're not flopped and yes they can read like that. You're wrong. You need to buy a KD7 series mobo and see for yourself. I can also verify them in the system bios if you'd like a screen shot of that too.

Besides, if this rig was getting 43c at idle, I'd consider suicide after all the work and time and gear involved.

[Mime]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but it has always been my understanding that onboard sensors usually don't return accurate values in watercooled systems. The reason for that is they measure the air temperature around the socket and then recorrect according to the amount of airflow passing over the socket area. If there's little or no airflow around the socket the temps returned are going to be off.

[bigdawginva]

Then can someone explain why I didn't have that problem with my KX7-333R that ran in a Koolance (low-end water) setup for the past 8 months?

My system temps with that setup never rose above 35c.

[Nohto]

The temps are inaccurate. My KD7 showed temps of 48+C and I know their was no way that they were that high. My KD7-E that I am using a 5000 BTU/HR air conditioner pumped into the case by 2 5in lines and a Prometeia so I know there isn't an excessive amount of heat coming off the video card and MB, says it runs at around 32c when I have been looping 3-d mark. If I take the temp of the case itself it is around 5 deg C.

[Nohto]

One other thing is the KD7 uses smaller Mosfets and coils and has the capability to use higher voltage settings.

[bigdawginva]

Thanks for backing me up. Not a happy camper when my skills are challenged like "no way your mobo is 15C hotter than your CPU".

Been around long enough to know if my "mobo and CPU temps flopped".

[Nohto]

Isn't that PC 101:rotf: :lol: I used to take one of those 3-M post-it and stick it on the fan, way back when my case and CPU temps were actually close and make sure that the correct temp went up. I'm sure that you know how to tell the difference. Hell there has only been about 5 threads on it that I know of. I started at least one of them. Opp the very first person to use/bench a KD7 mentioned how hot the board ran (registered). Ah you shouldn't loose any Christmas spirit over it. You know WTF is going on.
Merry Xtrememas.
Nate

[morphling1]

Mobo sensor doesn't show anything, they are usualy on wrong places near heat sources. This is especialy obvious on KD7 board , worst position ever, near the north bridge and of course close to mosfets of voltage regulators, this is probably the hotest place on mobo, I don't know what the hell were they thinking putting it there, but it's showing temps close to on die temp sensors.
Anyway nice looking system, cpu temps could be lower though

[bigdawginva]

Thanks. I've been running the fans at 7v so I'm sure that's contributing to much of the higher temps.

I just increased the FanBus low setting pots to about 9v and saw an immediate 1-2c drop with little noise increase.

I'm going to replace those BayRes elbows for straight fittings tomorrow and get some head back.

I'm also looking for solutions to move the pump higher. I had tried the empty bays when I first designed the system but the output nozzle always got in the way.

[bigdawginva]

worst position ever, near the north bridge and of course close to mosfets of voltage regulators, this is probably the hotest place on mobo, I don't know what the hell were they thinking putting it there, but it's showing temps close to on die temp sensors.
Amen on that. I'm considering deleting that sensor on my MBM setup just so I don't have to look at the SOB reading that high all the time. Drives me crazy.

[VEG]

FSB = 285?

That cant be right surely?:confused:

[KnightElite]

Originally posted by VEG
FSB = 285?

That cant be right surely?:confused:

What you want to look at in the WCPUID pic is the "system clock," not the "system bus." The FSB is 143MHz.

[VEG]

i see...phew, in CPU-z it says that though :confused:

[bigdawginva]

It's a bug with CPU-Z. The multi was wrong (7.0) too. If you'll notice in later pics, it cleared itself.

[|Oc|REvO_HsArC]

that is one BIG Case!!
congratulations man! i also seek low noise performance!
you seem to have it now!

good work!