PROJECT:BLACK - My dual loop anodised Lian Li PC7

Thought I'd share with you how my current pc was born :D

I had a pc65b for ages, it was my 2nd ever case and I've kept it for 3 years(ish) through countless motherboards/gfx cards, from just about knowing how to put a pc together to first watercooling efforts to mastering (i think) watercooling, to phase and back again.

It was looking a bit worse for wear and I fancied something new.. but what?? Something different, as a business venture I'd been checking out anodizing so I decided the thing to go for was...

A pc7+ lol.. I got a black one, took it to bits and had the insides sent off to be blackened up.. wound up with this..

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC00211.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC00210-1.jpg

So I thought.. whats to go in it??

I thought phase was a laugh but too high maintenance for my liking, my favourite ever pc was my dual loop pc65 so I decided to go back to it and do it better than ever..

The plan was 2 120.1 rads, one for the cpu, one for the gfx (at the time that was an x2 3800 and x1900xt lol.. things have moved on in the last 4 months!)

I didn't want to trash the case, just tastefull mods.. I decided I wanted thermotubes on the outside of the case for the crazy scientist look and everything else inside so just 2 small cuts on the roof.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC00289.jpg

Wound up with this..

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC00290.jpg

quick message about the cooling/components...

I wound up putting it together when I had a E6700-ES and 7950GX2.. I first thougt about trying the gx2 spacer kit and 2 maze4s like this..

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC00320.jpg

But unfortunately the gap was still too close, I couldn't link them with tubing without it kinking so I went for an EK 7950 block and an EK cpu block.

I also wanted no spare wiring so I got a sata dvdrw (HATE ide cables), black sata cables and sleeved everything including the psu and fan wires, then I had the power and ide leds changed from the pc7 standard orange and green to red and blue courtesy of welshtom (rip lol) and set about hidining all the cables...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC00337.jpg

I learned from experience that its almost impossible to connect a dual loop system up outside the case and then get it into the case with finger intact so I measured all the tubing with it installed and clamped it all inside too, very time consuming and painful but it worked..

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC00339-1.jpg

Finally once it was all connected the read fan went in with foam spacers (blue peter style) incidentally I used the supplied gasket on the rads to dampen fan noise.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC00335.jpg

nice, grats and good job, keep the pics coming

So, it was all together, I stopped up for ages filling it and tipping it around to get rid of the air, I appear to have 1 nopisy pump but it sounds to be getting a bit better so I'll wait before I pass judgement..

I also used orange dye instead of red because the red looks pink and the orange looks red.. go figure.. anyway, the finished article..

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC02419.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC02426.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC02424.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC02425.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC02416.jpg

with air and crap cable management my 6700 was idling at 45ish, its now showing 28 which I doubt is correct but still like for like a 20 degree drop I'll take that.. similarly the gx2 is idling at 32, not had time to load them up yet.

Things I would/might change? the rubber slip mat under the thermotubes.. Not sure about that but they won't stay in their holders and lay flat due to tubing bend and I don't want them scratching the case.. I might just cut the mat down so you can't see it.

More lighting, there is a 4" uv cathode in between the thermotubes and one in the case but I think I'll get 1 more long one for inside so you can really see the tubing but thats it!

What do you think??

Final pic.. just taken it.. added a large UV cathode and put a blue fan in front of the bottom rad to make it push/pull now idles at about 35 with 1.45v on it at 3.5ghz

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2..._/DSC02613.jpg

loving that case Matt, and your new sig awesome ;) (not as good as the one i made for you tho)

Tom

what fan controller is that?

VERY Nice. Who makes those resevoirs you have on top? Also, are you happy with them temps provided by the EK-Wave? I'm thinking of picking one up for a second system. I like the color of the red loop: looks kinda like fruit punch!

Nice job cramming two loops in there. Good tip on the orange die for red loops BTW.

Ever consider alternating red and blue plastic clamps? Would integrate well into your overall theme. Gear clamps get the job done but they or so, umm, industrial looking.

Awesome Job!

Is that 3/8 Tubing ?

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Who makes those resevoirs you have on top?

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Moi...

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Originally Posted by Whokidmo

what fan controller is that?

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It’s a vantec nexus, very difficult to get hold of now, they make a 3.5” version but it doesn’t allow anywhere near as much speed change on the fans.

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Originally Posted by alejo

VERY Nice. Who makes those resevoirs you have on top? Also, are you happy with them temps provided by the EK-Wave? I'm thinking of picking one up for a second system. I like the color of the red loop: looks kinda like fruit punch!

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They’re thermochill thermotubes, they normally have mounting brackets on them but I have removed them. The EK wave is great, getting about 32-36 idle 50-53 load depending on how hot the house is.

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Originally Posted by calvin

Nice job cramming two loops in there. Good tip on the orange die for red loops BTW.

Ever consider alternating red and blue plastic clamps? Would integrate well into your overall theme. Gear clamps get the job done but they or so, umm, industrial looking.

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No, I like the industrial look, more importantly they work very well (especially when using them on the 3/8 pumps) and I don’t like too many colours.

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Originally Posted by Patriote

Awesome Job!

Is that 3/8 Tubing ?

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No sir ½ XSPC all round, very cheap alternative to tygon and imo 95% as good.

Ah well, i see you have some MCP350\5 pumps without modded tops which are 3/8" standard, right ?

Either way im sure it work pretty good :D and does look pretty good too!

Thermochill Thermotubes.. I need to find some of those :)

Discontinued now I'm afraid - design superceded by EK's Reservoir... was pointless us continuing to produce the ThermoTube to use up the remainder of the Ali endcaps we have here when a superior product using Delrin is available. The plans I had to take the ThermoTube one step further once those endcaps ran out were realised in EK's reservoir design. Cheaper for us to buy in and resell EK's Res than for us to produce our own...

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Originally Posted by IanY

Thermochill Thermotubes.. I need to find some of those :)

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Good luck, that won't be easy.

Very nice alternative is the EK multioption res.

Nice case but the cable on the "blue" pump is kinda bugging me, why don't you run that cable behind your mobo?

That would make it look much cleaner.

Are the thermotubes just lying on your case on a piece of slip mat?

Thanks for the info, gents.

As usual, the US gets the shaft. I cannot find a EK retailer in the US. I guess I will have to order from the UK.

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Originally Posted by Zeus

Good luck, that won't be easy.

Very nice alternative is the EK multioption res.

Nice case but the cable on the "blue" pump is kinda bugging me, why don't you run that cable behind your mobo?

That would make it look much cleaner.

Are the thermotubes just lying on your case on a piece of slip mat?

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yes they are on a slipmat, I plan to chop that right down soon and put 2 bits of slipmat on the bottom of the thermotubes so you can't see it.

as for the blue pump, yeah fair point but I'm not taking the mobo out again! No chance! Once this lot was in, it was staying in until it breaks or fills with algae!

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Originally Posted by IanY

Thanks for the info, gents.

As usual, the US gets the shaft. I cannot find a EK retailer in the US. I guess I will have to order from the UK.

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I think Petra is carrying EK resevoirs now. He just hasn't put them up yet.

http://www.petrastechshop.com

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Originally Posted by IanY

Thanks for the info, gents.

As usual, the US gets the shaft. I cannot find a EK retailer in the US. I guess I will have to order from the UK.

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You could also order direct from Eddy_EK.

we're also planning to stock some EK in the near future :)

Thats a sweet setup there man! :toast:

I have the same case and have been wanting to watercool it, you have given me some good ideas :D

Looks good, loving the colour combo!

anodised is very nice, i polished my case a bit, but i realy like the anodising.
When i got time i want to try and anodise some alu my self..

Nice case mod, gratz.