Project: Lian Li A01 - HTPC - Watercooled - 56k Warning

Hi there!

currently i´m building a little htpc which will replace several single components like music, tv, vcr...
basis for this build is the Lian Li A01. some people call it the ugliest Lian Li case ever but i like it:

http://www.abload.de/img/_mg_9560sns.jpg
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_95462fx.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_9554m8s.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_954754c.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_95490oq.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_95528s1.jpg

Hardware:
MB: Asus P5E-VM hdmi
Cpu: e2180
Video Card: Onboard
TV card: ???
PSU: NesteQ 400W
HD: 2,5" with a Scythe Quiet Drive

cooling:
the important parts of this case will be watercooled
pump: Laing 12V
reservoir: OC Labs
radi: Cape Cora passive
tubing: feser 13/10 mm
cpu, nb, sb: AnFi Tec cooler

first of all i removed everything from the case i will not use later like hd and dvd cage. after that i painted the mb tray white (i want to have i nice black and white contrast for the wohle case).

http://www.abload.de/img/_mg_01678x8.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0168rst.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_01696rz.jpg
i thought this would be a nice idea ... but i changed it later again.


the water cooling parts arrived from AquaTuning:
my fittings:
http://www.abload.de/img/_mg_038654q.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0350a16.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0363noi.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_03673am.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0348waj.jpg

pump Laing 12V:
http://www.abload.de/img/_mg_0404jjt.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0407ecv.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0401i5w.jpg

OC Labs reservoir for Laing:
http://www.abload.de/img/_mg_0394mk5.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0400xhp.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0396ctr.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_039911l.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0398mhj.jpg

both together:
http://www.abload.de/img/_mg_0761s2c.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0785tkc.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_0774yqr.jpg

lets go on with the Cape Core 442:

http://www.abload.de/img/bild016mqg.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild023h38.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild1u4c.png http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild112mld.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild1030zj.jpg

i will only use two fans for venting the case. if i really need both i´ll see later.
Sharkoon Silent Eagle 80mm

http://www.abload.de/img/bild015wpr.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild009dnc.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild013kc8.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild008xkw.jpg


at this point i sent my MB to AnFi Tec Germany. it is a little company which produces verry nice watercooler and in my opinion the most beautyfull 775 cpu cooler which you can find at the moment. but you will see them later.
in the time i had no mb i was walking arround the case and after a few days i noticed that the white mb tray is not really beautyfull. so what could i do? exactly - i stripped down the case and painted it black.

stripped down
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1410s6s.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1412fyi.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1405vbr.jpg

after 4 layers of black paint
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1430y3x.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1431r3x.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1427ffd.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1415jje.jpg

i´m so glad i did it. it looks so much better in black (in my opinion)

still waiting for my mb i had time for other things. first i sleeved the laing and the case
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_14380lq.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_14390uf.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_144181c.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_14451ab.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1448ism.jpg
wasn´t easy to find a good white sleeve....

next i painted the front connectors:
http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild1gev.png http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1461yny.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1464ww0.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1463qcr.jpg

after a few weeks i got my mb back - and the coolers for nb,sb and cpu. damn, they are looking hot. but decide for yourself.

the Cpu Cooler is delivered in a can. not a new but still a funny idea
http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild0417k0.jpghttp://www.abload.de/thumb/bild055jxp.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1476m5u.jpg

and here it is
http://www.abload.de/img/cpu3waj.jpg

http://www.abload.de/thumb/cpu2tdw.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/cpu13z0.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/sb01640l.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1565n16.jpg

and that´s what it looks like on my mb:
http://www.abload.de/thumb/board0283rd.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/board02099f.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1509rwg.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1576jhb.jpg
i love it :D

first time all together in my case and a first test tubing:
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_158627m.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1587aoa.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/a01_1m8l.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/a01_212i.jpg


next step was to mount the radi at the side panel.
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1720m5b.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_173683s.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1742o1m.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_17377k7.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1746qo5.jpg
it fits but it´s really heavy. i have a little problem with the balance of the case. i hope the psu will give the necessary counter balance.

now i had time for cable management and some sleeving....
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1797az9.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_1808deo.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_18072eh.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/bild1hyh.png

it hurt but i had to make some holes into the case.
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2008rm0.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_200403k.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2005hi5.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2007yvs.jpg

now you can see how the tubes will run
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2021qdf.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2024pbr.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2026s5u.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_20175ee.jpg

the case fans in their position:
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_207631d.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2078jup.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2077tpe.jpg

the first problem appeared. i mounted the radi a little bit to low. the tube folded. so i had to attach the radi 2 cm higher. fortunately i stuck the radi with double sided tape. it was easily to remove. after mounting it 2cm higher i got a nice radius for the tubes.
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2107k7q.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2105lcz.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2116xi1.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2103ygm.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2108tfh.jpg

i painted the slot covers black:
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2120kml.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2124ya5.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_21230de.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2122f18.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2143mzu.jpg

worked a little bit on my cablemanagement.

front:
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_24362zt.jpg

back:
http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_2440ddb.jpg http://www.abload.de/thumb/_mg_24424rr.jpg
only the Atx cable is still missing. ;)


a little preview for the final tubing...

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/luxxpics/_MG_2466.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/luxxpics/_MG_2467_1.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/luxxpics/_MG_2468.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/luxxpics/_MG_2469.jpg


next parts arrived:

Nesteq E2CS 400w

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2495.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2498.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2503.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2504.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2505.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2507.jpg


Scythe Quiet Drive 2,5"

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2509.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2515.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2517.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2522.jpg

edit2:

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2538.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2544.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2545.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2549_1.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2551.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2554.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2563.jpg

that´s all i think. :D

next step will be sleeving the psu

super passive cooling. nice pics

I'd say you dont need the fans...

HI tremeloes, happy to see you here.

I love your lian li v350 and this one is going to be awesome again, MDPC for sure.

Just one thing I don't like is the motherboard because of multiple color, you should have go with DFI JR lanparty but for the rest it's really amazing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ultimeus

Just one thing I don't like is the motherboard because of multiple color, you should have go with DFI JR lanparty but for the rest it's really amazing.

---

as i started this project the asus p5e-vm hdmi was the only black board with hdmi available. and that orange and yellow you got on that dfi .... hmmm, no, to screaming for me.

Looking very good, what camera you using?



sorry 4 my english.

Subscribed! :D

I see we live in the same town. Will you mentor me? :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pcaddict

Looking very good, what camera you using?



sorry 4 my english.

---

Gorgeous set-up..i wanna know the cam/lens combo too :D

Looks very celan and smooth my friend. And those pictures are the complementary thing. Perfect :clap:

wow very nice :up:

@pcaddict, berk
thanks, i´m using an eos 20d. but the cam isn´t that important - light ist important. ;)

@dsecrieru
you are from Frankfurt/Main too?

@emir, evil-98
thanks. :) i do my best...


mini update:
sleeved one psu cable

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2578.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2579.jpg

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2580.jpg

that´s what you will see later:

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2576.jpg

i´m a "couch sleever":

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2581.jpg

Great to have you here Tremeloes!

you have put white heatshrink on the end of the cables?
If not, are the wires white? Thats really nice, I hate that every sleeving shows up a bit of color cables...

Very clean and nice pictures indeed :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Junimrox

you have put white heatshrink on the end of the cables?
If not, are the wires white? Thats really nice, I hate that every sleeving shows up a bit of color cables...

---

you´re right. i put white heatschrink on the end of the cabls.

@SnW
thx. ;)

great build !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tremeloes

@dsecrieru
you are from Frankfurt/Main too?

---

I live and work here for over 6 years now :).

Awesome work, never seen white sleeving until now.

hehe, perhaps we have met already. if you go to Museumsuferfest this weekend just wear a shirt with "it´s me - dsecrieru from XS" and i´ll find you. :D

i never thought that a small htpc case would look that good! great build mate! :up:

Great build log! :up:

Amazing photos!!! :up:

thanks. ;)

i will order sleeve and tubes next week so i hope i will have new pics soon for you...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tremeloes

hehe, perhaps we have met already. if you go to Museumsuferfest this weekend just wear a shirt with "it´s me - dsecrieru from XS" and i´ll find you. :D

---

Cleaned the house today and going to a bbq tomorrow. Looks like I'll miss it this year...

subscribed!

prepared my psu for sleeving:

first 10m tape are gone... :D

http://tremeloes.kilu.de/meisterkuehler/_MG_2779.jpg