This is just a reposting from a different forum so I can begin to get my feet wet on xtremesystems.org.
Hope you guys like it.
I have since changed out the hardware store tubing for some tygon, and the orange UV coolant for some Red coolant, that will be a second post below.
[Originally Posted on 8-21-08]
So this is the start of a new mod for me. My last mod I put up here has been working great but is too damned heavy, you can see it here.
This mod is going to be a little smaller and I think, maybe, even cooler.
I also want you guys to choose some of my parts for me:
Should I go with an AMD Phenom 9600 that I have in a Gigabyte 570SLI motherboard.
OR should I go with my B1 Stepping qx6700 that will do 3.73ghz at 65c?
Also motherboard suggestions would be good for the qx6700 because I will need to pick that up. Red preferably.
Parts:
- Lian-Li G50B
- Lian-Li Replacement motherboard Tray
Koolance EHX-1020BK Radiator
Radiator Fan upgrade
Koolance CPU-340 Waterblock
XFX 8800GTX with Dangerden Waterblock
Sunbeam Theta Fan/lighting Controller
That is all the parts I am going to use right now. Still trying to decide if I should get a new water pump or reuse some CSP-Mag pumps in series.
So here are some pics of some of those items and work has started on the case.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0776.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0777.JPG
Removed the motherboard tray and IO panel from the case. Going to install the replacement tray further down in the case. This also means I will be moving the Power supply up front ala the Lian-Li A05 case.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0779.JPG
Motherboard Tray.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0782.JPG
Radiator Currently with 3 Enermax Enlobal fans in it. Very quite but marginal cooling with these fans.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0784.JPG
And the 3 fans.
I am still waiting on the fan controller.
[Originally Posted 8-25-08]
More work has been completed.
First, A comparison of the new fan with the old fans.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0788.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0791.JPG
New fans on the left old fan on the right. New fan moves 116.1CFM at 39DB max RPM. Old fan moves about 44CFM at 19DB max RPM. Should be able to get much better cooling from the new fans at the expense of noise. The sunbeam theta controller will help with that. Only loud when I need them.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0794.JPG
Starts to take on its final shape with the installation of the radiator housing. Going to make a hex mesh insert instead of the normal wire fan grills.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0798.JPG
A little closer view of the radiator housing.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0795.JPG
And a shot of the inside where I lose my uppermost drive bay. I realize that is not exactly the radiator shown above. This is a slightly older model that no longer appears on the website.
Still need to install the new motherboard tray and move the power supply.
[Originally Posted 9-9-08]
Sorry for the length of time since the last post. Allot of work has been done.
The new motherboard tray has been installed and fully riveted in. I have used rivets that are all aluminum and countersunk, this will allow me to get the case anodized without having to disassemble it. The entire case will be anodized red with all plastic parts painted Red. All screws will be black as well as some black edging material to soften some of the edges inside the chassis.
On to the new pictures:
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0807.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0809.JPG
As you can see the Power supply has been mounted. Also the start of a bulkhead is there that will divide the power supply and all of its wires, the drives, and pumps from the motherboard and all of its hardware.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0810.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0811.JPG
These pictures show the template that is being created for the upper bulkhead panel. This will be aluminum like the rest of the components. There will be 2 slots cut into this panel for the dual 8800GTX video cards. I have purchased a second 8800GTX water-cooled card for a very good price and will have SLI in this system. I have to wait for a day or 2 for the EVGA 680i motherboard to cut for the second video card.
[Originally Posted 9-22-08]
New 680i motherboard is in and both 8800GTXs are in.
Ordered the 680i from EVGAs B-stock page for $99.00!!! :eek:
At the time they stated comes with "no accessories." Apparently no accessories means no IO shield as well. Now to me an IO shield is a requirement for proper motherboard installation. Called tech support and they said there is no way that they could send/sell me an IO shield. I was on my own because it says "no accessories."
So called up BFG and explained the situation and the BFG tech sent me an IO Shield.
BFG FTW!!!
EVGA FTL!!!
I will just buy my parts form BFG in the future and to hell with EVGA.
on to the pictures.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0814.JPG
Here is the new motherboard installed with both video cards. Both parts for the bulkhead are built and the support rails are all installed. Need to open the slots for the video cards up a little but otherwise seems to work great. Keeps all the cable clutter on the other side of the bulkhead, out of sight out of mind.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0816.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0818.JPG
Some more detail of the power supply installation. Had to carve the power plug down a little to clear the front of the case. Have to open the mounting hole on the lower left a little for a screw.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0819.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0821.JPG
And finally for today some pictures of the Koolance reservoir I am going to be using. Just clears the lower 8800GTX by about 1/8 of an inch. On the bottom of the reservoir there are 2 other fitting locations. I will be drilling some clearance holes and they will protrude thru the bottom of the case getting me a little more clearance, and allow their use as drain plugs. Not a big deal because the bulkhead supports the video cards and they cannot fall and hit the reservoir.
Only a few more things to do:
1. New vandal power switches install and clearance holes in the chassis.
2. Front panel USB and audio connections in the top front of the case.
3. Mount the Reservoir.
4. Hex mesh grill insert for radiator fans.
5. Cut window into Side panel.
Once those are done off to be anodized red.
[Originally posted 10-02-08]
A little preview of the shape of things to come.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0840.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0841.JPG
The red heatsinks are the same color as the chassis is. I have also installed the koolance CPU340 and GPU200 on the processor and northbridge. Also the CPU has been upgraded to a qx6800 that I received from Intel.com/retailedge training, for only $239.00. It is a G0 stepping and hope to hit 4ghz with this CPU.
[Originally posted 10-04-08]
Starting to come together. Currently bleeding the system of air right now.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0844.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0849.JPG
Overall view of the system while bleeding the air from the water cooling system. I love the center bulkhead I put in. Wires on one side. nice clean section on the other side. I notice in the pictures the Red painted plastic pieces appear Orange. They are in fact a bright red in keeping with the Red theme of the case.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0846.JPG
Here is the business side of things. Notice no extra cables lying around. All nice and clean. I have noticed that what I thought was red FluidXP+ may be red UV fluid. I will have to get a UV led set and check.
I have ditched the Sunbeam Theta controller for the Silverstone ESA control module. You can see it in some of the pictures installed in a 5.25in bay above. In order to install it in the computer I chopped off the front parts of the bay unit that held the face place. This allows me to install the Lian-li faceplate in the front of the computer.
So to finish the case I need to:
1. Stealth the optical drive and install it.
2. install the hard drive and OS.
3. Connect all the temperature sensors to the Silverstone ESA module.
[Originally posted 10-06-08]
Well finished up the drives and loaded an OS. Only one of the 8800GTXs showed in hardware manager. Turned machine off and reseated both cards. and they were fully installed. turned machine back on to SPARKS AND SMOKE!!!! :eek:
Removed the offending card and found this.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0855.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0854.JPG
I have not yet turned the computer back on. Waiting for any residual coolant to dry out. I hope nothing else is damaged!!!
[Originally posted 10-08-08]
Well motherboard died last night for no apparent reason. Was updating video card drivers and machine locked up to black screen. :confused: Rebooted machine and it booted right up and was fine for about 10mins at desktop. Started downloading drivers and it locked to black screen again. :mad: Would not post after that. Reset BIOS no post. :eek: Removed all components except CPU no beeps at all. Just a little dash mark on the LCD post indicator. :confused: Called EVGA they said could be related to CPU. Tried different CPU with same issue. :mad: Called EVGA and they are sending a new board cross shipped for free, but it wont be here until Monday!!! I wonder if this is a symptom or the cause of the issue with the video card and power supplies. Probably will never know.
Update on the video card - PMed the guy I bought the 8800GTX from, that let the magic smoke out, and we arranged for card to get replace by BFG. So it is on its way back to BFG. Probably won't have the replacement card for a week or two.
[Originally posted 10-13-08]
So called up EVGA on 10-8-08. Arranged for an Advanced exchange of the motherboard at their cost :) as I have had 4 issues with these boards in just that last 6mths, from them. Gave my credit card information and was assured that the board would leave them on 10-9-08 at the latest. :) No board today and no update on the RMA on EVGA.com. :confused: Called them and was told that it takes 1-3 business days to process an advanced replacement. :mad: Was assured by 2 different people that it would ship out today. Still no information on shipping. Called them again at 4:30pm and they say the label is printed and that is should ship but not until 7pm PST today. Probably won't be here until Thursday or Friday. :mad:
BFG on the other hand. I shipped them the dead 8800GTX on 10-8-08. They received and processed the RMA on 10-10-08. The replacement card is on its way and will be here on 10-15-08. So not only is BFGs customer service better for getting me the IO shield and for a motherboard I didn't buy from them. :D But their standard RMA service is faster then EVGAs Advanced exchange service.
BFG 2
EVGA 0
BFG FTW!!!
[Originally posted 10-17-08]
Well the new motherboard and Video card arrived as scheduled. :)Installed them on Thursday and Friday and they appear to be working properly. :D Will finish up the inside of the chassis and get some pictures of the finished machine on Saturday.
[Originally posted 10-18-08]
Well it is done.
Finally.
And here of the pictures.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0886.JPG
First and overall view of the case. Notice no drives showing. The replacement Black Vandal proof switches from Performance-PCs. And also the front ports that I installed into the case. Sorry about the color. The Red paint on the plastic parts comes out Orange close to the flash, further away towards the back of the case the true color shows up.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0890.JPG
My first stealthed drive bay worked out perfectly. Opens with no problems and if you didn’t know where it was you couldn't open it.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0885.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0884.JPG
Some shots of the inside the bulkhead worked out perfectly. The cards will not move up or down. The Southbridge/MCP heat sink pictured earlier just couldn't keep the MCP below 100C and that would cause the machine to crash. So got one of the EVGA MCP fan units and painted it. For some reason when I turn the lights on and off the fan stops working. Waiting on EVGA/NVIDIA for some tech support on that.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0883.JPG
Back of the case. Next time need to do a little better job cutting the back open for the motherboard tray. Had to use a motherboard tray so that I could clear the radiator at the top of the chassis.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0875.JPG
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0861.JPG
Open you can see the bulkhead separating the Wires from the motherboard side of the chassis.
http://nlancaster.shackspace.com/G50...r/PICT0873.JPG
Really crappy picture of the UV lights on the reservoir. I have yet to find a set of UV light LEDs I would place anywhere that you could see the led body itself. I will try to update this picture when I find my tripod.
So that is it. All the problems I had with the video card, power supplies, and motherboard are behind me. The machine appears to be working perfectly with no issues. Have already taken it to a Lan party and everyone liked it. It will be at PDXLan 12.5 and PDXLan 13, Hope I see some of you guys there.
