"Official" KestrelFlight v2.0 Worklog

I’ll be condensing the several threads related to this into this one. This will be the “official” worklog for the water cooled version of KestrelFlight aka v2.0 (was know as "No Name" for a while). Here are the components for the build as of 02/16/11………items different from the air cooled version are noted in bold italics. BTW I really haven't finished the air cooled version yet!! :rofl: :ROTF:

CASE: Zalman Z7 Plus (without the Plus!!)
PSU: OCZ700MXSP Temporary unless it works!!
MOBO: MSI 890GXM-E65
CPU: 955BE.
GPUs: 2 x XFX GTX 285
MEMORY: G.SKILL F3-16000CL9D-4GBPIS 4GB 2X2GB
HDD: WD V’Raptor 300GB
OPTICAL: Pioneer DVR-S18MBK
FAN CONTROLLER: Zalman ZM-MFC3

Water Cooling:
MOBO CHIP SET: TBD if any
CPU: TBD (have an AquaComputer Cuplex XT di)
GPUs: EK Waterblocks EK-FC285 GTX - Nickel / Plexi w/ Nickel Backplates
RESIVOR: FrozenQ Liquid Fusion 160 ml Reservoir
RADIATOR: 1 x 140 / 1 x 240 by Magicool
PUMP: MCP655 + Bitspower D5 Acrylic top + Black Sparkle Mod Kit by Sidewinder
TUBEING: 3/8” ID x 5/8” OD (10mm x 14mm??) Brand TBD
FITTINGS: 3/8” Compression by Bitspower & Enzotech as required for “bling” scheme

Right now I’m still trying to “finish” the air cooled version which is missing some cables I need to order as well as some other “smaller stuff”. However that hasn’t prevented me from doing designing “on the wing” and the following items have already arrived. Also haven’t cut and mounted the window as I may have to modify the cutout to show off some of the water cooling items.

The two Magicool radiators, the FrozenQ reservoir, the converter for the res, 3 x Yan Loon 140 fans, and Phopya fan/rad spacers arrived for performance-pcs just before the weekend. Working with Gary at Sidewinder I ordered a Swiftech MCP655 with some Bitspower goodies and I think it looks just dandy!!

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...tv20Parts1.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...Lft3-4View.jpg http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...RtSideView.jpg http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...odRearView.jpg http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ModFrtView.jpg

Trying to water cool this thing is starting to make me feel like I back working on one of my mATX builds!! Anyway have a few questions concerning fans & rads…………

1. Is there a source for 1:1 patterns for rad cutouts? In this case 1 x 140 and 1 x 280??
2. Bottom mounted rads are intake??
3. Is there a rule of thumb “height” for under the box for said bottom feeder?
4. In the Z7 case part of the “appeal” for me is seeing the green fan up front. Any disadvantage to have the fan on that side of the rad or maybe a push me - pull you arrangement? Ref pic………..

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ldingPrime.jpg

If you want to do an external rad/pump setup, maybe look at one of these:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=29721

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=28830

There are a few others out there, but it gives you an idea. This would be a good option since you are limited by your case for doing internal rads.

I wish you luck!

That is not a large or forgiving case. The overall finish of the case is quite good, but I ran into few unfinished edges and had to use more than a couple of band-aids.

I have a Z7plus that I picked up back in December ( for $8 dollars from frys!! ). It took about 2 weeks to set up, with -a lot- of trial and error, here is what I stocked it with:

EVGA 790i FTW + Q8200 + Koolance 330 + 6GB Corsair XMS
XFX 5870 Black + EK5870 v2 Full Cover
OCZ StealthXtreme 700W
2x 250Gb Maxtor
1x 360Gb WD
1x Plextor DVDR
Swiftech MCP655
Swiftech MicroRes
XSPC 240 rad
5 Zalman 120mm fans

And this uses -all- the available space, things are actually stacked inside the case, I can post a pic or two if you like.

Of course, if you are handy with a dremel, you can disregard this.

You did well with yours and yes I wouldn't mind seeing what you did!! This build is called v2.0 as I've been working on an air cooled version and this is the work log........

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=254649

Here are a couple of pix at its current state......

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...wWithItAll.jpg http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...AirNoLexan.jpg

BTW the reason for the 1000PSU is I was slated to have 2 x 580s!! :shocked:

While doing some prep work for laying out the rads on both Celtic Spirit (CS) and KestrelFlight (KF) made an interesting discovery.

While using mnpctech's free template http://mnpctech.com/mnpctech_fan_tem..._spacing_2.pdf made an interesting discovery.........

"Industrial Standards, what farging industrial standards!!" :mad: :censored: :rolleyes: :shrug:

It seems while most of the "biggies" use 20mm spacing magicool's slimline 140mms use 16!! However if that is the only problem I have with the rads I'll be happy as their quality seems great and they are a dandy size for small cases. :up:

And the mnpctech template...that'll be great for the CS build!!

I pulled out my camera and found it DOA. :(

Time for a new one, craigslist here I come! I should get enough back from taxes to cover that expense. Then I can get you a pic.

Nice bling you have all over that pump :yepp:

Things haven’t changed much as I haven’t had time to touch any of the builds to try and finish (Oz1a) or start (CS and KFv2.0). Did have one thing come in for KestrelFlight though.

Last week I received what I’ll be using for the cooling the 955…….an EK-Supreme HF High Flow – Nickel-Plex. Also plan to illuminate it with a couple of green LED as I haven’t made up my mind on coolant color if any. However because I haven’t even had time to take it out of the box I’ll use a couple of factory pix.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...-nickel_01.jpg http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...-nickel_02.jpg

I have run into issues getting my stuff set up as originally planned with KestrelFlight v2.0 and Celtic Spirit. Though a larger case over all the old style of layout for CS doesn’t give me any extra room over KF v2.0. So it looks like all the stuff planned to be transferred to CS from KF will remain and will require me to mount (as much as I dislike the idea) a rad on the outside.

I’m now looking for methods to mount a ThermoChill 420 up top. The first and foremost question I have is which direction I want the air to move…….. up and out or down and around the case. If I had gone with the original idea of one monitor and sitting the case up on the workstation surface, the answer would be obvious > up. However now with the 3 x monitor layout in the works the unit will be moved to either under the workstation or a fabricated shelf mounted low on the outside of the legs.

The again I guess if it the air goes down and around that would “heat” any other intake air??

Add to which direction to have the air going is what would one think is the most aesthetic side of the rad to mount the fans?? That would be with 3 x green led Yan Loon 140 fans, with clear (points for leds) Phopya fan/rad spacers. For the sake of easy maintenance maybe some radgrill/filters??

Seems I’ve totally confused several people who are trying to make some constructive suggestion for my dilemma. From best I can tell the word EXERNAL was missed. I do not have room to mount the rad internally especially up top.

Hope my crude paint sketch can help explain it better. The rad is shown in red, the fans and spacers in blue, and some kind of stand off/mount in black. So when you look at this picture please consider the following:

1. Fans mounted on top or bottom of rad?
2. Fans “blowing” or “pulling”?
3. Should the air be blowing up or down?

I realize there are a lot of factors besides these three but they (I think) have been addressed in the prior thread.


http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...adLocation.jpg

While I’m at it would like some suggestions on how to mount the rad / fan / spacer assembly. I’m currently looking at EK’s EK-UNI RAD Holder 140…..
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...dholder140.jpg
While the installation manual is for the 120, it can also apply to the 140.

http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/EK...0046997722.pdf

Ahhhhhhhh.....under nothing stays the same.......... :rofl: :ROTF:

When it finally got around to "fitting parts" in KF v2.0 and CS a "painful" discovery was made, CS even though it is a taller case has just as much room in the motherboard section than KS v2.0. Which means that space for a bottom rad is not there, at least as I would want it, so.............

What was going into Celtic Spirit will now be going into KestrelFlight with eBay** induced changes! :yepp:

General Hardware:

CASE: Zalman Z7+
PSU: Zalman ZM1000-HP Plus
CPU: PII X 1090T**
GPU:2 x Evga GTX 580
MEMORY: F3-16000CL9D-4GBTD OR CMD8GX3M4A1333C7** w/ ZM-RC1000
HDD 1: G. Skill Sniper (FM25S2S120GBP2) 120GB SSD** (Primary)
HDD 2: VelociRaptor 300 or 600**GB (Misc Apps etc)
Optical Drive: LG BH12LS35 Blu-ray Disc Rewriter**
Fan Controller: Zalman ZM-MFC3
Other Front Panel Items ZM-CPM1 with 2 x VPM1s

Water Cooling Related:

MOBO CHIP SET: TBD if any
CPU: AquaComputer Cuplex Kryos XT
GPUs: EK Waterblocks EK-FC580 GTX - Nickel / Plexi w/ Nickel Backplates
RESIVOR: FrozenQ Liquid Fusion 160 ml Reservoir
RADIATORS: 1 x 140 Magicool & 1 x 420 Thermochill
PUMP: MCP655 + Bitspower D5 Acrylic top + Black Sparkle Mod Kit built by Sidewinder
TUBEING: 3/8” ID x 5/8” OD Brand TBD
FITTINGS: 3/8” Compression by Bitspower & Enzotech as required for “bling” scheme
FANS: Yate Loon 140mm Clear Medium Speed Fan Green LED
FAN SHROUDS: Phobya 140x140x20mm Radiator Shroud Plexi