TJ07: Black n Watercooled Project

[alphakry]

sorry for the lack of updates - been very busy as well as on vacation!


So i'm currently struggling with the idea of replacing the PA120.3 with a PA120.2 instead. This is in the interest of saving space - because believe it or not, even with this massive TJ07 - i'm having a hard time finding places for components that I'm satisfied with.

Anyone know is two PA120.2's should be efficient enough for the chosen components? I'm fairy sure they are but have my doubts as i already had convinced myself the 120.3 was my best choice.

[alphakry]

I managed to get a hold of a cheap Q6700 Quad Core, so i'll be replacing the E6850 C2D with it and then making up for GHz difference in an overclock. I'm guessing with the newer games like UT3 supporting Quad-Core - it'll be a good future proof upgrade.

Still searching for a good PSU and RAM choice for this project - which are the two main things really holding me up with the final parts to this build.

Additionally, i'm going to take the recommendations by NicePants to the bank - and i'm searching the best way to fit a 3rd loop back into this project. The 120.3 is now replaced by a 120.2, but if i can manage to fit a 120x1 or 120x2 somewhere clever - the high-restrictive blocks will get thrown into a 3rd loop and all will be happy!

[disruptfam]

120.3 cpu loop
120.2 gpu loop both bottom section

Bip2 in top take out fans mount rad there chipset loop

[alphakry]

Yep disruptfam - that's exactly the plan.

Im also going to give the G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ a try in this system. For the price ($80 after rebate) - I don't think I can go wrong!

[alphakry]

Oh wow! Thanks for the looks NicePants - i just checked your SVC link again and they have the Cooler Master RS-A00-EMBA Real Power Pro 1000W PSU on sale for $199, with a $50 rebate that brings it down to $150. That's HALF of NewEgg's price... And I've always been an SVC fan!

http://forums.techgage.com/showthread.php?t=2336

So thanks!


Looks like the two main missing parts to this build have been purchased. I'll be adding to this thread a lot over the next week or 2 till I finish it up!

[alphakry]

alright - time to bring life back into this log. Got my 1000W Cooler Master PSU yesterday - so i'm finally ready to sit down and start finishing this up!

8800GTX SLI Setup

Single-Slot Bracket Replacement

Pretty straight forward. Since the intent is to use basically all available PCI slots, the double-slot brackets had to go!




Thermal Paste Application

The chosen paste for all components in this project will be AC-MX2. I've read great things and it's a nice change from the AS5.





I admit, a little creative with the application. I will be removing the block shortly to test the application/spread - but I don't think it was TOO much.





I notice the card does bend a bit when the mosfet section of the EK block is tightened - but with the thermal pads applied and less force, it's an acceptable bend

[Crazypinoy9]

Nice! Keep up the good work!

[Pub_Randy**]

120.3 cpu loop

Wow am i the only one who thinks this is overkill?

Why would you need a SINGLE PA120.3 to cool JUST the CPU
But umm.. if you've got the money.. all the more reason to.. waste it?

[alphakry]

Sorry - I haven't updated that line yet. As the the top post of page 2 indicates, I have replaced the 120.3 with a 120.2.

The original idea behind using either in the CPU loop was the add additional components that would restrict the flow a bit, so the hope was to compensate with a tad better cooling efficiency.

I still have not 100% determined the end result, but if I can fit it - I'm hoping to fit a third loop in to cool everything else - leaving the SLI's on 1 120.2 and the CPU + Chipset on the another!

[disruptfam]

i wouldn't really call a 120.3 on a quad cpu overkill on a dual yes but quad no

I also doing a 3 loop system will be finished this weekend hopefully leak testing as i type

[Polizei]

You might have a single slot bracket on the 8800GTX's, but the EK block on there isnt a single slot block. It covers some of the slot below it so you cant get a card in there.

[alphakry]

not true. I've tested the fit and so long as the cards aren't massively wide - they fit just fine.

The cards listed in my spec all fit without any issue - save for 2 screws of the EK block that caused some blocking - which I already solved and is coming up in my next update!

[phelan1777]

i will throw in my .02 based on my exp.

Ambient temp 30-33c

68f according to the wall thermostat sitting above my head.

I am running a PA120.3 in which I have a:
QX6700 @ 3.4GHz 24/7 (lapped)
Core Temp states
Core 1 38c 51c
Core 2 42c 54c
Core 3 42c 55c
Core 4 39c 51c
Apogee GTX bowed (52c @ load running Boinc/EQ2 or BF2, @ idle 38c "yes I game and crunch @ the same time")

Temps do not change unless load changes

Dual 8800GTS @ 651/951 (stock 513/723) @ load 43c second core 45c these are naked under the blocks so lower temps -5-10c @ idle 39 second core @ 41c

MCW30 on the NB holds temps @ 38-40.

So I can wager a bet that the PA120.3 is just SLIGHT over kill on a quad alone.

I am inclined to believe I could ad a sb or mosfet, and @ most see a 5-7c degree in over all temps. This woudl still be well within operating range for all components.

I think would be be safe with at least a GPU and the Qcore on the PA120.3

[Brian MP5T]

Subs

[alphakry]

You might have a single slot bracket on the 8800GTX's, but the EK block on there isnt a single slot block. It covers some of the slot below it so you cant get a card in there.

I addressed this issue today.

I was concerned about this and did notice that the screws sticking out of the top of the blocks did indeed block one of the PCI slots that I needed.





I spoke with Eddy_EK about this and he suggested that I use sinking screws, as he assured me that drilling out these slots would not affect the block in any way. He recommended ISO 7991 M4x12mm screws.
I found these at the local Lowes:





Something very important to note - Delrin is a VERY soft material for drilling. Without a drill press, the bit WILL catch and you're block will leave the table spinning! See the following hole, which was done with a drill.



As you can see, this hole is too deep for comfort. That's because the bit caught and dug itself deep before I could cut power. However, I leak tested it for 72hrs and had no visible leaks so I threw an o-ring in the hole as a backup and feel confident that no water is making it out.



Because of how soft the delrin is, I did the rest of the holes with the 5/16" bit and a glove. Hand drilling the holes was actually easier then I thought it would be and it allowed me to get a much better hole - so i feel it's the best and safest way to make these sink holes.




The final result is as hoped - with proper clearance being left for the X-Fi card! The motherboard isn't mounted in this picture, so the cards are a bit more leaned then they will be on install - but when held in place correctly, the cards fit almost perfectly. As a precaution, I'm thinking I'll place a few pieces of electrical tape on the bottom contacts of the X-Fi - to prevent a possible short if the screws do touch.



Personally, I hope that Eddy produces these blocks in the future with pre-sunk holes.

[alphakry]

Additionally, i figured I would give this a proper name - so going with a suggestion from Yahoo! Answers - I've now entitled this TJ07 - "Project Benthic"

I considered Bershadsky's suggestion but it didn't have as nice a ring to it.

[alphakry]

So i've managed to come up with a 3-loop design that just fits. I'd really appreciate some feedback and thoughts on the following:


Loop 1
MCP350 -> 120.2 -> CPU -> Northbridge ->Res


Loop 2
MCP350 -> 120.2 -> 8800GTX -> 8800GTX -> Res


Loop 3
MCP350 -> Harddrives -> Southbridge -> Mosfets -> Black Ice GT Stealth 120.1

*loop 3 will not have a res, unless i can hunt down a really small one like a MCRES-MICRO

[NicePants42]

I like those three loops. If possible, I'd try to use a 120.3 for the GPUs, but you should be ok with those loops. It is possible to fit two MCR320s and one MCR220 in the TJ07 without too much hassle, or two MCR220s and one MCR320 with even less hassle.

[alphakry]

Thanks Nicepants. I'll snap a few shots to show you just how brick thick those PA120 radiators are - there's no way in gods green earth you can fit a 120.3 in this case without some serious airflow issues.

[NicePants42]

Thanks Nicepants. I'll snap a few shots to show you just how brick thick those PA120 radiators are - there's no way in gods green earth you can fit a 120.3 in this case without some serious airflow issues.

Did you edit your loops?

I'm familiar with the thickness issues. You've seen AndyM's build, right? Depending on how you arrange your pumps, I can see why you'd prefer to use two 120.2s instead, but I'm a little lost when it comes to the BI Stealth GT 120 - where are you going to put this? Why not use a BIP 240 in the top of the case?

Even so, your 3 loops as they are will be fine. My personal preference (sticking with your original line of thinking) would be to keep the NB in the junk loop so that the CPU and GPU loops are completely isolated. Perhaps two PA120.2s (or copy AndyM) in the bottom section for CPU and GPU loops, with a BIP 240 in the top for the junk.

I'm not going to argue much over such details though, because the performance differences will probably not be noticeable in terms of temps and will certainly not be noticeable in terms of clock speeds. There comes a point where ease of use and aesthetics needs to take priority over theoretical 0.1C improvements. I'm confident that the system you build will perform very well.

[alphakry]

Great log! I had not seen that build log before. In one of his last posts, he experiments with the air flow in a way that goes against what I thought to be true! I may have to take his finding into heavy consideration and consider a straight through airflow instead.

My original plan was to have the radiators offset from each other so that they weren't competing to pull air. That way they both pull air from inside the case at different points of the bottom compartment and exhaust it through the side panel grills. I didn't want it to be a straight through for fear of heat exhaust from one rad affecting the next.



It's hard to see here but notice that each radiator has at least 1 fan with basically full clearance. I even considered using Push/Pull on the radiator in front to better improve performance on that 8800GTX loop. With the extra space of using a 120.2 instead of a 120.3 - you can see I have a lot of room to hide my two pumps.

You can also see that without right angle fittings - which i try to avoid like the plague - the rads won't work. AndyM seemed to also run into this problem. I'm hoping that despite these fittings, the remaining loop is restriction-free enough for it to hardly matter.

Now when it comes to the BIS120 - i plan on using this at the top of the case. It just barely fits thanks to a capacitor that stick out at the very top of the board - as seen in this first picture. I had to actually bend it down a tad to get the BIS120 to fit.



In the second picture, you see the mosfet heatsink that doesn't allow a 120x2 radiator like your suggestion. Additionally, I want to use the BIS120 because I already own it. With a fan mounted in the 2nd OEM slot at the top of the PC, i can mount the radiator there to handle any heat being dumped by the "junk" components. I'm not sure if it's the motherboard choice or i'm missing something - but I can't fit the MCR220 there nor can I fit the BIS120 in the other space above the CPU.


I want to keep the NB in the CPU loop because I don't suspect the Q6700 is going to dump tons of heat into the loop and I'm under the impression this chipset is pretty critical to the performance and stability of the 680i - so i'd rather not loop it with a bunch of restrictive less-important components.


Here's a few other pics of some recent additions:

Mobo-tray holes for wiring and rear waterblock access:


Dual EK Res + directly connected fillports

[CrayS-per4m]

the TJ07 is still my favorite case ever, and it's still the perfect case for waterooling at least to me

[ranker]

A fantastic build Alphakry. Keep up the great work. I had a hard enough time fitting three loops into a MM Cube, but my hats off to you if you can do it with a standard tower!

[alphakry]

Thanks for the kind words ranker.

I know I've let this thread slow down a bit. Things are always hectic.
However the interior case is going to the powder coating shop this week. I think I've decided on a high-gloss black as the interior chassis color.
This will help compliment the shiny silver on the blocks and give a nice reflection to the UV lighting that may find a home in this.

I considered polishing the interior to a mirror finish but couldn't really find a place to do it.

I'm also having a hard time finding a picture of someone who may of done the high-gloss powdercoat but it's attractive in my head.

[alphakry]

Well I went with the high gloss black powdercoat and it came out pretty nice.

I'll snap pictures tonight as I'm trying to finalize this build this week.