coupla upgrades to my setup... (pics)

[stormshadow]

here's my prior rig:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...g/DSCN6217.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...g/DSCN6043.jpg

I was actually quite pleased with it but just wanted some change.

Specs:
MSI Neo2 Platinum
Opteron 175 @ 3.0GHz
2GB Corsair XMS PC3200
300GB HD
(coupla external drives)
6800GT AGP(!)

Swiftech Apogee
MCW60
120mm Radiator
DDC Pump w/ acrylic top

I wanted to upgrade a few parts to my current setup. Namely, I wanted to bump up to
- 2x120 (240) Radiator
- 7/16" tubing
- 1/2" barbs
- chipset watercooling
- but do this all in a smaller case


the case i chose was the new Lian-Li A05B
shown here:



First step was to cut the top panel to make way for the radiator and radgrill:




old chipset cooler:




new chipset block:




1/2" barb upgrade:




Along w/ my 300GB OS Drive, I'll be mounting internally my 500GB documents drive:




Drives test fitted:
(i wanted to flip them around to hide the cables but the front mounted 120mm fan was in the way. I still might flip them

around and externally mount the 120mm fan since there's enough room and put a radgrill in the front of the case)



Fan installed:




initial test fit:





test fit w/ video card:
(and as most watercooled neo2 owners know, the socket location and chipset location can prove to be difficult. Looks like tubing management is imperative here. But nothing new for me...)




hit a snag w/ the screws I use to mount the radiator. Including the radgriill and case wall, the screws come up a little short.

I'm going to have to pick up a new set at the hardware store and cut off excess length...


more to come

[stormshadow]

[creidiki]

Not a big fan of those fans (pun not intended) myself, neat work otherwise.

Oh, and I would have used some kind of vibration dampening between pump & case.

[Solarfall]

personally i've allways liked bigger cases but your lianli looks really speceous and caple managment is great... well atleast if you whould see my caple work you whould

[creidiki]

What is "cable management"?

[Cyprio]

Very neat work but i hope you get some clamps on those barbs... is it worth the risk?

[Sideroxylon]

Good work. I like the way you've made use of the available space. Gotta tell you though, I think I like your old setup better.

[Solarfall]

What is "cable management"?

i mean this : http://www.hardforum.com/showthread....ble+management

[creidiki]

I only know this sytem for cable management:

1) take a bunch of cables you're not using.
2) bunch them up with your hands, or feet if you can't be bothered to bend down.
3) find nearest plastic bag.
3a) if bag is full, pull bag up to face height and upend contents all over room.
4) stuff previously bunched-up cables into bag. bonus points if you do it with your feet only.
5) kick bag towards nearest avaiable place of storage.
6) open the storage place with excessive force. throwing the cover of a box overhead counts.
7) slam bag into storage using basketball "slamdunk" move.
8) kick storage closed. kick it again.
9) your cables are now managed.

[UnreaL]

Very neat work but i hope you get some clamps on those barbs... is it worth the risk?

If your not moving you pc, i see very little reason to use hose clamps. Especially with 7/16 tubing. The fact you need hot water to get it on the barb generally means it has no plans of going anywhere.

Infact, my first loop was assembled with hose clamps. After a day or so I took it all to pieces again, re-did the loop order and never put a single clamp back on... Thermochill rad barbs are really long, perhaps it might be worth it on some blocks but I am confident in the seal created normally...

[Spawne32]

dude i can not tell you how much i love your setup, so much so that ive completely altered my plans for my new computer to include somthing similar to this, can you please give some more detailed instructions as to how you cut the top out and mounted the radiator? I quite frankly at a noob at case modification and i wouldnt want to destroy a 100 dollar case

[stormshadow]

Not a big fan of those fans (pun not intended) myself, neat work otherwise.

Oh, and I would have used some kind of vibration dampening between pump & case.

you know what... i'm starting to hate them myself.

yea they push a lot of air but they wail. even w/ rubber bushings, they are way loud. I guess I'm gonna have to see how they do on 7V... if they're still too loud, I'll have to look for a different set of fans...

[stormshadow]

Very neat work but i hope you get some clamps on those barbs... is it worth the risk?

normally i would agree... like with my last 3/8" setup... but let me tell you that putting these tubes on these barbs was absolute hell... which told me that leakage wasn't an issue... about 48 hours now and no signs of leaks...

[stormshadow]

dude i can not tell you how much i love your setup, so much so that ive completely altered my plans for my new computer to include somthing similar to this, can you please give some more detailed instructions as to how you cut the top out and mounted the radiator? I quite frankly at a noob at case modification and i wouldnt want to destroy a 100 dollar case

wow thanks.

one of my biggest goals of this project was to put a 240 rad AND a DVD ROM all on the top - without wasting any bays. It took a lot of planning and measuring. I specifically chose that DVD drive because its length would work with the MCR220.

I cut the top out with a dremel. Aluminum is way easier to cut than the steel cases I used to deal with.
Basically, tape off the surface using masking tape,
measure like a dozens times and then mark a stencil
then cut.
and don't rush.

don't forget to make sure all your USB / front panel etc connections are plugged in because it's a p.i.t.a. to try and go back and do it after the rad is installed.
also, realize that you will lose PCI slot(s)
oh yea- and post pics of your work as well

[Spawne32]

wow thanks.

one of my biggest goals of this project was to put a 240 rad AND a DVD ROM all on the top - without wasting any bays. It took a lot of planning and measuring. I specifically chose that DVD drive because its length would work with the MCR220.

I cut the top out with a dremel. Aluminum is way easier to cut than the steel cases I used to deal with.
Basically, tape off the surface using masking tape,
measure like a dozens times and then mark a stencil
then cut.
and don't rush.

don't forget to make sure all your USB / front panel etc connections are plugged in because it's a p.i.t.a. to try and go back and do it after the rad is installed.
also, realize that you will lose PCI slot(s)
oh yea- and post pics of your work as well

i would post pics but i think it would ruin the thread theres some pics in the case section, the most ive done so far is paint this case in rubber which turned out to be a disaster in my opinion, and on my old case i had done some drilling for air flow which also turned out pretty crappy

[creidiki]

There's only really 3 fans worth using, imo

Yate Loon D12SL-12 45CFM
Yate Loon D12SM-12 65-ish CFM IIRC
SanAce 100-ish CFM

[stormshadow]

i would post pics but i think it would ruin the thread theres some pics in the case section, the most ive done so far is paint this case in rubber which turned out to be a disaster in my opinion, and on my old case i had done some drilling for air flow which also turned out pretty crappy

haha - i'll have to take a look

("painted in rubber"?!)

[stormshadow]

There's only really 3 fans worth using, imo

Yate Loon D12SL-12 45CFM
Yate Loon D12SM-12 65-ish CFM IIRC
SanAce 100-ish CFM

y'know... i heard a lotta good things about the yate loons... but the damn sleeving on the AC fans swayed me to go down that route. And it was more than double the price too ...

sigh...

[Spawne32]

haha - i'll have to take a look

("painted in rubber"?!)

Where did you pick up that rad grill for the top at? and is the radiator mounted directly to that? Im curious as to how the cutout looks..

[Spawne32]

got your PM, checked out the AC RYAN site, FANTASTIC STUFF, they even have downloadable templates i can print out to cut out on the case!! AWESOME!

[stormshadow]

[Sparky]

Quick Q: shouldn't the front fan in front of the HD's be an intake fan blowing into the case and not out the case?

[stormshadow]

Quick Q: shouldn't the front fan in front of the HD's be an intake fan blowing into the case and not out the case?

this case is designed with reverse airflow...

the back fan is an intake and the front fan (and now also the top fans) are exhausts

[Spawne32]

this case is designed with reverse airflow...

the back fan is an intake and the front fan (and now also the top fans) are exhausts

have you tested to see if you reversed all of that you get better temps? that being turning the two radiator fans blowing down into the radiator, the rear fan blowing as an exhaust and the front fan blowing intake.

[Sparky]

this case is designed with reverse airflow...

the back fan is an intake and the front fan (and now also the top fans) are exhausts

oh OK, but that brings up another question - with 3 fans blowing out and only 1 blowing in, won't that create a little negative air pressure inside the case and starve the fans for air? Would it maybe be better to have the rear and the front fans blowing in and the rad fans blowing out to even it up?