Big Black Box (U2-UFO Build, 56k is death)

[Sparky]

Just be gentle and you should be okay. I followed a cycle of 1) wiggle/twist Accelero, 2) Wedge razor inbetween RAM chip and Accelero, and 3) Pry very gently, and repeated over and over again.

I'll get it good and hot too right before I pull it, that should help I'd think.

[Istasi]

Lucas, YGPM re: exchanging loaners.

I'll leave you a new boxed Swifty Apogee GT on my doorstep.
Just drop off the TDX when you come to pick it up.
Note to self...that TDX was new...must rma to DD.

You da man, Philly_Boy.

I'll get it good and hot too right before I pull it, that should help I'd think.

From what I've read, making it hot actually strengthens the bond. If you're having extreme trouble getting it off it's suggested that you freeze it. However, I was able to get mine off at room temperature with a little effort.

[GeoffP]

The grills on the front are from here with standard aluminum filters underneath.

Good looking build Istasi

Those grills are insane - I like them VERY much. Will definitely follow up on them..

[NEvolution]

From what I've read, making it hot actually strengthens the bond. If you're having extreme trouble getting it off it's suggested that you freeze it. However, I was able to get mine off at room temperature with a little effort.

Darn, I want to remove my Accelero also and it seems quite impossible without breaking the card.

[Istasi]

I spent a good 45 minutes-1 hour removing mine. Very slow work, but it eventually gets there with the right tools. I actually used a combination of a razor blade and a very thin flathead screwdriver to cut/pry the RAM pads off one at a time.

[Istasi]

Just got an Apogee GT from Don (Philly_Boy) so I should hopefully be leak testing through the night.

[Istasi]

Could u give me a close-up pic of the sleeved fans connected to the extenders? Really nice build.

Sorry, not the greatest pic in the world.


BIG update today!

Finally got all the necessary parts over the last week, so let's get this show on the road. Mounted my MCR220 with the fans pulling fresh air through the back. Pump is mounted in neoprene to the floor of the case, and res is mounted with velcro to the drive cage.

Here's a pic of the Rad/Pump/Res mounted and preliminary tubing in place


After this I proceeded to strip down my previous system. The P180 has been great to me, but I needed something a bit bigger.


The guts


Now, jump forward a few days. On Wednesday I discovered my TDX had a botched top, and Philly_Boy was kind enough to replace it with an Apogee GT. I also routed the rest of the tubing, fitted the MC14's to my X1900 using a mixture of AS Adhesive and Ceramique, and generally took care of all the loose ends.

Today I started leak testing. I thought I had cleaned out my rad pretty well, but as soon as I started running the loop today, tons of tiny metallic particles, from the rad I assume, began filling my system. I immediately emptied the loop and proceeded to flush it with distilled until I could no longer see any particles. Filled her up with Distilled/Pentosin again, and we were off. It's leak testing as we speak, here are a few pics.





The only issue I ran into while bleeding/leak testing was a very slow leak from the lower barb of the MCRES, but a thicker o-ring fixed that right up. The system is 99% bled as of now, and I'll hopefully be installing the components tomorrow afternoon. I'm extremely glad I had the foresight not the have the mobo/gfx card in there while leak testing/filling/bleeding, because let's just say it wasn't the cleanest process.

More to come tomorrow!

[Jedda]

The Corsair psu looks really good in that case.
You lucked out in the paint matching like that.

[serialk11r]

Oh my god I think I have voltage regulation controller phobia...:P
Hmmmm...I'm thinking your rig might look better without the coolsleeves but that's cuz I'm an anticoolsleeves whore. Apart from that and the fan controller Sorry if you don't understand what I'm saying, its because my rheobus burned up on me.

[teyber]

thats really sick! i like the color contrast...

[Istasi]

Oh my god I think I have voltage regulation controller phobia...:P
Hmmmm...I'm thinking your rig might look better without the coolsleeves but that's cuz I'm an anticoolsleeves whore. Apart from that and the fan controller Sorry if you don't understand what I'm saying, its because my rheobus burned up on me.

Can't live without my rheobus, fans @ 12v are unbearable. I'm not too sure about the CoolSleeves either, might replace them with blue or get rid of them altogether. But for now, I'm gonna leave it as it is.

[Philly_Boy]

Can't live without my rheobus, fans @ 12v are unbearable. I'm not too sure about the CoolSleeves either, might replace them with blue or get rid of them altogether. But for now, I'm gonna leave it as it is.

You have no blue cool sleeves because you didn't ask me for them.....I have like 2 packs on the shelf...blue in the coolsleeves matches the blue led's in the fan's purrrrrfectly...

[Istasi]

Well, I'm posting from my main PC right now

Still working on the final touches (lighting, wire management, fine tuning everything) but so far this thing is great. Fulfills all my goals as well.

Will have some final pics up tomorrow.

[Istasi]

Well, here she is, all completed!










Big thanks to Philly_Boy for the case, WC gear, and being an awesome guy.

Next up: Get myself a PA120.3

[Patriote]

Looks good Istasi! :thumbsup: I like the grills.

Check out mine if you want

[[cTx] Nooc]

well I'm glad it turned out well man I wish to have a UFO case some day...some day...

[SiGfever]

Looks great.

I have two Sunbeam Rheobus controlling eight fans and they work great. I would raise the Micro-Res up to the top of the drive cage, I had mine low like that at first but found it bleeds faster and doesn't stress the supply tube to the pump as much in the upper posistion. Just a thought.