My Lian-Li 343B Case 3-loop Project - Initial Pump Testing

[Anemone]

I put the pumps on a mount (or will very soon) but with only two pumps I just reused a 3.5" aluminum adapter bracket and removed the "wings" for the3.5" device giving me an aluminum shelf to mount pumps on. I mounted these in front of a 120 rad/fan combo that gave me some airflow over the pumps. But we are thinking along the same lines, that the pumps could use some help in getting cool.

I do see a lot of folks using the front 3x bay panels for 120mm air input to the rads. While this has the nice finish matching look on the outside, I tend to mistrust the small hole mesh aluminum as providing good airflow. I have another approach in the works, which I'll have to relate when I've seen if it works (custom cut front panel kind of thing).

Love these builds. They are fantastic.

[Cascades]

Cascades what program did you use sketch the pump shelf?

I used AutoCad LT from work and gave the files to the machine shop.

I put the pumps on a mount (or will very soon) but with only two pumps I just reused a 3.5" aluminum adapter bracket and removed the "wings" for the3.5" device giving me an aluminum shelf to mount pumps on. I mounted these in front of a 120 rad/fan combo that gave me some airflow over the pumps. But we are thinking along the same lines, that the pumps could use some help in getting cool.

I do see a lot of folks using the front 3x bay panels for 120mm air input to the rads. While this has the nice finish matching look on the outside, I tend to mistrust the small hole mesh aluminum as providing good airflow. I have another approach in the works, which I'll have to relate when I've seen if it works (custom cut front panel kind of thing).

Love these builds. They are fantastic.

After noticing the bottom of the pumps getting rather warm in my initial tests, it just made sense to cool them with the individual 60mm fans. There seemed to be no downside in adding the fans, and they fit perfectly below the pumps. These 60mm fans were a bit noisy until I added the 75-ohm resistors to reduce their speed. That dropped the fan voltage to around 8 volts.

I disagree that the front 3x bay panels would effectively limit air-flow through the radiators in front. Considering the fact that the CFM drawn by the fans is relatively low in the overall scheme of things, I am not worried about this at all.

Once the system is completed and I have a chance to monitor all of the temperatures, I'll perform a few tests by varying the speed of the radiator fans with the fan controller, and by removing the front bay panels. I’m an electrical engineer and will document what I find in the testing.

Cheers!

[Anemone]

Yay Love real testing vs theorizing

I've done the "hand test" on airflow with those holey metal variations and they hinder airflow a lot. (owning a TJ07 was my belief that it wasn't so bad) So now I don't really like to use the stuff. I'll note, however, that we have two different ideas in mind when it comes to airflow. You seem to find that a small amount of flow through your rad is what you are after, whereas I'm looking for a noticeable amount of air through the rad, since I'm also using that air afterwards to cool other things.

Still, I do want to see what you learn if nothing more than to know a bit more about what I've noticed physically in restriction, and the real effects of that on temps and in real use.

Fun!

[Cascades]

Yay Love real testing vs theorizing

I've done the "hand test" on airflow with those holey metal variations and they hinder airflow a lot. (owning a TJ07 was my belief that it wasn't so bad) So now I don't really like to use the stuff. I'll note, however, that we have two different ideas in mind when it comes to airflow. You seem to find that a small amount of flow through your rad is what you are after, whereas I'm looking for a noticeable amount of air through the rad, since I'm also using that air afterwards to cool other things.

Still, I do want to see what you learn if nothing more than to know a bit more about what I've noticed physically in restriction, and the real effects of that on temps and in real use.

Fun!

You misunderstood what I am after. I want the maximum of air flowing through the push-pull setup I have. Using the individual panels below, I don't think this will be a problem



Like you said, the proof will be in the testing.

Yeah, this is a fun project!

[newls1]

Oh my!!! This is a fantastic.............Looks unreal bro...Nice job.

[Anemone]

Do you have any of those individual panels in your hand yet? I have one and while it's better than some mesh it's worth having a look at one.

I'd call it medium in terms of restrictive, not horrid, but medium. Just thinking if it's not a bother it might be worth getting just one and having a look first.

[Cascades]

Yeah, I plan on ordering a few to see how that looks...

[Cascades]

I just added a MCR-220 to the top panel with a push-pull arrangement, and it is a very tight fit. The bottom fans clears the top of the reservoirs by about ½ inch. This means I need to forget about using any fill-ports. Actually, that’s ok because I don’t plan on adding fluid often anyway. And if I need to add coolant, the top can be easily removed. I’ll make sure the tubing is long enough to be able to move the top out of the way.

Here are five pictures showing the installation. This may help others that are planning on using this case

[disruptfam]

looking awesome can't wait for more updates

[Jedda]

You misunderstood what I am after. I want the maximum of air flowing through the push-pull setup I have. Using the individual panels below, I don't think this will be a problem



Like you said, the proof will be in the testing.

Yeah, this is a fun project!

That 525 panel flows quite a lot of air. It's as open to flow as the V-series floor grills and they can feed a rad without modification. I have the two and three slot bay inserts too and even with filter installed that hole pattern easily flows an inlet fan.
I'm using one of the pictured inserts, cut down to stealth my DVD drive. All the remainder are three slot inserts which can mount 120mm fans but I doubt ever will as they're so free flowing.
I think you'll find it no issue at all.

[Cascades]

Jedda,

Yeah, I'm not worried about the air-flow at all. I'm just wondering how the box will look with 15 of those little panels...

[Cascades]

Ok guys... I need to select a 850w PSU.... What's good out there?

Something like this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817194020

[CyberDruid]

The Galaxy is a beast. No doubt a fine choice. My choice would be the Silverstone DA850 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817256022

or the Silverstone Olympus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817256024

I have owned a number of Silverstone PSUs and they are unflagging and well constructed...reasonably effecient and attractively priced.

What a great set up!

Are you planning to use three colors of dye? I like your set up

[Cascades]

Thanks for the heads-up on the different PSUs....

Yes.. different colors for the tubing.

Red = CPU Loop
Green = GTX Loop
Blue = NB/SB/PWM/RAM loop.


Unless someone has had problems with the following ram, this is what I will be getting:
OCZ Flex XLC 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1150 (PC2 9200)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227184

[disruptfam]

the enermax is huge if you the space I'd go for that.

I'm looking to buy this 850w smaller efficient and most of all very quiet

http://www.pccasegear.com/prod5487.htm

[Jedda]

Lot of guys seem to use that PSU.

The black version of the three slot insert is worth considering.



Very happy with the silver

[Section8]

WOW...looking very good. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[cablesguy]

I'd go with an Ultra X3, cables are thin enuf to route under the mobo if need be and requires no resleeving....plus heaps of extras available frm PPCS.

[leoftw]

Great looking project

[MasterChiefElmo]

Cascades just i thought i had if you go with that power supply it is very long and heavy so I would consider building a mount for it to rest on in the back if you have space just an idea.

[Cascades]

Cascades just i thought i had if you go with that power supply it is very long and heavy so I would consider building a mount for it to rest on in the back if you have space just an idea.

Yeah... It's 3.5" longer than the one that I am using for testing and I know it weighs a ton... I'll have to take a look at it when I get the new PSU. Building a brace below it should be very easy. The distance between the floor of the case to the bottom of the PSU is 6".

Thanks for the heads-up!

Cheers!

[MasterChiefElmo]

Np ill was just looking out for ya man didn't wont you to have an unexpected problem later on.

[Grinch]

lower barb on res...tubing needs to be pushed on more...*-)

[Cascades]

This was a test run....

All of that has to come off so I can send the case out to get powder-coated. I knew someone would catch that!!! LOL

You win!!

Cheers!

[Jedda]

You win!!

Cheers!

What did he win, a tube cutter?