TJ07 + PA120.3 + PA120.2 = Photos of my version of this.

[JvT]

Hi AndyM.

I really like your mod.
As I'm a TJ07 owner and WC'er I see that I have a long way to go to get to your level...

But you have given me some ideas.

I was wondering about your HD cooling. Does the fan pull air from the outside, or does it just circulate the air from the case?
To me it looks like the front of your case is closed.

[AndyM]

Yeah, its just an air circulator, no outside intake. I had the mounting for a fan, so why not use it?

[Borgod]

Will do later today

Cheers mate

[JvT]

I thought I would throw up a quick photo of what I feel is one of the most useful mods you can do to this case when watercooling it...



I put some 'modder's mesh' perforated metal sheet in place of the stock vents. This stuff, the hexagonal shaped mesh with 79% open area flows much much better than stock. Stock is roughly ~45% or so open area. Very big, very noticable difference in air flow. Also available at McMaster, but as one piece from Mnpctech does both vents on a TJ07, seems to be more economical to buy it from there.

Just as you, my WC setup is made for low/no noise. How will you describe the audiolevel of your fans after you replaced the stock mesh with "Modders Mesh"?

[Borgod]

Any measurements yet?

Im hoping a BIX120 will only take up the bottom 3 5.25" bays :o

[AndyM]

Just as you, my WC setup is made for low/no noise. How will you describe the audiolevel of your fans after you replaced the stock mesh with "Modders Mesh"?

I havent noticed much difference.

Any measurements yet?

Im hoping a BIX120 will only take up the bottom 3 5.25" bays :o

Here ya go...

The DVD drives go only as far as the very bottom of the 'C' shaped cutout in the side panel.



This should give you an idea...

BIP held up roughly to the fan screw holes it could be mounted to.

[AndyM]

I had my machine on the workbench tonight as I was installing some backplates I made for the EK Mosfet blocks, so I took the opportunity to snap a few photos of some new features.

First up...the custom made backplates. 1/8 inch aluminum:



They keep the MB from bowing as it will if the mosfet blocks are just screwed in to the bare MB. An added benefit is that sufficient pressure is now applied to the mosfets to allow AS5 to be used vs. whatever crappy 'thermal' tape is commonly used for a superior thermal interface. Now there is enough 'crush' to level out the mosfets for adequate block contact on all of the chips. Note this is the P5K Deluxe, where Asus thoughfully soldered mosfets on the back of the board as well. On a standard board one could simply sandwich in a strip of neoprene or something for insulation should this be tried.



I got a spiffy new Raptor X on sale for cheap, nothing like something spinning at 10K rpm in your computer . I noticed quicker XP load times, so it's good. You may notice the Dynamat wrapped around the sides and bottom of the HDD cage. Again, a noticable improvement in sound damping with this stuff, especially with Raptor seek noise.



I also have a high-tech fan controller now



And a nice overall shot of the loop as it is at this time, along with a change to the 'curved blade' Yate Loon fans.

[Borgod]

Excellent, thanks for the pic mate. I'll have a few mm to spare

Mosfet cooling I've had bad experience with using an Abit QuadGT. They need very little pressure, so I hope your block isn't screwed down too tightly!

[AndyM]

The latest addition to my machine...Lian-Li DVD bezels. Really cleans up the look of the face of the TJ07 I think...





I made a seperate worklog for this mod as I think it would be more useful not buried in this thread...

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=155986

[Psycho_eddie]

well done mate that looks awsome... must be a sauna down there

So you just have the cpu/mobo/gpu watercooled... could you setup take two overclocked 8800gtx's??


What temps idle load with:
CPU
MOBO
GPU

??


Looks like ill get one of these at xmas with a pa 120.3 in the bottom to cool my amd 6000 + 8800gtx... will be enough??

[AndyM]

Yeah, my ambient temps are on the higher side. 2 G80's? Sure, that'll work with no forseeable problem, maybe then it would be an idea to split the loop due to flow restrictions as right now it's on the edge where flow/temperature effects can be seen. If the pump is turned below 2 CPU load temp goes up 3-4C due to flow issues, but anywhere above that pump speed setting temps go back down remaining the same within the 1C resolution of monitoring software. But good to think about should you want to add more stuff to the loop with 1 pump.

I really dont look at temps too much as they are so variable with my wildly shifting ambients and whether the fans are at 7 volts or 12. But full bore small FFT load with ~80F ambients/12 volt fans is in the low-mid 70's. Idle in same ambients with fans at 7 volts range 44-47C with the water getting warm. Keep in mind I'm at 1.592 idle/1.584 load vcore at 3.85 GHz, so heat output is rather high. Turning down the speed some 100-200 Mhz will drastically lower temperatures with this CPU. But that's not what I'm after, this sucker is right at the edge of where it will take no more...50 MHz more and it's not Orthos 'forever' stable, but at 3.85 it is, so that's where it stays, lol.

[Deathspine]

I am starting my first water cooling project with a TJ07. I noticed you have no reservoir just a fill port. Is that correct? Why no resservoir? Where does the fill port enter the loop? Any disadvantages doing without a reservoir?

[nealh]

the filliport is typically placed prior to the pump...but pretty sure Andy has it before one othe rads in the front
Look at the ~11th pic in first post

Look at my thread..my T-Line is ver obvious(the tubing does not have to be so long for the T-line...mine is capped with cut portion oif CD spindle stalk
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/....php?p=2392004

I hate a res....mine cracked but I had removed from my loop just one more expense and risk...T-Line..brass T= $2

[AndyM]

Yup, no res. T is located down below as nealh described. I never saw the point of a res, seemed a bit overdone. If you had to top off your loop all the time, I'd think you have bigger issues than needing 'extra' to keep it filled. Bleeding isnt really a problem for me with a T, also with all the stuff in my loop I dont have enough flow with my D5 to knock loose any trapped air bubbles, so bleeding is a tumble the case/start-stop pump/guide bubbles to the T proposition for me. Works out OK in the end.

On a side note...I backed down the OC to 3.8 from 3.85. Amazing how that last Orthos stable 50Mhz and .05 volt can really get things cooking. Now my temps are low 60C's full Orthos load in my upper 70F's ambients. Much cooler running overall as well, and I dont think I'll miss that 50Mhz. Although those 6850's are interesting...do I spend $300 and roll the dice on making 4.0Ghz Orthos stable or wait a few months for 45nm to arrive, decisions decisions

[Deathspine]

Thanks gentleman, I think I'll go without the resesvior. The resesvior just takes up too much space even with this large case. I have been reading these threads. Encluding Nealh's. If I got this right the T is placed before the pump with the fill line attached to it. I'll just think this over, review the threads again and reconsider my tubing path. I was initially going with the setup at Performance PC but I am now leaning toward something similar to Andy's with but one PA 120.3 in the bottom.

[Deathspine]

I found Andy's T fitting with the fill line. It is in the front of the case just before the return to the radiator. I was wondering since Nealh was mentioning it usually goes before the pump and Andy's pump is in the back of the case. That would be a long fill line, but I see Andy just went before the radiator but is that before the pump? I believe the T filling is after the pump between the radiators.

[nealh]

I found Andy's T fitting with the fill line. It is in the front of the case just before the return to the radiator. I was wondering since Nealh was mentioning it usually goes before the pump and Andy's pump is in the back of the case. That would be a long fill line, but I see Andy just went before the radiator but is that before the pump? I believe the T filling is after the pump between the radiators.

Generally most recommend the T-line right before the pump....

Now in Andy's case being right before a res seems to work just fine

[AndyM]

Pretty much any random location will do, the idea here is to have an easy path for air to escape while you are bleeding it. Your choice of location will determine how easy fill/bleed gets. Out of sheer luck, that long piece of hose before my T came in handy to be able to shut the pump off soon enough so flow would stop keeping bubbles visible in the hose to 'guide' them out before they hid in a non-visible location. The longish hose going to the roof of the case has a decent enough capacity so filling while bleeding isnt too frequent as well.

My loop goes... pump>gpu>cpu>mosfet>mosfet>ridiculusly long hose to lower front of case>T-fitting>rad>rad>pump...

[dr4gon]

your sleeving and cable management is excellent!

What type of black sleeving (size, brand, link?) and heatshrink (size,brand,link?) are you using. I got a sleeving kit from Petra's and the black loom is not as black and shiny and the heatshrink doesn't shrink enough.

[louie101086]

great job i really like the modders mesh idea i would love to try but i just dont want to see all my wires i have hidden down there but more airflow is pretty tempting

[AndyM]

Thanks guys! The modder's mesh makes such a noticable improvement in airflow through the radiators, any wires showing are kinda secondary in concern IMO. Of course sleeving and tucking them away works too At any rate, I highly recommend the mesh, the stock stuff is just too restrictive in comparison.

Sleeving is the EasyCut kind from McMaster-Carr in various sizes I had on hand, heatshrink is the standard PCV kind from the same place.

[nealh]

great job i really like the modders mesh idea i would love to try but i just dont want to see all my wires i have hidden down there but more airflow is pretty tempting

I really think you will need to get up and close to see any tucked away wires...

my modders mesh will be here Wed for another mesh grill creation..LOL

[dr4gon]

Thanks guys! The modder's mesh makes such a noticable improvement in airflow through the radiators, any wires showing are kinda secondary in concern IMO. Of course sleeving and tucking them away works too At any rate, I highly recommend the mesh, the stock stuff is just too restrictive in comparison.

Sleeving is the EasyCut kind from McMaster-Carr in various sizes I had on hand, heatshrink is the standard PCV kind from the same place.

thanks! I just went on their website and they have a ton of products!

[AndyM]

thanks! I just went on their website and they have a ton of products!

Yup, my favorite toy store

[Borgod]

I remember someone saying that changing the mesh made no difference to temps.