Case Design for Liquid Cooling

[MrToad]

Black/white and vice-versa are really nice, but orange/black is like... W0W!!!

I find myself wondering... does the orange/black case transform into a robot that makes pancakes for breakfast?

[Sadasius]

Really like the black and orange too! I wonder what a red on the inside and black outside would look like? Hmmmmm

[ML Infamous]

Black and Orange or White and Black looks amazing

[Mick64]

any chance of some new fully installed sketchups (like the one in your avatar) ?

nothing too complicated i'm just trying to wrap my brain around the dimensions of all the compartments.

Had another go at rendering with some components installed. Not entirely happy with the result, but there isn't a vast number of SketchUp components available. Might have to create some more of my own.

Parts:-
Thermochill 120.4 rad with 8x 38mm fans and 38mm shrouds in push-pull.
Thermochill 120.3 rad with 6x 38mm fans and 38mm shrouds in push-pull.
Long PSU (200x160x86).
4x Raptor HDD's.
2x Optical Drives.
Akasa Fan Control Pro.
Alphacool LCD Display.
2x EK reservoirs.
2x Lang D5 Pumps.
Asus Rampage Extreme.
2x Graphics Cards (want to replace these).
Apogee GTX.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

7800 gtx ???

[neo_rtr]

Looks greate.

[Blizzy]

If the price comes out nicely, i will get me one of these for sure!

Great work

[ryan92084]

Had another go at rendering with some components installed. Not entirely happy with the result, but there isn't a vast number of SketchUp components available. Might have to create some more of my own.

ty sir that is exactly what i needed

[SpuTnicK]

Here is my vision of the wc case:



It is not finished yet.

[Blizzy]

Where is the PSU going in there ?

How many rads can you fit ?

[SoulsCollective]

Looks like...PSU at bottom, behind...mount for two 120x2 rads side by side? Then space for a thick 120x3 at front, four HDD cage in mid section?

[SpuTnicK]

@Blizzy
The PSU is rigth under the mobo tray, at the bottom, at the level of Hdd cage.
@SoulCollective
No, there is space for two thith 3x120 rad with thick fans and shrouds on the both sides, one at the bottom, and one in front.
Yes, 4x3.5 mounts and 3x5.25 mounts. it is simple

[Mick64]

Here is my vision of the wc case:

It is not finished yet.

Nice CAD work. The design is very similar to mine, except the compartments have been rearranged. Although this case is for water cooling, It looks like there is very little ventilation for the mobo compartment. I would be concerned that heat build up may be a problem, unless you intend to have fans on the side panels.....

[Blizzy]

@Blizzy
The PSU is rigth under the mobo tray, at the bottom, at the level of Hdd cage.
@SoulCollective
No, there is space for two thith 3x120 rad with thick fans and shrouds on the both sides, one at the bottom, and one in front.
Yes, 4x3.5 mounts and 3x5.25 mounts. it is simple

A faceplate to cover the PSU and hide the cables would be nice, imo.

[maddoggy]

@Mick64

I'm concerned is the use of 80mm fans w shrouds vrs 120s. that's 14 80mm fans... quite a bit of noise vrs the same number of 120s.

Surely if 120.4 and 120.3 rads fit, 120mm fans could with only a minor nudge?

I'd also love to see a bit more thought given to the front. Either vent the whole thing a la a Lian-Li, or do something like they did on my Omen, with a front, detachable facade about 3/4" forward of the front, flat and smooth, the front fan sucking around it, basically... but the single 200mm grille feels a bit odd there among the smooth flat curve of that case. [nvm, see below]

I'm also in the "use 140mm in the rear" camp.

I like the airflow over the HDDs, and the removal of all water cooled heat to the 2 chambers.

The Omen I have scavenges cool air from beneath the case for the PSU, which helps I imagine. You may want to consider the option of removing that hole on the interior chamber and flipping the PSU back to scavenge from beneath. One VERY BIG reason for that is the airflow over the RAM and top rear of the MB. MBs are designed for a crossflow frm bottom front to top rear, depressurizing the bottom rear with the PSU may not result in an advantageous setting for the MB's needs. The render with the PSU up top solves all this, of course.

Wondering if the window could be a bit longer, reveal more of the internals? Hard to tell if it would show off all the way to the drive bays, for those who might do something different up there. Perhaps as an optional side, with an "extended window". If I was using Solid-State drives, I'd be all about showing them off.

EDIT: just caught the renders with the square grille on the 200mm. That is beautiful.

Another suggestion that popped into my head: is the case long/thick enough to have an option to place 140mm rads pulling from the bottom and pushing out the top? I know, dumping the bottom rad heat back into the ambient is an ugly thought, but it just seems to me with all the new configs out there (Classified w it's 4 16x slots, for example), 140mm rads may become a necessity, better to plan now.

EDIT2: would you consider stretching the MB chamber a smidge to allow for one extra PCI slot panel in the rear? I ask simply because of an observation regarding the eVGA Classified MB: They placed a 4th PCIe x16 slot at the bottom of the MB. If this behaves in the same manner as my MB, that last one would be used for the PhysX dedicated GPU in a Tri-SLi/Multi-card-PhysX setup, with 3 GPUs matched for SLi, and a 4th not-necessarily matching GPU for PhysX (in fact, they specifically mention the MB has been rigged for this). In that arrangement, the last card wont get a full workout, and could go with a GPU-only block, with the surrounding RAM and components passively cooled with heatsink(s). This would neccesitate enough clearance for a 2-PCI height card in the last PCI slot, and makes most cases impossible to work with unless you go full coverage - unneccissary in this example.

If you added that much clearance off the bottom of the MB, and included that extra PCI plate in the rear, it would make this case one of the few (if not the only) to accommodate that 4th card being a double-wide.

I'd even suggest you go far enough to mount a 295 in the bottom with enough room for an elbow fittingfor the return, so 1 extra PCI plate + some room for a barb/elbow?

[SpuTnicK]

I appreciate all the thoughts and advices.
I'll make a render with installed components soon

[Mick64]

@Mick64

I'm concerned is the use of 80mm fans w shrouds vrs 120s. that's 14 80mm fans... SNIP

Not sure what you're talking about with the fan situation. The fans are 120mm diameter and 38mm thick, with 38mm thick shrouds. Most, if not all, of the other items you have mentioned have been rectified or have been discussed and reasoned before including an eighth PCI slot to accommodate the eVGA classified motherboard.

[b@llz0r]

Here is my vision of the wc case:
It is not finished yet.

Needs a bit of work, but its nice start, kinda LiLi X2000 shaped.



Might be a good idea to start another thread if you want to get comments and work up the design.

[Mick64]

Might be a good idea to start another thread if you want to get comments and work up the design.

Think this is heading towards a hijack. Please head over to Hu13caP's thread to comment on his design.

[Blizzy]

Some holes on the motherboard plate for the PSU cables would be nice i think =o

[Mick64]

Some holes on the motherboard plate for the PSU cables would be nice i think =o

If you are referring to my design (which I hope you are after my previous post), the motherboard tray does have holes positioned for a standard ATX motherboard. Holes are not required for a full eATX, as the MB will reach the edge of the tray. The problem with the Rampage board is that it is bigger than ATX but not full eATX, but it's big enough to cover the holes. Take a look at some of my other renders.....

[Blizzy]

If you are referring to my design (which I hope you are after my previous post), the motherboard tray does have holes positioned for a standard ATX motherboard. Holes are not required for a full eATX, as the MB will reach the edge of the tray. The problem with the Rampage board is that it is bigger than ATX but not full eATX, but it's big enough to cover the holes. Take a look at some of my other renders.....

yeah, its about your design...
Was looking at the thread over at WCUK and found this:
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...0/IMG_5973.jpg
And looking at the last render i just could't find those holes, so i guess they are hidden behind the motherboard

[ChaosMinionX]

I would buy this in an instant.

[neo_rtr]

Ikonik Ra X10 SIM

[Kallenator]

80mm fans on that thing, and as far as we know it's rubbish

What Mick64 has going is something in a completely different league.