View Full Version : Please post your Lian Li V-Series watercooled!!!
I have Lian Li V-Series but I'm struggling about whether I want to mod this beautiful case for watercooling my PC or not, so please post pics of your Lian Li V-Series watercooled for us!!
Here's a link to a recent post that shows most of the inside of my V2100 a few days before initial testing. The radiator is breathing though a large rectangular hole in the top that has an AquaComputer 360 grill on it. (And, no it's not finished, I'm still waiting on my G5 and a couple 1m S-ATA cables.) http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=3649671&postcount=63
very nice wiring job! would you mind to take more pics of your setup?
my current setup. soon enough I will change the cpu block, and go to dual loop. already have the extra hardware, just need to finish a block.
http://home.comcast.net/~noxqzs/6800/6800x16.jpg
Any good pics or how too's? I am looking at getting a w/c setup in my V1000, but I don't have the room like the V1200 and up.
Any ideas? I am looking at going with a DD setup.
thanks
corban
you'll probably have to cut a hole in the top to fit the radiator in there... but otherwise it should be pretty easy
very nice wiring job! would you mind to take more pics of your setup?
Is there anything in particular you'd like to see? I've uploaded quite a few pics over the last couple of months and I'd rather point you to them than upload more right now--I'm trying to save enough to post a coherent build log when it's actually "complete."
Hey MVC,
Thanks... What I am thinking, and please feel free to jump in, is two black ice extremes (BIX) at either end of the case. One on each of the default case 120mm fans. The front one would require the removal of one of the drive bays. As for a pump, I am looking at the new D5 (aka swiftech MCP-655) to store in the case bottom compartment next to the front fan/BIX setup. I would then like to have a T-line setup to go to a CPU, GPU, and chipsetblock. I am a little new at this, so I am currious how hard it is to drill a hole in the top to add in the T-line. It's such a nice case, I don't want to mess it up to bad...
What kind of setup to you have? Please point me to the pics. I would love to see them, and when you are done, the build log would be great as well!
I like this case, but it is a little small. I was hoping to be able to add in a BIX2, but I don't see where it can really fit.
As for flow, I was thinking:
D5 pump -> T-line -> BIX (back) -> CPU -> GPU -> Chipset -> BIX (front) -> pump...
How does that look?
and thanks for the help.
cheers
corban
One other thing... Do you have a V1000, or do you have the bigger cases from Lian Li?
thanks
corb
Hi Corban: I'll do the easy questions first then make a dent in the harder ones.
I've got a V2100b and there's a link to a basic pic of what my system looks like in the 2nd post in this thread. However, I'm thinking of moving everything into a V2000b--I bought the version with a door because I planned on having the machine sit under my desk, but the door is getting on my nerves so now I'm looking to relocate the box and eliminate the door (talk about expensive "mistakes").
I tried a couple of different searches under my name but I didn't find a good way to come up with the pics I've posted--if someone knows how to only get my pics, please let me know. But, I should have a build log up pretty soon, all I'm waiting on to "finish" this box is my G5 and a couple of cables that should be available from Performance PCs in early June.
Drilling into the top of the case to install a t-line (or anything else for that matter) is very easy. The aluminum isn't difficult to work with at all. I used a uni-bit drill bit for the Danger Den fill-port in mine, but a hole saw of the proper diameter would work just as well.
As for your setup: First, put the t-line before the pump, not after it--the water should feed into the pump's intake.
If you're looking to keep everything internal there really isn't a good way to get a dual 120mm radiator into that box. Using two radiators probably is your best option, but take a good look at the amount of space you've got between the rear 120mm fan and where the CPU is located on your motherboard. With my Asus board it would be one tight fit, if it fit at all, to get a BIX and fan in there without seriously interferring with the mounting for the water block on the CPU. You might have to go to a BIP which is .75" thinner.
The biggest problem with using two 120mm radiators is that you're increasing the resistance considerably if compared to a one dual 120mm radiator. Most of the resistance comes from the fittings and the "junction" (don't know what its real name is) where the fittings are attached. The length of the tubes in the radiator don't affect flow anywhere near as much, so having a double radiator is much more efficient since you would only have one set of fittings/junction. Have you considered mounting a double (or tripple) radiator outside of the box? I've seen where people have done this cleanly and if you search a bit you can probably find some pics.
From all accounts the D5 (MCP655) is an excellent pump so you should be fine there. But, with very few exceptions, water cooling the north/south bridge is a waste of time/money/effort so I wouldn't add these to the loop in the initial build. They can always be added later if necessary. BTW, which blocks were you planning on using for the CPU and GPU?
Hey MVC,
Thanks for the reply. I am thinking about the TDX and the MAZE4 for the CPU/GPU. I was waiting to see what DD has for the chipset before I buy. I have a DFI Ultra nForce4 board. Why is it a waste of time/money/etc, etc water cooling the chipset? Just curious? I am more in it for the noise than the cooling. The fan on the chipset is fairly loud. But I am not sold on that for sure. Again, just waiting to see what DD can do for that.
I wish I could use a dual 120mm radiator. I just don't have the room. I did measure based on what you siad, and based on the size of the single BIX, I think I will be ok. (At least I hope I will be.) I have a little room to spare before the rad would hit the CPU. I should be able to get the block in there ok. It winds up covering the ram some, but not to much. The DFI board has the CPU more in the middle.
Ok, I will put the T-line before the pump. I will have to see where to put the pump now. I don't know if it will fit in the bottom compartment with the other rad/fan, and the single drive bay. (All in the same compartment may be pushing it.)
While I like this case, it's just a tad to small for a good water cooling setup. It might just work, but I will have to wait to get all the parts.
I thought about an external soulution, but I like things simple on the outside. I will poke around to see what images I can find.
Any other suggestions?
thanks
corb
noxqzs, is that a 120mm radiator @ the front of your case? and did it fit without modification? and which case it is? I am buying a case here in the next short while and don't want to have to mod it in anyway to get the radiator to fit.
millhouse
05-22-05, 09:52 PM
ohhh... pretty rigs. I love them!! Great job guys! :clap: :clap: :thup:
noxqzs, is that a 120mm radiator @ the front of your case? and did it fit without modification? and which case it is? I am buying a case here in the next short while and don't want to have to mod it in anyway to get the radiator to fit.
It looks like a V2000. The V2000 and V2100 are all but identical internally, but the V2100 has a door on the outside covering the drive bays. As for mods, he has removed the front drive cage, but it's only held in by six rivets. If you're going to put a radiator at the front I'd recommend the new Thermochill 160.
Hello, folks. Not much of a looker (and unfinished), but functional... :)
PC-V2100
lian-li_170.jpg (http://www.nanobug.plus.com/lian/lian-li_170.jpg)
lian-li_163.jpg (http://www.nanobug.plus.com/lian/lian-li_163.jpg)
lian-li_137.jpg (http://www.nanobug.plus.com/lian/lian-li_137.jpg)
Wondering where I was going to mount the pump, and wanting an efficient loop, I decided on a 'crossflow' 3x120 radiator made by XSPC that allowed me to suspend the D4 by the tubing alone. Original? ;)
Oddly I found that, even though these cases are pretty damn massive, my options for mounting the rad were limited. I only just managed to place it in the position it's in now (centered in the top of the case) due to the proximity of the motherboard hardware.
Oddly I found that, even though these cases are pretty damn massive, my options for mounting the rad were limited. I only just managed to place it in the position it's in now (centered in the top of the case) due to the proximity of the motherboard hardware.
Yeah, Lian-Li really designed these cases for efficient air cooling--they couldn't have been thinking about water cooling or they would have left more space at the top. I'm seriously thinking about getting a V2000 and taking the radiator external. It wouldn't look as clean, but it sure would be a lot more functional.
clocker2
05-24-05, 04:24 AM
Most of the resistance comes from the fittings and the "junction" (don't know what its real name is) where the fittings are attached.
"Junction"= "header tanks".
Just thought you'd like to know.
"Junction"= "header tanks".
Just thought you'd like to know.
Thanks. Clarity is always improved when one can call an item by its proper name :)
I have decided to purchase a V1000 here soon. So hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to post a pic :D
I have decided to purchase a V1000 here soon. So hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to post a pic :D
Just keep in mind that the V1000 is not a good case for water cooling. The area for the PSU is small so it won't fit many of the newer (and more powerful) PSUs, and the area for the motherboard is completely used up by a standard ATX board. If you want to do water cooling and keep the system internal, I'd get a different case, if only a V1200 which would give you an additional 4" of depth to work with.
I'm seriously thinking about getting a V2000 and taking the radiator external. It wouldn't look as clean, but it sure would be a lot more functional.
That's an idea. I spose one could mount the radiator on the top of the case and make some sort of shroud akin to how the Exos coolers look, whilst keeping the rad fans inside the case in a push config?
Personally I think the HDD/PSU area is crying out for being used, though it could be interesting to work it out. I was thinking a large rad could be mounted on the bottom of the case internally by flipping the PSU on its mounting plate so that it hangs high, cut out or remove the centre divider between HDD/PSU area, and figure out an alternate method/location for the harddrives (use one of the 2 hdd racks horizontally above the radiator maybe?). With the clearance the wheels on the case provide I don't suppose it'd be a problem drawing cold air up from the floor and out the front & back of the V2000 case.
Sorry, just running some poorly thought out ideas about there... :p
That's an idea. I spose one could mount the radiator on the top of the case and make some sort of shroud akin to how the Exos coolers look, whilst keeping the rad fans inside the case in a push config?
Actually, I was thinking of just mounting the radiator externally and leaving it at that--the Thermochill 120.3 is aesthetic enough for my tastes :). Having the fans in a pull configuration would work better. I'd want to use the cooler (if only by a couple of degrees) outside air to cool the radiator and with all the ventilation the V2000 has overpressurization wouldn't really be an issue.
Personally I think the HDD/PSU area is crying out for being used, though it could be interesting to work it out. I was thinking a large rad could be mounted on the bottom of the case internally by flipping the PSU on its mounting plate so that it hangs high, cut out or remove the centre divider between HDD/PSU area, and figure out an alternate method/location for the harddrives (use one of the 2 hdd racks horizontally above the radiator maybe?). With the clearance the wheels on the case provide I don't suppose it'd be a problem drawing cold air up from the floor and out the front & back of the V2000 case.
Sorry, just running some poorly thought out ideas about there... :p
If I only needed a couple of hard drives this would actually work pretty well. But there's only 15 inches from the rear of the case to the back edge of the front hard drive rack and a Thermochill 120.3 would need 16.5 inches so both hard drive racks would have to come out and I'm aready feeling deprived with only 6 hard drives in this machine.... Also, with a configuration like that I'd have to come up with a whole new method of mounting the Iwaki. Right now it fits very well where the second hard drive rack was, but I'm not sure where I could put it if I didn't have that space to work with.
Anyway, I seriously doubt that I'll have the time to actually move this system into a new case before next fall so I've got time to think about it.
Just keep in mind that the V1000 is not a good case for water cooling. The area for the PSU is small so it won't fit many of the newer (and more powerful) PSUs, and the area for the motherboard is completely used up by a standard ATX board. If you want to do water cooling and keep the system internal, I'd get a different case, if only a V1200 which would give you an additional 4" of depth to work with.
The thing is I live in Canada, and can only find two retailers that sell Lian Li. Neither has a V1200, one has a V2000, but it has a price tag of $502CAD :bang head which there is no way I am going to pay that for a computer case. I've read many reviews in the past few days and think I have the watercooling figured out. I am going to remove one of the drive bays (the one closer to the fan) and thats is where i'll put my chevette core. The pump will be put in the space for the optical drives, and I am only watercooling my cpu. I think It should all be fine. I've watercooled the cpu,NB, and GPU in a Super Lanboy (which looks a lot smaller and more cramped). Its all good :)
Hey Lowfat...
I am in the same boat. I currently have the V1000. I am thinking about putting 2 BIX radiators in the case. One on each fan in the V1000. (One in front, and one in back.) That, and a T-line should give me a nice setup. The only gotcha is where to put the pump. I am hoping that I can squeeze it in the botton compartment, but I think it might be just a hiar to small with one drive bay still intact. I chould just move my hard dirve (250GB) to the top section, and leave the bottom area for WC stuff... (Remove both hard drive bays.)
Let me know how your setup goes.
cheers
corban
Hey noxqzs,
Quick question? In your picture on this thread, you have 3 tubes going through your case in three different holes. Did you drill those into your case, and if so, what are you using for the rings around the holes? (I assume to protech the tubing.) What size did you drill the hole to compensate for the extra thickness of the rings in the hole?
thanks for the help...
cheers
corban
Here's a link to a thread over at ProCooling where a V1000 was watercooled--may give you some ideas. http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=11509
The rings around the tubing in the holes are just grommets. The size of the hole would depend on the actual specs of the grommet since they come in varying sizes. See the bottom of page 3487 here http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?pagenum=3487 and the top of the next page.
Hey MVC,
Thanks for the posts. Just what I was looking for! Bookmarked them both.
cheers
corb
I am thinking about putting 2 BIX radiators in the case. One on each fan in the V1000. (One in front, and one in back.)
I had an XSPC 1x120mm rad here initially (similar I think?) hoping to mount it in the rear 120mm fan location in a V2100 case but found it wasn't possible, at least being able to mount it internally. The endcaps of the radiator were the problem being too wide to mount horizontally or vertically.
Maybe you were thinking of having it external but thought I'd give it a mention.
P.S. I didn't have a problem mounting the 1x120mm rad on the front fan mount in the case (after removing some HDD bays).
Edit: Just measured the XSPC 120.1 rad here and it's 170mm endcap to endcap, so guess it might actually be possible with a BIX being 153mm.
Hey sumfuka,
I thought I measured it ok. It sounds like the 153mm should work, but I will check before I make the plunge...
thanks for the heads up.
cheers
corb
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