New case! Not 56k friendly!

[=ACID RAIN=]

Time to get rid of ol' reliable. I need something LAN-worthy, and a 26in tall steel case isn't gonna do it. So the plan was to get this:
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/normal_mine.jpg

into this:
http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-112-099-14.jpg

Here's the case, Just came in yesterday:
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_before.jpg

Fitting the heatercore with the power supply. Damn close fit! I measured before I bought and got this case specifically because it would fit my stuff in this manner.
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_rad_fitment.jpg

I have a little trick up my sleeve that gets me 100% surface area usage without a shroud ;)
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_rad_gasket.jpg

The block is...BLEEDING! Nope, it's a household acidic solution - ketchup! Cleans copper perfectly, as you can see from the fuzion block on the left, which was black and looking pretty rough beforehand.
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/wb_cleaning.jpg

<down>

[=ACID RAIN=]

<continued>

Here is a picture of my 8800GT. Believe it or not the ram STILL gets warm. No wonder the ram on these cards fails if overclocked.
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/normal_8800gt_cooling.jpg

And the desk...poor desk. It went from this:
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/the_desk1.jpg

to THIS:
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_workspace.jpg

Gonna have to clean that up today....ugh.

More to come later, including how I got everything into the case so far without making a single modification to the case itself. The top will have to be cut, but the rad, believe it or not, doesn't even touch the case ;)

[Sam__]

looking good...cant wait to see more pics of it. :D

[Jas]

Looks nice.

Love the dual monitor setup.

[synthetic_fenix]

Yes, Definately looking good on the install.

[911us]

very nice case and video card there...

[=ACID RAIN=]

Thanks guys :)

Here it is, all finished!

This is the finalized gasket install. Notice the ziptie? I used zipties under the rad to bridge the gap and hold it up, then 2 straps above to pull it down tight. What you end up with is a suspension that doesn't move AT ALL. Yes I could have drilled holes across the case, screwed in dowel rods, or any other oddball way of mounting this, but I chose this way because it required no modification to the inside of the case. Even the pump is taped down with double-sided tape, which works perfectly.
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_gasket.jpg

Here is a shot of the clearance between the top and the rad. It's less than 1cm. I would have liked it a bit lower so there was more clearance, but this is good because it keeps the foam gasket nice and tight.
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_rad_clrnce.jpg

Here is a picture of the finalized system. I would like to clean up the wires a little more, but for now I am just glad to have my computer back in one piece haha. Tweaking, for me, comes with time ;)
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_running.jpg

Shot from the front, with rheostats for the fans. I have not wired in the rheostats yet, but I do have them in place. For now the fans run on 7v. I'll get some matching nuts and bolts later for the fans, and bolt them down tight. Also, it runs a little warmer since I no longer get the rad air directly from the room, idle is 36C on the hottest 2 cores. Room temp is a bit warm though, around 76F. For now, this will do!
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_running_fr.jpg

edit: Looks strangely like a face doesn't it? I should something lower in the middle to make a nose.

[ChinStrap]

nice. i like the rad on top. i might steal that idea :)

what kinda car is that heatercore from again?

[sHape oF gReY]

Lookin good! :beer:

[=ACID RAIN=]

nice. i like the rad on top. i might steal that idea :)

what kinda car is that heatercore from again?

I don't know now, it's been years since I bought it. I'm honestly not sure if it was even mentioned in the ebay sale.

[burningcpu]

NIce

[Suprchargd]

Looks nice, what pump is that?

[=ACID RAIN=]

the aquaextreme 50z. Great little pump, I've had it for years now :)

http://www.cooltechnica.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AQX-50Z-DC12

[dark bishop]

sexy.

[voigts]

That is the cleanest mount with a heatercore that I have ever seen. Very nicely done. A little more cable management and you will be good to go.

I used to have a 50z, but it was just way too loud for me. They are good, reliable pumps though.

[Wayward_Son]

Ah, so that's what you were planning.

I don't think I'll go that route with my PC60. I'd prefer to have the watercooling loop located entirely within the case, and that means no external fans, either. Your mounting method would also be obstructed by my modular power supply.

Can I make a small suggestion? Remove that fan guard from the back of your case. You'll gain a little airflow and lose a little noise. If you really want a fan guard back there, a generic wire guard will be much better than the chunky aluminum guards that Lian Li supplies.

Edit: Hey, you're not too far from me. Easy 1.5 hours from Beaumont.

[Shiggity]

+1 on the awesomeness of your rad configuration

[WonderingSoul]

That

is

awesome! Grats man.

[=ACID RAIN=]

Thanks guys!

Ah, so that's what you were planning.

I don't think I'll go that route with my PC60. I'd prefer to have the watercooling loop located entirely within the case, and that means no external fans, either. Your mounting method would also be obstructed by my modular power supply.

Can I make a small suggestion? Remove that fan guard from the back of your case. You'll gain a little airflow and lose a little noise. If you really want a fan guard back there, a generic wire guard will be much better than the chunky aluminum guards that Lian Li supplies.

Edit: Hey, you're not too far from me. Easy 1.5 hours from Beaumont.

I'm with ya on the internal-only, but I decided to deviate from this concept on this case, to give it something different. Having those fans on top, covered in black wire-mesh grills appeals to me for some reason, maybe the industrial nature of it.

Ha, I was in beaumont a few weeks ago. I lived there for 10 years and met my wife when we went to westbrook high school together :D. If you're ever in town you should swing by and check out the rigs!

I have tons of plain wire fan grills, but I wanted to use the stock one because it matched so well, and since I might be taking this to class/LANs sometimes, well, you know how styling is at these things LOL. I'm a big fan of the sleeper concept, so having a relatively plain looking case with a beefy quad system under the hood makes me grin a little hehe. With a 38mm San Ace back there now, I doubt the grill will hurt it too much ;)

You should swing by www.texasoverclockers.com man, we're building up a community based on local OCF members and their friends :D

[schumi]

nice set up Acid maybe one day ill post pix of my set up.

[=ACID RAIN=]

You should shum! I'd like to see it :)

[legendosiris]

Are you not using any hose clamps? especially on the out line from the pump? i'm assuming those pics are when things arent filled with water, but the photo oddly looks like theres water in there (hoping its just the flash, etc)

Great looking though other than that

[=ACID RAIN=]

I've been doing this a long time, I can tell when I need clamps and when I don't. If that's not enough, I worked in the aquarium trade (and as a hobby) for over a decade. I think I can tell when a hose is loose and when it isn't ;)

If you look closely you can see there are loops of hose over the actual water-carrying hoses. When you expand a section of hose and slip it over another piece of the same diameter (cold expansion, not warm), it basically doubles the clamping force, and shrinks the ID some. That's my clamp. There are no clamps on the fuzion however. The barbs expand the hose enough that clamps won't matter. It might matter on my heatercore since the barbs don't expand the hose enough, but the fuzion style of barbs are fine. Same on the T line, which you can't see. Yes I could be taking a small risk, but the risk is much smaller than one might lead you to believe.

[legendosiris]

i guess its all good if you realise the risk and are experienced enough to know its sealed well.

On my d5 pump we had to use hair dryer with one set of tubing one time just to loosen it up and get it on. I didnt think that thing would need any type of clamp (i only use zip ties), but did it just for peace of mind :D

oh and fully enclosed rigs are win:
http://www.picvault.info/images/536977455_Front.JPG

[schumi]

Hahahaha I wish I could get my all inside. 1/2 tubing is a pita. I would need a bigger case.

[schumi]

here ya go.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/schumi69/Photo_020308_003.jpg
and
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/schumi69/Photo_020308_005.jpg

[=ACID RAIN=]

oh and fully enclosed rigs are win:
http://www.picvault.info/images/536977455_Front.JPG
Nice! I really like mesh slot covers like that. I need some for my case so I can get outside air into my rad. I have a couple now, but they are designed for my wife's coolermaster case and don't quite match the design theme.

here ya go.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/schumi69/Photo_020308_003.jpg
and
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/schumi69/Photo_020308_005.jpg
Nice work schum! I bet your temps are awesome with the rad outside like that :)

[=ACID RAIN=]

Here we go, good temporary fix for my airflow woes.
http://texasoverclockers.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/new_case_cm_fr.jpg

They are front panels off of my wife's coolermaster case haha. I glanced at her case, said "DAMN!" and started digging around in my parts drawers until I found them LOL.

This allows not only airflow at the bottom-front, but a little in the 3.5 and plenty in the 5.25 bays. This alone dropped my temp 4 degrees C. Now I am finally back to where I was before, with idle temps around 33C on the hottest core.

I swear they look better than the flash shows them to be.

Now I just need to find another 3.5 to match the other one and I might just make this permanent ;)

[WarriorII]

Looks good AR. :)

:thup:



:attn:

[schumi]

lol now that I got all the air out....

[dark bishop]

your mounting of the radiator was brilliant, its also probably the only way my radiator is gonna fit in my case.