Dual Loop W/C-SLI Gaming Rig, Video Build.

[nan0_man]

A year (or more) ago, I built a W/C Gaming rig around a NF4 Lanparty and 2 GeForce 7900's. It was for a friend of mine who had no experience with liquid cooling and If I'm honest with myself, the W/C setup was not very user-friendly and he had problems with growth in the loop an leaking. :bang head
SO!
Here we are a yr later and were going to re-do the whole thing with some new parts, a new case, 2 individual loops-one for the CPU and the other cooling the 7900's, and NO DUCT TAPE AT ALL!

I'm video-ing the entire build, starting with the first part which you'll find below where I go through all the components etc we'll be using.

Most everything was purchased from www.performance-pcs.com as I had heard good things about them and being located quite close by meant shipping was cheap and VERY fast.
Big thanks to them for letting me swap some unwanted purchases out, no questions asked and some very neat sleeving work too.
Also got some 1/4inch ID tygon from USPlastics...Minimum of 10 feet! (I only needed 3) and $8 shipping for an envelope with 2 stamps on it.:screwy:
And we had to get another mounting kit from DangerDen for the existing Maze 4 as all those little springs and screws were lost during the melee. (They too pulled the envelope trick....oh well, had to have it.)

Heres part 1, its 79MB by the way so might take a while on slow cons:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7955529908808700601




More to come this weekend...

[nan0_man]

Today I had some free time so I got on with cutting the round hole for the fan, installing the barbs for the fill tubes on the res's and lapping the Koosah blocks.
Heres some pics:
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5986/image001fb1.jpg
Found that this mug was a perfect size for a template....nice.

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/1740/image002tf3.jpg
The 'Before': My free handed circle.

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/1296/image003fk1.jpg
The 'After' shot. Much neater.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9203/image004jh5.jpg
Dremmel bit cuts a fairly clean line eh.

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/1025/image005on9.jpg
Heres one of the Bay Res/Pump combo's.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/8015/image006mr8.jpg
Hole marked for drilling.

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/9332/image009wl1.jpg
Holes finished and barbs installed,(with a little epoxy).

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/9444/image010st7.jpg
Heres one of the DangerDen Koosah Blocks.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/5761/image013tt4.jpg
Before pic of one of the memory areas...quite dull.

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/81/image022nf7.jpg
And after lapping to 2000, better I'd say.

[nan0_man]

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2722/image024mt5.jpg
GPU area, Before.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1972/image021qk9.jpg
and after lapping.

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/3710/image029mf7.jpg
Side by side, for comparison.

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/1605/image032fh4.jpg
A view from above...shiny!

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1125/image031pk3.jpg
Heres the Maze 4, lapped also to 2000.

[Anubis_386]

Lookin' awesome .. Your a brave man using a see-through case .. Those things are a nightmare for hiding cables ..

[-orb-]

Wow you are doing a LOT of lapping! Looking great!

I can't wait to see the finished product. Good luck :)

[maxspam]

Pardon the question but did you fab that res yourself? looking good, excited to see the finished product.

[hata28]

Pardon the question but did you fab that res yourself? looking good, excited to see the finished product.

That's a XSPC "Bay-Res" Pump/Reservoir Combo

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_367&products_id=22697

http://www.speedtest.net/result/276067139.png (http://www.speedtest.net)


Asus Crosshair Phenom 9500 Quad 2.2 Ghz D-Tek FuZion V2 CPU Water Block Mushkin 996533 4GB EVGA Geforce 8800GTS 640MB X2 SLI Swiftech Stealth Extreme Duty G80 Rev 3 VGA Waterblock Zalman ZM-GWB8800 GTS GPU Water Block SB Audigy Seagate ST325041 250GB WDC 250GB Swiftech MCP350 In-Line 12V DC Pump Swiftech MCW30 Chipset Water-block XSPC "Bay-Res" Pump/Reservoir Combo Saint-Gobain Tygon R-3603 Clear Tubing 20' 3/8" ID Black Ice® GT Stealth 120 Highest Performance Radiator Antec NeoPower 650 Watt Blue LED PSU Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 Sunbeam UFO CUBE Acrylic Case Sunbeam RHK-EX-BA Rheobus-Extreme Fan Controller Panel

[hata28]

Hi nano_man

Do you notice that u'll not be able to close your top cover for the SLI setup? You have to do some modification like mine.

[nan0_man]

Hi nano_man

Do you notice that u'll not be able to close your top cover for the SLI setup? You have to do some modification like mine.

Yeh, i noticed that...still haven't quite decided what im going to do there. lets see a pic of yours, so i can see what you did.

[nan0_man]

Did some more work today, learned how to sleeve and made a bracket for the fill system, pics follow:


http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/4110/sleevebracket001te7.jpg
PSU before.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7293/sleevebracket023ol0.jpg
And after sleeving.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/9441/sleevebracket024lf8.jpg
Temp LCD's after sleeving, (starting to get the hang of it now)

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1350/sleevebracket004px4.jpg
Installed the temp sensor into each res with some epoxy.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/5206/sleevebracket005hq3.jpg
I needed some kind of bracket to house the fill system, this is what I came up with using the off-cuts left over after cutting the fan holes.

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3793/sleevebracket006ja0.jpg
Mocked up, should work like this.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/905/sleevebracket007rt4.jpg
Here are the pieces after dremmel-ing.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3039/sleevebracket008ow1.jpg
Bit of sanding to tidy the edges up...

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3488/sleevebracket009hm5.jpg
Pieces after sanding.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1708/sleevebracket010ov0.jpg
Make sure everything fits ok...

[nan0_man]

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/9405/sleevebracket016sy4.jpg
Here it is put together and glued.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/6411/sleevebracket017ih9.jpg
Another angle.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1613/sleevebracket018fg3.jpg
And another.

[hata28]

Yeh, i noticed that...still haven't quite decided what im going to do there. lets see a pic of yours, so i can see what you did.

I replaced the 4 thumb screws with the given drive mount screws and used Self-adhesive foam weatherstripping around it with rubber bumpers on the 4 corners. I can't even close it with the SLI bridge installed without this modification.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/k3n2o88/CIMG1942.jpg


http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/k3n2o88/CIMG1943.jpg


http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/k3n2o88/CIMG1944.jpg


http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/k3n2o88/CIMG1945.jpg


I had difficulties choosing the water blocks too for the G80 8800 GTS. so I got one new Zalman ZM-GWB8800 GTS GPU Water Block first from Newegg. And later a got a good deal from ebay for swiftech Stealth Extreme Duty VGA Waterblock. With the Swiftech I can install the Swiftech MCW30 Chipset Water-block for the South Bridge. So I waiting for some more parts to cool the North bridge and the mosfets.

[nan0_man]

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2119/mockup001qh5.jpg
Got some felt pads to cushion the DVD-RW.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6113/mockup002ry7.jpg
PSU and Loop-1 Rad installed.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6384/mockup003kj9.jpg
A look inside the lower level, it's really starting to come together.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2757/mockup004af7.jpg
Side view.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2250/mockup005bs9.jpg
And the front.

[nan0_man]

I replaced the 4 thumb screws with the given drive mount screws and used Self-adhesive foam weatherstripping around it with rubber bumpers on the 4 corners. I can't even close it with the SLI bridge installed without this modification.

I had difficulties choosing the water blocks too for the G80 8800 GTS. so I got one new Zalman ZM-GWB8800 GTS GPU Water Block first from Newegg. And later a got a good deal from ebay for swiftech Stealth Extreme Duty VGA Waterblock. With the Swiftech I can install the Swiftech MCW30 Chipset Water-block for the South Bridge. So I waiting for some more parts to cool the North bridge and the mosfets.

Well, I had been thinking of routing out some of the 'lid' to accomodate the sli bridge, (Is your bridge bent? looks like it, did you do that?) and if that wont work then ill probably raise tha sides a bit like you did. trying to think what I can use instead of the weather stripping. hmmmm. probably go buy some more acrylic and use strips of it to give the sides more height. hmmmm.

[nan0_man]

I'm just thinking, Im going to have to be real clever when routing all these cables. case is tighter than I had envisioned.

[hata28]

Well, I had been thinking of routing out some of the 'lid' to accomodate the sli bridge, (Is your bridge bent? looks like it, did you do that?) and if that wont work then ill probably raise tha sides a bit like you did. trying to think what I can use instead of the weather stripping. hmmmm. probably go buy some more acrylic and use strips of it to give the sides more height. hmmmm.

Well The SLI bridge is like some Flexible PCB so it can bent. It came with the Asus Crosshair.

[hata28]

I wish I have the gut to make some hole on the case like u:bang head

[nan0_man]

I wish I have the gut to make some hole on the case like u:bang head

I felt the same way until I tried it, then I said to myself..'wow, that was alot easier than I had thought!'

Way I see it, worst case scenario...buy a new case:($79.95US). But so far, so good.

[maxspam]

oh dude that thin tubing is killen me

[nan0_man]

oh dude that thin tubing is killen me
why?

[Rickpatbrown]

Thin tubing is only for filling the reservoirs.

[nan0_man]

Got the Blocks on the video cards last night and plumbed them in. Heres some pics:

Oh, and I have been videoing some of the build but im going to wait till the end and do kind of a time lapse thing. Heres the pics:

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/3323/gpublock001cw0.jpg
Card and contents of Koosah box.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/4941/gpublock002qc8.jpg
'Ceramique' applied to contact areas.

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/5242/gpublock003qo4.jpg
The back mounting plate with its hardware installed.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1503/gpublock004kn6.jpg
Close-up.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5528/gpublock005bl4.jpg
Back plate mounted.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/987/gpublock006uu8.jpg
And the block side.


http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/3717/gpublock007oq7.jpg
And here are the cards installed and plumbed in. You can see I did decide to go for them in series instead of individual loops, mainly because of the detrimental pressure drop caused by the 'Y' fitting and obvious lack of room in the case.

[hata28]

Nice!....you definitely have to add some acrylic on the top of the case in order to cover the top.... it's going to be a tough one....

I was thinking previously should I go for the DD water-box which cost more than twice of this case cos of these restrictions....this case is not SLI or X-fire compatible....even it's not water-cooled...once the bridge is installed....the top cover can't close.

[nan0_man]

I'm entertaining the idea of cutting a hole just big enough for the koosah's and bridge to stick out of the top, then making a cover out of fan grill material to go over the hole.

[nan0_man]

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5135/leaktestloop1001rz7.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3560/leaktestloop1002bu9.jpg


http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4898/leaktestloop1004gh9.jpg


http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2030/leaktestloop1005wx5.jpg

I'm ordering more Feser1 and then I'll get the 2nd loop up.

[EmAn]

Im really interested in how this turns out.... You are brave with that clear case....

[hata28]

What's wrong with clear case? I love my clear case....It's easy to fix anything and never will get cut on my hand.

[bryan_d]

What's wrong with clear case? I love my clear case....It's easy to fix anything and never will get cut on my hand.

I for one do not trust acrylic, one too many stories of cracking reservoirs, tops, and pump assembly's in my opinion. I also believe the clear cases to be too flashy when their first used, and then nasty when all the dust sets in.

But you are doing a great job nonetheless. Keep it up! :)

bryan d

[Anubis_386]

That is looking absolutely awesome so far ..

[nan0_man]

Thanks,

Its been leaktesting all night and I'm seeing a little leakage (kinda) on the Koosah's. The leak is internal, in that the area it has leaked into is inside the channel, but hey....a leak's a leak. Will email them, see what they say.
PIC:
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/2333/koosahleak003ay6.jpg

[hata28]

damn....130 bucks a piece and it's leak internally

[nan0_man]

damn....130 bucks a piece and it's leak internally

Its a very slow leak, but its filling up the area, little by little.
I think I can see the problem, and its the same on both the blocks so I'm thinking its a problem with the way they manufacture them. The internal rubber seal sits in a channel but in one area it comes up out of the channel a little bit and back in, this must be where the leak is occuring. I can fix it but that would void my warranty.
I've emailed performance-pcs about it, see what they think.
pic:
http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/3646/koosahleak009cj8.jpg

[hata28]

You are spending so much for a piece of block, hope they will let u RMA or exchange for another type. I think now the block cost more than your card. And these sort of block is not compatible with other new video card.

[nan0_man]

probably try to exchange for a different one. I'm waiting to hear from DD.

[ziggo0]

Have them send you one in advance before you send the broken one in.

[nan0_man]

no, i still have them, why?

[nan0_man]

Have them send you one in advance before you send the broken one in.

Ok, i just properly read your post. Yeh, they should send me one(or 2 actually) before I send theirs back. For sure.

[nan0_man]

Well, both loops are leak free,(except the koosah blocks). DangerDen have been notified but Im suprised to say its been 5 days and still no response from them. hmmf.

We ordered a OCZ 750W PSU and when that gets here,(hopefully today), we'll be installing the mobo etc.

more pics soon.

[hata28]

Well maybe u should contact Performance for return or exchange other blocks

[nan0_man]

Well maybe u should contact Performance for return or exchange other blocks

I did, they told me they are waiting to hear back from DD.

[hata28]

I guess DD are taking their time....it's a simple deal....they have to let u RMA it. You should call Performance too and ask for refund and have them deal with DD. I ordered from them too, they sent me some wrong fitting which cost a few bucks and expect me to send it back first. So I called them and they mailed out the right one with no additional charges.

[hata28]

Hi nan0_man

Do you have any idea to do the top of your case, beside cutting hole for the Video card?

I am thinking of doing something to lift the top of the case, cos the tube of the Swiftech Stealth Extreme a little kink when the top is covered. Or spend another $150 for the DD torture rack......hmmm

[nan0_man]

Hi nan0_man

Do you have any idea to do the top of your case, beside cutting hole for the Video card?

I am thinking of doing something to lift the top of the case, cos the tube of the Swiftech Stealth Extreme a little kink when the top is covered. Or spend another $150 for the DD torture rack......hmmm

I'm going to build the sides of the case up 1/2 inch, like you did, but with strips of acrylic instead of foam.

Looking for some acrylic strips online is harder than i imagined, might have to cut the from a sheet which i'd rather avoid as i want a real straight line.