Lets put a triple 120 rad in a NZXT Phantom

Again looks great. I am in the middle of modding my case as well, nothing as awesome like yours. But getting a water cooling system in a lian li v354 is a task in itself and nickel plating the pu block gpu block and potentially the PSU, will force me to add a window on the side to show off the extra cash i put into it you know.

Dooms101 said:

Well the 24 hour leak test went great and it literally took 3 seconds of the pump turned on for the bubbles to clear out, everything is crystal clear. I am 90% done and all I need now is to wire the ccfl's to a on/off switch on the back and mod the side window. Here's some pics to hold you over:

Here you can also make out how I water cooled the GPU, I threw on the universal block over the bottom reference cooler base plate that covers most of the PCB. I'll be doing some benching later and hopefully it keeps it cool.

I will be finishing it up soon and I'll post the final pictures in a few hours. Tell me what you guys think

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Hi, nice to meet you. I'm new here.
You did a GREAT work! I'm less willing of working hours and my project is taking a bit of time (mounths).

By case I have the same phantom and the same gpu as you do
And also already bought a universal gpu EK waterblock.
I was worrying about to mount it without additional heatsinks, I was also thinking of making a transparent videocard cover like the original of xfx to use both the original fan and the waterblock. I found this thread searching info about cooling the HD6870. And found much more.

I'm not sure to understand what you mean with the gpu cooling (maybe if you'd like, add a picture of it), but if you do keeped the original plate wouldn't you get better temps without that piece? That is made to work with a fan spinning air through, but without fast airflow it avoid's the card of beeing cooled by the low case airflow.
It's just my idea. Maybe I'm wrong.
I'm glad to know your temps don't go over 70° so I know I will not burn my videocard too And I can order wat's left. I was looking for a while for this info about hd6870.


My project is far to be completed. I bought a 140 radiator, I cud fix it putting 2 fans on top of it, the case goes through the radiator and the fans.
As you can see here

So the fans are on the top of the two 180mm holes, and the radiator attached on them.
I didn't think about your way, also I'm not used to do manual works.

the tube is also too hard for watercooling and pushes the radiator up.
(Yes i found a very bad tube!)
As you can see here




this is the view from the top


and the cpu



as you can see I still have to place the uv led on the floor.
Also I have no idea in which way it is better to fix the led cable and how to position the led.

I pay 15$ for every order and wait about 4-7 days so I was waiting to know exactly wat to buy before placing the next order.

Now thanks you I have a better Idea.




Maybe it's of interest. I mounted the watercooling system in a way that it uses the thermosiphon effect. The warm water goes up in the radiator, and circulates by itself, cools down, and goes down to the cpu again. On idle I have about 43-45° celsius. At 20% I have 50°. At 50% load, temps get to 60°. It's not a system to use at full load obviously (85-90°) but it's ok for surfing, downloading and making little works on the pc.

To better this system I might put the radiator outside, on the top back of the pc. I think having more vertical distance between cpu and rad makes the circulation faster. Also I will buy one of the best thermalpaste.




Then...

As sleeping in the room beside I was disturbed by the stand-by led, and uncapable of turning off the fans, I thought to use a fan controller (lamptron) with 4 line out, to regulate or put off the following:
-Innovatek waterpump (yes it cools down with pump off),
-leds that I put inside on a led controller, and the one of the phantom inbuilt controller (2 of the 4 pin connector of the phantom fancontroller, are for the leds, and 2 for managing the speed of fans)
-the 2 fans on the radiator
-the inbuilt fan controller (the fans of the controller are connected on the other 2 wires of the 4 pin connector)

for connecting them I'm using a pump adaptor

http://www.aquatuning.us/product_info.php/info/p9531_Alphacool-pump-adaptor.html

but also here I have a lot of work to finish.

I'm glad having found your work.


Still a big issue is the panel, mine is not trasparent, and I think the fan on it is quite useful. So I can make a lot of modding but I won't be able to see it inside like you do.

Greetings from europe

Looks like a cool project! I haven't seen someone put a double 140mm rad in one these cases yet, but it looks like you got it to fit just fine. It makes me want to put some more fans on the top of my rad since it looks like you have enough room.

I wouldn't recommend turning the pump or fans off, water has a very high specific heat and that is why it works so well for water cooling because it can absorb a lot of heat without increasing in temperature and turning off the pump or fans will not affect temps for a few minutes sometimes, but trust me after an hour or two the temps will be through the roof. If the lights are too bothersome and you have some soldering skills, you can wire the back switch to turn off the fan led's, the UV led's you installed, and the built in led's. However, it is much easier to turn the computer off or maybe put it in hibernation.

Also, to the OCF! Greetings Europe from USA xD

Dooms101 said:

Looks like a cool project! I haven't seen someone put a double 140mm rad in one these cases yet, but it looks like you got it to fit just fine. It makes me want to put some more fans on the top of my rad since it looks like you have enough room.

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Hi! I'm glad you like it (turned the pump off at 22:45)
Actually I made a cartoon of the form of the rad to see if a 240 mm rad fits. As it did then I searched for a slim 280 mm rad with low flow resistance.
I found this slim MC radiator of magiccool wich works perfectly.

I think you cud unfold 1 fan on the bottom and try putting it on the top. I had to remowe a wire of the top an cut a little white wire support. And it fits. I think you will be able to put 3 fans also on the top.

I wouldn't recommend turning the pump or fans off, water has a very high specific heat and that is why it works so well for water cooling because it can absorb a lot of heat without increasing in temperature and turning off the pump or fans will not affect temps for a few minutes sometimes, but trust me after an hour or two the temps will be through the roof.

Click to expand...

Yes nobody belives this system can work. I have a stable temperature through hours. I was looking exactly for that.
If you see the picture of the inside, if I start the pc with pump off, in 2 minutes the fittings by the tube that goes directly to the rad become warm, the others don't. This means water has a discrete flow.
Preparing this I searched a highflow waterblock. And I think it is tanks to the high contact area inside the block that this system works well. Internally for little areas the water rises quickly by 20 degree, and already there pushes up.
In my system cold water has only to have a way down to go and warm the opposite.
20 minutes working with pump off temps are at 43° celsius.

If the lights are too bothersome and you have some soldering skills, you can wire the back switch to turn off the fan led's, the UV led's you installed, and the built in led's. However, it is much easier to turn the computer off or maybe put it in hibernation.

Click to expand...

that's true

Also, to the OCF! Greetings Europe from USA xD

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Tanks


by the way. I was lookinf for a filter tissue to cut it in the shape of the front intake, and then stick it inside with glow. Have you ever heard somebody doing this?
I think the best filter should be flexible and very thin. I see something like this by the projector filter. Instead the phantom filters are with bigger holes.

I'm going to buy a second hd 6870.
It's incredible crysis 2 slows down in 1600x1200 if I don't use the lowest resolution. The lowest is named high, then there is very high, and extreme. It's better than a movie
27 minutes later I'm still having 43°. Yes cpu is almost in pause.

Well thats great to hear that the system works for you, a truly passive cooling system, I am kind of impressed. I plan on adding 3 more yate loon fans to the top rad for push/pull. I took the top bezel and did a test fit last night and there is plenty of room except for the part you mentioned, I'll just have to cut the little screw stand off and it'll fit fine. I am also adding another 120.2 with push/pull fans in the bottom, should look really nice

By filter I am guessing you mean the fan filters? If so there's a few options out there. You could be ghetto about it and cut used dryer sheets and tape them on the fan, they actually work really well but obviously make your computer smell pretty lol. You can also get aluminum filters like these: http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...roduct_info&cPath=36_463_464&products_id=1830
or you can get the nice Lian Li ones with washable filters: http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...oduct_info&cPath=36_463_464&products_id=28173

Dooms101 said:

By filter I am guessing you mean the fan filters? If so there's a few options out there. You could be ghetto about it and cut used dryer sheets and tape them on the fan, they actually work really well but obviously make your computer smell pretty lol.

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You're supposed to use USED dryer sheets. Personally I think pantyhose is a better option since it's more uniform in hole size and thus filtration

m0r7if3r said:

You're supposed to use USED dryer sheets. Personally I think pantyhose is a better option since it's more uniform in hole size and thus filtration

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Yeah thats true, ahhh I remember those ghetto build days xD I used to make ducts out of cardstock and tape just get a little more air. lol I've come a lonnnggg way

Dooms101 said:

Yeah thats true, ahhh I remember those ghetto build days xD I used to make ducts out of cardstock and tape just get a little more air. lol I've come a lonnnggg way

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Dooms I know that I have already spoken to you about this but I want to make it a little closer to official. I will be starting a build log in the next few weeks detailing my adventures of adding a 3.120 rad with push/pull to a NZXT Phantom. This is all pending my buddies decision to purchase my current rig. Thanks for the inspiration!

Coreyoliseffect said:

Dooms I know that I have already spoken to you about this but I want to make it a little closer to official. I will be starting a build log in the next few weeks detailing my adventures of adding a 3.120 rad with push/pull to a NZXT Phantom. This is all pending my buddies decision to purchase my current rig. Thanks for the inspiration!

Click to expand...

Hey no problem! But I did some more testing today and there's not much of a way to have the pull fan on top thats closest to the front fit. It hits by about an inch the front I/O and fan controller. So I am just gonna get 2 fans and it'll be push/pull minus 1 fan. Also, I ordered some new stuff (ebay pic):


EK CoolStream Rad XT (240), 2x CoolerMaster blue LED R4's (which match the 2 I already have), 2x Enzotech barbs, 2x black 120mm grills, and an EK fill port.

I am going to put the 120.2 rad in the bottom of the case and I have come up with a really easy way to mount the smaller HDD rack using the anti-vibration grommets and 1/4" 6-32 screws. I'll then use the 4 R4's in push/pull and eventually I'll get 2 more blue LED UV Yate Loon HF's for push/pull on the top rad. Should be delivered around Tuesday and I'll post progress then.

How are your temps and such? I am worried about the rad being mounted top and pulling all of the hot air out of the top of the case.

Well nothing puts out hot airin my setup since my cpu, gpu, and mobo are water cooled. My RAM and MOSFETs don't get that hot anyways.

My load temps (3 hours of gaming):
CPU: 45C
Mobo: 30C
GPU: 46C

The temps are crazy good, and thats a 175watt gpu, 140watt cpu, and maybe 25watt nb. I will see if temps get better with the extra rad.

Dooms101 said:

Well nothing puts out hot airin my setup since my cpu, gpu, and mobo are water cooled. My RAM and MOSFETs don't get that hot anyways.

My load temps (3 hours of gaming):
CPU: 45C
Mobo: 30C
GPU: 46C

The temps are crazy good, and thats a 175watt gpu, 140watt cpu, and maybe 25watt nb. I will see if temps get better with the extra rad.

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Cool, that is reassuring. Hmm, I might have to look into water cooling my GPU. Right now I am sitting at 71C. That is stock air cooling though. I do have a bunch of fans added to the case but I am not sure if that is going to help with the NZXT.

Dooms101 said:

Well thats great to hear that the system works for you, a truly passive cooling system, I am kind of impressed.

Click to expand...

hmmm, actually I have at least 2 fan running, the one of the radiator. So it's not a truly passive system, it's just watercooling without pump. if the water doesn't cool, the system stopps working. the system works better by higher difference of temperature inside it.


By filter I mean a net, with very thiny holes. The one of the filter of my projector has 9 holes for every 0.04x0.04 inches (1 square millimeter).
If I had a net like that, I cud cut it in the right shape, and place it internally on the front grill, on the side grill, and under the air intake at the bottom of the pc.

I show you the projector filter:


I don't need the structure around it, only the net.
And pc's fan filters have too big holes.

the problem is I have no idea where look for it and how such "net" cud be called.

Dooms101 said:

Well nothing puts out hot airin my setup since my cpu, gpu, and mobo are water cooled. My RAM and MOSFETs don't get that hot anyways.

My load temps (3 hours of gaming):
CPU: 45C
Mobo: 30C
GPU: 46C

The temps are crazy good, and thats a 175watt gpu, 140watt cpu, and maybe 25watt nb. I will see if temps get better with the extra rad.

Click to expand...

did you change somthing in the gpu cooling?
I thought you where warmer on the card.
Does the chip of the card doesn't get hot?

Coreyoliseffect said:

Cool, that is reassuring. Hmm, I might have to look into water cooling my GPU. Right now I am sitting at 71C. That is stock air cooling though. I do have a bunch of fans added to the case but I am not sure if that is going to help with the NZXT.

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hmm with stock cooler I had about 55-60 C
maybe you can improve the rest of the airflow. For sure the phantom has a very good airflow.

I just say becouse to me watercooling is beeing expensive and needs quite a lot of work. And always purchasing online. Local reseller doesn't even have a good thermalpaste.
Until now in the gpu I just changed the thermalpaste of gpu, temps of gpu are 4-8 cooler. So the original paste is very bad.

Question do you always loose warranty opening videocards?

qiplayer said:

hmm with stock cooler I had about 55-60 C
maybe you can improve the rest of the airflow. For sure the phantom has a very good airflow.

I just say becouse to me watercooling is beeing expensive and needs quite a lot of work. And always purchasing online. Local reseller doesn't even have a good thermalpaste.
Until now in the gpu I just changed the thermalpaste of gpu, temps of gpu are 4-8 cooler. So the original paste is very bad.

Question do you always loose warranty opening videocards?

Click to expand...

I am gonna go out there and say yes.

Well on the note of water cooling I already have the 3.120 rad so adding another rad isn't that big of a deal. I had thought about it for a while but I never got around to OCing my vid card after I got upset with the FSB brick wall that I hit with this mobo. The CPU that I have is a little trooper.

On the note of adding another rad. Snow, didn't you say there was a location where you could add another 2.120 rad?

Dooms101 said:

Hey no problem! But I did some more testing today and there's not much of a way to have the pull fan on top thats closest to the front fit. It hits by about an inch the front I/O and fan controller. So I am just gonna get 2 fans and it'll be push/pull minus 1 fan. Also, I ordered some new stuff (ebay pic):

EK CoolStream Rad XT (240), 2x CoolerMaster blue LED R4's (which match the 2 I already have), 2x Enzotech barbs, 2x black 120mm grills, and an EK fill port.

I am going to put the 120.2 rad in the bottom of the case and I have come up with a really easy way to mount the smaller HDD rack using the anti-vibration grommets and 1/4" 6-32 screws. I'll then use the 4 R4's in push/pull and eventually I'll get 2 more blue LED UV Yate Loon HF's for push/pull on the top rad. Should be delivered around Tuesday and I'll post progress then.

Click to expand...

Sorry about two posts. Could you make a blank for the last spot so that the suction from the rest of the fans isn't broken? i.e. cap off the last spot

Well my GPU on reference cooling got to about 70C after 3 hours of gaming, but with my water block on there it gets to about 46C.

A 120.3 is enough for a CPU and GPU, especially a 6870. Get the XSPC Rasa universal GPU block, it's one of the best universal blocks and not too expensive. I am adding another rad just for the heck of it, I am a cooling fanatic xD I am also considering adding a 120.1 on the back just to go all out, but I probably wont lol.

I wouldn't recommend plugging the extra fan spot, maybe putting a gasket on the other 2 fans and something to fill the gap between the outside edge of the fan next to the blank spot and the rad fins.

Well the build is finally done! Mounting the bottom rad went great and it looks awesome. I made a new thread in the Alt. Modding section. You can see all the final pics here:

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=676098

hi, ive got this case and was wondering what is the thickness of your radiator which you are using as i plan on using a 29mm thickness double radiator on the top, many thanks