Project: Storm Trooper Wraith

Any link to how you got the fans to change color?

ya, of course i can share.

For the Fans to change color, I use the snippets from SpeedFan and reprogrammed it a little. In Speedfan, they have an output algor that sets the FAN PWM at different voltages according to different core temp. I used the exact same logic and used one of the PWM (FAN_3 on my R4e) as output signal.

the fan I choose is Enermax, which comes with a Switch for color, the switch is a simple button that simply alternate pre-set modes. So you can quite easily control the fan there.

the bridge I used is from an old Cathode tube, which according to voltages, flicks the internal switch, (it has 3 modes) and all these components can be tied together though some simple soldering. The PWM signal needs to be Calibrated to the switch box though, so that was trail and error, and the signal switch I solder to the fan switch, so when the right voltage comes, it jumps to different channels, and selects the fan color correctly.

So far it has performed flawlessly, and since I am not sure is the language above understood by everyone, so I tried to keep it in english, some small details bypassed, but you get the idea.


Good that you asked too! the Fan color changing mechanism is the one I spent the most time in modding for this chassis. For a second, I thought no one cares about it. haha.

That's genius!

I don't pay that amount of attention to details myself, but your build is really inspiring in every possible way.

Props.

Which model fan did you use from Enermax. Also, my original idea was to use something like this:

http://store.leddistributors.net/color_changing_rgb_flexstrip.html

Also, if you could help me out with the reprogramming ...

for the FAN, I used the Enermax Vegas Duo, I use it because it comes with the kind of switch that I like, and the fan is decent power and pressure too. There's also an Enermax TRIO, where you can also go green, but with more changes, you need more modification to your wiring, and I just didn't like green enough to do that.

programming wise, i can point u to the right direction, but each system is TOO different for anything universal, which makes it almost impossible for me to do it for you remotely.

I can't put it better than those who have posted before, but here goes -- what an achievement in a build! It is a real dream setup in every way I could imagine. I like the exterior finish, and the color change of the fans is no small deal, way to go!! Corsair has a system that lets you control LED's based on load (the hotter your temps, the more red the fans get -- conversely, when cooler, the fans turn blue). But if you figured out how to pull it off, I'm going to try to copy from that rather than stuff their fan controller into my case.

Itsumo said:

I can't put it better than those who have posted before, but here goes -- what an achievement in a build! It is a real dream setup in every way I could imagine. I like the exterior finish, and the color change of the fans is no small deal, way to go!! Corsair has a system that lets you control LED's based on load (the hotter your temps, the more red the fans get -- conversely, when cooler, the fans turn blue). But if you figured out how to pull it off, I'm going to try to copy from that rather than stuff their fan controller into my case.

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Any link to the corsair product?

EDIT: It's called Corsair Link
!

Seems a bit expensive at 140, but does some cool stuff! Still interested in doing this myself though (for much cheaper)!

I am curious as to how you programmed the switch to tell the motherboard which PCI-e lane to use. I would like to do something like that someday.

Twilight_Poplar said:

I am curious as to how you programmed the switch to tell the motherboard which PCI-e lane to use. I would like to do something like that someday.

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Which u wanna know?
I have a BIOS setting to turn it off.
and also a hardware switch to turn it off. (as backup)


I suppose I can explain a bit if u let me know which u wanna do.

I would be interested in the BIOS settings that turn it off.
I have jumpers on my motherboard for my PCI-e lanes but I wouldn't want to open up my computer every time I would want to switch it.

it is surprisely easy.

Step 1, examine your BIOS to see can you disable/enable PCI-e lanes. if you can. proceed to step 2. If you cannot, proceed to step 3.

Step 2, I use a PRE-BIOS to load in enable/disable commands into the BIOS, if I choose a certain Pre-Bios boot, the BIOS will just disable the specific PCI-e lane. to step 5.

Step 3, You need to now examine is there a 'hidden ability' in your BIOS to turn it off, to do this, you will need to look into the BIOS's coding, look for PCI-e commands and see can you manipulate them. If you can, go back to step 2. If you cannot, you can try step 4.

Step 4, some BIOS have Voltage setting for each PCI-e lane, you may need to trial and error which one correspond, and can easily do so by setting it to 0.0mV, if system doesn't boot, might want to try 0.01mV, (won't be enough to start or respond.), but some system just don't like it at 0.0mV. After you identified which parameter is for each lane, in the pre-BIOS, you can set the value to 0.00/0.01, and obviously, cause of the lack of voltage, the PCI-e will be disabled, this method is sometimes glitchy though, but it worked for another older system I had without any incidence. If you cannot do this no matter how hard you try, go to step 6. If it works, go to step 2.

Step 5. WIN. YAY.

Step 6. Ok, you cannot manipulate much, so now we do it the hardcore way. You can add a a voltage board to 'GIVE' power to the PCI-e lanes by soldering it on to the right circuits, and Cutting the original power supply. Then by controlling the voltage board, you can turn on/off PCI-e lanes. This method will cause the computer to boot using its own graphics at start, and turn into the GPU after you load in the command. (which sometimes cannot be done at the BIOS level.) But this is the empirical way to do so, eventhough it might cause booting to slow down, it has been proven to work. To step 5.
hope that helps!

Thanks bluezero, I will have to look into BIOS programing. Although I am thinking it would be easier for me to mod toggle switches onto my case for each lane because I am particularly bad at writing code.

Twilight_Poplar said:

Thanks bluezero, I will have to look into BIOS programing. Although I am thinking it would be easier for me to mod toggle switches onto my case for each lane because I am particularly bad at writing code.

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that's how it started out for me too.
took me a lot of trial and error til the day I can do it by software over hardware... deep down, I still prefer the hardware method.. sometimes.. it just feels 'more solid'. lol.

This rig is awesome. And the little details about it rock. Well done bluezero

here are the last patch of upgrades to the system.

first, PWM mod AP-30 fans.
I tried Ap-31 too, but those are loud, even with PWM control
so I settled with 2x AP-30 as intakes, giving a whopping 300 CFM input for my radiators within.

this is top fan.



radiators uses different fan, some modded to reflect the color of the CPU load, the 120.2 radiators outputs around 160 CFM through, and the 1x 120.1 outputs around 80CFM. So I am at around neutral pressure. For the bottom rad, I realize without raising the leg a little, the pressure compact under, resulting in decreasing radiator efficient, to solve to, I simply raised it by 4 inchs.




last, is the Motherboard.
even with water cooling, I realize that with an internal fan blow onto the surface, my temp sensor records up to 5'C lower in temp, so I added this last corsair ram fan, (change the screws to mount side ways as MB fan.)




I have since declared my computer complete.

Taking it to a new level, for me anyway!

I have not read every single post, but why the SLi 680 and single HD7970, the HD7970 isnt even plugged in on any of the pictures?

Pierre3400 said:

Taking it to a new level, for me anyway!

I have not read every single post, but why the SLi 680 and single HD7970, the HD7970 isnt even plugged in on any of the pictures?

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HD7970 benches better for many bench tests, and I do bench tests quite often. So I would like to have both in my system. I have a set of 'white' power cable for it that glows in UV light, however that messes up my photography to. didn't expect that when I bought it, it looks cool though, so when I take photos, I usually tuck that cable to the sides so I can emphasize on the water system instead. Maybe I can turn off the UV and show another photo of it under normal light... good idea.

bluezero5 said:

HD7970 benches better for many bench tests, and I do bench tests quite often. So I would like to have both in my system. I have a set of 'white' power cable for it that glows in UV light, however that messes up my photography to. didn't expect that when I bought it, it looks cool though, so when I take photos, I usually tuck that cable to the sides so I can emphasize on the water system instead. Maybe I can turn off the UV and show another photo of it under normal light... good idea.

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That explains it!

Sweet system, i dig the Bios edits, something i doubt i would ever need.

Would love to see this system moved into a Corsair 900D when it comes out!

Decent setup there

Question about this though, have you drilled vents in the side panel?

bluezero5 said:

Firstly, under the hood:
back active cooling is required with this VRM load.

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CaNsA said:

Decent setup there

Question about this though, have you drilled vents in the side panel?

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This among one of the small things I didn't talked about much.
this fan is for the Rear VRMs, which use to overheat and throttle my computer at 1.52V, This little fan here solves it, as I can't get water back there.

and yes, I drilled 16 holes (4x4) onto the left plate, and covered it in a wire gauze, it looks just fine. I imagine you will definitely want to do that too, otherwise without something to keep it off, the fan will suck itself onto the back panel.