So i moved house a couple of months ago and with it i decided i needed a new computer.
And here it all is
Case: Fractal Design Define XL Black
Radiator 1: XSPC RS 360
Radiator 2: EK XTC 420
Radiator 3: EK XTC 280
Radiator 1 Fans: SCYTHE GENTLE TYPHOON 120mm - 1850RPM / Noiseblocker M12-P - 2000RPM
Radiator 2 Fans: Noiseblocker PK-3 140mm - 1700 RPM
Pump 1: XSPC X20 750 DUAL 5.25 RES/PUMP
Pump 2: MCP35x
Reservoir: EK MultiOption Res X2 250 Advanced Reservoir
Tubing: Primoflex Black 1/2ID 3/4OD
CPU Block 1: XSPC RASA
CPU Block 2: XSPC Raystorm
Fittings: a mixture of XSPC, Enzotech, Swiftech, and EK
Biocide: Silvercoil
Fan Controller: NZXT Sentry Mix Fan Controller
Thermal Compound 1: Indigo extreme
Thermal Compound 2: Noctua NT-H1
Grills: Phobya 360/420
GPU blocks: Swiftech MC82 with Enzotech 9g copper heatsinks
System:
CPU: Intel i7-2600K
Motherboard: Gigabyte G1-Sniper 2
Memory: G.SKILL [ RipjawsX] F3-12800CL7D-8GBXH
Graphics Cards: MSI Radeon HD6950 2GB Twin Frozr III PE/OC x 2
Power Supply: Seasonic XP-1000 Platinum 1000W
HDD 1: Kingston HyperX 120GB SSD
HDD 2: 1TB Hitatchi x 2
Keyboard: Steelseries 7G
Mouse: Steelseries sensei
Headphones: Steelseries 5H
Speakers: Swan M50W
Monitors: Alienware OptX™ AW2310
Ok, so you all know how addictive buying more parts for your computer can be.
What started out with a XSPC rasa kit soon evolved into a larger project where everything was underwater.
the rasa kit was fine and i was happy with it for a cpu loop only. It gave reasonable temps up to 4.9GHz at 1.44volts.
But when i played battlefield 3 it sounded like a hair-dryer was in the case. especially on a few 34 - 40 degree days, so i figured why not make it a bit more complicated.
the following pictures are from the start of the build which was just a rasa kit.
Immediately I had problems with the case.
Above is how I wanted it to look ^
There was like a inset edge for the clip on covers for the drives. which stopped the bay from sitting flush. had to be filled down on one side. once filled down it looked like a good fit.
Until i went to screw it in. not sure if it was the case or the bay which was wrongly designed or just a bad combination. ended up just mounting the bay further in so the holes lined up. Didnt want to cut it or drill it. just got impatient and threw it in.
Mock up of the radiator with the fans. then measured the distance to a motherboard screw hole. 8cm to work with it fits. radiator had to be the RS model and came in at 7.5cm from the top of the case. ALL GOOD
And this is how it all turned out not the best finish. but it did the job.
After this I decided to spend the rest of my money and try make myself happier. by reducing the sound and just something to do during my holidays.
The problems didn't end though, and when I was drilling a hole in the top of the case WITH THE RADIATOR still screwed in. OF course i drilled too deep and punctured the radiator core (instantly regreting what i had done i thought about just buying a new one shops closed from 25th dec to 9th of jan. I shouted some profanities and thought what i could do next). drained it and soldered it. then filled it with hot water and began cleaning the inside of it. after a min or two of shaking solder popped out and hot water starts flying through the air. so I had another crack at filling the gaping hole with more solder, it formed a nice bubble in the gap. refilled it with hot water and returned to cleaning this time it held the hot water.
Continuing the build there was a niggling problem with the case, the expansion bays where cards etc. go wasn't designed right or I had been given the wrong stand off's with the case. which ment that my gfx cards had to be roped into place with bits of wire. I couldn't live with all this new money being spent and using wire to support the cards.
So i busted out the angle grinder and drilled out the old rivets and moved it 4-5mm back towards the motherboard. now the cards sit as intended and are able to be screwed in too. which was impossible before.
here is a pic you can see where i have cut and can maybe make out the old rivets i drilled.
And here is the finished product. i do have sleeved gfx and motherboard pwr cables but cant be bothered putting the adapters on. Out of sight out of mind.
all the nice blue lights match ^ (arent super bright at night either)
clean front ^
pop open the stock cover and heres the 280 xtc. held in place like this --> |RAD| |stock case verticle bits| |fans| and screws from one side to the other(but not thru the case just inside them works alright doesnt move).
wish i had a better camera, but you guys get the idea and can see how it came together.
used a mixture of phobya aluminium hose clamps 17-19mm which were amazing, bought a few Lamptron Elite 1/2 OD clamps but didn't actually work with 1/2 tube. (supposedly compatible) so the others were just zip tied on like a boss with pliers.
the MCW82 gpu blocks and ram sinks up close. with the Swiftech crossfire bridge.
And this was the last problem the stock heatsink here actually came further to the right but lucky you can unscrew the addon bit and it all came to fit perfectly for the 140mm fan in the middle. clears the memory clip by maybe less than .5mm.
No such luck with the left 140mm fan. had to use a 120mm fan here and sits directly on the rad fins and cores towards the MB tray.
Temps are good only running it at 4.7GHz at 1.395V max temp of 30loops of LinX max mem, 67 degrees
and cards are at 900/1325 stock voltage. max temps after 6hrs of bf3 45degrees.
Have to thank conundrum for answering a few questions i had when looking to wc the whole system, and its worked out nicely. cheers mate.
comments, questions, similar stories welcomed.
And here it all is
Case: Fractal Design Define XL Black
Radiator 1: XSPC RS 360
Radiator 2: EK XTC 420
Radiator 3: EK XTC 280
Radiator 1 Fans: SCYTHE GENTLE TYPHOON 120mm - 1850RPM / Noiseblocker M12-P - 2000RPM
Radiator 2 Fans: Noiseblocker PK-3 140mm - 1700 RPM
Pump 1: XSPC X20 750 DUAL 5.25 RES/PUMP
Pump 2: MCP35x
Reservoir: EK MultiOption Res X2 250 Advanced Reservoir
Tubing: Primoflex Black 1/2ID 3/4OD
CPU Block 1: XSPC RASA
CPU Block 2: XSPC Raystorm
Fittings: a mixture of XSPC, Enzotech, Swiftech, and EK
Biocide: Silvercoil
Fan Controller: NZXT Sentry Mix Fan Controller
Thermal Compound 1: Indigo extreme
Thermal Compound 2: Noctua NT-H1
Grills: Phobya 360/420
GPU blocks: Swiftech MC82 with Enzotech 9g copper heatsinks
System:
CPU: Intel i7-2600K
Motherboard: Gigabyte G1-Sniper 2
Memory: G.SKILL [ RipjawsX] F3-12800CL7D-8GBXH
Graphics Cards: MSI Radeon HD6950 2GB Twin Frozr III PE/OC x 2
Power Supply: Seasonic XP-1000 Platinum 1000W
HDD 1: Kingston HyperX 120GB SSD
HDD 2: 1TB Hitatchi x 2
Keyboard: Steelseries 7G
Mouse: Steelseries sensei
Headphones: Steelseries 5H
Speakers: Swan M50W
Monitors: Alienware OptX™ AW2310
Ok, so you all know how addictive buying more parts for your computer can be.
What started out with a XSPC rasa kit soon evolved into a larger project where everything was underwater.
the rasa kit was fine and i was happy with it for a cpu loop only. It gave reasonable temps up to 4.9GHz at 1.44volts.
But when i played battlefield 3 it sounded like a hair-dryer was in the case. especially on a few 34 - 40 degree days, so i figured why not make it a bit more complicated.
the following pictures are from the start of the build which was just a rasa kit.
Immediately I had problems with the case.
Above is how I wanted it to look ^
There was like a inset edge for the clip on covers for the drives. which stopped the bay from sitting flush. had to be filled down on one side. once filled down it looked like a good fit.
Until i went to screw it in. not sure if it was the case or the bay which was wrongly designed or just a bad combination. ended up just mounting the bay further in so the holes lined up. Didnt want to cut it or drill it. just got impatient and threw it in.
Mock up of the radiator with the fans. then measured the distance to a motherboard screw hole. 8cm to work with it fits. radiator had to be the RS model and came in at 7.5cm from the top of the case. ALL GOOD
And this is how it all turned out not the best finish. but it did the job.
After this I decided to spend the rest of my money and try make myself happier. by reducing the sound and just something to do during my holidays.
The problems didn't end though, and when I was drilling a hole in the top of the case WITH THE RADIATOR still screwed in. OF course i drilled too deep and punctured the radiator core (instantly regreting what i had done i thought about just buying a new one shops closed from 25th dec to 9th of jan. I shouted some profanities and thought what i could do next). drained it and soldered it. then filled it with hot water and began cleaning the inside of it. after a min or two of shaking solder popped out and hot water starts flying through the air. so I had another crack at filling the gaping hole with more solder, it formed a nice bubble in the gap. refilled it with hot water and returned to cleaning this time it held the hot water.
Continuing the build there was a niggling problem with the case, the expansion bays where cards etc. go wasn't designed right or I had been given the wrong stand off's with the case. which ment that my gfx cards had to be roped into place with bits of wire. I couldn't live with all this new money being spent and using wire to support the cards.
So i busted out the angle grinder and drilled out the old rivets and moved it 4-5mm back towards the motherboard. now the cards sit as intended and are able to be screwed in too. which was impossible before.
here is a pic you can see where i have cut and can maybe make out the old rivets i drilled.
And here is the finished product. i do have sleeved gfx and motherboard pwr cables but cant be bothered putting the adapters on. Out of sight out of mind.
all the nice blue lights match ^ (arent super bright at night either)
clean front ^
pop open the stock cover and heres the 280 xtc. held in place like this --> |RAD| |stock case verticle bits| |fans| and screws from one side to the other(but not thru the case just inside them works alright doesnt move).
wish i had a better camera, but you guys get the idea and can see how it came together.
used a mixture of phobya aluminium hose clamps 17-19mm which were amazing, bought a few Lamptron Elite 1/2 OD clamps but didn't actually work with 1/2 tube. (supposedly compatible) so the others were just zip tied on like a boss with pliers.
the MCW82 gpu blocks and ram sinks up close. with the Swiftech crossfire bridge.
And this was the last problem the stock heatsink here actually came further to the right but lucky you can unscrew the addon bit and it all came to fit perfectly for the 140mm fan in the middle. clears the memory clip by maybe less than .5mm.
No such luck with the left 140mm fan. had to use a 120mm fan here and sits directly on the rad fins and cores towards the MB tray.
Temps are good only running it at 4.7GHz at 1.395V max temp of 30loops of LinX max mem, 67 degrees
and cards are at 900/1325 stock voltage. max temps after 6hrs of bf3 45degrees.
Have to thank conundrum for answering a few questions i had when looking to wc the whole system, and its worked out nicely. cheers mate.
comments, questions, similar stories welcomed.
