Jadawgis's Money Pit

[m0r7if3r]

I have a question for people. What do you think of buying one or two of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811995058 to use a paneling for interior?

to cut up you mean? Why not just buy a sheet of aluminum/steel, it'll probably be cheaper in the end.

 

[jadawgis732]

Another question, and a minor update:
I'm making a backplate for my 2 gpus, and have something in the mail from EK. Needless to say it's going to be awesome, but I don't want to spoil a surprise until it's installed.

My question is do you guys think I can dremel off 1 of the connections on a 3 slot SLI bridge? I'm trying to make my own but so far attemps to print something adhesive have been failures.

 

[m0r7if3r]

Can you post a pic of the traces on the sli bridge? Is there any reason you're using the 3 way and not the 2 way? You could try painting it on there (maybe screen printing? not sure how hard that is to do yourself)...sticking something on probably won't look great.

 

[jadawgis732]

Talk about a tricky subject. MAN that was hard to shoot!

 

[m0r7if3r]

Ok, i think i'm seeing this right, it looks like the top left has a bunch of traces that just terminate before they get to the connector and the same is true of the bottom right. the bottom left looks like it just connects directly as does the top right. If this is the case, you SHOULD be able to cut it in half and have it still work...thought what bothers me is that there seem to be traces coming off that don't connect to anything, can you confirm i'm seeing it right?

 

[jadawgis732]

Problem solved. For the record: (On XS)

You can if you really wanted to, cut off the bottom on a Tri SLI bridge and have it still work. They way they are connected is as follows:



As you can see if you cut it just below the middle tabs you'll still have one functional bridge, and that's all you need for 2 way SLI.

Next concern. I'm trying to make a box to simplify cable management. My D5, Switch and all lighting, XSPC Pump, and DVD will all plug in there. I'm aiming for something like this:


My concern is with the DVD drive, the only one of those components requiring a 5V connection. I am trying to use a 3pin fan connection for it though. The two ground wires are spliced together and use only one of those pins. So I followed through wired it up, hit the switch on the psu and smoke started rising from the DVD. So is my use of two ground wires spliced together not kosher?

 

[jadawgis732]

to cut up you mean? Why not just buy a sheet of aluminum/steel, it'll probably be cheaper in the end.

Thought about that, but in the end, I'll need to anodize it and it would probably be cheaper this way. Plus I love the Li Li brushed aluminum look. Check it out:

props to Warfarin88 for the Sleeper build.

 

[m0r7if3r]

Problem solved. For the record: (On XS)


Next concern. I'm trying to make a box to simplify cable management. My D5, Switch and all lighting, XSPC Pump, and DVD will all plug in there. I'm aiming for something like this:


My concern is with the DVD drive, the only one of those components requiring a 5V connection. I am trying to use a 3pin fan connection for it though. The two ground wires are spliced together and use only one of those pins. So I followed through wired it up, hit the switch on the psu and smoke started rising from the DVD. So is my use of two ground wires spliced together not kosher?

I'm not sure what you mean by 2 grounds, are you talking about it being a molex? The issue is probably that you put 12v into something designed for 5v. what you need to do is put a resistor in there to drop the voltage to 5v. Based on ohm's law, V=IR, 5v=the current draw of your dvd player * the value of the resistor you need. See if you can find the current draw listed and then just hope that it's listed correctly...honestly, it's probably better to just run a single 5v line into the box and then out. http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/PC_Peripheral_Power_5.25"

 

[jadawgis732]

here's what I was waiting for- new tops for the EK blocks. I'm getting sick of the clear plexi and it really doesn't go with my theme, and reminds me how dirty the blocks have become inside everytime I see them. So I got some white acetal tops and they were super cheap! ($49 USD with shipping from slovenia!)

I also made a power distribution block. 3 Pin fan connectors can be used for devices requiring 12v and 5v lines by just splicing the grounds together. So that's what I'll do for the FC6 and DVD. The cable running to the block will first make a stop at the hotswap connector since I'm not down with gambling with my drives. So here are the pics.

 

[m0r7if3r]

your pictures rock, not sure if I've said that or not, but they're awesome!

 

[jadawgis732]

your pictures rock, not sure if I've said that or not, but they're awesome!

Thanks so much but I can always tell when someone's lying to me. Can't bullsht a bullshtter. Just Kidding but thanks very much

 

[Albaholic]

lookin' good, subscribed

 

[jadawgis732]

Hey just an update. Concerned about wattages, and my plan to run everything off of one rail. So I took measurements, maybe they'll help someone maybe not:

2 1850 Gentle Typhoons: 5w (spinup) 3w (normal)
3 1450 Gentle Typhoons: 5w (spinup) 3w (normal)
1 140mm Aerocool Shark: 7w (spinup) 6w (normal)
Corsair Memory Cooler: 6w (spinup) 5w (normal)
MCP655-b: 28w
XSPC Dual Bay Res/Pump: 13w
12" TruColor LED: 6w
DVD: 15w (spinup) 8w (normal seek) 5w (spinup while tray is empty)
X25-m G2: 2-3w
WD 1Tb Black: 8w

All told, I'm looking at about 90w in peripherals at max load. I am worried that one 12v wire (18AWG or otherwise) won't handle this, and I don't really want to have two cable bunches coming from the PSU. I'm just going to push the limits, the worst that happens is the hub I'm making burns up, or my BFG EX1000W (which I got for $55) burns up (and that's unlikely, I think it'd shut off before it got damaged) or some wires burn out.

BTW I have been searching high and low for a good way to distribute power. I first came up with the hammond box idea:




But I found it too bulky.

I was thinking of getting one of those Bitspower X-Station thingies but figured it's so much better to make your own.

I figured the 4 pin molex to 6 three pin hub idea worked well, but needed it to be low profile. Then my eyes fell on a CCFL inverter laying on my desk. Well, the casing must have been made for this idea because it worked out perfectly. The slot on one end is exactly the width of a 4 pin molex connector, and the length is perfect for 6 three pin headers.







I spliced the headers and superglued them side to side. Next I'll make a cutout for the headers in the CCFL casing and then everything is a go. I imagine I'll also paint it black.

Here are all the parts I've been sleeving in preparation for the hub's completion

 

[m0r7if3r]

pretty good idea you had there!

 

[jadawgis732]

Well I was able to execute the idea but not without experiencing some pain:


Here's the gist
Do not touch hot glue immediately after squeezing it out of a hot glue gun. I am not kidding when I tell you it is the most painful thing I've ever experienced. Immediate blister, with a REALLY hot shell of glue covering it, and 5 minutes after the fact it still feels like someone is holding a lighter to my thumb.

Use common sense. Don't try to pat the glue down before it solidifies. If you do then you're as stupid as me.

Right after:



5 minutes later:

 

[Theocnoob]

You had this excellent multifan molex idea and then you touched hot glue before it cooled?

Sorry for your injury. I've been there too.

Have to say though putting a staple clear through your thumb is worse.

 

[jadawgis732]

s! I am very much stuck on the wiring right now, and I tend to get caught up on small details. But anyway here is what I am envisioning and I could use some advice on the implementation:

I want to have the GPUs and 24Pin/8Pin plug into modular connections (like on the backside of a power supply) but have those connections be on the midplate. So there will be short (6-8") links from the PSU to a hub on the midplate (all unsleeved in black wire) where there will be female connects.

The tough part is integrating this seemlessly into a midplate. It'll be something like this:






Need advice on:
1. How to make the female connectors secure in their spots, so that plugging in the male ends and pushing in the pins won't disturb their positions
2. Accurately cutting the ports for the connectors

 

[m0r7if3r]

accurately cutting is easy if you have access to a bandsaw, though it's doable with a jigsaw and a dremel.

on the mounting, is it possible to get the female connectors with screws in them? that would be the easiest way i could think of.

 

[Ben333]

Heh, I haven't had a hot glue burn in a long long time... if you wet your finger (lick it or whatever), you can easily spread the hot glue without it sticking to your skin.