This build seems pretty much plain vanilla compared to some of the amazing custom work on here. But I think it has some unique features so I wanted to post a log.
Some design parameters -
1. I like watercooling.
2. But it must be all-internal.
3. Neat wiring is a must.
4. I wanted to try to fit a 3x120-rad water system into a standard mid-tower case.
5. I wanted to build a C2D system for overclocking.
Obviously, the case is a crucial component here. I've worked with Silverstone and Antec, as well as some cheaper brands, but I've been wanting to try a Lian-Li. I really like the clean lines and simplicity of the PC-6x / PC-7 line. The PC-7 Plus II came out with 120mm fans front and rear, so I decided on that. The PC-A16 was released after I bought my case, or I would have gotten it.
Here's a quick list of the components -
Lian-Li PC-7 Plus II case
Seasonic M12-500 modular PSU
Asus P5B Deluxe motherboard
Intel E6400 C2D CPU
G.SKILL F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ RAM
EVGA 7600 GT video card
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000KS 500GB HDD
SAMSUNG 16X DVD±R DVD Burner
Swiftech Storm Rev. 2 CPU waterblock
Swiftech MCW60 GPU waterblock w/ ramsinks
Swiftech MCW30 chipset waterblock
Laing DDC pump w/ Petra's top
BIP III radiator
Masterkleer 7/16 tubing
Yate-Loon D12SL-12 fans
I had an idea for the radiator placement, and according to all my calculations it should fit. Time to find out for sure...
Here's a pic of the case stripped down and ready for modding. I removed the standard HD cage from the front floor of the case.
Using a 1.5" holesaw and a Dremel, I made openings in the back panel for the wires to pass through. The upper round opening is just ahead of the PSU, and will allow the PSU cables to be routed behind the motherboard tray. The oval opening was made by cutting 3 overlapping holes with the holesaw, then cleaning up the remnants with the Dremel. This opening will be underneath the front edge of the motherboard, near the main power connector.
Next, I cut the opening in the case floor for the radiator. I did the long sides with a jigsaw, and the rest with the Dremel, then finished with a hand file.
After filing the edges of the opening, I made some pads for the radiator using an old mousepad.
In this configuration, the radiator and fans will block the bottom edge of the motherboard and the last 2 expansion slots. This is a compromise that worked for me - YMMV.
Test fitting the motherboard and radiator, I came across a challenge - there wasn't enough room for the front panel headers to fit comfortably behind the rad. Hmmm - time to get creative. I cut the plastic connector blocks in half, removing the outer piece, then carefully bent the pins 90 degrees. The pins were then covered with heatshrink tubing. With this arrangement, everything fits OK. I decided not to use any of the other front-panel connectors - I can live without them, and they would have been very difficult to fit.
Here's a pic of the modded front-panel connector. Sorry for the crappy pic - you can actually see the one lying on the table better -
Back to the Dremel, I made another opening in the drive-bay area for wiring to pass through. There were slots on 2 sides already, so I just made 2 straight cuts for a square opening -
Here's a pic showing the radiator, waterblocks, and some of the wiring installed.
Here's a shot showing the radiator from the bottom.
On the Yate-Loon LED fans, I modded the cables to remove the unnecessary connectors, and did the sleeving. Turned out pretty nice!
Things got moving quickly, and I didn't take as many pictures. Here's a shot of the water-loop, ready for leak-testing. I connected the pump and fans to an extra PSU and ran it for 24 hours with the PC turned off.
Another issue with this design - the standard case feet don't allow enough space underneath the case for proper airflow to the radiator. I thought about casters, but didn't really want them. I found these furniture leveling feet at the hardware store. The nice thing about these is that the plastic inserts fit the holes on the case perfectly. No modding needed.
This pic shows the dark side - where the wiring mess lives. You can barely see the case feet at the bottom.
Since I removed the HD cage, I'm putting the drive in the 5.25 bay area. I was worried about the drive running hot with no airflow, so I decided to get a cage with a fan. Lian-Li to the rescue. This is their EX-34 HD cage with fan and filter.
I had to mod the cage so that the drive would fit reversed, without the cables hitting the fan. Drilled out the rivets and re-attached with bolts, shifting the cage about a half inch further back. I forgot to take pictures of this - I'll try to get one later.
I still need to clean up a few wires, and take some pictures of the completed rig. Stay tuned for the glamour shots...
DE
Some design parameters -
1. I like watercooling.
2. But it must be all-internal.
3. Neat wiring is a must.
4. I wanted to try to fit a 3x120-rad water system into a standard mid-tower case.
5. I wanted to build a C2D system for overclocking.
Obviously, the case is a crucial component here. I've worked with Silverstone and Antec, as well as some cheaper brands, but I've been wanting to try a Lian-Li. I really like the clean lines and simplicity of the PC-6x / PC-7 line. The PC-7 Plus II came out with 120mm fans front and rear, so I decided on that. The PC-A16 was released after I bought my case, or I would have gotten it.
Here's a quick list of the components -
Lian-Li PC-7 Plus II case
Seasonic M12-500 modular PSU
Asus P5B Deluxe motherboard
Intel E6400 C2D CPU
G.SKILL F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ RAM
EVGA 7600 GT video card
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000KS 500GB HDD
SAMSUNG 16X DVD±R DVD Burner
Swiftech Storm Rev. 2 CPU waterblock
Swiftech MCW60 GPU waterblock w/ ramsinks
Swiftech MCW30 chipset waterblock
Laing DDC pump w/ Petra's top
BIP III radiator
Masterkleer 7/16 tubing
Yate-Loon D12SL-12 fans
I had an idea for the radiator placement, and according to all my calculations it should fit. Time to find out for sure...
Here's a pic of the case stripped down and ready for modding. I removed the standard HD cage from the front floor of the case.
Using a 1.5" holesaw and a Dremel, I made openings in the back panel for the wires to pass through. The upper round opening is just ahead of the PSU, and will allow the PSU cables to be routed behind the motherboard tray. The oval opening was made by cutting 3 overlapping holes with the holesaw, then cleaning up the remnants with the Dremel. This opening will be underneath the front edge of the motherboard, near the main power connector.
Next, I cut the opening in the case floor for the radiator. I did the long sides with a jigsaw, and the rest with the Dremel, then finished with a hand file.
After filing the edges of the opening, I made some pads for the radiator using an old mousepad.
In this configuration, the radiator and fans will block the bottom edge of the motherboard and the last 2 expansion slots. This is a compromise that worked for me - YMMV.
Test fitting the motherboard and radiator, I came across a challenge - there wasn't enough room for the front panel headers to fit comfortably behind the rad. Hmmm - time to get creative. I cut the plastic connector blocks in half, removing the outer piece, then carefully bent the pins 90 degrees. The pins were then covered with heatshrink tubing. With this arrangement, everything fits OK. I decided not to use any of the other front-panel connectors - I can live without them, and they would have been very difficult to fit.
Here's a pic of the modded front-panel connector. Sorry for the crappy pic - you can actually see the one lying on the table better -
Back to the Dremel, I made another opening in the drive-bay area for wiring to pass through. There were slots on 2 sides already, so I just made 2 straight cuts for a square opening -
Here's a pic showing the radiator, waterblocks, and some of the wiring installed.
Here's a shot showing the radiator from the bottom.
On the Yate-Loon LED fans, I modded the cables to remove the unnecessary connectors, and did the sleeving. Turned out pretty nice!
Things got moving quickly, and I didn't take as many pictures. Here's a shot of the water-loop, ready for leak-testing. I connected the pump and fans to an extra PSU and ran it for 24 hours with the PC turned off.
Another issue with this design - the standard case feet don't allow enough space underneath the case for proper airflow to the radiator. I thought about casters, but didn't really want them. I found these furniture leveling feet at the hardware store. The nice thing about these is that the plastic inserts fit the holes on the case perfectly. No modding needed.
This pic shows the dark side - where the wiring mess lives. You can barely see the case feet at the bottom.
Since I removed the HD cage, I'm putting the drive in the 5.25 bay area. I was worried about the drive running hot with no airflow, so I decided to get a cage with a fan. Lian-Li to the rescue. This is their EX-34 HD cage with fan and filter.
I had to mod the cage so that the drive would fit reversed, without the cables hitting the fan. Drilled out the rivets and re-attached with bolts, shifting the cage about a half inch further back. I forgot to take pictures of this - I'll try to get one later.
I still need to clean up a few wires, and take some pictures of the completed rig. Stay tuned for the glamour shots...
DE