2 Systems 1 Loop

[NRG!]

Hi!

Plan:

2 systems sharing pump, res and rads. Get rid of my external mess. Not as crazy as it sounds, I promise.
System 1 is my main rig (in sig), system 2 will be a 24/7 folding rig (powering pump).

Reason:
Original plan when I built this (first custom rig and w/c) was to use my phobya 1260 external rad to cool the two systems. However I'm unhappy with the clutter and ultimately the quality of the rad is poor. It has a very slow leak from one of the bleed ports, even after I replaced the stock plastic stop fittings with brass ones.
I want to build the folder as my nan has vascular dementia. While not targeted by the research (caused mostly by diabetes), the symptoms are very similar to alzheimers. It's a heartbreaking experience to see someone become a different person over a matter of weeks, or see them relive being told that their partner is no longer with us (for example) many times an hour.

My current setup: (warning - large images)

Glam shot

Without intake fans + brackets

Coolant passes through bulkheads (drilled these in)

rad assembly under desk (Filthy!)

That tubing on the rad assembly is actually masterkleer and clearflex60 CLEAR tubing with BLACK mayhems pastel. I've given up on pastel and clear tubing now tbh.

System Spec for the folding rig:

CPU: Intel i7 3770T (45W TDP)
MOBO: MSI z77 GD65 (Have this lying around spare)
RAM: Kingston HyperX grey 8gb (again, spare)
Cooler: Raystorm waterblock (again, spare)
SSD: Undecided, probably Intel 330 or Samsung 840 pro ~60gb.
PSU: 400w Seasonic fanless platinum
case: Fractal Design R4, black
res: either xspc single bay res (again, spare) or EK multioption tube.
pump: D5.
rad: alphacool nexxxos monsta 240 in the front is my plan (2 x 120mm corsair SP quiets - spare)
fittings: bitspower matte black (can't stand shit fittings)

Provisional waterflow:
The pump will feed from the res and pump directly out of the folder to the rad in the main rig, followed by the cpu block, followed by my gpus, before travelling back to the folder, going through the rad, cpu block and back to the res.
This means that when my main rig is off, the 180x3 rad will provide a bit of passive cooling, and while it's on, the 240mm monsta will help it keep everything cool.


Build stage 1:

OBJECTIVE:
Get the alphacool xt45 180mmx3 all copper rad into the bottom of the rv02-e. The key thing here was a custom Demciflex filter that I had made to fit the underside of the case, allowing me to remove all the sliding fan brackets etc. (evem the 35mm magicool rad would not fit with these in because of the length of my gpus).

Problem 1:

These raised sections between intake holes will make mounting difficult. I think I'm going to drill m4 holes and use spacers to mount the fans so that they are level with the top of these raised sections. This should also reduce turbulence from the filter slightly.

Measuring up:

GPUs will just fit!

Need to lose the HDD bays.

Going to need to dremel away these overhangs like Tom did in his rv02 watercooling guide.

Ordered: assorted m4 nuts, bolts, spacers. Alphacool nexxxos xt45 180x3, dremel rotary 3000 and cutting discs, files! (unbelievably, I don't own many tools at all).

 

[NRG!]

Update 1:

I'm a little limited in what I can do atm without the gear. Had some free time today and drilled out the HDD cages. I've seen some builds in FT02s/RV02s where the builder has dremeled the hdd cage in half and re-bolted it in rotated to retain 2/3 bays above the rad and considered doing this, but since I only use SSDs in my rig I decided against it.

Then as a spur of the moment thing I thought: I don't need 5.25 bays any more, why not drill this side out and open it out?

Looking at the plate here, I have a fair few unused scre holes, (obv something to do with the FT02 design) and also imperfections/scratched metal (caused by my careless stuffing of stuff into this area before:

When I reach the finishing touches stage of the project I'll probably look at wrapping some ally and putting a slab up the front here and against the remaining 5.25bay guides to blank that area off. Not sure what to fill this area with, will probably look at tube reservoirs.

RV02 looking very empty/ spacious atm:

 

[NRG!]

I've been a busy boy today:

Not bad for my first 'real' case mod. Plans changed as I decided to put the monsta in the front of the rv02. Have ordered a 60mm thick all copper for the R4.

My dremel cuts aren't fantastic so I'll be finishing them off with u channel.

Slight snag in the project so far: you can just about see on the far right of the rad above that my old lower bulkhead is blocked >.<. I have decided to leave it there and blank it off, rather than try to hide the hole. Have ordered another bulkhead to go on the other side of the case.

I think I've ordered all the fittings etc I'll need. I'm still not sure what coolant to go with though..

After work tomorrow I'll be looking at the budget and deciding whether to continue with the project now or whether to wait it out until next pay day. I will need to get the R4 regardless, plumb the loop and run it via my phobya external psu for now.

 

[SuB]

This sounds like a really nice idea with a well founded reason for doing so. My condolences to your family, I respect that you're doing the folding for a reason.

Good luck with this build I'll be keeping an eye on it

 

[NRG!]

This sounds like a really nice idea with a well founded reason for doing so. My condolences to your family, I respect that you're doing the folding for a reason.

Good luck with this build I'll be keeping an eye on it

Thanks for your thoughts, and for moving your post, 5 reserved should be enough.

I tested out folding a while back to get a feel for it and want to do it properly without breaking the bill bank. (I have no issue spending my own moolah but I live with the parents and leccy bills are the devil, bobby boucher!)

 

[The Orange One]

This looks promising!

 

[NRG!]

Minor update, slight setback. My dremel 3000 rotary tool arrived along with some files and some cutting discs for the dremel.

The setback is that dremel don't includ the 'ez speedclic' attachment to use the cutting discs.

The rad should be arriving tomorrow.

 

[NRG!]

So I've had the rad sitting on the desk for a while now. Went down to screwfix today only to find out they don't sell m3x10mm which is what I need, bummer. Had to order some from specialtech.

The rad is collosal, considering I'm going to be putting it inside the rv02.
I also ordered and received a 240mm monsta to go in the front of the R4.

Very nice build quality on these alphacool all copepr rads.

I've been thinking that I might get away with not having to dremel the mobo tray if I mount the rad/fans closer to the window, but I cba to test fit without the screws as the only way to get the rad inside the case is to remove my gpus/ram which means draining the case section of my current loop.

 

[wassupdoc]

Very very nice rig man

 

[NRG!]

Quite a lot of progress today:

http://forum.overclock3d.net/showpost.php?p=618348&postcount=3

All the hard work done (modding), now just need to fund everything else and do the bolt-in watercooling.

 

[The Orange One]

Looks Good Mate!

 

[remember300]

looks good, cant wait to see them temps after a day or two of constant folding, while at work and uni and while i sleep i use mine for folding, rank 120 something in a mear week or two (in our team obv)
and i know what its like my nan has dementure and cancer and we have to keep telling her why shes having to have all this stuff and that she has cancer its truely heartbreaking to see that fear in her eyes over and over again, hence why my pc is not getting a break anytime soon. If i can help in anyway i think this is probs the best and only way tbh.

 

[FTR.4500MHz]

Nice to see a 540 XT45!

Was planning the exact same thing for a future build in the FT02. Was really wondering if the rad will fit.
It seems it does.
You are way ahead, i contacted Demciflex a few weeks ago to get a quote on a custom filter.

I think i will have to change my plans as i dont want to make a copy/paste build.

BTW nice system mate!

 

[NRG!]

Thanks guys. I've just noticed that the lower rad wasn't flush on the mounts I made for it, you can see as the right hand side of it seems closer to the remains of the mobo tray! pushed it firmly down now though.

I won't be folding on the main rig as the power usage is too high and I don't pay the bills. The folding rig will only have a 45w processor (i7 3770t) so won't be getting hot anyway - the 60mm thick 240 rad on the way is massive overkill, but I wanted a 240 in the front. That way, when the main rig is off, I will still have *plenty* of active cooling rad space, as well as passive from the xt45 and monsta, to ensure my coolant temp doesn't get too high. (Anything to try and avoid the dreaded tube clouding)

Nice to see a 540 XT45!

Was planning the exact same thing for a future build in the FT02. Was really wondering if the rad will fit.
It seems it does.
You are way ahead, i contacted Demciflex a few weeks ago to get a quote on a custom filter.

I think i will have to change my plans as i dont want to make a copy/paste build.

BTW nice system mate!

Funnily enough my custom filter is inadequate. I forgot to account for the holes left by the plastic tabs that hold the stock fan/filter mounts in. I'll be getting another.

For the XT45 you *must* cut the overhang of the mobo tray away or it won't fit in (too wide). If you put the fittings at the hdd cage end of the case you'd also need to cut away the part of the mobo tray overhang by the psu (looks difficult). I thought I'd inevitably cock that cut up so I chose to have the fittings psu end, however this means the rad isn't fully paralell to the mobo tray/side panel. It's a very slight angle that won't be noticeable once my pci-e power cables are there.

I would stick with this rad though mate, probably a lot better than the magicool options.

I have also ordered the silverstone 180mm fan filter/grill set from the U.S. I plan to rip out the filter and screw them onto the top of the rad to hide the 'copperyness' from certain angles lol.

 

[FTR.4500MHz]

Or you could make yourself a custom grill like this dude did.

http://forums.quebecgeeks.net/viewtopic.php?id=8906

 

[NRG!]

Good shout but that's a bit beyond me lol, This is my first real case mod. (For background on my DIY skills: I drilled the holes for my blind's wall plugs too close together and had to superglue the bracket into the hole. While putting a pinboard on my wall I wasn't sure on the correct size drill bit, so I drilled a test hole, pushed the wallplug in, THEN realised I need that wall plug. LOL)

Looking at that build though, I can see I'm going to have EPIC trouble with my cable management. The v1 corsair braided cables are soooo stiff :/

Corsair say the v2s are more flexible.. hopefully Tom will get some in to show.

 

[badtaylorx]

good looking build.....

have you considered silicon rubber gaskets on the bottom to make up the 4mm humps...(if you wanted the rad on bottom still)

 

[NRG!]

Cheers

I drilled through some m4 screws and used a couple of nuts to ensure the fans cleared the humps. Vibration shouldn't be an issue because the fans will be barely spinning. (Still not sure how to power the fans yet though. 7v is too low for startup so I need a way to squeeze a fan controller of some kind in here.

 

[AverageNinja]

Just read through the first pages. Condolences to your family man, you have a good reason to fold!

 

[alpenwasser]

Really looking forward to the end result. I've always liked these FT02 builds with a 540 rad. It's just so totally what this case was made for (well, not really, but almost ).

It is indeed horrifying what can happen to the human brain and mind. My mum's mother had a severe stroke about three years back coupled with a total systemic infection which almost killed her (and even worsened the stroke's effects from what I've been told).
Since then, she will recognize my mother and my uncle and a few relatives I don't really know. Out of me and my three younger brothers though, I'm the only one she'll respond to. And that's on a good day.