My new rig

[Rover3500]

Hi all,

I wan't to say a big thank you to everyone that gave me advice and info during my planning stage for my new setup. (first time water cooling)

After many months of building, rebuilding, blowing things up and generaly traveling a huge learning curve, I have now almost finished.

I will post some pics' when all is up and running (without smoke, lol)

I finaly laid out £££££££ for a Mountain mods UFO case which I altered a few times (different panels etc') but it is starting to look like quite a beasty with 2 loops each using their own 120.3 rad and a total of 14 low noise fans throughout the case

Thanks again to all :wavey::wavey::wavey::wavey:

 

[AntiHeroUK]

Can't wait to see it. Sounds excellent

 

[soapsupah]

looking foward to see your modded UFO, (pics pics pics :drool: )

show us the temps you get with 2 loops also, (one for cpu and another for vga/etc?)

 

[Rover3500]

looking foward to see your modded UFO, (pics pics pics :drool: )

show us the temps you get with 2 loops also, (one for cpu and another for vga/etc?)

Hopefuly a week or 2 for some pics, I am waiting for a new 3870X2 to arrive after blowing one of my others up, the ones I bought in the meantime are special editions and can't be water cooled. Once my new standard card arrives I can finalize the build.

My CPU is on a seperate loop running tests and on full load (DVD to MKV convertion using handbrake with all 4 cores) hasn't gone over 30 degrease on normal use it runs about 24.

Once my card arrives I will be running cpu and 3 mobo blocks on one loop so I guess it will go slightly higher (although my fans are on the lowest setting ATM so I can always turn them up if needed ) and my pair of 3870X2's will be on another loop.

 

[soapsupah]

Hopefuly a week or 2 for some pics, I am waiting for a new 3870X2 to arrive after blowing one of my others up, the ones I bought in the meantime are special editions and can't be water cooled. Once my new standard card arrives I can finalize the build.

My CPU is on a seperate loop running tests and on full load (DVD to MKV convertion using handbrake with all 4 cores) hasn't gone over 30 degrease on normal use it runs about 24.

Once my card arrives I will be running cpu and 3 mobo blocks on one loop so I guess it will go slightly higher (although my fans are on the lowest setting ATM so I can always turn them up if needed ) and my pair of 3870X2's will be on another loop.

hmm, i see, the temps are pretty good, i will keep waiting for you updates and pics, also i am wondering how the temps will be for the VGA loop. (maybe if they lower than cpu loop you could do a 2x VGA + 1 mobo block / cpu + 2x mobo block?), or maybe not, (still wondering how much heat the 3 blocks will add in the loop).

also the processor has a big role in temp (i7 is a built in heater lol)

btw again like you said the fans are still on lowest setting.

cya in the next updates

Soap.

 

[Rover3500]

Some of the parts as I began the build

The PSU is for testing only, it will have a Enermax Galaxy 1000w in the final build.

 

[Rover3500]

Some of the parts as I began the build

Above is the case in it's second testing stage.

The mobo fitted with its blocks fitted.

One of the two 3870X2 cards with its block fitted.

Finaly a PhysX card fitted with a modded block, (why fit a PhysX card ? , because I can )

 

[Rover3500]

Here is my third rebuild in testing, I decided to go for a horizontal mount on the mobo, one PA120.3 rad is in the lower rear of case the other I wanted mounted at the top and so I had to mod the case a little to fit it.

I will be completing the final build I hope next week and so I will post the finished pics' then.

:wavey::wavey::wavey:

 

[HafMaster]

Looks fantastic!

Will be looking forward to the updates.

 

[Hatman]

Woa thats a nice looking rig. Liking the fans!

 

[Rover3500]

Finished

Well I have finally finished, had a few problems on the way but are resolved now.

Here are some pics' of the 5th and final build (for now )

 

[HafMaster]

That is one good looking rig!

 

[Rover3500]

Temps'

I am running on a Gigabyte X48-DQ6 with a Q9450 quad core, 8gb Reaper 8500 ram, 2 * Saphire 3870X2, PhysX 100, 6 * RaptorX 150gb drives ( 2 * 3 drive raid0 ) , 2 * Dvd drives, Enermax galaxy 1000w psu.

Hence a lot of wiring and cables to try and keep tidy, I did my best on that score but still a little messier than I would have wanted.

2 * cooling loops, each of pa120.3 rads, dcc ultra with XSPC tops, 250 res's, in-line coolant temp sensors, reading to front LCDs, a total of 14 Zalman case fans including 3 on each rad all running @ lowest speed via front Zalman controllers.

I decided to fit dust filters on the front case inlets as during testing there was a fair dudt build up even over a short while. Hense the different look to the early build in the other pics'

Speeds and temps'

FSB = 1700mhz

CPU = 3400mhz

RAM = 1066mhz

Graphics = (4 * cores @ 850 ram @ 1900)

I found there wasn't much stable over clock to be had on the ram.

I didn't want to go mad with the graphics, they have plenty to offer at these speeds.

Temps' @ idle

Chipset @ 29c

CPU @ 23c

Graphic cores @ 33c - 42c

Temps' @ loaded, video conversion.

Chipset @ 39c

CPU @ 29c

Graphics @ loaded 3Dmark vantage

Cores @ 57c

Seem to be keeping nice and low for quite a good overclock on system, all totally 100% stable in all programs and games that I tried so far.

Only one strange thing is that number 4 graphics core seems to run higher by a few degrees than the other 3 cores on idle, you have to be very careful when tightening the screws on the water blocks as they can easily ground out on the capacitors, blowing the card up (as I found out the hard way) so I guess maybe number 4 core needs a little more turning on the screws but unless the temps' get to high I think I will leave as is.

Again thanks for all the advice on this build from many on this forum, its taken quite a few months but I think in the end its worth it.

:worship::worship::worship:

 

[monkey7]

Holy ... the amount of fans Do you have to secure the case when you put everything at 12V?

Nice rig ^^

 

[PV5150]

The rig looks really nice mate. Are you happy that you decided to water-cool, even after all the trials and tribulations?

 

[Rover3500]

Holy ... the amount of fans Do you have to secure the case when you put everything at 12V?

Nice rig ^^

Luckily I only need the fans on low but they are rubber mounted so even high the noise isn't so bad.

I think give it a pair of wings though and it will do the trans Atlantic in good time.

 

[Rover3500]

The rig looks really nice mate. Are you happy that you decided to water-cool, even after all the trials and tribulations?

My original reason to water cool was because of the noise from the graphics fans, now that it's all done I am pretty pleased with it. The only real noise I hear is from the 6 RaptorX hard drives running at 10,000rpm and the temps are very good compared to air cooling.

It has been quite a journey mostly because of a huge learning curve for me, my next step will be to maybe try and tidy the cables a little more but with so many it's not an easy task.

I think that the XSPC graphic blocks could have been made better, allowing for clearance on the capacitors, without the threat of grounding out, maybe something for their next designs.

 

[soapsupah]

looking pretty good mate, and great temps you got

 

[premiumgfx]

Great rig!

 

[stevej696]

Look s awesome an wot a brilliant case! I wish my Antec300 had that many fans