OK so I've come up with a new project name, specs are as below:
Hardware:
Core i7 920 D0
Asus P6T-Deluxe
Corsair TX 750 PSU
2x XFX GTX 295
3x2GB OCZ Reaper PC3-1800Mhz
Pioneer BDC-S02BK
3 x 30GB OCZ Vertex SSD RAID 0
Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1
Mountain Mods U2-UFO CYO
Watercooling:
3 x Thermochill 120.3
Aquacomputer CPU Block
2 x Aquacomputer GTX295 Blocks
3 x DDC 18w Pumps
3 x EK 100 Res Tops
Sponsors:
I've never had a freebie from any company and this build will be no exception. The only sponsor is ME !
Currently this is how the hardware stands ! :
**Update 14/03/2009**
Something I've been a little weary about, stripping down my GTXs 295 and putting the AC block on:
First up, I needed to identify what I needed to do to remove the main full cover:
Some screws here:
And here:
Some more here:
And then we get down to the PCB:
One PCB removed:
Undoing the screws on each PCB, releases them from the cooler sandwiched in the middle:
I've heard bad stories about the internal SLI ribbon from breaking, or not going back on again so I decided to try to keep both PCBs together:
Appling the thermal pads:
After applying the thermal grease to the cores, trying to get the block in the middle of the cards was a pain. I wanted to ensure good contact with the block so I took the sli ribbon off to check:
Flipping it over to put the other PCB on:
Other side on and secured:
Lower angle:
Backplate re-attached:
**Update 27/03/2009**
My 3 OCZ Vertex are here !
I have some VERY, VERY interested benchmarks for these babies which I'll share with you a bit later on
UPDATE: OK here are the benchies:
Now that the Disk IO is sorted I can sleep at night !
**Update 30/03/2009**
MM Case is here, but there are problems. I actually ordered a triple back and they sent a standard back. Awaiting email from them. Not happy:
Also decided to flush my 2 new rads out. Remember kids - ALWAYS FLUSH YOUR RAD ! I just poured boiling water from our kettle through it (our kettle filters the water when you fill it up) :
And this is what comes out :
Trial fit of one rad in the case, just to judge how much space I have between the mobo tray and the rads, as I need to sort placement for the pumps and res':
**Update 03/04/2009**
Coolant is all here. The yellow (more gold in person is Primochill gold dye bomb, in clear feser.
The pink is much more puple in person, and the blue is light in person. So hopefully it will look ok:
Tom's going to be working on some custom brackets soon so I can mount my res' to my rad.
**Update 04/04/2009**
Decided to sort my other 2 rads out and fit them in the case, along with braiding the fans that will be the ones I end up using:
Bit of soldering to join all 3 fans to one header. Each fan draws .2 amp and the Kaze Master can handle 1A per channel so its all good:
Both rads fitted with gasket and fans, ready to be fitted into the case:
And a couple of shots of the rads in the case. Looks OK, just need to figure out what I want to do for fan grills for the front:
**Update 14/04/2009**
Mountain Mods have shipped my replacement panels, by US Post so it will probably take ages to arrive. Got my custom brackets made from Tom @ Chilled-PC so I could started to place the reservoirs. Only done 2 though as I need another bracket.
Not sure where to mount the pumps yet, underneath the res's ? or underneath the mobo tray ? Opinions please !
**Update 15/04/2009**
New PSU is here. Everyone seems to have the Corsair 1000w but its quite expensive, so I plumped for the Cooler Master real power 1000w, was about £50 cheaper !
Guess I've got some braiding to do now !
**Update 17/04/2009**
Finally decided on going with the EK res tops and DDC pumps, I bought 2 but I'll buy the other one to top it all off. Also put some silver fans grills in the front and decided to power up the fans to see what it would look like.
Opinions always greatfully recieved
**Update 21/04/2009**
Well all of the correct parts are now all here, so attached the triple MM back panel to the case :
And Tom did a great job in making a new res backet for me to house all 3 res' closer together to not interfere with the graphics cards :
Res' attached:
**Update 23/04/2009**
Mobo tray all assembled. Trust MM to send silver blanking plates and not black. No matter, I'll spray them.
Mobo Tray mounted in case: (ignore the tubing on the 120.3, it keeps spewing water on my SSD's
Those rads hold a lot of water !
**Update 24/04/2009**
Well, my 5 1/4" 2.5" Caddy came today:
Of course, SSD's dont generate heat, so I disconnected the fans:
So, 3 drives and 1 more space to fill....another SSD? Maybe, but I think I'll buy a 2.5" 500GB 7200rpm HDD and use that for my games instead of the 3.5" 400gb I have at the moment:
**Update 24/04/2009**
Tubed up all 3 loops and added coolant. I can't believe the Feser Yellow is called Yellow, its more like green but i quite like it:
**Update 05/05/2009**
Whilst waiting for the new mobo to turn up, I changed the front grills to the black ones. I didnt like the way the AC Ryan grills reduced the airflow, I think this looks better anyways :
**Update 06/05/2009**
New bits are here. I replaced the yellow (yeah right feser !) with green and also decided to go all BitsPower and spend £120 on fittings:
Fixed my new WD Scorpio Black 7200RPM 2.5" HDD to the caddy:
Unboxing the mobo, I realised why I hate EVGA, their packaging is terrible :
The board itself however is of top quality:
Made a start straigh away taking the old blocks off:
Good to see EVGA use a good amount of paste under the chipset block, ASUS take note !
NB and SB chips cleaned:
EK Acetal blocks fitted:
CPU block retention system also in place:
OK so finally finished the tubing. Was quite complicated working out the routing. I sat and stared at it for a good hour before making any cuts.
1st 2 loops together:
CPU loop tubed up and all coolants added:
And the good thing is it POSTS !
Many of the eagle eye'd among you will spot something I need to replace. Look at one of the pumps/res
