Thermaltake LVL 10 -> Switch 810 WC

[Whaler_99]

Going to be going from my Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition to a Switch 810 Water Cooled system. Basically keep the guts of my current rig and move into the new rig. Course, I just can't move it - have to bling it.

My current setup is as follows:

ThemalTake Level 10 GT Snow Edition case, Gigabyte Z68X-UD4 mobo, Intel Core i7 2600k CPU, Antec Kuhler 920 with Push/Pull Noctua Fans, 16 GB of Kingston Hyper-X memory, 2 x 120GB OCZ Vertex 3 SSD RAID 0 for OS, 2 x 1TB Black drives RAID 0 for where I install game files, 2 x 500GB Black drives RAID 0 where all temp files are run off of, NZXT Hale 90 750W PSU, custom Blue LED lighting inside, AMD 6870's in Crossfire.


Here is the "gear" I am planning to get (or have) for the new build:

- XSPC EX360 Rad (going in the top) and a XSPC RX240 rad (going in the bottom)
- XSPC Raystorm CPU Block
- XSPC D5 Dual Bay Reservoir/Pump Combo
- Running all 7/16" ID tubing
- Swiftech MCW82 GPU Water block and their RAM block cover (two of these) - I have reference 6870 cards and Swiftech are one of the few still making a good solution for them.
- Black Chrome compression fittings except for the GPU blocks which will have 1/2" barbs
- Corsair SP120 Quiet Edition fans for all the "push" setups on the Rads
- BitFenix Spectre Pro All White LED fans replacing the internal case fans and the "pull" fans on the Rads
- Corsair AX 850 PSU, fully modular, with the optional White Braided cables
- NZXT Switch 810 case
- NZXT Hydra Pro fan controller to run ALL fans and be able to keep things very quiet
- EK Ekoolant UV Blue
- Corsair AX 850 with the optional White braided modular cables
- Of course a ton of little things to help make it all work

Going to take a Dremel to that plate in the 5.25" bay and cut a bit out for airflow. Going to have to cut down on drives. Thinking 2 x 1TB for my game install and 1 x 500GB for my temp files in the upper removable drive cage. Then going to plan to mount the two SSD drives directly to the back of the motherboard tray.

For "colors", the case is white with some white LED's (power) on the front. So, I am installing two front fans with Blue LED, which should be subtle, and three top fans that are Blue LED. The tubing and coolant are all UV Blue, so shouldn't be bright, but a nice blue glow. Compression fittings will have Blue UV o-rings and are Black Chrome. The CPU Block and Res also have some Blue LED. Then, the internal fans will all be White LED ones which should help highlight the UV Blue and not have stupid amount of blue glowing from the case.

One question, base of the Switch 810... I can pull the base runners of and put in some LED strips... wondering... Blue or White?

Hopwfully will have most parts in over the next week or so. Some gear coming from the US, so clearing customs can be a pain. Once it all gets here, should be able to start working on this puppy.

BTW - anyone see anything I might have forgotten?

Cheers,
Whaler

 

[tristan]

I don't think you need a ram block, ram really doenst see any benifit from water cooling, also mixing barbs an compression fittings might look a bit funny just wondering why you want barbs on the gpu and compressions everywhere else.

 

[Whaler_99]

I don't think you need a ram block, ram really doenst see any benifit from water cooling, also mixing barbs an compression fittings might look a bit funny just wondering why you want barbs on the gpu and compressions everywhere else.

Not a Ram block for the RAM - Ram block for the VRM and such on the 6870's. The MCW82 only does the GPU itself, you need a passive solution for the memory and mosffets.

The MCW82 is kind of weird. Does't support larger compresion fittings due to spacing - so right now "planning" to use the barbs. Once I actually have them and can test, then I may order some compression fittings for them as well. Don't want to bother though until I have it in hand and can try some of my existing fittings on it.

Whaler

 

[The Orange One]

This sounds promising

 

[Choklitmlk]

sounds like an interesting build in what has to be one of my favourite cases lately. cant wait to see

 

[tinytomlogan]

Noooooooooooo ThermalTACKY cases are BANNED!!!!!


KILL IT WITH FIRE!

 

[SnW]

LOL at Tom,
Al tho i agree , i somehow have something with this particular case :wub:

Ray.......

 

[wassupdoc]

Sounds promising

 

[airdeano]

glad to see another upgrade pop up..

your shopping list looks promising. im not a fan of uni-blocks for GPU. yes, a lil
less expense, but kinda awkward. if X-Fire is your desinty, look to the WaterCool
HEATKILLER GPU-X³ Core LC uni-block as they can connect easier than the swifties
and be "functional" in connecting them together.

the XSPC Raystorm would fit your plans well, with the lighting choice of blue or white.

dual D5 is overkill, but redundancy is a fail-safe. if looking to a tube res, this will free
up a couple of bays to jam HDD into for your storage solution.

the "mixed fans" for effects would be hard to swallow in a perfromace mind-set.
the SP120 would get blind-sided from the Spectre Pro due to the miss-mash in specs.

congrats on the news of an upgrade!

airdeano

 

[Whaler_99]

Noooooooooooo ThermalTACKY cases are BANNED!!!!!


KILL IT WITH FIRE!

Maybe have to figure out some sort of mod... load it with C4?

Whaler

 

[Whaler_99]

Little diagram I did up...

 

[Whaler_99]

glad to see another upgrade pop up..

your shopping list looks promising. im not a fan of uni-blocks for GPU. yes, a lil
less expense, but kinda awkward. if X-Fire is your desinty, look to the WaterCool
HEATKILLER GPU-X³ Core LC uni-block as they can connect easier than the swifties
and be "functional" in connecting them together.

I will look those up - reason looking at Swiftech option, was due to there seemingly to be nothing in stock, at least that I can get here in Canada, for the 6870's.

the XSPC Raystorm would fit your plans well, with the lighting choice of blue or white.

dual D5 is overkill, but redundancy is a fail-safe. if looking to a tube res, this will free
up a couple of bays to jam HDD into for your storage solution.

Was part of the base XSPC kit that I got, so that was why the choice for that.

the "mixed fans" for effects would be hard to swallow in a perfromace mind-set.
the SP120 would get blind-sided from the Spectre Pro due to the miss-mash in specs.

That has come to mind as well. Going to test temps just with the SP's in Push, then SP/BitFenix combo with low speed and medium speed. See what the temps are versus noise, etc.

congrats on the news of an upgrade!

airdeano

Thanks

Whaler

 

[wassupdoc]

I think the C4 mod would dramatically improve airflow and aesthetics.

 

[Whaler_99]

OK... so here I am... been looking at different pics and mods on this model. And most of them pretty much the same. So, probably not going to do anything much as this point other then get it all together with the system, WC gear and what lighting I have planned. Then go from there.

I want to do something on that front panel, but the whole cut it out and replace with mesh is pretty meh. Thinking of some sort of "design" traced out on the front, then drill out a hole pattern maybe. Not sure.

Parts are coming in... slowly. Problem with ordering from the US.

Also found a HEATKILLER that works with my GPU's at a US distributor. Now, a conundrum. Was thinking of painting those Swiftech RAM blocks white. Have to sit on this for a bit...

Will update once I have bunch of the gear in and am ready to start moving forward.

Whaler

 

[The Orange One]

Can't wait mate

 

[airdeano]

granted, i am impatient when new cool stuff comes out and i want it all.. but i realize
sometimes that just isn't feasable or practical. if you got the equipment for air
cooling, i'd start that to shake-out any bugs or issues with the new upgrades.
once convinced everything is operational and functioning, then change the cooling
systems out. prolly start with the CPU. think it out, apply all devices for CPU,
plumb it and again shake it down. now add the GPU(s) and their devices. again
plan it all out (and if in stages, yeah). chasing an issue five miles deep into
electrical and plumbing can get a lil awkward and fustrating. if you know something
is working and now it doesn't, it'll tell you where the issue may lay..
just some fore-thought and 'speriences..

airdeano

 

[CPMFW]

looking forward to it!

 

[Whaler_99]

Yes, impatience gets the best of all us tinkers. As most of the guts is being pulled from another system, I am just waiting for all the water cooling gear to arrive. Once that comes in, I can start installing all that and doing test fittings, etc. Then once I am all ready, pretty much just pull out the main pieces from the Thermaltake, install, hook up and start my leak tests.

May get the PSU and some fans mounted in, play a bit with the cabling in the back. That is going to be a royal pain. :wacko:

But, I know I have itchy fingers... probably start getting ready to cut out some of that plate and sketch out some designs for the front. To bad I am a crap artist.

Whaler

 

[Whaler_99]

And some artwork... been thinking about what to do with the system. Don't want to overly hack it up. Going to use lighting and what not to have some fun with it. And pretty much ever mod you see online for it is someone hacking out the front and top and slapping in some mesh... Meh...

So, I think I am going to pull the "sliding" portion of the grill in the top out, leave it "open" as it is. Then, took most of the roof dimensions for the slats and transfered them to the front facia and going to route it out, so it will match the top, be uniform, and have the same glow as the roof.

Simple... elegant... don't f up on the dremel or Crap....

Also, considering pulling apart the AX850 and painting it white. Wonder if the white would be better, or leave black? Some offset... to go with the black trim...

Now I just need to transfer the drawing onto the plastic and get cracking

 

[wassupdoc]

Great idea! yours will definitely stand out from the crowd, although i would consider putting some mesh behind the holes to give a little dust protection