Mgutierrez33
New member
This wins all DAY! So impressed with the level of detail that has gone into getting everything just right. Here's to successful leak testing when it comes to it!
Watercooled Desk Project
- Thread starter PBaines
- Start date
This wins all DAY! So impressed with the level of detail that has gone into getting everything just right. Here's to successful leak testing when it comes to it!
yassarikhan786
New member
Wow, the loop layout looks awesome!!
chrismjurd
New member
shamazing, awesome sauce, you win all the interwebs!
just pray you dont get termites!
just pray you dont get termites!
alpenwasser
New member
just pray you dont get termites!
:rollinglaugh:
Seriously though, the awesomeness is strong in this one.
alpenwasser
New member
Thanks guys
About the termites, yes I hope I don't get any... Had some in my bed headboard. Pulled it off and cut it down the middle. The inside of the wood was about 60% dust!
Ouch!
They are industrious little buggers, I'll give'em that :lol:
chrismjurd
New member
Thanks guys
About the termites, yes I hope I don't get any... Had some in my bed headboard. Pulled it off and cut it down the middle. The inside of the wood was about 60% dust!
Jebus, I was literally only joking, though I did read somewhere recently, that NZ had a large swarm from Aus come over, that would really suck mate, hope it doesn't get to that point.
PBaines
New member
First things first, thank you very much Mayhems for sponsoring me 2L of Mayhems Pastel Orange Coolant*
(will add picture of logo shortly after I get it from Mick)
*
It has been a bit too long without an update, here is a small one while the I get onto making a PCB for the GPU cables.*
*
After getting a hold of the last bit of crystal link It was time to start filling it up! Just for testing to see how the fittings are and that I have no leaks. The top of the reservoir has a T fitting, on the top right of the T I have a Tap that I used
*
*
*
As untreated wood absorbs water I laid handy towels under every fitting joint otherwise if I do not see a leak in time there will be a different shade and an outline of the drop.
*
*
*
Think this is a 1L Koolance filling bottle, super simple. Fill, screw, squeeze!
*
*
After filling it all, giving it a few rounds I noticed a leak. Now, as soon as I saw it I knew what was wrong with it. As you can see quite a large air bubble at the end, you know that there is not a complete seal around the O-Ring, which means that the O-Ring would be quite damaged. If it were a leak that had partial damage to the O-Ring, there would be no air bubble, and just a little drop forming every now and then. Still, either way the fitting was binned!
*
*
Time to drain it, to replace the fitting. Draining... something I had not thought about before filling. Only way I thought of doing it was this way, which did create a bit of a spill but that is what the handy towels are for!
*
*
I fixed the fitting and found that the flow rate of the loop was terrible. I mean, literally dismal. I thought that if I took out that manifold, and ran the pumps in serial it would fix it. (though still intaking from their own reservoir)
But I thought wrong, as the left pump intaked water it would flow water into the right pump, but also would flow water into the right reservoir too. That being said, the flow rate of the loop was better, but still very poor. The option that was always there, but I would rather not have done it for aesthetical reasoning, have the left pump intaking from both the left and right res and running the pumps in serial.*
*
*
Though again, not thinking about draining whatso ever, I had to be delicate and lift the reservoirs up, take the pumps off, and then put a stop fitting on the end of the reservoirs until my new fittings came to eliminate the problem
*
*
*
*
So I got my fitting, the configuration is a T fitting on the left, and an L fitting on the right. I think from this close up you can easily see what is going on*
I just put the loop together quickly to see how the flow rate is. And it is much better, perfect pretty much!*
*
*
*
*
Time to move onto a different aspect of the build, the storage. I changed the SSD's to: x1 256GB Samsung 840 Pro for the OS and then x2 Samsung 250GB SSD's in RAID 0 for my Steam, Origin and other gaming stuff. All of my media is on a file server that I just stream through Plex over the network*
Anywho, I decided that I would actually put the SSD's up by the PSU. This made cabling a lot easier, and also would make it a lot tider. However it does leave a bit of space for where I was going to put them originally, though I will probably put something there in due time
*
*
To power the 3 drives I had to run the SATA Power cable under the PSU. I folded the cable over and crushed it with some pliers to make it sit flat
*
*
Time to make the new SATA Power cable, I measured where the bottom connector would go.
*
*
Sat the drive on top and pushed the wires into the grooves
*
*
Third one on, with this one I have to cut the wires off the top, and has to be very flush to the top of the connector otherwise the close-over cap will not fit on.*
*
*
Excellent!
*
Test fit
*
*
Though the red cables do not mix in well with the build, I will be sleeving them black so no need to worry*
*
*
I didn't really like the way the GPU went to the Pump, so I changed it. It gives it less of a bunched up in the corner look, and also makes the gpu's both look a bit more symetrical on each end too
*
*
*
The permanent filling solution. squeeze water into this, and blow on the tube to get the water in (because the reservoirs are horizontal you can only fill them to a certain point. Where when you blow water in and close the valve it lets you fill it properly)
*
I also had the GPU SLI Link too short, so when I put the SLI Bridge on the fitting leaked, after fixing that time to leak test again!
*
After an hour and a bit of leak testing I was happy that there were no leaks (To me, if it hasn't leaked in an hour. It won't leak at all) so I decided I may as well do some quick benchmarks and see how the rig goes!
*
*
*
Here are the results including Heaven, 3DMark and also the Temps (Note, only using 4 fans in pull on the first rad, have not hooked up cooling on the back rad at the moment)
*
*
17577 3D Mark
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6840143]http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6840143
*
*
That is it for this update, there isn't much left to do! Just wiring really and then will be filling everything with Mayhems Pastel Orange*
(will add picture of logo shortly after I get it from Mick)
*
It has been a bit too long without an update, here is a small one while the I get onto making a PCB for the GPU cables.*
*
After getting a hold of the last bit of crystal link It was time to start filling it up! Just for testing to see how the fittings are and that I have no leaks. The top of the reservoir has a T fitting, on the top right of the T I have a Tap that I used
*
*
*
As untreated wood absorbs water I laid handy towels under every fitting joint otherwise if I do not see a leak in time there will be a different shade and an outline of the drop.
*
*
*
Think this is a 1L Koolance filling bottle, super simple. Fill, screw, squeeze!
*
*
After filling it all, giving it a few rounds I noticed a leak. Now, as soon as I saw it I knew what was wrong with it. As you can see quite a large air bubble at the end, you know that there is not a complete seal around the O-Ring, which means that the O-Ring would be quite damaged. If it were a leak that had partial damage to the O-Ring, there would be no air bubble, and just a little drop forming every now and then. Still, either way the fitting was binned!
*
*
Time to drain it, to replace the fitting. Draining... something I had not thought about before filling. Only way I thought of doing it was this way, which did create a bit of a spill but that is what the handy towels are for!
*
*
I fixed the fitting and found that the flow rate of the loop was terrible. I mean, literally dismal. I thought that if I took out that manifold, and ran the pumps in serial it would fix it. (though still intaking from their own reservoir)
But I thought wrong, as the left pump intaked water it would flow water into the right pump, but also would flow water into the right reservoir too. That being said, the flow rate of the loop was better, but still very poor. The option that was always there, but I would rather not have done it for aesthetical reasoning, have the left pump intaking from both the left and right res and running the pumps in serial.*
*
*
Though again, not thinking about draining whatso ever, I had to be delicate and lift the reservoirs up, take the pumps off, and then put a stop fitting on the end of the reservoirs until my new fittings came to eliminate the problem
*
*
*
*
So I got my fitting, the configuration is a T fitting on the left, and an L fitting on the right. I think from this close up you can easily see what is going on*
I just put the loop together quickly to see how the flow rate is. And it is much better, perfect pretty much!*
*
*
*
*
Time to move onto a different aspect of the build, the storage. I changed the SSD's to: x1 256GB Samsung 840 Pro for the OS and then x2 Samsung 250GB SSD's in RAID 0 for my Steam, Origin and other gaming stuff. All of my media is on a file server that I just stream through Plex over the network*
Anywho, I decided that I would actually put the SSD's up by the PSU. This made cabling a lot easier, and also would make it a lot tider. However it does leave a bit of space for where I was going to put them originally, though I will probably put something there in due time
*
*
To power the 3 drives I had to run the SATA Power cable under the PSU. I folded the cable over and crushed it with some pliers to make it sit flat
*
*
Time to make the new SATA Power cable, I measured where the bottom connector would go.
*
*
Sat the drive on top and pushed the wires into the grooves
*
*
Third one on, with this one I have to cut the wires off the top, and has to be very flush to the top of the connector otherwise the close-over cap will not fit on.*
*
*
Excellent!
*
Test fit
*
*
Though the red cables do not mix in well with the build, I will be sleeving them black so no need to worry*
*
*
I didn't really like the way the GPU went to the Pump, so I changed it. It gives it less of a bunched up in the corner look, and also makes the gpu's both look a bit more symetrical on each end too
*
*
*
The permanent filling solution. squeeze water into this, and blow on the tube to get the water in (because the reservoirs are horizontal you can only fill them to a certain point. Where when you blow water in and close the valve it lets you fill it properly)
*
I also had the GPU SLI Link too short, so when I put the SLI Bridge on the fitting leaked, after fixing that time to leak test again!
*
After an hour and a bit of leak testing I was happy that there were no leaks (To me, if it hasn't leaked in an hour. It won't leak at all) so I decided I may as well do some quick benchmarks and see how the rig goes!
*
*
*
Here are the results including Heaven, 3DMark and also the Temps (Note, only using 4 fans in pull on the first rad, have not hooked up cooling on the back rad at the moment)
*
*
17577 3D Mark
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6840143]http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6840143
*
*
That is it for this update, there isn't much left to do! Just wiring really and then will be filling everything with Mayhems Pastel Orange*
I just spent, I'm not sure how long but quite a while reading every page. This build is just awesome, the skill and work you have put into it is incredible.
I think we all want a desk like this now, you should seriously consider doing this as a business for yourself. I did woodwork in high school, but nothing like this. I really wish I could make one.
I think we all want a desk like this now, you should seriously consider doing this as a business for yourself. I did woodwork in high school, but nothing like this. I really wish I could make one.
alpenwasser
New member
Very nice progress. I usually produce quite a spill when draining a loop as well, although
I've been trying to figure out a good draining system for HELIOS.
Looking forward to more.
I've been trying to figure out a good draining system for HELIOS.
Looking forward to more.
Mgutierrez33
New member
... and to think there's still work to be done. This desk has turned out marvelously thus far! Plus think of it like this: if you HADN'T run into all of those problems and overcome them, then the sense of accomplishment wouldn't be as rewarding . Nice benchmarking and temps as well, you'll be good on that rig for a while.
. Nice benchmarking and temps as well, you'll be good on that rig for a while.The Orange One
New member
WOW! Great work mate!!!
Can't wait to see a bit of Pastel Orange in it!
Can't wait to see a bit of Pastel Orange in it!
PBaines
New member
Thank you for documenting your "journey". It's nice to see the processes you go through "for better or worse". It just brings it home what a complicated beast you have built.
It is not such a "complicated" beast, it is finding out what works, and what doesn't. It is because of changes that a perfect result can be achieved. You must fail a few times to have something great, which with how much development I have had in the build I hope to achieve!
Looks like a piece of art man
And I've learned some new things about wood today
Wood is a complex and annoying resource to work with, it stains, twists, warps, expands. The list goes on! Something you might also find interesting, I made the rebate that the glass sit in about 2.5mm wider than the glass which leaves quite a big gap during the summer time, but in the winter, the wood will abosrb moisture from the air and constrict itself making the glass rebate tight. Right now I am in winter, and I have just found that the draws do not slide as easily as they did during the summer time. Oh the joys of working with wood!
A business for making desks would be awesome, and I have seriously thought about it. But because I live in New Zealand, there is a very very TINY market here. I would hate to imagine how much shipping would be, even if I did make them into a kit-set solution.
Seriously, every skill I used to make this desk was learnt from High School. This all just takes a lot of time
Very nice progress. I usually produce quite a spill when draining a loop as well, although
I've been trying to figure out a good draining system for HELIOS.
Looking forward to more.
Filling is the easy easy part, but draining is hard... I still need to figure out some successful and easy solutions to do for filling/draining.
... and to think there's still work to be done. This desk has turned out marvelously thus far! Plus think of it like this: if you HADN'T run into all of those problems and overcome them, then the sense of accomplishment wouldn't be as rewarding
That is correct! I love the desk more and more once I change stuff around, and overcome stuff that was troubling me in the build.
I might even look at delidding the CPU, PROPERLY Deliding it and then just have the cpu waterblock directly in contact with the die itself.. Not happy with how hot the CPU gets.
Me too
I still need to buy another 4L of coolant..asus_gtx580sli
New member
your an inspiration to me, the craftsmanship is second to none
