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And yet another build I could never hope to do.
Loving the look of this!
Loving the look of this!
Graphics Welder
- Thread starter Mysterae_
- Start date
Thanks for the comments folks, it's good to know that people are reading liking what I'm doing 
.
One thing I was aware of early on was when the mesh side panels are fitted you won't see all the water cooling goodness that's inside the case. Some internal illumination may help but that'll only be when the PC is powered on.
In it's previous form the case drew air in through the mesh panels and exhausted it through the top of the case. As I'm changing that to drawing air in through the top of the case and exhausting it out through all the holes in the main panels, the mesh panels are no longer required. I can't leave them as gaps so I'm replacing them with some tinted acrylic.
Testing a rough cut...
Happy 100th image!
I'm considering doing something to cover up the backside of the PSU as it's label is showing and it's upside down too.
I think the tint of the acrylic is just right and I'm looking forward to seeing it with some illumination and of course some coolant running through it!
.One thing I was aware of early on was when the mesh side panels are fitted you won't see all the water cooling goodness that's inside the case. Some internal illumination may help but that'll only be when the PC is powered on.
In it's previous form the case drew air in through the mesh panels and exhausted it through the top of the case. As I'm changing that to drawing air in through the top of the case and exhausting it out through all the holes in the main panels, the mesh panels are no longer required. I can't leave them as gaps so I'm replacing them with some tinted acrylic.
Testing a rough cut...
Happy 100th image!
I'm considering doing something to cover up the backside of the PSU as it's label is showing and it's upside down too.
I think the tint of the acrylic is just right and I'm looking forward to seeing it with some illumination and of course some coolant running through it!
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I prefer it with the mesh panel on the side. Looking forward to see what it looks like with some lights on though.
It does look good with the mesh and gives it a more stock and stealth look. However I prefer the acrylic panels as not only do you see the water cooling at all times, I like the wrap around glossy connection it provides around the case. I chose tinted grey acrylic so it would blend in with the colour scheme rather than going totally clear.
In a bad case of design creep I'm toying with the idea of modifying the top and bottom covers so that more acrylic is exposed. The red lines in the image below indicate my proposed cut lines.
Not quite convinced myself yet!
Indeed, I'm cooking with gas as they say!
Another day, another mod, this time to sort the air cooling for the case itself and tackle the issue of the power cable for the 4090.
Take two unsuspecting fans...
...and butcher them!
This solves the problem with the fans hitting the 4090's power cable.
It also provides a guide or tunnel for the airflow to be more directed.
Something else I wanted was the fans to be closer to the top of the case so that it would draw from there and not escape too soon out the sides.
To provide a level of filtration I fitted the self-adhesive mesh filters that Phanteks thoughtfully provides with the Evolv Shift XT to the top cover of the case.
Looks good through the top cover too.
Almost finished, well this part anyway!
Indeed, I'm cooking with gas as they say!
Another day, another mod, this time to sort the air cooling for the case itself and tackle the issue of the power cable for the 4090.
Take two unsuspecting fans...
...and butcher them!
This solves the problem with the fans hitting the 4090's power cable.
It also provides a guide or tunnel for the airflow to be more directed.
Something else I wanted was the fans to be closer to the top of the case so that it would draw from there and not escape too soon out the sides.
To provide a level of filtration I fitted the self-adhesive mesh filters that Phanteks thoughtfully provides with the Evolv Shift XT to the top cover of the case.
Looks good through the top cover too.
Almost finished, well this part anyway!
I thought you was using the fan shroud to create a ducting tunnel but nice mod. Have you looked at the noctua foam mods for ducting? It would help finish and channel airflow abit better to stop recycling internal case air by getting rid of any potential gaps between the top of the case and the fan itself.
Thanks, I had seen the Noctua foam mod and it did cross my mind funny you should mention it. Due to the way the top of the case slides in to position I didn't want anything to rub against it although I may look in to it again if the temperatures and noise levels aren't acceptable. I also think it may draw air in from the unfiltered sides, path of least resistance and all that!
Time to turn my attention to the radiator part of this build.
The radiator is a Watercool MO-RA3 PRO 4X180 that I used in my previous build. MO-RA is short for Monster Radiator and you can see why, it dwarfs the case of the PC:
Before I can use it I need to do some much overdue maintenance such as flushing out the old coolant and cleaning any debris that's collected in the fins of the radiator.
The fans of the radiator are SilverStone AP181 180mm which I'll be keeping but rewiring them to be controlled by the Aqua Computer D5 Next rather than an Aquaero that I've used in the past.
It's a bit minging between the fans and fins but not too bad considering it was 7 years ago when I last cleaned it.
Radiator fins cleaned and flushing out the old coolant by closing the loop and running the pump at 12V. I'll give the fins a proper clean with some compressed air later.
The old Aqua Computer Aqualis pump and reservoir (that is attached to the radiator in the image below) is to be replaced with an Utilitube 150 with a D5 Next pump controller. This means I don't have to run any comms or power cables back to the PC unless I want pump and fan speeds via USB, the D5 Next will be autonomous and powered by a separate 12Vdc PSU.
A few more things to do before I can connect the rad to the PC but almost there!
The radiator is a Watercool MO-RA3 PRO 4X180 that I used in my previous build. MO-RA is short for Monster Radiator and you can see why, it dwarfs the case of the PC:
Before I can use it I need to do some much overdue maintenance such as flushing out the old coolant and cleaning any debris that's collected in the fins of the radiator.
The fans of the radiator are SilverStone AP181 180mm which I'll be keeping but rewiring them to be controlled by the Aqua Computer D5 Next rather than an Aquaero that I've used in the past.
It's a bit minging between the fans and fins but not too bad considering it was 7 years ago when I last cleaned it.
Radiator fins cleaned and flushing out the old coolant by closing the loop and running the pump at 12V. I'll give the fins a proper clean with some compressed air later.
The old Aqua Computer Aqualis pump and reservoir (that is attached to the radiator in the image below) is to be replaced with an Utilitube 150 with a D5 Next pump controller. This means I don't have to run any comms or power cables back to the PC unless I want pump and fan speeds via USB, the D5 Next will be autonomous and powered by a separate 12Vdc PSU.
A few more things to do before I can connect the rad to the PC but almost there!
I think 10 years is actually how long that coolant has been in the radiator for the previous build!
I like to use the de-ionised water and a little bit of automotive anti-freeze to give it a bit of colour and as a final measure to kill any bacterial growth in the loop. Works for me!
I understand what you're saying but for my application it's makes a lot of sense.
By moving the heat and the fan noise from the PC on your desk to another location means you can have a small PC on your desk. You can cram in a lot more demanding hardware in to smaller footprint rather than having a giant monolith of a PC next to you. Sure, you can put your PC on the floor but I like to see my hardware as I appreciate the aesthetics of them. I also position the external radiator on my window sill so that I can exhaust the heat out the room thereby keeping the temperature of the room and the PC down.
The image below is titled, "Why you take so long hooman?!".
Well... it's a mixture of having the parts, having the time and encountering a few snags on the way!
I wasn't happy with the method of previously mounting the Aqua Computer Aqualis reservoir/pump and mounting the new Utilitube would give the same problems. I discovered that Watercool do a mounting bracket for the Mo-Ra3 which was a good solution. So ordered that and modified it to suit the mounting of the Utilitube.
The screws holding the Aqua Computer supplied mount to the Mo-Ra3 bracket had to be shortened a little from what's shown below.
A much tidier mounting solution now.
I don't want any cables between the Mo-Ra3 and the PC itself if I can avoid it but the D5 Next of the Utilitube needs power. I decided power was to be supplied by an external power brick that supplies 5V and 12V both at 2A. This gave the challenge of mounting it to the Mo-Ra3 and routing the power cable.
Magnetic tape was the perfect solution.
At first I was concerned that the magnetic tape would cause the PSU to malfunction but it doesn't interfere at all.
The magnetic tape is surprisingly strong and holds the PSU firmly in place.
Took the feet off the Mo-Ra3 and drilled and cut a channel in each to route the power cable from the PSU to the D5 Next.
Wired the power cable to a SATA power connector as required for the D5 Next. You'll also notice I changed the fittings for the tubing to more modern and shiny ones.
With the Mo-Ra3 and the Utilitube plumbed in a loop with themselves, fans wired and power available I could fill with coolant and run it independent from the PC to get any air out of the radiator.
Then I ran in to a problem with the D5 Next and those damn fans...
Well... it's a mixture of having the parts, having the time and encountering a few snags on the way!
I wasn't happy with the method of previously mounting the Aqua Computer Aqualis reservoir/pump and mounting the new Utilitube would give the same problems. I discovered that Watercool do a mounting bracket for the Mo-Ra3 which was a good solution. So ordered that and modified it to suit the mounting of the Utilitube.
The screws holding the Aqua Computer supplied mount to the Mo-Ra3 bracket had to be shortened a little from what's shown below.
A much tidier mounting solution now.
I don't want any cables between the Mo-Ra3 and the PC itself if I can avoid it but the D5 Next of the Utilitube needs power. I decided power was to be supplied by an external power brick that supplies 5V and 12V both at 2A. This gave the challenge of mounting it to the Mo-Ra3 and routing the power cable.
Magnetic tape was the perfect solution
.At first I was concerned that the magnetic tape would cause the PSU to malfunction but it doesn't interfere at all.
The magnetic tape is surprisingly strong and holds the PSU firmly in place.
Took the feet off the Mo-Ra3 and drilled and cut a channel in each to route the power cable from the PSU to the D5 Next.
Wired the power cable to a SATA power connector as required for the D5 Next. You'll also notice I changed the fittings for the tubing to more modern and shiny ones.
With the Mo-Ra3 and the Utilitube plumbed in a loop with themselves, fans wired and power available I could fill with coolant and run it independent from the PC to get any air out of the radiator.
Then I ran in to a problem with the D5 Next and those damn fans...
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looks good mate. I really like the Mo-Ra3 and how you have tidied the cables
Thanks, it was a particular aim with this build
.On to the problem with the D5 Next and the SilverStone AP181 fans that are mounted to the radiator. Long story cut short - the D5 Next can only control the speed of PWM fans and the AP181 are (you guessed it!) not PWM fans. Bugger.
The longer story - When the D5 Next first turned on all was great - the pump works as intended, it's reading the temperature of the coolant and the fans were spinning, albeit at full chat. Adjusted the speed of the pump just fine but the fans would only run at 100% or not at all when set to 0%. No matter much how I adjusted the power preset, temperature set point or configuring a curve controller, the fans would be running at max speed.
It says 5%, but it's not really!
The first clue, still being given almost full voltage when set to the above 5% power preset.
This wasn't a problem with my previous build as the fans were controlled by an Aquaero 6 XT, but that used voltage regulation to control the speed of the fans. The D5 Next has no voltage regulation for fan speed control and only utilises PWM control. I obviously wasn't aware of this, doh!
So I need new fans after all. It's slim pickings when it comes to 180mm fans (especially on OCUK) and intentionally avoiding the RGB variety I've decided on SilverStone AP184i PRO fans. Just when I thought I was done buying stuff for this build!
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Thanks, yes it is chrome coated copper tubing, the type that you can bend without it cracking.
The only problem I had with it were the fittings as they can be a bit loose. They don't leak, it's just that they can be a bit of a pain to position accurately and do sag a bit. If I ever do copper tubing again I'd look for better fittings.
I understand. I went through my itx phase and I went back to a bigger PC (o11 dynamic) but I still have media pc i nr200p. There is something about the small form factor that is appealing.
Depending on the size of your room I understand how taking heat away from the PC can be beneficial but will that not hit you back in the summer?