A Window To Wales

[OJ46]

Yeah I wouldn't want to push it too high tbh, that was the reason for changing rads in the last one (was running mid 40's). Now I'm happy to keep it running mid - high 30's most of the time with GPU stressful games pushing just into the low 40's. Should leave plenty of headroom

That sounds like a rather expensive way of finding the weakest component, hope the coolant just dribbled out and didn't flood anything major!

Did look at the membranes and was planning on using them on this build, will probably order a couple of Barrow ones off the Bay.

 

[OJ46]

Haha oh dear, hope the motherboard and card both survived their swim

That's the one thing that worries me with coloured coolant, could cause one hell of a mess if it does ever make an escape from the loop... Does look good while it's in there though!

 

[OJ46]

And that's not the half of them, mid Wales will be tropical once this beast is up and running

Thanks, should have the actual case here next week to get some proper photos up

 

[OJ46]

So, how to solve a problem like Corsair? With lots of masking tape and a bit of paint!

All masked up and ready to go...

Was looking for something on FleaBay when I randomly stumbled upon this stuff. Worth the chance of ruining one fan if it doesn't work

Ooh, that's looking better! Shiny shiny glassy glassy

Not the best finish ever as it was rather rushed (partly as I wasn't expecting it to work, partly as I'm inpatient and partly as I didn't have much free time) but it ain't looking half bad

The reason I didn't have much time? Was the girlfriends birthday, so don't think spending all day ****ing about in the garage would have gone down too well! Time for the pub, then a chill with some Tui and a pizza

Couple of quick before & after shots. Really pleased with how it turned out and definitely liking the centre of the fan. Much better than the fugly sticker!

Wasn't 100% happy with it lit up (looked good, but not quite green enough...) so have just dabbed some of the paint onto each of the LED's. Will try it out once it has dried and post some images

EDIT: Should add it looks a lot 'glassier' IRL than the photo's show. Not sure why but the camera on my phone makes it look a lot more of a matt finish and far less transparent than it actually is.

 

[OJ46]

Not sure why but the green really doesn't show well in photo's. This looks waaaaay more green IRL, nothing like the bluish white it appears in the pics

Right, time to get off my arse and paint the second one!

 

[OJ46]

That's definitely the most accurate pic so you could be right on that one. Still no idea why green LEDs never look green when I photograph them though, always look more white / blue on my phone camera :/

Got proper lucky on the paint, was actually looking for paint to use on the GPU backplate and randomly stumbled across this stuff

 

[OJ46]

Remember when I was playing about with the old system it was the same. If I had a strip set to green a group would look greenish in pictures, but the ones either end that were at more of an angle to the camera would look completely white, even though IRL they were a very bright green :/

Oh well, as long as it looks good in the house the pictures can stay rubbish and you'll all have to take my word for it

 

[OJ46]

Ah cool, cheers mate will check it out

 

[OJ46]

Well it's fair to say today started well, then went down in into FFS mode pretty quickly.

First of all the good: Some new toys arrived from OcUK and they also collected a package after another balls up (sent me the same items twice... Never charged the second time but thought I'd do the right thing and return it )

Soooo, here's the new things!

2nd D5 for loop number two

Heatsink for the 1st Aquaero...

...Which also arrived

Only the 1 for now though as I'm skint

Messy.

Tidy

And last of all a white coupler for the Pastel Ice White loop

Should look a bit different to the usual layout. Can't wait to see whether it works and what it looks like filled.

Current plan is to have the coupler level with the CPU block for a straight return, leaving space beneath for Aquaero's etc... Hopefully... Possibly


Then we move onto the "OH FFS " moment... SPOILER ALERT!

Spoiler

Anyone spotting a theme here? If I hadn't seen the other Parvum builds on here I'd be getting nervous by now, thinking they'd never actually cut a case and were living it up in Spain with gullible fools keeping the bank account rolling... Oh well, it must be the end of the right week soon... Mustn't it?!

 

[OJ46]

Only thing that baffles me with Aqua Computer is their decision not to include items you actually need. Like why not include Aquabus cables? Personally I'd also include the heatsink with the Aquaero as it does look far tidier. If it also stops a few overheating well that's an added bonus and as you say, also stops the rear from being knocked & damaged.

Man I hate JR23 some days, just seeing what COULD be done then knowing when mines finished it's going to be like comparing Real Madrid to Accrington Stanley... Haha fair play though, he does make some seriously slick looking PC's and is a cracking advert for what Parvum can do

Ah, so that's why it still hasn't been cut, he's too busy sat in a tattooists chair getting new ink done!

Really am hoping it comes this week though. I still don't have any major components but would be good to build the case up just to see if a few of my ideas are actually workable and to start planning a few things in greater detail

 

[OJ46]

Not a bad idea that, but I'm quite lucky that this build should be pretty simple & straightforward when it comes to wiring. Should be front / top fans + pump 1 to Aquareo 1 and bottom fans + pump 2 to Aquaero 2, so all nice and easy

Still 50/50 on whether to add a Farbwerk again, it's pretty much down to whether I use an EL panel or a strip of LEDs in the attempt to create a lightbox... Was originally planning to go with an EL panel but I'm in 2 minds again now. Just wish the case would arrive so I could rush into things and stop changing my mind all the time

 

[OJ46]

Ah, I'd not even thought about that... Might have to buy a small cheap one just to check it out before hand if that's the route it's heading

Another idea was to cut a slot in the floor in the rear (PSU) side and drop an LED strip in, but again that's something that's going to have to be tried out before the Dremel gets spinning!

Not even going to comment on the Deep Purple reference...

 

[OJ46]

Was scanning through that build log earlier, definitely looks like the bloke to ask if I'm stuck!

Dear Parvum, I know you've already cut 95% of the case but.... Haha sure that would go down well
Not too worried about messing up that cut though as it will be hidden any way, so will definitely be revving up the ol' Dremel on that one! The other thing I looked at was using a load of singles LEDs, but I certainly wasn't planning on spending weeks wiring up RGB ones... Unless of course you're volunteering?!

At the moment I think a Farbwerk + a strip of LEDs might be winning, purely for the control it would give over the colour (want it to be ice white) and brightness. Will test it out on a small off-cut though before hacking the case about

 

[OJ46]

Got the normal ones in the current case and can't say as I'd noticed that, but then again there weren't sparks coming off mine

Still, probably the better option anyway just in case there is a spillage

 

[OJ46]

Just playing around with another new idea... <RolfHarrisVoice>Can ya tell what it is yet?</RolfHarrisVoice>

 

[OJ46]

Still massively out of proportion (banged up in couple of seconds on GIMP just to get a general idea...) but this is a bit more like the proper dimensions...

You're right on the GPU though, definitely sticking with the original plan on that one

And should have said in advance, first prize is the chance to solder me up a nice daisy chain of RGB LEDs

 

[OJ46]

Indeed, you can make as many as you want, will put the parts in the post tomorrow

When I said in a previous post I wanted the front part of the case to remain dark but the components to be lit up, I was really struggling to find a way of splitting it without it looking awful... This is the current plan! Thinking the point of the hexagon should be level(ish) with MoBo / end of the GPU, with the dragon painted on using red glass staining paint like the green used on the fans... Either genius or awful, not fully decided yet

 

[OJ46]

Sorry, never explained that at all well! It's for the light box floor, so only the rear 2/3rds, hexagon and dragon light up, keeping front section blacked out. Still playing around with ideas for behind the MoBo, but current thinking is green LEDs below the GPU and white above, both fairly dim to just give a slight glow...

You're determined to put me in a white room hugging myself aren't you lol sleeving PSU cables would be enough to test my patience to breaking point, so that would be at least 10 steps too far

 

[OJ46]

Oh ffs, stop giving me ideas or the missus is going to murder me!!

Yeah I can see why that would be an absolute nightmare, tons of heatshrink to do and resistors all over the shop, making things 10 times more awkward than they already were... Thanks for the kind offer but think I'll give it a miss for now, value what's left of my sanity far too much

Planning on buying some cables ready made to save on a bit of hassle, any recommendations? Found loads of different places using numerous different types of sleeving, but being a complete noob on these things I've got no idea which looks best or who makes decent quality cables. Still, guess anything will be a step up from the extensions I used last time

 

[OJ46]

Glad you mentioned Pexon as that's one of the sites I'd bookmarked along with Shakmods. By the sound of that then I'll definitely be going for the Paracord over the Teleios, not too keen on the plastic look so that's one decision made!

The problem with my colour choices is it has made it impossible to buy a complete set from somewhere like OcUK as I need the GPU cables to be completely different colours to the 24pin... Guess I'll be handing my wallet over to Pexon then