Build log (first forum post)

phate1337

phate1337

phate1337

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Joined
11 Mar 2014
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454
Tight fit build

Hi guys and gals.

My first forum post is going to be my new build log and I decided to get all of the below and try to squeeze it together!

list of parts:
Case: NZXT H440 Black/Red
Processor: Intel i5 4670k
MoBo: MSI Z87-GD65
RAM: Kingston HyperX Beast 2400mhz 8GB (2x4GB)
Primary drive: Sandisk Ultra Plus 256GB
Storage drive: Samsung 1TB 2.5" hdd
GPU: MSI reference 290x x2
PSU: XFX Pro 750 watt modular (might upgrade to corsair ax860)

watercooling (this may take a while):
CPU: Koolance 380i
GPU: Aquacomputer KyroGraphics Hawaii Nickel/black smoked plexi with active XCS backplate x2
Fittings: Aquacomputer straight, 45 degree and 90 degree fittings:
Pump: Laing D5 Vario
Pump top: EK D5 X-top CSQ
Reservoir: Phobya 150mm balancer matte black
Tubing: 3/8" ID 1/2" OD Masterkleer clear
Coolant: EK Blood red
Radiators: 360mm Alphacool NexXxos ST30, 360mm Alphacool NexXxos UT60
Fans: 10x Phobya NB E-loop 1600rpm
others: 360mm XSPC gasket (x2), fan extender cables (misc)

i think that is it for now...
I will be adding pictures and anything else i add to it when i get my case (c'mon NZXT, what's the holdup?)

Gallery:
http://imgur.com/a/XZBZO

Adam
 
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not going to use one at all. will dial them all down to 7v and have them run at a constant speed. with those rads will do more than an adequate job and if i really need to up to cooling for any reason i can just turn the pump up. gotta love the vario ;)

also, in honesty, i am not a massive fan of the black one either. but the plain nickel ones are sold out EVERYWHERE and apparently they were quite a limited run, further runs will depend on how well they sold, so it could be a month or more before they are available anywhere. the backplate on this thing is the main reason i went with AC tbh. absolute magic!
 
well here we go... just got myself another 290x so now it will be a stunning xfire build! also managed to snag another active xcs backplate and a nickel/black GPU block! (yeah, rare as they are I found some muhahahaha). only thing left now is that damned case :( OCUK say they will likely be in towards the end of this month. also, they are released, but no EU stock at this point in time :(

ALL ABOARD THE CRAZY TRAIN!!!
 
i will give you many of the component pile when i get my case, 2nd block, card (waiting for blocks to come in, have it reserved for me @ £369.99 though!) and backplate delivered (the backplate i know is 100% in stock, but the gpu block they only had one listed in stock, so i need to get confirmation that it is really there and functional). c'mon NZXT and AquaComputer...
 
oh also, for anyone interested in mining with 290x cards, i am achieving a constant and stable 990kh/s with it. settings:
Stock BIOS
MSI AB - +25mv, +40% power, 1040 core, 1500 memory, fan fixed at 75% (start your miner with the default speeds and once your hashrate gets over 500, activate this profile or it causes crashes and lagging)
cgminer.bat file contents - cgminer --scrypt -o stratum+tcp://eu.clevermining.com:3333 -u 1Pr5tcFRsKbF1GgZaZ5VrqzTQ3wjhiCwos -p anything -I 20 --thread-concurrency 32760 -w 512 -g1 --gpu-powertune 40 --no-adl --no-submit-stale
(bitcoin address is in there if you fancy donating anything to the cause or if these settings help you up your hashrate ;))
oh and this is with the stock cooler, temps with front of case closed (cm silencio 550) 84 degrees, temps with front of case open 76 degrees (soundproofing is a heat trap :()
 
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well i have been advised by an anonymous party that the black/red H440 should be with me on the 1st of April. might take me a while to assemble though as I have to fit it around my working schedule (yeah, this is my work rig!)
 
so, I have fitted the vast majority or my bits and pieces. all radiators and fans are in, mobo cpu ram GPUs (with waterblocks fitted) and have found that i will have to do a fair bit of "re-jigging" to get it all to sit happily. also need to buy a crystal link kit and another couple of angled fittings. trying to squeeze a reservoir and two gpus in this case is not easy! already had to mod the case slightly to seat the pump somewhere efficient! pics are on phone, so will have to transfer it all over. Away for a long weekend and booked up until at least next wednesday with work so will resume when i am able to :(
 
Well it's not much, nothing great and pictures were taken on my phone. Completely forgot to take overall and progressive shots but there are a couple of pics in there you may laugh at or share my dismay as I discovered the issues! Decent pic of stripped case and also a good shot of how and where I mounted my D5.
http://imgur.com/a/XZBZO
 
Updates!
iRLHpS0.jpg
oYHXzp5.jpg
Currently leak testing overnight! Might grab a new psu as the 750 probs won't be powerful enough to handle the 290xs with overclocks. Any thoughts on the ax860?
 
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After testing, the xfx 750 pro xxx edition is powerful enough to handle the 290xs with overclocks and also a 4670k at 4.6ghz happily. Now I am looking for some white led lighting to go at the top and possibly the bottom of the case. I will most likely solder them into the loop along with the rear and NZXT logo lighting. Looking for something that will give an overall glow instead of heavy bright spots. Any suggestions for or against any particular ones?

Many thanks!
 
I have ordered some heat wraqp now to remould around the front cover once i have drilled out the 117mm bore holes for the fans and also ordered myself a lamptron flexlight 30cm white led strip that i will be wiring into the lighting switch! might mod myself a detachable slimline connector for ease of removal too :) pics to follow...
 
Jackboo89 said:
Nice build best part of 2k i bet ,what you going to use it for
Click to expand...

was going to be for gaming, but i recently stopped playing WoW and CoD so nothing left for me to play atm. not sure what to do with it long term. For now it just sits there and mines (and look pretty darn sexy on my office desk xD)

yeah, built it for running at work where power is free ;)
 
there or not there. not quite sure yet... after removing the insulating foam from the front panel, i have gone from 70 degrees on gpus full load to around 60, but i know that with better ventilation they will drop to under 50 degrees (considering they run at full load 24/7, i'm just not too sure on what to do! I do however, have a picture for you! crap quality phone shot yet again, but it's all i can do atm :(
YAD8egZ.jpg
 
so, let's start on that front panel... now spacing for the fan holes is a tad tricky as the fans centre's arent flush to the front, making it hard to measure accurately. lets take a look shall we?
0hF3uPkl.jpg
can't beat the old rub-a-pic!
zj8fb3xl.jpg
got rid of that insulating foam and made something i can draw on!
CgKdPlPl.jpg
what that panels looks like with the metal cover off.
9P2FHGvl.jpg
metal panel on it's own!
cQ4gyccl.jpg
template.
B8xFqCgl.jpg
all lined up!
jTuxbNRl.jpg
marked on the sheet.

next up i drilled those holes out with a 6.5mm pilot bit and popped it back on to make sure the holes lined up corrently (no pic, but it did!)
e1C6MIvl.jpg
my cutting tool of choice. unfortunately i don't have access to a pillar drill so hand drill it is. this will make it slow going and time consuming, but needs must! must say though, the Stanley 419 cutter is one hell of a hard ass piece of kit! (good luck finding one, this one is 5th hand in the family haha!)

hopefully i will have the holes cut for tomorrow and be able to give you guys some more pics!
 
WalderX said:
When i first saw that pic I instantly thought of HAL 9000 from 2001:
b4Bh8VTl.jpg

A few more additions and you will be there!
Click to expand...

haha yeah ikr? i have some phobya 120mm plexi fan shrouds on order to go inbetween the front cover and the fans to fill the gap and am going to heatwrap insides of them. should look good when i am done (i hope!)
 
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Brian18741 said:
Nice hole man! :p

Seriously though, it looks very good. It's hard to see in the pic, did you need to do much filing or painting to get such a nice finish to it?
Click to expand...

None whatsoever for the first hole. Cutter is getting a tad blunt now unfortunately so I will have to be doing some filing when I am finished with the last hole. Paint won't be an issue just keep eyes on this thread xD
 
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