CM 690 First time water cool

max51 · 4 Jul 2011 at 19:52

Hi all as promised a build log for my air and watercooled pc, to a cpu gpu watercooled loop. The case i am using is the CM690 II Advanced case.
Hope this helps other people out with there CM cases.
As this is my first time to use watercooling please bare with me and any questions and advice would be appreciated.
Here is what i am cooling with my loop.
AMD 1090T Hex core cpu
Dual 6950's (Bios flashed to 6970) in Xfire

Case before anything removed, apart from some cable ties to mesure and check spaces for rads and res.

max51 · 4 Jul 2011 at 20:06

Some parts i have recived before i started this thread. What i have so far.
EK Supreme HF CPU block
Alphacool VPP655 pump only
XSPC Dual 5.25" bay res for the D5 pump
XSPC Rads, 1 RS240 for the top. 1 RX240 for the bottom
Masterkleer uv blue tubing
Mayhems X1 premix fluid.

Also i have recived a nice clear side panel for the case, to show it all of when finished

max51 · 4 Jul 2011 at 20:10

KiiYzOo said:
nice n' toasty top 6950
nice rig though

Yes they do get very toasty, one of them hit 92c.Thats what made me think about other cooling options. So here i am having a go at watercooling.

max51 · 4 Jul 2011 at 21:14

First thing first. time to start removing parts and get ready for install.
The first thing i took apart was the bottom drive bays. In the CM 690 i had to remove all the HDD's and the trays first, then lay the case on its back, remove dust filter. Underneath there is four screws to remove, once removed stand case back up and there are three more screws in the back, then the two sides just pull forward slightly and pull out.

The next thing i have removed is the dvd drives and card reader to make way for the res and a fan controller. I will have to leave one of the dvd drives out and also the card reader. i have an external card reader anyway.

max51 · 4 Jul 2011 at 21:17

-=Vect0r=- said:
Good luck! What GPU blocks have you got in your sights?

The GPU blocks i would like are the HK Full cover blocks copper and clear the same as the CPU Block.

max51 · 5 Jul 2011 at 17:02

Hi all, the next task i thought i would do is to remove the GPU's and get them stripped cleaned and ready for the waterblocks, which i have on order ( HK FC6970 Full cover; copper plexi ) to match my CPU block.

GPU's ready

max51 · 5 Jul 2011 at 17:12

Now i am ready to remove the CPU cooler and get the cpu cleaned and rady for the new block.

Cooler removed, thanks to the hole in the motherboard tray replacing the back plate on the mobo was a breeze. Which made the fitting of the new block an easy task to do.

GPU block in place and looking good. Even a facility on that block to put LED's but with my tracers beside it i thought i would not need.

max51 · 5 Jul 2011 at 17:27

Now for the placement of the rads and res. The top rad went in easy. for there i used the XSPC RS240 with 2 120mm Bitfenixfans under the top cowl.

The bottom rad though was a bit more of a problem and the XSPC RX240 that i used was a very snug fit, with the same 120mm Bitfenix fans underneath. The fitting end of the rad had to go to the front of the case, where the 140mm fan had to be replaced with a 120mm fan and a home made harness for it to lift clear of the fittings.

Now it is fitted it looks good.

max51 · 5 Jul 2011 at 17:29

Shayper said:
Nice mate

When it's finished, mind if I link it in to my watercooling guide? Would be a good example

No i do not mind at all. Please feel free to link to your guide. And thanks.

max51 · 5 Jul 2011 at 22:59

Shayper said:
Cheers a lot mate

The guide link is at the bottom of my sig

No probs. I have had a read of your link , some typing on an i phone must have taken some time to do.
Good link though and an intresting read.

max51 · 5 Jul 2011 at 23:04

Everything on hold now for a couple of days. Waiting for the rest of the parts to arrive and back to work, waiting on the GPU blocks and fittings. as soon as they arrive i will update.

max51 · 7 Jul 2011 at 09:42

Update, new parts turning up today. GPU blocks and all the fittings.
As for the cables it does need a lot of planning as the back looks like a birds nest at the moment

max51 · 8 Jul 2011 at 00:14

At last the rest of my parts have turned up.

Anti kink coils
Lamptron fan controller.
Lamptron spectral bar (blue)
EK FC-6970 water block's.
EK FC-6970 Nickel back plates
EK compression fittings
Xigmatek 120mm clear fans (blue LED)

max51 · 10 Jul 2011 at 21:16

Hi all, i have had chance to do a little more to my project. To tackle the GPU's and fit the water blocks on them, a task that needed quite a lot of care and attention. To make sure you have the right thickness and right size thermal pads fitted to the right places. but for my first attempt i am very happy with the look and the outcome of them.
See the pics of them below and the first one installed in my build with the first bit of tubing connected to the top rad and CPU.

Block fitted.

Backplate fitted

The first one in place.
The next GPU i will take some pictures of the placement of the thermal pads to help others.
Sorry about some of the pics, as i have a slightly tempramental camara, i think i will have to invest in a new one at some point

max51 · 10 Jul 2011 at 22:40

Second GPU. Thermal pads fitted and standoffs fitted to the block.

max51 · 10 Jul 2011 at 23:55

Second GPU complete.

GPU's installed.

Now to sort the rest of the tubing and and some cable managment.

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 12:14

Update, connected all the tubing to the blocks and res with loads of kitchen roll

Ready to leak test.

Ran the system all day and and i must admit i had one small leak

soon fixed though.
Once i had checked for any more leaks and got all of the air out, i am very impressed with the Alphacool D5 pump and the XSPC bay res. Peace at last

Apart from a slight background hum it is almost silent.

Now time to start to organise the cables. A bit of a task ahead

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 12:20

Cables out of the way as best i can, still needs little work at some point but looking good so far. glad i put the big rad at the bottom, room to hide lots of the cables. And to put the back on was a bit of a squeeze.

Hard work trying to hide all of them.

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 12:27

Almost there, time to put the front and side on.

Now time to check everything over and switch on. Fingers crossed !!
I will do the in the dark shots and the temp check later to check all is running well.

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 20:54

Thanks guys,
The last few cables i will be braiding as soon as the braid i have on order comes back into stock, then will add the last finishing touches.