Corsair Carbide 540 watercooled build

[alex_123_fra]

Hi all, just thought I'd put this up in the event anyone else is thinking of using this case.

I was on an Obsidian 650D but that would only fit a 240 rad at the top and a 200 at the front. I didn't want to go to ridiculously size cases like the 900D as I have no need for it so thought I'd try this as I was adding a second 780 and I wanted better cooling. I was particularly drawn to the posterior larger compartment which I wanted to house the pump and res and also for better cable management.

I have attached some initial phone pics below so apologies for the poor quality. The system has 2x XSPC Rads (AX240 top and AX360 front), 8 x SP 120s (HP version). Near silent at 1200 rpm using fan controllers. On testing the loop initially one of my XSPC angled fittings was leaking so I had to bleed and reconfigure the loop. I then added a bottom drain port.

The pump is an XSPC D5 with an EK top and 140 res by OCUK. It sits on top of the PSU at the back. The GPUs are in serial with my own connectors and hose rather than an EK bridge (this proved a nightmare to find for the spacing of my motherboard's 1 and 3 PCI-E slots (non standard size of 3+'')).

My new D5 seems a lot stronger than the one that came with my XSPC dual bay res/pump combo. Seem to be getting the same performance at setting 3/5 that I was getting in the old loop at 5/5. GPU temps at 28C idle and 35C at load. Will do some OCing of those and the CPU and post up some results at a later stage.

Overall I would say:

Pros:

• Well made case
• VERY good airflow in the anterior compartment
• Room for a 360 rad at the front and 240 at the top (although I had to modify some of the screw holes)
• Could fit another 240 at the bottom if you saw away the basal drive compartments
• Cheap!

Cons:

• If you want push/pull with the front and top rads, you will have to do away with the respective mesh grills (I did that for my 240 rad). This is unless your rads are ultra thin.
• No holes for external rads
• Dual bay pump/res combos are risky unless you are prepared to keep the case on its side
• Only 2 front drive bays which is an issue if you have lots of internal optical drives
• Very wide case

Spoiler

 

[alex_123_fra]

what case lighting did you use?

Just a single 60cm bitphenix alchemy white led strip along the left and bottom so far. Need to get some more to highlight some more specific parts.

 

[alex_123_fra]

Hi Mass, thanks. The left bay is accessible but the right isn't as I had to bend the holder to accomodate the 360 rad and connectors.

The loop order is pump > CPU > 240 rad > GPUs > 360 rad > pump.

Temps are excellent - 39C max on GPUs at load with 1200MHz core and CPU max 50 C at load at 4.5 Ghz.

 

[alex_123_fra]

Really good temps, i'm hitting over 80C on my 7970s and 75C on CPU. Which is why I'm going water.

What is the thickness of the two rads? I was going over another, same rad setup as you, 540 carbide build log and it seems you cant have fans on the 360 rads internally (as the 240 intrudes) but only externally. I believe the rad in that build is just over 35mm. And the 240 rad looks like 55/60mm.

My rads are XSPC AX versions so 40mm thickness (46 at ports) hence thinner but perform brilliantly. My 240 has push/pull fans. My 360 has pull fans internally. You can also fit 3x 120mm fans externally but you'd have to lose the case cover/dust filter.

 

[alex_123_fra]

Depends a bit on your board layout and whether you want push/pull. For my board (R4F), I couldn't fit anything thicker at the top unless I have the fans externally in pull only.

 

[alex_123_fra]

I think I understand now. You could have it in pull but internally too. Here show how he can have a thick rad with pull or push config.

So imagine you have just pull, and you had it on the roof of the case and a 50mm rad under it. In your pics, i see there is at least 10mm space between board and fans. I think thats right or i've got something wrong. Sorry bout all the ifs/buts im just trying to get an understanding of what I'd like

No worries, yes this is right. There is still a little space left below my fans (which are under the top rad) so you could probably squeeze a 50mm rad. My only worry with a thicker rad would be actually getting the CPU power connector in as it was a struggle even as it is now.

 

[alex_123_fra]

Sounds good.

The way I have configured my airflow (to minimise dust and create some positive pressure), I have the front 3 SP120s as intake, the rear SP120 as intake and the 4 x SP120s (in push/pull) at the top as exhausts.

 

[alex_123_fra]

alex_123_fra I really like your water-cooling build ,

Can i ask you a favour ? can you list me a exact water-cooling components what you got in this build ??
I have same case and 4930k, 2 780ti and planing water-cool them and i need to know what components i need .
I'm very new in water-cooling so that's why i ask for list , want to be make sure i got all parts i need . Thanks

Thanks Mario. The components are:

XSPC AX 240 rad
XSPC AX 360 rad
Primochil Primoflex 7/16-5/8 16/11mm tubing - clear
EK D5 Vario X-res 140 OCUK pump/res combo
Koolance 380i CPU block
A mix of XSPC and EK compression fittings to with the above tubing measurements. A few 90 degree and 45 degree XSPC fittings too and also some XSPC G 1/4 plugs
2x EK FC Titan waterblocks for the GTX780s
Mayhems UV purple pre-mixed fluid - 2 Litres
Koolance 1/4 thread drain valve

Nice build, loving the purple!! Clear pipes and purple coolant I assume?

Thanks Adam. Yes the tubing is clear and fluid is Mayhems UV purple. I think black would also look good and I may change to that in the next few weeks when I drain the loop as maintenance.

 

[alex_123_fra]

That is ace mate!

I got this case so I have options in the future, it's very spacious and I have also posted about modding the bottom to accomodate extra fans (not rad though). If it was propped up on larger corner feet it would be another airflow stream.

Good job.

Thanks Thont mate. Interesting re: extra fans on bottom. One of my SSDs is at the bottom left 3.5'' holder but the right one had to be removed. I tuck a second SSD at the "back" of the case which isn't ideal. Where do you put your drives?

I think that is the first purple coolant I have ever seen. Black would definitely look good, big fan of purple my self though

Thanks. Yes I love purple too. Started when I first saw a midnight purple GT-R R34.

 

[alex_123_fra]

Thanks for this OP - Just moving across from a 650D myself to a new (super cheap!) 540. Thankfully I ain't got a fancy gfx cards (waiting for something that can handle 1440p without breaking a sweat unlike the current range). Also contemplating going 8/12 core with the new haswell-e setups when available as I just can't take the fact my PS4 has more cores than my PC at mo lol

Look forward to what the 540 has to offer, currently got a 280mm Koolance rad (serves the cpu well enough for now) which I'll be sticking in the top.

Tricky bit is where to put my Aquaero 5 Pro unit - thinking of modding it into the windowed side panel or something as it's prob gunna look ridonkulus in the vertical bay...... any ideas? - I've seen one modded into the right side of the case but bloomin eck that was light years away from my modding capabilities (i.e. cut a hole and whack it in lol)

I'll give up my whole PC before I sell my AE5 again !

Well done zoomee. I dunno, I think the aquero would look pretty cool vertical. Both my fan controllers are like that and I'm kind of used to it now.

 

[alex_123_fra]

Fantastic build Alex and very clean. That case looks a monster

Cheers Greg

hmmmm, think I'l give it a shot first and see - problem is that the display layouts are all for a horizontal setup, which might look a tad wierd unless I stick to something like one of the temperature charts....should get it for this weekend hopefully.

Whenever friends / family visit and ask wtf is that next to my computer desk (650D with AE5) my wife says its a dehumidifier - hopefully with this 540 on display it should raise even more eyebrows lol.

Look forward to experimenting with AE5's ability to control LED's aswell -think it should work with a RGB strip if I can find one (or two) to light up the inside of the case.

How do you find the front USB3 ports to use? - I note my portable HDD doesn't have a long cable so can't see it reaching to the top of the case where I would want to plonk the drive itself..... Think I'll also miss the top HDD bay on the 650D - that proved quite useful - might have to try and keep the bottom bays free....

Zoomee, the front ports are ok for me. I have a Samsung storage HDD with a super short lead and it rests nicely on top of the case. Also have a USB blu-ray player next to it.

 

[alex_123_fra]

They're a lot smaller than they look, really really nice cases though.
Built a rig in one for my cousin (i'm also moving over to one this weekend) couple of design flaws, nothing major though

Yes Tonester agree. At the time I bought it, it cost £90ish new. Gone up in price since.

Nice build Alex

Cheers Scotty

 

[alex_123_fra]

Alex - care to start an **Official Carbide 540** thread in the cases section of this forum mate? - save having to re-answer questions, hopefully will join you over the weekend as my case is due for delivery tomorrow

Question I've got is around Hard disk drives - I'd like to install one SSD in the main compartment and chuck my 3.5" 2Tb Sammy F4 into the back compartment. Is there any airflow in there? - I can see the drive failing in there if theres not

No probs buddy. New thread started here in the case section:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18571413

Re: your question, there isn't any airflow in the rear compartment and in honesty I don't use any non-SSD drives any more (except external storage drives). You could mount a fan on the interior of the rear compartment rear grill. That would give access to power and you could use the rear plastic drive inserts included in the case to mount it. This would leave less space for a res and pump in that area. This is the area I mean:

 

[alex_123_fra]

Hey,

Are you not tempted to sit the case on its side to make your bays the right way up? S'how I've done mine as I has a reservoir in my 540 drive bays - didn't want to take the risk!

Yes that works well if you have a bay res/pump combo like the XSPC one. My res and pump are in the rear of the case as pictured and hence if I rest it on its side, there would be higher chance of leakage.

My bays house 2 fan controllers which I have to look at sideways to read the numbers but I'm used to it