Huddys Post build log

Admiral Huddy · 20 Nov 2013 at 09:13

Sorry this is a post blog as I've been rather busy recently..I kept a journal and pictures but never got time to post.

Anyway, I never really liked my Xigmatek Elysium i bought last year. It's a little cheap looking and the build quality isn't that great so I decided some while back to replace it.

For a while, I though about replacing it completely with a smaller factor, possibly the Betfenix Prodigy, which in my opinion is a superb looking case, but a little restrictive and sicne i already have watercooling I'd thought id stick with the larger form for now. Anyway, after some deliberation I decided to go for the NZXT 810 Switch and go for a white theme.

As part of the upgrade, I've decided to replace my XSPC Dual 750 Bay Reservoir with a separate bay res and pump. I'm also replacing the Scythe Kaze Jyuni 120mm fans with GT 1850s.

Here's my shopping list

NZXT Switch 810 in White
XSPC D5 Vario Pump & EK-D5 X-TOP CSQ Plexi Combo
XSPC Dual 5.25” Bay Reservoir (Alu Front)
6 x Bitspower Connection 14 inch to 1611mm - Deluxe White
2 x Mayhems X1 UV Blue Premixed Watercooling Fluid 1L
NZXT Front Panel connections cable set 30cm sleeved - White
XSPC HighFlex Hose 716" ID, 58" OD, 15.911.1mm, 2m, White
3 x 120mm Skythe Gentle Typhoons 1850rpm for radiator

this adds to my existing system:

Intel Core i5-3570K 3.40GHz (Ivybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor (77W)
Ggabyte Z77X-UD3H Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard
Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C8 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit (BLTCP2G3D1608DT2TXRGCEU)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 Windforce 3X 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
EK-Supremacy - CPU Waterblock - Copper Plexi
Swiftech MCR320-QP-K Triple 120mm
Corsair HX 620W ATX2.2 Modular SLi compliant
Patriot Inferno 120GB 2.5" SATA-II Solid State Drive
Samsung Spinpoint T 500GB SATA-II
Zalman ZM-MFC1 Plus Black multi fan controller
Sony Optiarc AD-7280S 24x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter
Creative X-Fi Gamer Fatal1ty Pro
Microsoft Windows 7 - Home Premium (retail)

This is going to be a single loop for the CPU only at this stage. The 670 I have is non-reference and I'm thinking of replacing early next year anyway so seem senseless to break it down now if i'm to sell it on in a few month.

1 of 6 Bitspower G1/4 - 7/18 Compression fittings.. A bit expensive but very neat

XSPC D5 Vario Pump & EK-D5 X-TOP CSQ Plexi Combo

The chaps at OcUK fit the pump to the Plexi top do as part of their combo deal which works out a little cheaper than buying separate and saves me the bother..

XSPC Bay res

Admiral Huddy · 20 Nov 2013 at 09:17

Here's the planned cooling diagram:

I've decided to go for an exhaust option by pulling the air through the radiator underneath. The 3 scythe GTs can be placed and hidden in a neat concealed area at the top of the case. You’ll notice I've turned the rear 140mm inwards so that the radiator receives cooler air whist trying to reduce the pressure inside the case. So I have 3 fans blowing air in, and 3 fans blowing air out through the roof.. Seems logical to me.

Into the workshop then :

Side off and first look inside.. Good first impressions. Plenty of cable holes.

Plenty of drive space but i won't be needing the bottom caddy so that can come out later.

14cm Stock fans pre installed in the rear and the roof. The coincidentally the system could take 3 x 14cm fans and there's no mesh either so the fans have free open space to do their stuff. Bonus as I was prepared t get the drimmel out here.

This is the area at the top I was mentioning so a quick "try for size " to see if the Scythe GTs can be concealed easily withing the compartment.

Admiral Huddy · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:21

Quick look at the front before i take that apart.

The front bezel does look and feel a bit cheap and plastic looking compared to the rest of the case but I'm prepared to lie with that...

Ok let's take the back panel off.

Pleanty of space to hit all the cables cables later.

Time to get rid of the bottom drive bay then.. Slips out easily enough.

I don't like leaving my HDDs and SSD hangoing around so I'll get these in place. Note the drives are concealed round the back. What a great idea! The caddy also support SSDs without an 2.5" adopter tray. Simple but clever ideas.

Unlike some cases that boast "tool free" the 810 really is. Drives just slip nicely in.

Can't wait for affordable high capacity SSDs

Admiral Huddy · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:26

PSU is placed at the bottom and the ATX cables are going to be fed through that hole just to the rear.

Might as well get the motherboard in before I step on it. You can see where I fed the ATX cables..

The Dual Bay res goes into place. XSPC have at last put gully's into the sides of their bay reservoirs which means you don't have to bend the drive bay supports in. About time!!

Admiral Huddy · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:28

Here's a side taks, I'm wanting the radiator frame white.

I've not sprayed anything since my Austin Alegro days so this'll be interesting..

Preparing the radiator, masking off the fins.

I have placed some old barbs to suspend the radiator in a spary box

Applying the primer during the course of the day in small amounts then leave overnight ready for first coat of gloss white.

Admiral Huddy · 21 Nov 2013 at 12:29

Meanwhile.. time to clean the Ek Supremacy. I'm also going to change the jet to the 2011 plate as i've red this now ships as default and is an improvement.

You can see the dirt in the fine fins..Time for a wash with an old tooth brush and de ionised water..

All cleaned and new bitspower connections fitted

Admiral Huddy · 9 Dec 2013 at 14:58

Thanks

Ok so this is where I left things last

Let's get on with attaching the pump base to the Shoggy sound dampener

then the pump with the Bitfenix 60 rotation and compression fitting.

Admiral Huddy · 9 Dec 2013 at 15:01

Ok first little problem. I wanted the pump on the bottom but there's a wacking great gap in the bottom which hosts a dual fan or rad. Although very nice, it doesn't help me.

:?

Solution : A sheet of Perspex from hobby craft and as luck has it, it's a perfect fit

I drilled through aligning fan holes to attach the Perspex plate, then two more holes for the Shoggy/Pump base.

I guess another benefit is to keep the air flowing inwards rather than than down to the floor.

Admiral Huddy · 9 Dec 2013 at 15:04

Ok back the radiator.. Finally, putting the final coats but I did get a slight run on the very last coat ( i got a bit excited

). Anyway, I needed to let it cure for a few days before sanding down with wet n dry and applying a new coat.. Oh well.

Again sorry about the quality of the pictures..

Let's get it in

Not without a few problems though. The standard 3M 30mm screws aren't quite long enough to go through fan casing, the chassis and in to the radiator holes. It took me an afternoon to find someone that sells 35mm versions and over a week to deliver..

Still they arrived in the end.

Admiral Huddy · 9 Dec 2013 at 15:08

After a flush through.. The radiator is fitted on the underside of the roof fans..

Here's the top fan enclosure

Wiring the fan controller is always a pain the ****.

Admiral Huddy · 10 Dec 2013 at 13:04

I quite like it to be honest. I did contact a few companies that supply either a 3mm or 5mm think white perspex. but they were around £3.95 plus £20 shipping.. No ta.

Admiral Huddy · 10 Dec 2013 at 13:06

I love connecting the tubing.. Quite satisfying when it all comes together.

nearly there

fill her up please

Here the loop is on a 24 hour leak test. I've attaché the pump to a spare PSU and hot wired the ATX connectors.

I'd love to cover the black motherboard tray holes with some white perspex.. A little project for later perhaps.

Admiral Huddy · 11 Dec 2013 at 12:39

thanks buddy

Roady said:
Looking good!

More cables to sleeve? Thinking CPU 12v connectors being quite visible with no fans above! (I have the same issue as had to mount my top fans externally)

Absolutely. I thought i could add these later tbh. I've ordered a piece of persex to cover the motherboard tray. I've got some time off over Christmas to give it a go.

Time to connect the pump to the systems PSU and sort out some cable management:

Fire her up for the first time..

I've stressed the system for a few hour using Prime keep watch on the temps. On 100% load, the CPU never went over 51 Celsius. That's a workshop monitor before anyone asks

The stock fans that come with the case are a bit noisy compared to the 1850GTs so may replace these later.. I just needed to get things up and running again.

Some final pictures to follow

Admiral Huddy · 11 Dec 2013 at 16:42

There's plenty of companies on-line who make to measure quite cheaply.. It's their postal changes that are eye bleeding.