Not necessarily a project but a generic build replacing my old Lian Li Mini with a more decent sized case and updated parts.
I originally planned to use an Asus X670 Hero due to it being feature rich and more importantly retaining the ATX format, or the Asrock B650e Taichi, as i also planned on integrating 3x 60mm thick radiators into the case. This was important as i already had the radiators at hand and were not cheap... however was offered an MSI X670e Ace at a good price off @kindai, which threw a spanner in the works due to the massive heatsinks and the placement of them.
Sure with the hardware being used, the watercooling is overkill, but helps with future upgrades especially with the 9800X3D and potential RTX5090, but will wait for reviews on those before being tempted to migrate once again.
Hardware used:
Lian Li O11D Evo XL in Black
7800X3D Delidded
2x 32Gb GSkill Neo Memory
Antec HCG 1200w Pro Platinum PSU
nvidia RTX3080FE
2x WD SN850 2Tb NVME sticks
2x Sabrent 2Tb NVME Sticks
EK Loop Vertical GPU Mount
Cooling:
Assortment of Barrow Fittings (due to impulsive buying and designing a loop in my head, probably spent over £500 on fittings
)
Thermal Grizzly DD CPU Block
Alphacool Core1 CPU Block (Backup should i move to 9800X3D)
EK Quantum Vector 3080 FE GPU Block
3x HardwareLabs GTX420 radiators
Alphacool 120mm Flat Reservoir
Alphacool VP655T D5
Bykski 14mm Frosted Tubing
12x Phanteks 140mm D30 (9 in reverse)
Aquacomputer Octo
Aquacomputer Fabwerk
Aquacomputer High Flow LT
Barrow Inline Kepler Filter
I don't have full step by step pictures but this is how the build originally looked, and when i received the MSI Ace, i was no longer able to fit the GTX420 above due to clearance, thus i purchased a GTS420 which was around 30mm thick. Turns out, this was not needed as i could shave off the clip holding the EPS connectors in place... albeit super tight.
Having it built this way, i could confirm the CPU/CPU block was running correctly, and readjust accordingly, else once i go back to hardline, bleeding and filly would be painful if the CPU block was not making sufficient contact with the CPU die itself.
This is how it looks now before i dismantle again due to flow issues.. this is probably because the Alphacool Reservoir is unable to handle the flow being mounted sideways, or potentially have an airlock which i can't get rid of... no matter how much tilting i do.
Having said that, one gripe i had with the case, i wish the top and bottom stand clips were in metal rather than plastic. Due to the amounht of tilting i did, i managed to snap those clips, and now the stand slides off. Whilst the stand is help by a clip and a set of 4 screws, the screws can only handle so much weight that it doesn't help in this case, so a call to Lian Li for replacement parts is needed.
Next update will show the redesigned loop with the Alphacool Reservoir in it's default position, and confirm flow is back to normal. I was also tempted to use Satin Black tubing for something different, but with these issues presenting itself, will change again once i'm comfortable.
I originally planned to use an Asus X670 Hero due to it being feature rich and more importantly retaining the ATX format, or the Asrock B650e Taichi, as i also planned on integrating 3x 60mm thick radiators into the case. This was important as i already had the radiators at hand and were not cheap... however was offered an MSI X670e Ace at a good price off @kindai, which threw a spanner in the works due to the massive heatsinks and the placement of them.
Sure with the hardware being used, the watercooling is overkill, but helps with future upgrades especially with the 9800X3D and potential RTX5090, but will wait for reviews on those before being tempted to migrate once again.
Hardware used:
Lian Li O11D Evo XL in Black
7800X3D Delidded
2x 32Gb GSkill Neo Memory
Antec HCG 1200w Pro Platinum PSU
nvidia RTX3080FE
2x WD SN850 2Tb NVME sticks
2x Sabrent 2Tb NVME Sticks
EK Loop Vertical GPU Mount
Cooling:
Assortment of Barrow Fittings (due to impulsive buying and designing a loop in my head, probably spent over £500 on fittings
)Thermal Grizzly DD CPU Block
Alphacool Core1 CPU Block (Backup should i move to 9800X3D)
EK Quantum Vector 3080 FE GPU Block
3x HardwareLabs GTX420 radiators
Alphacool 120mm Flat Reservoir
Alphacool VP655T D5
Bykski 14mm Frosted Tubing
12x Phanteks 140mm D30 (9 in reverse)
Aquacomputer Octo
Aquacomputer Fabwerk
Aquacomputer High Flow LT
Barrow Inline Kepler Filter
I don't have full step by step pictures but this is how the build originally looked, and when i received the MSI Ace, i was no longer able to fit the GTX420 above due to clearance, thus i purchased a GTS420 which was around 30mm thick. Turns out, this was not needed as i could shave off the clip holding the EPS connectors in place... albeit super tight.
Having it built this way, i could confirm the CPU/CPU block was running correctly, and readjust accordingly, else once i go back to hardline, bleeding and filly would be painful if the CPU block was not making sufficient contact with the CPU die itself.
This is how it looks now before i dismantle again due to flow issues.. this is probably because the Alphacool Reservoir is unable to handle the flow being mounted sideways, or potentially have an airlock which i can't get rid of... no matter how much tilting i do.
Having said that, one gripe i had with the case, i wish the top and bottom stand clips were in metal rather than plastic. Due to the amounht of tilting i did, i managed to snap those clips, and now the stand slides off. Whilst the stand is help by a clip and a set of 4 screws, the screws can only handle so much weight that it doesn't help in this case, so a call to Lian Li for replacement parts is needed.
Next update will show the redesigned loop with the Alphacool Reservoir in it's default position, and confirm flow is back to normal. I was also tempted to use Satin Black tubing for something different, but with these issues presenting itself, will change again once i'm comfortable.
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