My First Water Cooled Build

Kropsky

Kropsky

Kropsky

Associate
Joined
28 May 2012
Posts
145
So this is my first water cooled build project. In fact I've never built a PC before, just swapped bits out and upgraded. So it's a daunting task but one I hope will be interesting.

It centres around the STH10, so day one is all about assembling the thing. Here are some images...


DSC03453.jpg
[/IMG]

A big box.

DSC03454.jpg


Very well packaged at that.

DSC03455.jpg


Every single item, big or small, was packaged like this. Pretty impressive.

An overwhelming amount of stuff was in the box. Didn't know where to start. Instructions helped a lot.

DSC03456.jpg


Another angle

DSC03457.jpg


I started by joining the chassis compartment with upper and lower mid plates

DSC03459.jpg


This is what it looked like once both were attached. Couldn't work out how to join the pieces, and then realised the scres were countersunk for a reason...I'm an idiot.

DSC03458.jpg


Next up was to attach the rear chassis

DSC03461.jpg


And then the top and bottom chassis

DSC03462.jpg


DSC03463.jpg


Front chassis and cover was next, followed by I/0 panel.

DSC03467.jpg


DSC03466.jpg


Lovely design for SSD, HDD bays

DSC03472.jpg


Now the motherboard backplate. It was a little tricky since it slides out and I had to make sure it was all level. Nothing too stressy, just fiddly.

Closed...

DSC03475.jpg


And open...

DSC03476.jpg


Top cover goes on

DSC03478.jpg


All covers

DSC03481.jpg


Front door goes on

DSC03484.jpg


DSC03485.jpg


And protective film comes off

DSC03488.jpg
 
Last edited:
Tomorrow I'll crack on with mounting the rad mounts and the rads, as well as the fans.

I'll try and work out how to add tops to the pumps I bought.

Hardware arrives on Monday so it's a decent idea to get this stuff done now.

See you later.
 
Day Two: Fans and stuff

Today I put the wheels on the ST10. Good quality stuff.

DSC03495.jpg


I then cracked open the water cooling stuff I have got. I've pretty much got all of it - just waiting on EK water blocks for GPUs - I'm sure the royal mail will get them to me before the end of the year.

DSC03496.jpg


Started by laying out the front intake fans for the case

DSC03498.jpg


And then installed

DSC03499.jpg


DSC03500.jpg


Here's the 480 Black Ice Rad I'm putting in the top chamber.

DSC03501.jpg


Frame installed first

DSC03503.jpg


Fans installed and rad too.

DSC03506.jpg


DSC03508.jpg


Had a panic when I pushed a screw too far on a couple of occassions and bent the fins. I don't think it knackered the water channels but I will have to be very vigilant when leak testing later down the line.

Bottom chamber rad - 560 - up next. Using Pk3 Noise blockers. Had to take out one of the chassis fans to get the rad in - it's really quite large.

DSC03512.jpg


DSC03513.jpg


With these fans you get the rubbarised edging to help with vibration reduction. Since they are silent bearings I didn't bother, because even with the longer scres they provide with the fans, there's still enough screw to bugger up the fins on the rad. i played it safe and just installed with a shorter screw. Didn't bother with the fancy edging stuff.

DSC03514.jpg


Sorry about shaky focus. Hopefully you can make out the back of the case and the fans/rads in upper and lower chambers.

DSC03520.jpg


Last thing - I have not been able to attach the 560 rad to the frame. Here is a picture of it (sorry again for the rubbish quality). Any idea what screw length I would need? Can't find any around the home. Need to go out and get some. I need to make sure that I don't do the stupid thing I did before with the upper rad.

DSC03521.jpg
 
oo i was looking at that 480 rad, do they only make these rads in black? i mean it suits your build perfect but i want one in silver or bare alu :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom