My Watercooled Lian-Li SR-2 slow build!

coolamasta · 15 Mar 2011 at 15:03

Hey all,

Have just started my slow EVGA SR-2 build, I decided to mod an old case I already had instead of just buying a new one that will take the SR-2 mainly because its cheaper but also a lot more fun as well! Its going to be a slow build as the Xeon CPU's are so damn expensive!!

The case is Question is a Lian-Li PC-70 which I've had a good 5-6 years, its had various builds inside of it, it was up for sale for a while but now im determined to get this huuuuge SR-2 installed into it with decent water cooling, its going to be my home server which will be used for video crunching and folding@home as im aiming to get the CPU's over clocked to 4.2ghz but will be happy with 4.0ghz if they aren't very over-clocker friendly

Hardware planning to go in so far:

EVGA Classified SR-2 Motherboard (GOT)
Dual Intel Xeon X5650 CPU's (NEED)
12 GB (6 x 2GB) OCZ 1600mhz DDR-3 RAM (GOT)
CoolerMaster Ultimate UCP 900w PSU (GOT)
Not decided on GPU(s) yet (NEED)
2 x 2GB WD & 2 x 500GB WD Raid Edition HDD's (GOT 2)
EK Full chipset and VRM waterblock (NEED)
Pair of Swiftech Apogee XT CPU water blocks (GOT)
EK "spin" reservoir (GOT)
Swiftech 18w DDC pump (maybe using 2 x 18w DDC's yet depending on flow) (GOT 1)
4x120 Phobya rad & hopefully another Phobya 2x120 rad (NEED)
1/2 piping and compression fittings throughout (GOT)

The Lian-Li PC-70 Case

SR-2 Board too big to fit in standard form

All Rivets drilled out and case partly dismantled

SR-2 bolted to the tray, hmm fair bit of overhang!!

SR-2 and tray put into position it will have to be installed

That's it so far, need to buy in some aluminium and make a new rear panel to fix the motherboard tray too then look at getting a 4x120 radiator in the top then see where I can get other radiators fitted

Much more to come!......

gary996 · 15 Mar 2011 at 15:36

I like it. Good to see an old case being used. Powder coating??

alex2k10 · 15 Mar 2011 at 20:01

Well this looks very adventurous indeed good luck with i hope you can make it work as i have a felling it will look awsum.

coolamasta · 15 Mar 2011 at 22:03

Cheers, not sure whether to powder coat or spray it at the moment, might even vinyl wrap it, for now I just want to get all the hardware I want mounted in and then decide how to finish it off

neil_g · 15 Mar 2011 at 22:19

i wish people would stop doing these SR-2 builds.. its provoking my credit card

looking forward to watching this progress

coolamasta · 30 Mar 2011 at 17:07

Not a lot more progress on the case unfortunately as im still thinking about what to do, I have an idea now and need to draw it out to scale as I have a mate who might be able to make me a new rear panel for the case on a 'hydro-jet' coooool! :cool:

If that works out then I may try and get him to do a new front as well!

On the plus side I have sold an arm and a leg (well thats not really a plus lol) but now got a pair of hex-core x5650 Xeon CPU's, 12GB (6 x 2GB) OCZ DDR-3 1600mhz and 2 x Swiftech Apogee XT water blocks, currently all fitted and running on my test bench quite happily!

After an initial burn-in and stress test the Xeons are now running @ 4.2ghz (2.66ghz standard) on water and im quite surprised how little Vcore I needed to get them stable (1.27v) and any of the 12 cores have yet to go over 60 degrees on just a triple 120 rad, I am planning a quad and dual rad in the case so all looks promising temp wise

Heres a few more teaser pics, plenty more to come...

Ewanb75 · 30 Mar 2011 at 17:21

Veeery nice, what grafx are you going to use. Will it play crysis (sorry)

Boff_in · 30 Mar 2011 at 18:37

Good luck with this! My hat off to you!

coolamasta · 20 Apr 2011 at 10:06

Ewanb75 said:
Veeery nice, what grafx are you going to use. Will it play crysis (sorry)

Unfortunately it wont have any power GPU's in at this stage, just a lowly ATI x300 so I have a display, this is being used for my home server for data crunching and also the folding@home project

No mega updates at the moment as I have just been really busy with other things recently but heres a couple of new pics, I've removed the back ready for a new rear panel and fitted my quad radiator grill in the roof.

I'm planning to mod the front from 2 x 80mm fans to 1 x 120mm next and its not going to be staying silver, im in 3 frames on minds at the moment whether to paint it, powder coat it or wrap it

I have ideas brewing so plenty more to come...

Biffa · 20 Apr 2011 at 12:17

Awesome +++

booyaka · 20 Apr 2011 at 14:29

very nice

mike gunnz · 21 Apr 2011 at 00:02

Gonna watch this with interest. Cant wait to see which and how many graphics cards you put in this.

TheCenturion · 21 Apr 2011 at 11:47

Very nice

coolamasta · 11 May 2011 at 10:29

Not done much more im afraid people as been very busy with other things but I've got the motherboard tray in position now and bolted the board in to check I have suitable clearance, just need to start measuring up now to make a new rear panel and decide what im going to do with the front panel and if im going to window the side, I should really as its such a nice board to see in all its glory

PSU will be mounted on the bottom as opposed to on top like it was originally, there is enough gap to get a large quad rad in there which im planning soon (Triple EK in there at mo)

Plenty more to come.... (soon as I get time!) :cool:

Krony · 15 May 2011 at 21:36

Very interested in seeing this progress.

ClassicEnergy · 17 May 2011 at 17:49

You could do a lot more tidying up with the tubing. Invest in some bitspower rotary angle connectors.

Biffa · 17 May 2011 at 20:15

ClassicEnergy said:
You could do a lot more tidying up with the tubing. Invest in some bitspower rotary angle connectors.

Overpriced tat

coolamasta · 9 Oct 2011 at 00:26

Sorry guys I've been crap with this as I've just been too busy with work, house, the mrs etc lol but im back in the game now, I got a new rear piece cut to size which im about to mark and cut out for the motherboard tray, PSU and fans, also got me some 3M carbon fibre and basic matt black wrap as I have plans, just not sure what yet....

Spent a few hours today marking out the back plate and cut the PSU and motherboard tray out. Next I need to plate over the case floor, fit a 120mm in the front then sort a window out for the right side then once everything fits snug I can start wrapping etc, still a bit undecided on a few things though but heres a couple more pics

I also got some new bits and bobs coming so watch this space!

The white on the ali sheet is just the protective cover btw...

ng93 · 9 Oct 2011 at 17:28

I know it says slow in the title but damn

Looks a cool build, will definitely be watching this

lewis2701 · 9 Oct 2011 at 19:59

yeah it looks good.