O11D XL Distroplate + FLT res build thread

[SS-89]

Given the popularity of this case and probably been done to death but wanted to do a build thread for my first ever custom loop more for my own records if nothing else!

This was supposed to be a 5950x X570 Dark Hero build but given the lack of availability and me becoming increasingly bored of waiting I've gone for a stopgap 10900k for now and will swap to Ryzen 6000 later this year. Coming from a 3700x/2080ti build so not a massive jump but more me wanting to go all in on my first w/c rig. Thanks to @Curlyriff and @pete910 for making me spend a fortune on WC equipment

Spec

• CPU: 10900k
• Mobo: MSI Unify Z490
• Ram: 64GB Gskill Trident Z Neo C16
• GPU: 3090 Founders Edition
• PSU: AX850 Titanium
• Case: O11D XL Aluminium ROG Certified

Watercooling Kit

• EK-Quantum Reflection PC-O11D XL D5 D-RGB Distribution Plate
  
• 1x EK PE360 Radiator and 1x EK XE360 radiator
• 7x Lian-Li 120 Black Unifans
• EK-Quantum Magnitude D-RGB CPU Block
• Bitspower 3090 Founders Edition Block + Vertical GPU mount
• EK FLT 360 D-RGB Reservoir
• EK Satin Titanium HDC fittings
• EK Satin Titanium 90 degree Rotary and Extenders fittings
• EK Cryofuel Mystic Fog coolant
• Acrylic Tubing

Still awaiting some parts from OCUK and from overseas suppliers but hoping should have everything in the next 7-10 days to start the build.


Already part installed some of the kit for testing and cable tidying (along with spare 960 as 3090 is in my current rig whilst I wait for parts)

 

[SS-89]

There's a reason it's been done to death... it's still a great looking/performing case .

True

I am also about to embark on an o11XL build, but I decided against the distro plate. I have a fairly new EK d5 pump + res combo and can't really justify the fairly massive cost for picking up a distro plate + pump for the case. I have an EK pump mount which I intend to use on one of the 120mm fans on the side intake, so it should look neat and tidy.

I am also waiting for 6800XT waterblocks to come back into stock and I have to pick up 9 new EK Varder ARGB fans which is going to cost a bit, so its going to be a spread out project! I look forward to pictures of this build, so I can finally decide on whether i need an Xflow radiator for the top or not .

Sound good! Yh biggest pain has been trying to get all the parts one due to stock issues and 2 due to brexit/delivery issues.

Welcome to the club! Such an easy case to watercool in and the district plate or a flat res works so well in it. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Cheers will be both in mine, Front distro plus side res, xe360 at the bottom and pe360 at the top.

Pic of the CPU Block and Distro plate which arrived yesterday, distro plate is pretty heavy even without liquid, case is going to weigh a ton once loop is filled

 

[SS-89]

I think the main issue I have with that distro plate is that it costs 50% more than the actual chassis does. I know its well made and looks exceedingly sexy but damn, its a lot of money!

Yh completely understandable I did balk initially but accepted I wanted it aesthetically and for the overall build so took the hit.

 

[SS-89]

So what's the reasoning behind a distro plate and then another res on top of that?

Aesthetics only

 

[SS-89]

Gpu block and fittings just turned up means I can finally start fitting the WC parts, just waiting on the flat res and drainage fittings to turn up to have everything in hand.

 

[SS-89]

So started putting stuff together over the weekend.

Front Distro plate (without front glass panel which will go back on):


Bottom XE360 Rad and Lian li fans:


And started doing some practice bends last night. My first attempt was utterly awful 2nd attempt slightly better and my 3rd attempt was pretty pleased with the results, will prob do a bit more practice before fully committing to loop design!

1st attempt (Fail!)



2nd attempt:


3rd attempt:

 

[SS-89]

Looking good.

On your bottom rad, how are you going to get to the fitting that is sitting under your Graphics riser card? It doesn't look like there is any clearance, based on the supplied picture.

I also applaud your hard tube exploits. I still stick with soft tubing, due to its relative ease and forgiveness should you mess something up

There is clearance though not as much as I'd originally hoped. I was going to run 90 degree fitments off the rad to run straight line to the distro but that isn't going to fit so now I'm going to have to do a 90 degree bend into the rad. Bit more challenging but doable as i've seen other builds do it but yh not easy.

Re tubing yh and acrylic which is supposedly harder than petg as well. TBH thought a good opportunity to try and test plus take my time, it wasn't actually too bad, obviously more time consuming and fiddly but aesthetically will look good.

 

[SS-89]

Slow progress last week or so due to work but getting there. Rads distro and res fitted and starting on tubing now.

 

[SS-89]

Made some progress and hoping to finish off the loop today just need to get the 3090 out of my other rig and block fitted plus a few more tubes to bend.

 

[SS-89]

@SS-89, since you've recently gotten hands on with it: do you think a 64mm rad would work in the bottom (with no vertical gpu mount), and a 54mm work on top?

are you asking with the front distro plate?

 

[SS-89]

You could probably squeeze a 64mm in the bottom but I think 54mm at the top is unlikely I'm already at the mobo with a pe360 and fans.

Nearly done gpu block took longer than anticipated last night. One more bend to do then loop complete.

 

[SS-89]

Yeah I've been able to get away with thick configs in the Define 7, but that's set up for 140 or 120 fans, with the 120 wides able to overhang the mobo so long as ram isn't too tall. Seems that's not the case here.

Your build is looking great!

Without a distro plate you can run and xe size rad bottom and side as well as a pe on top so plenty of room.

 

[SS-89]

Loop finally finished and pressure tested overnight so going to fill today! Fingers crossed.

 

[SS-89]

Running smoothly so far!

 

[SS-89]

Cheers,

Few more pics of it in action colour shifting:

 

[SS-89]

As an update spent the last week trying to figure out temps and fan speeds. Ultimately given I've moved to water noise was an important factor as well as cooling (otherwise I may as well have stayed on air). First thing I was finding was on my 3090 and running an overclock + increased power limit (so regularly topping 400w on gpu alone) whilst running all the fans at 800 rpm is that I was hitting 62 degrees in Ark (I use Ark as it always maxes out GPU usage @100% and power and seems to be a much higher stresser than other games so better at getting up to max temp, 3dmark never topped 48/49 and most others would sit in early 50s). This is with the 10900k running an all core 5.2 overclock at 1.325v (Bios set voltage with a bit of droop, VROUT ends up being lower around 1.29).

Obviously less than ideal so after some investigation first culprit was the dust filters, they really impede air flow, removing both and upping both the intake and exhaust rads to 1240rpm (doing the same with filters in place made little difference) got my load gpu temps down to 56.4 max so a definite improvement but at the cost of more noise! So I set about finding a nice medium of pump, rad speeds and undervolting the gpu to achieve what I wanted, quiet operation being a key part (I guess in hindsight I maybe could have gone with lower FPI rads to compensate but no harm)!

I've now settled on the following:

Pump speed - 48% any higher and you can start to hear an audible slight hum/whir.
Intake fan speed - 800rpm (any higher and I think the case cutouts are the culprit for creating an annoying whir)
Intake and Exhaust rads - 1130rpm
CPU unchanged @ 1.325v 5.2GHz All core
GPU undervolted @ 1935/10852 @ 868mv

The sum total of the above is relatively whisper quiet operation with a top out GPU temp of 52 degrees in Ark. Overall happy with the results in terms of noise/performance balance.

 

[SS-89]

I have a 54mm on top and bottom with the same front distro plate

Any pics, I have zero room for any more rad so intrigued to see how you fitted a 54mm at the top! Unless you removed the top case panel and put the fans on the outside...?

 

[SS-89]

on night shift so will post some up on Wednesday The fans are mounted to the rads inside the case It will also house a 3090 rtx vertically once evga sorts my que out

I know re the latter my 3090 is vertical see finished build pics above. I just don't see how it's possible to fit a 54mm. As you can see from my build pics above the runs to the distro plate top rad inlet/outlet are already at the limit with the PE 40mm rad I have on top (ek own webby also stated pe was max at the top iirc) so intrigued to see what I'm missing as with a 54mm + fans it would block the ports.

 

[SS-89]

ah I see how you've done it! nice