[Project Bawbag] A long overdue gaming rig upgrade

[Kaladon]

Greetings OCUK community.

So, My current rig saw its inception in 2008.... I think... and is as follows

CPU: Intel i7 920
Cooler: Titan Fenrir
Motherboard: Gigabyte x58-Extreme
Memory: 12Gigs of Patriot Viper DDR3 1600MHz
Graphics: 1x Sapphire HD 5870 Vapor-X 2Gig
PSU:.... I actually cant remember....which is bad
Case: Coolermaster Cosmos S
Boot Drive: Some 256gig Samsung SSD i nicked from a dead work pc.....
Storage WD Black 500gig 7200rpm





So yeah. Great box back in its day did everything I wanted it to do. Recently replaced the 5870 with a MSI GTX 980 Ti 6G as ol' Red died on me.

However of late I've, been having an itch, and not the kind the doc will give you a cream and stern talking to for! You see I used to enjoy building rigs and between work and life ive just not been doing that of late. Well no more says I. I have a decent job. Decent income. Dammit I wanna spend some cash....
.... And now I have the wifes permission to do so!!!

I kinda wanted to do a build thread but all the communities I used to be a part of have long since died. So I hope you all done mind this Scot invading your space and asking for your feedback as I go through this! Much has changed and I havent kept as up to date as I should have.


The Core Build:
Parts list as follows:-
CPU: Intel i7 5820k - Fitted
Cooler: Custom Loop
Motherboard: MSI X99S Gaming Pro Carbon - Fitted
Memory: 16gigs of Corsair Dominator Platinum 3200Mhz (2x8) - Fitted
Graphics: 1x MSI GTX 980 Ti 6G - Fitted
PSU: Corsair RM850i - Fitted
Case: Fractal Define S - Fitted
Boot Drive: Samsung 950 PRO 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe - Fitted
Storage: 2x 500GB Samsung 850 EVO in Raid 0 -1x Fitted

with the release of the 1080, I expect some nut jobs will ditch their 980's to pay for a new fix. I plan to take advantage of that next month on fleabay and snag me another card. I also plan to add another 16gig memory kit. I occasionally run a VM lab of my setup and more giggage is always nice!!

The Waterloop:
CPU Block: EK-Supremacy EVO X99 Nickel -Fitted
GPU Block: EK-FC980 GTX Ti TF5 - Acetal+Nickel -Fitted
Pump: EKWB EK-XTOP Black Revo D5 PWM -Fitted
Reservoir: EK-RES X3 250 -Fitted
Radiators:
EK Water Blocks EK-CoolStream SE 420 (Slim Quad) for up top -Fitted
EK Water Blocks EK-CoolStream SE 240 (Slim Dual) Radiator for up front -Fitted
Fans 5x Fractal Design Venturi HP-12 - Awaiting Delivery
Fittings various EK parts - Ongoing
Coolant EK-Ekoolant EVO Blood RED Premix - Bought

Last time i did a loop (2002) it was with a fish tank pump, a home made block and copper pipe! It was a abomination to look at! I find it so cool (no pun intended) that some WC stuff has come on so far! Why all the EK kit? Honestly been watching too much of Jay and Kyle on youtube..... probably a bad thing!

The "MAKE ME PRETTY" part:
Future things I'm considering next month to build on the Black and Red theme that will probably be this builds thing
Custom GPU backplates from V1Tech.... they be pretty
Custom sleeves for the power cables to match the rigs theme
Anodized dominator heatsink tops and maybe PCI backplates. Still investigating that part with some mob in englandshire.
Paint the Radiator housings. Will do this myself with the trusty airbrush and some Vellejo air paints.
RGB lighting extension off the carbon, or maybe a hue+.... donno yet

What Have I done so far?:

Ok so most of the core components came in today. Case, Board, PSU, CPU, Memory and boot drive.....



Ye gods for a grand of kit it doesn't feel like much..... buuut it all adds up....

So got all that fitted into the Define S tonight while I've been in work (working nights helps). the main thing I'm loving so far is just how damn roomy the Define S is.... with those cages out for the Rez, pump and **** its just so.... yeah.... lil 'ard now. Even if i didnt plan a loop for this id be tempted for just how clean it feels!!



The only thing that has annoyed me so far is the USB3 header for the case having a stupid blue finish.



I think I'll mark off the pin end and spray that black tomorrow



Well guys and dolls, hopefully I didnt bore you too much with the start of this. Any suggestions and criticism is more than welcome

 

[Kaladon]

update the first

Minor update:
Some parts have arrived. Donno what happened but my OCUK delivery has been delayed a day. Knowing DPD they just didn't turn up to pick up the package!!!! Supplier Two and Supplier Three have arrived


Mass of stuff including what seems to be the increasingly rare Fractal Design Venturi fan.... god knows whats happening there but OCUK just dont stock em, and Supplier Two only had 5. So off to Supplier Three for the last 2.

Im gonna go off and work out where im gonna put the radiator and mount the res and cpu block. The pump didn't come with a mount (that's my bad) but the Define S supposedly had pre-drilled holes..... not for this one it seems.... or im being an idiot.... its probably that!

However, here's the bit that ****es me off the most


KHAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!


COME ON ALREADY!!!!! Enough with the molex.... why not just make that a SATA connector and be done with it? pffft.... fine off to amazon for a wee convertor. Cos im not putting in a molex cable for one device!!!

 

[Kaladon]

As I dont have the radiators yet (Curse you DPD) I didnt get much done tonight,

Fitted the SSD.... didnt tidy up the cables yet cos whats the point I thought I had ordered two of these, and turns out I didnt. checked my build sheet and i had planned for two and somehow only budgeted for one..... oops..... so that will have to wait for next month. No massive issue as i have plenty of network storage space to move anything I put on the single drive before RAIDing up next month.



Put the water block on.... This had me worried at points as the force I had to exert to get the screws to thread freaked me out no end!!! However I think that fear is a throwback to exposed die like my old Athlon XP3200..... didnt take much to **** up that!!! Looks nice however!



Lastly i spent some time thinking about how I was gonna mount this pump. I think im going to use that leftmost vertical cutout to put in the left mount points and drill the right points as marked here:



I was tempted to do it now and mount the tank as well but I think ill wait until radiators come in tomorrow!

I have, however, been asked by the boss if I'm making a bomb.....



I'm not THAT dissatisfied with my work!!!

 

[Kaladon]

More parts and another disaster.....

So OCUK bits arrived today! w00000

except wait.... what the ****



Did.... did i order a 480..... *looks at order form* Sonnova..... yes.... yes I did..... thank god OCUK have a humane returns policy that only punishes my stupidity with postage cost!!! Went to look at 420s and realized there is no 420 SE.... ****.... Ok 360 SE it is.

Right, fine. But at least the 240 is here.... lets flush this thing out!



I was gonna take a pic showing any metallic fragments that flushed out, but honestly, after 5 flushes i could barely see 1-2 lil bits.... and the camera couldn't even see that.... nice finish manufacture there

One thing i did notice (and couldn't get my crappy phone camera to pick up on) was a white powder or some kind on the rad fins, as well as a few bashed (not badly) fins. I've got no leaks or evidence that its been punctured so not massively worried about the bent fins and I assume the white powder is probably some kinda release agent from the copper mold..

So now that I could use the 240 and some fans to give me pretty good ideas as to where I was gonna put the reservoir. But once it was in it quickly made me realize that my original idea for where to mount the pump just wasn't gonna work. so decided to mount the 240 high on the front of the case and the pump slightly below. here is a rough sketch of the planned loop layout and direction of flow for now

CLICK ME TO MAKE ME BIGGA!!!


Last but not least. I managed to get 1.5l of Mayhem Pastel red from another enthusiast locally off of Gumtree (if your reading this, Heya!) for the grand total of a tenner. Now I've heard some stuff about the pastels color shifting, for example, and by means not the only example, Jaytwocents skunkworks build.

So it kinda put me off using the Mayhem fluids, not because of the color shift (well partly) but the attitude they took in responding to that linked vid. How not to do customer service would be a minor understatement.

HOWEVER, I couldnt help it. It was cheep and I wanted to see how it would play in a virgin loop!



I cant wait

The last parts (stuff every EK re-seller in the UK seemed to be out of in cluding the MSI specific waterblock!!!!) dispatched from EK this morning. DHL claim it will be with me tomorrow.... believe that when I see it!!! I mean it got to Belgium about 42 mins ago so.... you never know

 

[Kaladon]

Does anything ever go right dammit!!!

Ok so moving on. Came in last night for a bit seeing as the mrs was away and got the GPU block on!! Off with the stock cooler and back plate...... well that was easy....... better clear off that thermal glue!!!!



Ahhhhh nice and clean!



Fitted the radiators in for test positions..... instantly had to re-plan front radiator orientation as with the 360 in place there is no way i can fit the 240's in/output ports up top now, even with 90 degree bends.



also the pump position again.... I swear next time im just getting a ****ing combi! If i had fitted it into my secondary position i think i would have had a close in pipe nightmare. So now its gonna come off the pump inlet for about 2" into a T split. One side into a valve\bulkhead\barb arrangement so the drain port is on the other side of the case wall. Then the other side of the T to come around and up to the base of the res.... I hope



Right ok so pumps in time to route the cables for that.... need to shave a little off the molex connector to fit it in past one of the defines wall holes



Oooops ............ gimmie some black leccy tape!!! it'll be fiiiiiine

so card in and added the silverstone extensions.... only to discover they are thiner cables than the combs i have to hand..... well ****..... nop thats too messy I'll need to order more combs..... cos **** that



card looks.... I donno.... drooping at the back. I've seen this on a lot of rigs and never worked out an elegant way of leveling it out



Everything is basicly in place!!! woopiee...... yeah no.

So I measured, marked off and cut my first piece of PETG. The XSPC pipe cutter made short work of it. Smashing. Off to a space to wet the rubber (oh matron!) and get the bending rubber into the pipe. 15 mins later, lots of soapy water and silicon spray later I lost my **** complacently! this just does not fit!!! It's to big for the available space (that's what she said )

so got a ruler out.... it looks like the rubber bending hose is about 11.2mm...... well thats not much use its advertised as 10mm OD. Well ****.

So messaged the OCUK folks via webforms. Discussing that now but in the mean time came in tonight and hit it with some calipers.



yeeeep. that aint gonna fit.

aaaaaarg!

 

[Kaladon]

Not much going on at the moment. Im semi outta funds for the build and am waiting on Refunds for a few bits before I can buy more. Sadly My Hermes kept my packages in Aberdeen for 3 days before moving them along.... Cheers for that ya gits

Fitted the LED's to the CPU block



Not really happy with them. they are a pain to fit and keep in place. They either pop out at the slightest twist of cable or if pressed into place firmly the contacts between LED and wire snaps and needs remounted.

Once they where it it was clear that from that side position it basically looks a bit pants and lopsided. may look better if the mounting hold where top or bottom but side just doesnt work for me


Pasts still to come:
Replacement bending tube
Phobya 8x 4-Pin Splitter PWM (its a fiver and i thought id try and keep all the cooling fans on the CPU header)
PWM extenders
Thermaltake Male to Male Extender (for the bulkead to ballvalve link)
another pair of 90 degree EK bends
50mm EK M to F extender..... its that or find a 1000mm PETG in 10/12mm as one run is 526mm and I havent been able to find piping that long

 

[Kaladon]

Dab of Silicon sealant to hold the LEDs in place? Takes a while to dry so you'd have to tape them in until it sets but it's removable unlike the 'I don't have time for this s***' superglue that also off-gasses and clouds your acrylic.

Yeaaaah i am not putting cyano anywhere near an acrylic! Frosty aint what im doing for here!!!

Nah tbh even when fitted i think it looks pants. So gonna leave it off


Not much done tonight. I did do a quick POST just to make sure it DID. I had this nightmareish feeling about it and just had to look



and a quick sample of the fluids. the orange is just distilled water with some mayhem dye. Bought it as a fancy but dont think it will fit really. Might consider an orange build for the Mrs pc that I've been asked to investigate

 

[Kaladon]

Is it me or is that CPU block shining red. Coming along nicely and get that backplate on that GPU. Sagging PCBs haunt me.

it is from the installed LED's which im ditching as an idea. However here is it powered with just the onboard LED system set to defaults (red)



i think that might just do on its own!

 

[Kaladon]

I plan on (attempting) to do some decent shots with my DSLR at another date. Im still very new to anything other than point click photography

 

[Kaladon]

Would fitting a back plate to the GPU straighten it ? or it should at lest stop it from drooping so much..

Ive got a custom backplate being made at v1 tech right now. So we'll see when that Arrives. I did try and fit the original msi plate on but i'd need 7 longer screws

 

[Kaladon]

Well the XPSC bending rubber was a no go. Still 10.5mm. I've messaged OCUK to say the product is not fit for purpose in the case of 10mm pipe. ALphacool one has been ordered. Hopefully will be here on Wednesday..... so much delay for a string of rubber!!!

Along with that my bulkhead fittings and M-M adapters for such have arrived. So planked that in. Sadly with the bulkhead in place the ball valve wont fit on the back side of the case! oh well. just a barb fit back there!





As you can see I slipped off the guide with my hole-drill. Thankfully on that side im not too fussed!

Ball valve in mounted to the bulkhead



and another accidental scratch... so ****ing careless!!!! Will hit that with a lil black from the airbrush at a later stage.

So heres the T junction off to the drain point from the pump.



The weight of so many junction points has this sagging a bit and I'm concerned. Im hoping the joint to the Res will keep it lifted level. If not Ill spray a bit of matt black onto a spare bit of PETG and hold the T junction up by that.

As i plan to replace all my PETG at a later date (cos i expect my first go to be ****) i'll probabally plan out a better arrangement late.

 

[Kaladon]

Hope you do some work in the office rather than just build pcs hahaha
looks good so far man.

I do when there is work to do. I work for a newspaper and my role (when there aint project work on) is to be here as an "OH ****!" resource.

 

[Kaladon]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Well some progress! My bending rubber arrived. and it slipped into the tube like..... well you know My Phobya fan controler and F-F connector arrived too...



so LETS DO THIS

First bend went in ok and yes it does add weight support to the contraption below it *phew*



and the first link in the "Long run" from CPU to 240 Radiator




It was after this that each pipe either needed two bends or I got paranoid I was running out of PETG (I had 1 500mm pipe left at the end) and started reheating pipes I had ****ed. The result? Not the clean lines I wanted. Instead I seem to have some piece of "modern art". I knew my first lines would be bad but damn.... ah well £35 of PETG ordered tonight. Thats 20 tube\10 meters of pipe..... im sure ill get it right eventually







Basicly one of my main issue war orientation when the pipe had 2 bends in different directions and planning length. So will do mroe study on how to plan better. Also gonna chat to a jack of all trades mate of mine and ask for some tips

SOMEHOW however, Each pipe passed my rigorous testing process to see if it was compromised (i put my thumb at one end and blew in the other ) So with that QHSE genius in place ONWARD!

So Right, lets plan to evacuate the loop pronto and get the drain hooked up.
Catheter in place



So lets add some fluids...



*SPLASH* WHAT THE **** JUST HAPPENED? JEBUS **** I'VE FLOODED THE BOTTOM OF THE CASE!!!!

Thank god for all that kitchen roll, it absorbed it all and let none to components.... Ok i expected a wee leak, but not a flood...... (no pic taken cos.... well yeah im sure you understand.... Ok so lets take a quick look around..... huh the bottom of the Reservoir is still dripping...

Well..... that will do it.... Ok plug that back up and fill.....


Im only using 2 fans at the moment. 2 rikety old 3 pin fans i nicked from an old case. they are being used as mount points for the top radiator. and i still cant hear it. Hopefully the Venturi fans will prove just as silent

Leak test has now been running for over 2 hours and im getting impatient.... Time to give life to this beast!!!!

 

[Kaladon]

system has now been running for 24 hours. NO LEAKS!!!!! 12 of that running a [email protected] overclock. Temps idle at 52 and under stress a max of 71. Stress test was ran for 4 hours so kinda happy to call that stable for now. Will run a 24h at a later date.

Those temps are with just 2 stock 120mm case fans i had kicking around. The Venturi replacements wont arrive until tomorrow. So ill wait and see on longer testing.

Havent clocked the Graphics card yet, will do this later tonight. So With the current CPU overclock and memory at 3200 (stock for the memory but XMP enabled yadda yadda) this is the first benchmarks

Firestrike


Unigine Valley


Firestrike ultra - (comment on if this is a decent-ish enough score to justify 4K)


And for ***** and giggles a comparison with my old system. Donno why its showing as a 950 as its a 920 in there!


Cant wait for tomorrow, once the fans are in and im all happy with it, ill be moving the system home for some live action testing (aka playing overwatch )

 

[Kaladon]

Not much to update other than to say the fans are in!!!

They are in and CPU stress after an hour shows a 10 degree drop (down to 61) in temps at 800rpm. I can live with that!

Now... for reasons firestrike is showing my GPU clock speeds down to 500mhz..... time to investigate that

 

[Kaladon]

herp derp, forgot to reboot after a failed overclock. Yeah its fine now

 

[Kaladon]

No leaks is good. No hurry to overclock it, enjoy some.gaming. Plenty of time layer to overclock to delay the upgrade itch

But we wants the performancEZZZZZZ PRECIOUSssssss.....

Then again it might have to wait cos this may take a while!!!!

 

[Kaladon]

So Slightly odd thing with the loop.... i saw these.... hell almost white marks against the inside of the rez.... this concerned me.... but i thought as first it was just bubbles. but then i started seeing actual air bubbles in the loop



and some of this.... ****... in a tube...



hummm. Maybe it will work itself loose.... Ill go put the case sides on... so off with the drain pipe.... clean said pipe, but wait.... whats this.....



Looks like the same residue.... So i cut that bit of pipe out and cut it in half so i could get at it cleanly. and it seemed to be that the fluid is congealing..... huh. I'll give it a few days and if it keeps this up then flush it all out and go with the EK Red.

 

[Kaladon]

Found a sweet spot for my Graphics card overclocks with 1h stability last night, but no time to bench it. So just done that now

Gpu set to 1671Mhz (an increase of 140Mhz)
Memory set to 4005Mhz (an increase of 500Mhz)

So that a increase of 11.1 FPS (+12.3%) and 437 (+11.5%) in Score for Unigine Valley.



And 1218 (+7.2%) Score increase for Firestrike



and 295 (+6.4%) for Firestrike Ultra



Fairly happy with these number tbh!

Now i need to go play some Overwatch and test a CPU spiking theory one of the lads over in the games board has.

 

[Kaladon]

What coolant(s) did you put in? Just so I know what to avoid
You didn't know it in advance, but this is why you bought a plexi top CPU block - so you can see if any gunk builds up in the fins.

Cabling: there's a reason it's known as the spaghetti side! You'll be fine. When all three disk slots are full and you've got extra thick PSU cables is when it's hard. If it comes to it, the answer there was to push harder on the case side to get it to shut

Oh yes, but for a change i didnt wanna use a mash hammer to get the side on (i have actually done this with a cosmos S)

the fluid in there atm is the Mayhems Pastel Red. Im wondering if the fact ive drained and refilled this loop with the same fluid so many times that the air exposure has resulted in this coagulation..... donno