PROJECT HIVE

[pgi947]

So, it begins again!

What goodies do we have this time?

Well, everything is getting wrapped up in the lovely XSPC H2+ tower case...

Components:

Gigabyte Z87X-OC
i7 4770K
8GB GSkill TridentX 2400 C10 / 4GB GSkill RipjawsX C6 / 4GB Mushkin Blackline C6
HX1000W (will be replaced midway though the build with a 1300w EVGA unit)
Gainward Phantom GTX780 GLH Edition
240GB OCZ Agility 3
1TB Samsung F3

Water bits:

2 x HWLabs SR-1 480
EK Supremacy copper plexi *CLEAN*
EK-FC780 Jetstream
EK-FB-Z87X-OC (maybe?)
2 x XSPC D5 Bayres
2 x D5 pumps
Lamptron FC5 controller

Tubing, fittings and fans I'm a little undecided on just now, the idea I have in my head is dark with a few stand out shiny parts.

Updates to come as and when, hopefully get the first loop done by the weekend!

Oh and I HAVE A BETTER CAMERA this time, an actual camera thats not a phone, so hopefully no more **** poor lighting issues

Any input on colour scheme, parts to use, to change, to add etc... all welcome

 

[pgi947]

Thanks all, will try get some pics up asap and hopefully do some measuring to make sure a 480 will fit in the bottom with the 5.25 bays populated!

About bloody time

Nice choice of case

Its even nicer when a friend gives you a good deal on one




Btw, anyone that wants to see what this case looks like all packed out and looking lovely should check out whyscotty's tri sli titan build log


I'm thinking about gloss black tubing with orange monsoon fittings? Any thoughts on fan's?

 

[pgi947]

Replacement, all core parts apart from the psu and some of the wc stuff from mad have been sold off, just the case left to shift but thats looking like its heading for the scrappy.

Plan to keep this case for a fair few builds now, especially as it has the time saving feature of a removable motherboard tray

 

[pgi947]

if I get chance tonight I'm going to get the case out and lay out the cpu loop which will sit in the bottom section of the case as I need to check if my 480 will clash with the bayres or not.

I'm not saying no to lighting but I don't have any plans for it just yet, think I'm going with some gloss black fans too.

May put some led strips under the motherboard to try and get it to glow rather then having it fully lit up.

Hopefully some pics tonight!!

 

[pgi947]

Yeah just after a subtle glow

Thanks ocz!

Just about to make a start, any tips for camera settings to use for the best quality? I'm a point and shoot man but this camera has many a setting!

 

[pgi947]

Have some pics, check back in an hour, just resizing them!

Lighting, is, well, ****, very little natural light and all my lights are down lights so everything gets a bit of a reflection! That said they have come out a thousand times better then phone pics!

brb

 

[pgi947]

Ok so maybe an hour and a half, had to bath and feed the baby

The case...

The roof!

Plan A is out of the window...

I had hoped that I would squeeze the D5 bayres in with the 480, from some measuring I need around 36mm to have the pump on, around 40mm for it to be a comfortable fit. Guess what? It leaves me with only around 32mm clearance. ****!!!!!

Next plan is to measure up for a regular dual bay res and leave the pump on a top behind the radiator.

 

[pgi947]

You were planning on having the res at the bottom? What were you going to be fitting up in the upper bays?

The other res, fan controller and some blanks

DUAL LOOPS!!

I planned for dual loops to keep tubing very minimal rather then have it hanging all over the place working its way around the rig, on show you'll only see maybe a foot or so of tubing on the CPU loop (remember motherboard is inverted!).

Edit: Just noticed, 3rd pic down, look to the right hand side of the picture, the white fluffy thing getting in the frame is one of my cats, he was trying to get in the case

 

[pgi947]

Its actually blocking the pump its self, if the pump mount was at the opposite side I could habe squeezed it in. These things just aren't meant to be...now changing both d5 bayres' out for a single d5 monsoon bayres and a single monsoon dual bayres as thier none pump bayres is short enough to fit....and from the front they look the same

Will be getting more things ordered over the weekend but wont get to do anymore fitting for a week or so as I'm down in hakanese' neck of the woods all next week visiting family

 

[pgi947]

Coughpintcough

Wish I had the time! Bit further down the ouse then Hull anyhow

Almost certainly going sli now too, while I wait on ocuk stock for my monsoon extravaganza

 

[pgi947]

Second phantom glh to be with me tomorrow.

Blocks also ordered, I did want acetal but absolutely no where has an eta let alone stock, so I sniffed out some clean nickel plexi blocks

Photo's to come of the new addition tomorrow!

 

[pgi947]

Here, sorry, got sidetracked by BF4

Second GLH arrived yesterday, blocks due to arrive tomorrow (pics of those to follow!)

 

[pgi947]

I think gainward get overlooked as their parent company is Palit, who don't have such a great rma reputation, but gainward are UK based and have a 2 day turnaround premium rma service just for ocuk

They also allow cooler removal from ocuk

A pair of these at stock is bringing me around 150fps avg on bf4 maxed out, should even have room to start raising resolution scaling to 120-140%

 

[pgi947]

Had a little play with them earlier, clocking nicely past 1200mhz, though top card is getting HOT HOT HOT, so thats where these beauties come into play...

Apologies for the pics, mirror finish nickel plating is quite hard to take pics of!!

 

[pgi947]

Daily clock is still 4.6, its enough to hold off the 780's, once up and running properly I'll settle around 4.9ghz 24/7 and try tune the ram down to 2400 c9. Will bench 5.1+

New cpu block arrived earlier this week, if I get chance tonight I'll get some pics

 

[pgi947]

Been a while hasn't it?

Meaningful update on its way later this week, some last odds and ends still on backorder, but I've got some replacements to use on a temp basis so I can get moved to the newer case.

So whats coming?

Fittings, Tubing, Fluid, temp reservoir (EK Spin) AND a new 1000w platinum superflower PSU.

Was playing the new Assasins Creed game earlier today and the machine just went completely off as if someone yanked the power chord out, a tell tale sign my trusty old HX1000 has had enough torture. So out with the old in with the new

 

[pgi947]

Work mainly, had around 5 days off between the start of Nov and Christmas week - including weekends, work went a little nuts. That and sorting out the remaining odds and ends needed for this build

Can't wait to get started now, I've had to get up and see that lovely but empty case every morning for the last 2 months (I keep it safe next to my bed ) and it's been tormenting me.

 

[pgi947]

Aaaand here we go!!

Spent a good 10 hours yesterday getting everything up and running, so phase 1 is now around 95% complete, just cables to change out when the arrive then on with phase 2 - the GPU loop!!

Started out the day by getting the 480 SR-1 fitted in the bottom, you can see how little room I had to play with vs the res location, It also only left me with around 3mm clearence between the compression ring and the PSU!!

QDC's on the temp bay res, an absolute life saver!!

Getting the PSU and last of the bottom bank of tubing in:

Yellow tint on the pump top is staining from using pastel yellow on a previous build, this will be getting launched when the Monsoon reservoirs arrive!

How I've gone so long without a removable motherboard tray is beyond me, life is so much easier with one! Got the plexi block out, acetal block in:

Phantom GLH's, staying on air until my next monsoon delivery

Finalising the CPU loop:

I haven't got any pics of it cabled up just yet, as, well its a mess atm, I'm waiting on some cable extensions to arrive as soon as DL has some free time, so didn't see much point in pinning the cables just yet. However I will grab a couple of pics later today for those interested

 

[pgi947]

Cheers all, will be putting the gpus on water asap with a spare xspc d5 bayres I have until the monsoon stuff arrives, will give me a chance to see how the blocks look on clear fluid and if I need some colour in them.

Turns out phantoms don't like being upside down, hit 94c on the bottom card while playing far cry 3 at a measly 1200/6600 1.21v 130%

So water is an urgent must for them.

 

[pgi947]

Never knew the phantoms were so big they look great!

Did ya go direct die paul??

Was no need for direct die contact, ocuk did such a great job delidding I barely break 70c at 5ghz!

Phantoms are a healthy 2.5 slots thick and near 12" long! Fortunately they both clock very well, looking forward to seeing what 1.3v+ brings on water.

There should be a parcel with you tomorrow buddy

Yey

Sexy cable goodness