Project: Indigo

[panyan]

This is a log about a project i have been thinking about since December 2011

I have always wanted to try a watercooling build and my sponsor at Phobya twisted my arm when he agreed to help out with a few small bits a pieces

A Massive Thank you to Annie at Kingston that helped this project out with some HyperX SSD's



Anyway, the original plan was to use the endless 690-2 Coolermaster Chassis i had around the place from previous builds

I also wanted to incorperate the Bitfenix Fans that i won (review is on here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18301235&page=6) so i chose a 140mm size radiator - a Phobya G-changer 420mm rad

Anyway, i really wanted to do this properly as i have always had reservations about electronics and liquids and really did NOT want this to be an unplanned exploration

So since December ive been hoovering up all the credible information on the net and been in talks with a few people on the interwebs

I'd like to thank the people that helped me with this project - with advice, inspiration, etc: Cleeecooo, KiiYzOo and hughythomas - and of course Christian Schultze

The first thing i would like to do is add a screenie of what i am *hoping* to achieve

Intro:

The Project started out as a Coolermaster 692 lite that i was going to use with an external radiator

I would dremel out the centre of the roof and sit the rad ontop

I mocked up the design in Autocad to work out dimesnsions etc.

A screenshot can be seen below:

Then, one day, someone offered me a TJ07 and 480mm rad for a minimal amount of money as they were in poor condition and would need a lot of time and effort to restore them

So i thought to myself: "Why not?"

The 692 build would have look silly, and childish imho - the TJ07 has a real classy look and ive always wanted to try a Silverstone case as everyone always goes on about them

Anyway, i set about designing this new build on Google Sketchup as there is a repository of components online that are REALLY useful!

BTW, Google Sketchup has NOTHING on Autocad, not even Sketchup PRO




Naming:

With this build i want to build upon the black/blue theme that i was doing with my "Home" computer - so this will be black and blue too

A friend of mine, when asked for a naming suggestion for a black and blue build, said: "Project: Bruises"

But i thought that lacked a certain sofistication the TJ07 demanded so i chose: "Project: Indigo"



Whilst away from home (im only home for April), i was ordering and test fitting every item i thought i would require

So there are a jumble on images of me when i was doing testing with sleeving/paracord colours, flushing rads, takinig pics of fittings, etc

And after all the prep work, of which i have a two page word document laying it all out, i will get to the actual build pics

BTW, the stage i am at right now can be seen on the screenshhot below.

Green is done or currently doing, red is to be done.

I will be adding photos as i go, i have a lot to share with you guys

 

[panyan]

top windows on the tj07s

i was considering doing this as it does look very cool

This is the first time im trying watercooling and i was thinking that the voltage regulators around the cpu would have no airflow, so that is why i went with some silent fans

But after doing the testing, if it really is overkill, i may change to a window as they do look SWEET

 

[panyan]

The fiirst thiing to arrive were the fittings

I ordered a selection as ii diidnt really know what id be neediing













Really beautifully made these are. I also have some Bitspower fittings (too small for this tubing) and the manufacturing quality is very similar







































A few extension pieces just in case i need them





















testing out my new light tent

(and getting used to my new mechanical keyboard )

























































A box from the gods has fallen upon to me
















Sneak peak









































SO heavy - really good build quality with these blocks





more bits and pieces lying around (PTFE tape FTW )









This is a series of images for when i was measuring up for the 692 build - dont worry - the TJ07 makes its appearance below

































































Flushing the 420mm rad in the flat (im using the 480mm in the actual build)





Zoom you to present day - and this was yesterday!










This is the flushing rig i have set up:

res -> pump -> component -> filter

This is a pond/aquarium/water filter pump that i was some vid on youtube of a guy flushing like this and i like this as i can leave it and go and work for a bit and come back and it will be clean



















more bits and pieces lying around (PTFE tape FTW )

























































And this is the tired old girl








I KNOW this looks rubbish, it was the best i could do to make it look acceptable




The case has had a few previous owners and i am trying to source some brand new pieces to fix her up properly









I am using the shop camera which is rubbish and the flash makes it look horrid - but the case is well cleaned and polished













The situation with the TJ07 is that it has had a few previous owners, in general it is in good condition, just needs a bit of a clean and polish

The problem is the motherboard tray: a previous owner has pretty much ruiinied iit and i need to try to finid a replacement mobo tray

I will try to fix up the old girl as best i can as i want this project to looks awesome

anyway - ill post images later of spraying the gentle typhoons

(and this keyboard is really annoying!)

 

[panyan]

This is a series of images of me preparing fans for spraying, reassembling fans, and other bits and pieces





























































































This is the important bit about Gentle Typhoons:

You know that small black clip that holds the shaft in?

The one that gets all twisted (and lost ) when you try to disassemble the fan?

Circlip External E D1500 4.5mm Shaft Pk100 Stainless

I found the correct size replacement circlip, it isnt a 100% match, but with a SMALL crimp with some pliers - it works beautifully!

(when i say SMALL, you need to push the ends together so slightly that if you can see the clip deforming - youve over done it and it wont go onto the shaft)

 

[panyan]

Hi Panyan!

Thanks for the mention - can't wait to see this completed!

Im hoping to keep on track with my schedule, so far im managing it, but it seems unlikely to stay like that

 

[panyan]

I contacted Silverstone to see if they would help with replacement parts so that i could restore iits case to its former glory, they gave me a parts list and i selected what i needed and sent iit back

I got an email with a quote attached - some of the parts they refused to help me wiith - other parts had damage - and they wanted silly money - and they want 12 weeks delivery...

After readiing so many raving reviews about how good ssilverstone cases are and that their customer serviice is second to none - iim having regrets choosing them - i now have two routes:

- try to ssource cheaper parts that will come in time

- scrap the whole case and go with something else (800D for example)

 

[panyan]

OCUK doesn't have a great stock of modding bits tbh...I would just look around.

Im considering usiing the old battered tj07 and iin the summer do a refresh and giive the project a new case/parts and some updated hardware perhaps...

 

[panyan]

Update:
- Tinted TJ07 acrylic ordered
- Black TJ07 PSU Plate Ordered
- Masterkleer hose ordered

Interestingly, Silverstone contacted me and said that they could give me a quote for a TJ07 motherboard tray completely assembled, with the larger cutout for sr2 size mobos for 61EUR - so i said yes - im hoping that i can get the old girl looking good again

 

[panyan]

Looks pretty good. I know that there are some companies that do a lot of tj07 parts, so you might be able to get a tray or something from them. Thinking probably the same place you got that tinted window...

kd

can you trust me some more information please?

 

[panyan]

looks pretty interesting so far

thanks, subscribe to the thread for notification of updates (some at the end of the week)

 

[panyan]

BIG UPDATE

Since last time is have:

- fit the anti-vibration mounts for the pump (thanks Cleeecooo for your advise)

- fit the spacer for the rad (so it sits square in the case window)

- striped out everything from the "Home" computer
--D-14 replaced with EK Supreme HF Copper and Plexi water block
--VTX 6970 stock cooler (shockingly bad) replaced with Alphacool 6970 block + backplate (covers little of the pcb for some reason)

- Mounted mobo, cpu, ram, gfx, pump, rad, fans and res in the TJ07

- tubed up between the components

- checked each fitting 101 times for tightness (but NOT overtighten or you risk stripping threads which is very bad)

- filled up system with Mayhems Raspberry Coolant (which is a lot more purple than it looked online )

- and im leak testing

*so far we are at 3 hours with no leak*







(ill upload images when i get the computer up and running, this update is on my sisters netbook)

 

[panyan]

some great pics there and nice 2 see a pussy in there

thanks very much

 

[panyan]

Right then,

I have a TONNE of images that all need resizing and uploading for you, but i thought i'd leave these here as a little teaser









Everything was done at stock just to check temps and that it was still working properly, ill overclock later

 

[panyan]

These are the pics taken after the preparation (flushing, fan spraying, etc)



test fitting the stuff before making it permanent in the case




The TJ07 power, reset, led stuff - i only connected the power button as that all i need (mobo has power, reset, etc buttons on it)




Just testing the flans to see if they survived their spraying and werent hitting the rad or anything






I know the fittings are all different, but this area is hidden so i went for cheaper fittings


This is the pump mounted in its anti-vibration housing




That blue block you see is a little foam that i sprayed blue so that the rad would sit properly in the lower compartment and it also reduces vibrations




The old rig to strip down, clean, and fit blocks to






The 6970 2gb that will be fitted with waterblock














I was shocked when removing this cooler - it is only attached with 4 screws around the GPU!


You can see that only 4 out of the 8 ram chips had ANY contact with the cooler!




I think ive worked out that this is a VTX3D 1gb generic cooler that only screws around the gpu so that it can fit multiple cards and only cools 4 vram chips (i.e. 1gb version of this card)


well, you can really see where budget cards cut back on - good thing all this is being replaced with a waterblock!










Alphacool waterblock fitted - and what a handsome beast!




I was dissapointed with the fact that the "backplate" doesnt cover the whole card - the point was to cover up the red pcb


anyway - now need to strip the rest of the components




I really love these msi mobos - the colour scheme, system stability and features are just incredible for the price






you really notice how much the d-14 hides when you take it off














The EK Supreme HF waterblock mounted


Considering that EK is meant to be a market leader, i was pretty shocked with the quality of the machining withing the block - it is very rough




Test fit when put into the case




I just love the way waterblocks look








I think the colours go quite well together

 

[panyan]

Mounting the hardware in the case - starting to get butterflys










OMG - is this really going to happen? my own watercooled rig? *weep*


at first i thought this bend was too tight but upon further testing - its fine




a small overfill of the res - but my heart stopped when i saw the fluid dripping into the system




I rocked the back on its back side to remove all the air from the cpu area




start of leak testing *heart racing*






got bored of sitting there so tried to take some artsy shots




Leak testing went for 12 hours before i was confident that there wasnt going to be any leaks




never noticed that switch before...


These guys make some great accessories for this case










Leak testing a bit more with one fan on to stop the pump over-heating










I was a little dissapointed with the mayhems as it looked like a dark blue online... and in real life it is

more like a violet












That is how the rig currently stands at the moment

I still need to do:
- LED light strip (thanks Tealc for your advice)
- fit perspex on doors
- work out how to cable manage all this mess (no cable routing TJ07!?)

and i am really annoyed at a competitor - i ordered a tj07 acrylic door panel (ocuk dont stock ) and

that was on easter weekend and they STILL have not delivered!!! i cant believe i actually paid for 3-5

working day delivery!!!

In other news: i am SO happy with the rig as it is:
- the colours work really well
- the temps (24 idle, 33 load)
- so quiet as i have the AP-15's at ~9V and the PWM fans at min speed



When the other stuff is done, ill be back with some good pics (not with the shop camera )

 

[panyan]

Looks great!

thanks, your opinion means a lot to me

RE cable management, have you considered keeping the bottom 5.25s free to bunch up and unused cables?

the only thing in the bottom 5.25 is the front panel and fan controller - so i guess i could

If your PSU has the option, you could also buy short cables for it

cant unfortunately

To be honest, the cable management problem isnt about where to store unused cables, it is where to pass them up from the lower compartment without them being seen!

at the moment they are coming around the back, but i wont be able to put the back door on!!!

 

[panyan]

I have a nice update for you today.

I must say a MASSIVE thank you to Annie Leung of Kingston Technology who has provided some Hyper X SSD's



So, lets have a look at them then!





The first thing that is evident is the superb presentation - they are card boxes with nice vivid print and a really solid feel









When you open the box you are immediately greeted by a very handsome brushed aluminium drive - it really is fantastically crafted!



Even the foam padding the drive sits in is cut with the HyperX logo, Kingston have made this feel like a really premium product - and it is!







This SSD is the "Bundle" version and includes: Blue Sata cable, CD, Screwdriver Pen and a 2.5" Usb 2 Enclosure with the same brushed aluminium feel


The Enclosure is very simple to use, simply flip the slider to "unlock", slide off the back of the housing, slide in your HyperX ssd, and close it all back up






A little peak into the enclosure


The Pen Screwdriver really is a cute novelty, it is a metal Kingston-branded "pen" that houses three screwdriver bits which hold in the end of the pen




You know that black foam i was telling you about earlier? well they have cleverly housed the 3.5" adapter in there too!








The drive feels very well built - almost tank-like which is poles apart from the OCZ Vertex's
that these are replacing in this project (and are both currently in RMA )




The 3.5" adapter is also made of anodized aluminium and really fits in well with the theme of the drive








Pros:
- Really well built
- very useful accessories
- Fantastic warranty
- good customer service
- backed by a quality brand

The only "con" i can think of at the moment is only very insignificant and really has nothing to do with the actual drive: considering the drive is well over 500MBps in both read and writes, i think a USB 3.0 enclosure should have been bundled rather than a USB 2.0 one

One point that came up with these Kingston HyperX SSD's is what is the difference with the normal one and the 3K version? Well, from what i understand, the "normal" HyperX uses cells that can be rewritten 5,000 times, where as the 3K version uses cells that can be rewritten 3,000 times.
Before you think that the 3K version is worse, the performance of the drive is exactly the same; the only significance the 3000 cycles has is that it reduces the drives life from about 11 years to about 8 years - so really the point is moot. I think it is good that they have released an updated version at a lower cost with the same incredible performance

As someone who has used OCZ, Crucial and now Kingston drives, I can really see the difference in how Kingston excels in: Packaging, Bundled Accessories, Warranty, After-sales Care and firmware updates - a truly premium product!

If you'd like your own HyperX SSD: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/produ...atid=2101&sortby=nameAsc&subid=2103&mfrid=106

I have been asked by Annie to post up some shots of the SSD in the computer, and i want to ask you guys where you think the best place to mount it is

 

[panyan]

This is a few pics of some other cool bits a pieces that ive been doing with my time lately (project related)

1) Variable LED Lighting Strip

I wanted lighting in the case but i wanted it so that i could turn it up and down depending on what im doing:

gaming - bright
late night - down
movie - off

I dont really like getting software to do my stuff as i regularly reinstall windows and would rather get it done in the bios or some hardware way

Anyway, i wondered if i could connect up the LED strip to one of the spare ports on my fan controller... and that lead me to contact an OcUK Celebrity - Tealc

Mr Tealc then advised me to get a generic strip of LED's (similar to those used in Project: Othello) and solder a spare fan cable to it which i could then connect to the fan controller and vary the voltage.

So i went on me merry way and these are some of the pics of when i was putting it all together...




These first two are pics of the damage on the LED strip when they arrived




Me stripping with my stripping tool (you have such a dirty mind )









I just twisted the ends together to see if it actually worked, then i would make it more permenant








I kept the RPM fan cable for another little project that i may show you at a later date


This is it all heatshrunk and sleeved and ready to go into the case!


A BIG thank you to Tealc - without his help this would have never come into fruition

 

[panyan]

looking awesome panyan I love the look of the hyperx drives, I'd love to get one of those or an m4

Well feel free to ask me about either as Project: Othello uses a 128GB M4

tealc is awesome, he helped me when I was looking into rgb strips,

ooh, tell me more

also, where do you think is the best place to mount these HyperX drives?

 

[panyan]

somewhere on show

can i have a "for instance"?