Project: Indigo

panyan

panyan

panyan

Soldato
Joined
13 Mar 2011
Posts
7,485
Location
Bada Bing
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 :D



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 :p

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

Sketchup_Screen.jpg






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:

Autocad_Screen.jpg


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 :p

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 ;) :p ;)




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" :p

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.

timetable.jpg


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

KiiYzOo

KiiYzOo

KiiYzOo

Soldato
Joined
2 Jan 2011
Posts
6,150
Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
can't wait to see this panyan :D also thanks for the mention :p one thing I love, and think that you should keep in mind, is when people have top windows on the tj07s, I think they look really nice and give a clean look to the rig ;)
 

panyan

panyan

panyan

Soldato
OP
Joined
13 Mar 2011
Posts
7,485
Location
Bada Bing
KiiYzOo said:
top windows on the tj07s
Click to expand...

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 :D
 

panyan

panyan

panyan

Soldato
OP
Joined
13 Mar 2011
Posts
7,485
Location
Bada Bing
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 :p

(and getting used to my new mechanical keyboard :p )

























































A box from the gods has fallen upon to me :D
















Sneak peak :D









































SO heavy - really good build quality with these blocks :D





more bits and pieces lying around (PTFE tape FTW :D)









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 :D)

























































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 :D













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!)
 
Last edited:

panyan

panyan

panyan

Soldato
OP
Joined
13 Mar 2011
Posts
7,485
Location
Bada Bing
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 :p) 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)
 
Last edited:

panyan

panyan

panyan

Soldato
OP
Joined
13 Mar 2011
Posts
7,485
Location
Bada Bing
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

panyan

panyan

Soldato
OP
Joined
13 Mar 2011
Posts
7,485
Location
Bada Bing
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 :D
 

panyan

panyan

panyan

Soldato
OP
Joined
13 Mar 2011
Posts
7,485
Location
Bada Bing
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)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom