Project "Paint it Black"

Kaapstad · 20 Dec 2013 at 21:07

I have started this thread as my new 900D case has just arrived (about 5PM today) so tomorrow morning I will start my new build.

The aim of the build is to make a home for my 4 x R9 290Xs along with a RIVE BE, an i7 3970X or 4930k (see which runs best), 2 x 1200i Corsair PSUs, a set of C9 2400mhz Corsair Dominator Platinums and a whole pile of waterblocks.

Step 1, Get the cards running on air to make sure there is no problems.

Step 2, Get the cards on water.

Step 3, Tidy the build up.

I start tomorrow morning.

Thread Navigation Links.

Links to useful benches.

Kaapstad · 20 Dec 2013 at 21:07

Well here's the case, it's quite big but not as large as a LD V8. The case behind in the pic is a 800D with my GTX 690s in it.

Some screws etc.

Some PSUs

That's better

Yet more fans

In with the mobo

3970X fitted

And on with the block

Some tubing

Some rads, not even a 900D will take these.

Here is one of the rads with it's 9 x 140mm fans fitted.

With the grill in place.

The rads filled and ready to go, just add PC.

Corsair Dominator Cas 9 2400mhz

Suddenly this case is not looking so roomy with four GPUs in it.

Some cabling

Finally got some water onto the cards.

Some more pics with the mid plate in

Kaapstad · 20 Dec 2013 at 21:08

Kaapstad · 20 Dec 2013 at 21:34

Gregster said:
Looking forward to this. Also interested in your thoughts on the 900, as I have seen some mixed reactions.

When I start working on it I will give some feedback.

One thing I think Corsair should have included is exit points for the hoses when using external radiators.

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 05:03

acme15 said:
Why not get a single 1350 - 1500W PSU? It would be tidier and perfectly adequate. A grand total of 2400W is absolutely ludicrous and nowhere near necessary for anything.

PhysicsMan94 said:
I'd agree with this and it would give you the opportunity of sticking a large rad at the top of the 900D (as I assume you'll be putting 1 PSU top and 1 bottom, but I may be wrong?), however I'd imagine that the power draw of those 4 290X's will be pretty large at full load. And as loud as a jet engine too

The power draw of 4 x R9 290Xs and an i7 3970X all overclocked is going to be around 1800 watts so unfortunately two PSUs are needed. :eek:

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 11:08

Something Else said:
Obviously it will be watercooled but its gonna need some massive rad space! Do you have a chiller or is it just radiators?

I have got two MO-RA3 420 PRO black rads and a chiller if I need to use it.

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 12:05

Nickolp1974 said:
looking forward to this Kaap, are you putting the BE under water once blocks are available???

No

I have a RIVE that has waterblocks that has never worked right so some of the parts for this build like the CPU PSU and RAM are coming out of that mobo. I have put the poor performance of my 3970X down to that mobo not cooling properly and hopefully I will have more luck with the BE. I think the problems I have had with a W/C RIVE has put me off blocks on the mobo even though I think it was a one off.

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 18:50

acme15 said:
You sure a 1350 - 1500W single PSU wouldn't do it?

Positive.

I think 8 Pack was using a very good quality PSU and even then going way past it's normal operating limits, not something you would want to do 24/7.

I also think that SB-E plus 4 R290Xs will use even more power than 8 Packs Haswell setup.

I did try running 3 x 290Xs on one 1200i and they brought the poor PSU to it's knees. 8 Pack has had better success using the SuperFlower PSUs but even then for a 24/7 PC I would still use two.

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 19:32

wndzr said:
Congratulations, you've just made me very nervous. I am planning on running 3 x 290 and 1 x 7990 on my SuperFlower 1300W

For mining you may get away with it but it would be a good idea to ask someone better qualified than me.

I will not be mining on mine, I will be putting at least 1.4v through all the GPUs and anything up to 1.55v through the CPU doing a little benching.

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 19:51

Nickolp1974 said:
The national grid jumping for joy as Kaap fires up his rig...... love it

It will be if I let rip with the Titans and GTX 690s at the same time. :eek:

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 20:21

MjFrosty said:
Nice to see you got the case sorted dude. Subbed.

Thanks.

The only problem is with no rads in there it may look a little empty but I needed a case that could take two PSUs and four cards.

Having said that though after lugging my LD V8 around with all the rads, waterblocks and cards in it, it is going to be nice lifting something half the weight.

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 20:50

systemerror said:
Off topic question Kaapstad what part of Cape Town are you from?

It's my mum who is from Cape Town but I have spent a lot of time there. I used to stay out in Muizenberg with my family a lot. I have quite a big family in Cape Town but they are spread all over the place. These days if I go there though I prefer to stay in Seapoint on my own as this gives me the opportunity to party hard without having to worry about other family members.

Kaapstad · 21 Dec 2013 at 21:04

systemerror said:
Was just curious as I am originally from Hermanus and my mums family is from Simons town.

Does your mum remember this chap.

Simons town is really nice.

Kaapstad · 22 Dec 2013 at 01:56

PhysicsMan94 said:
Wow, 1800W power draw - that's pretty insane. I dread to think what your electricity bill is given that you have a quad Titan rig and dual 690 system too if I recall correctly!

What fans are they that you replaced the standard chassis ones in the 900D with by the way? Are they the Corsair AF120's? I'm considering replacing the ones in my 900D with them, but I'll probably go with the low noise AP120's (think that's what they're called, can't remember now).

Yes they are the AF120's

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-004-CS&groupid=701&catid=2331&subcat=4

As to my elec bill, most of the time I just use the GTX 690s.

Kaapstad · 22 Dec 2013 at 11:12

I missed this when trying to fit the mobo

The above was where the middle stand off for the mobo should have been. I think Corsair are trying to be helpful with this to help to locate the mobo but I found it to be a pain (I did not realise it was there for a few minutes) and changed it for a normal stand off.

Kaapstad · 25 Dec 2013 at 11:51

wndzr said:
@Kaapstad - I was wondering if you could link me to a good guide for setting up dual-PSU in one rig or give me a quick crash course? I've struggled to find a recent and detailed guide.

My mining rig is pulling over 1300W from the wall on my 1300W SuperFlower PSU so I've bought myself a second PSU - an EVGA SuperNova 1000W and want to run both PSU's together.

Sorry to take your thread off topic

This is the first time I am trying it myself. You need one of these in the pic below

phobya 24 pin 2 way psu starting cable

Plug both 24pin leads from the PSU into it and the other end into the mobo and you are good to go.

Kaapstad · 26 Dec 2013 at 08:06

pgi947 said:
Be careful with the big old competitor name slashed over that image kaap

Woops

Deleted.

Kaapstad · 28 Dec 2013 at 16:40

MjFrosty said:
+1 What's the hold up

(Not that I can talk)

The xmas spirit mostly.

I have been quite busy today on it but not a lot to show in pics. I have been stripping down a waterloop in a 800D case to move over to the 900D. I also removed the 3970X CPU from that system and transferred it over.

If the 3970X CPU does not do the job I have a brand new 4930k I can try later.

The reason I have stripped the other system down is it had a watercooled RIVE mobo but it never seemed to work quite right.

Kaapstad · 28 Dec 2013 at 18:22

whyscotty said:
4930K?

Didn't think you were bothering with one

MjFrosty said:
Like me he had a ton of spare cash when he cancelled his Classy order lol.

Very true.

I will only give it a go if the 3970X does not perform. I think though that it will do well in the new mobo. The waterblocks on the old mobo I don't think worked very well and when things got warmed up there was what sounded like water hitting something very hot and turning to steam.

Kaapstad · 28 Dec 2013 at 21:29

PhysicsMan94 said:
Will the 3970X not perform roughly the same as the 4930K? Or is Ivy-E a big improvement over Sandy-E?

Personally, I'm excited for when Intel start releasing 8 core enthusiast processors - given that the new consoles will usher in an era of more multi-core support (oh we've waited so long!), I can see Octocore enthusiast CPUs performing really well in future titles.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing progress on this build Never had an enthusiast/extreme series CPU myself, would build an X79 rig if I had the money, but my 4770K is serving me well so far

I have a 3930k, 3960X and a 3970X, the slowest is the 3970X which is good for 4.9ghz. When you compare these CPUs to their IB-E counterparts it is a bit of a non contest as what you lose on efficiency you more than make up for on higher overclocking headroom. With a multi GPU setup (3 or 4 cards) the one thing you need more than anything else is raw speed.

I have got a brand new 4930k CPU which I will try at some point but if it can not do at least 4.9ghz (not likely with IB-E) then it will only be good for benching one or two cards where efficiency is more important than raw speed.

You really should look at X79 or Haswell-E as it is not that much more expensive than what you have got now. If you were to go for a mainstream X79 mobo (you don't need everything a RIVE has) and a secondhand 3930k you could put together a very powerful system quite cheaply.