Project R-TYPE | Watercooled Build

Ok so as if by magic the postie arrive shortly after my post. Phew... Got all the bits and can now proceed with piping.

In the meantime was attending to other things. SLI bridge connector now connected. This is the one that came with the motherboard... Need to check out alternatives...


Took the top 240EX radiator off to install the 12v atx cable to the motherboard.


Took this opportunity to improve the fan cable management and to add some rubber washers:


Do not order these off the rain forest, they're marked up and extortionate. Instead search google for other resellers and they'll be a third of the cost

Now back on:


Gratuitous fan shot:


I like the inset trim.
 
Now to properly mount the front 360EX radiator. This is the acrylic component I had cut. Basically a mounting plate for fans and rad, with smaller perimeter riser plate bonded on to provide clearance for fan filters, and to provide the fixing surface for the Velcro strips:



Plate screwed to rad / fan assembly:


The filters are a reuse of the standard removable Lian-Li front fan plate that comes with the case:
 
Cable ties are amazing... And essential for controlling all those wires. I can see why people go to so much trouble to cut their own cables and lengths (looking at you JP). Maybe will do that on a future build


Front rad now in position. Tip: be careful not to use too much Velcro. The stuff is incredibly good as sticking things together. Takes 5 mins to remove this rad.



And the first hard fix of all components prior to tubing:
 
Decided to put some tech flex over the pump cables to cover them up






May black out the silver bits on the pump, and maybe the white sticker
 
Now onto thinking about fittings. I tried sketching out as much of the system ahead of time as possible, to identify which fittings and types need to go where, and how many of each. I ordered with some extra just in case practice doesn't follow theory and I was left stranded requiring a fitting or two to complete. The cost of fittings can really add up...

Basically using rotary extenders, 45/90 degree rotaries, 13/19mm compressions, and the quick disconnects shown earlier:




Extender rotaries provide clearance around fans:






For a first timer the rotaries are a godsend, provide loads of flexibility in planning which angle the pipe can go in at when they're installed
 
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Started to think about the drain point. Will use a quick disconnect here off a 4 way fitting (this is a female G1/4 fitting, which accepts a male compression QDC fitting). This will be mounted at the lowest point of the loop, and will incorporate a water temperature sensor from Bitspower.









More photos of this later. Will be mounted to a rotary extender to be able to swivel the port downwards when in use and upwards when being 'stowed'. Thanks to Bryan and Murah (and others) for their help and advice over on this thread:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18659429
 
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With 5mm male to male fitting...


...to allow the rotary fitting...


...so the drainport can be rotated to point downwards...




Tube not shown connected obviously. Tube will have a male QDC compression fitting and a tap fitting. Bottom xspc 240rx rad has 4 ports which is very handy.
 
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Update on the aquaero 6 pro... Heat sink arrived, in a cheeky red colour.





With cables attached and organised




(USB Cable not attached yet)
 
Ok, tubing up time...


Using the QuickDisconnects to split up the loop into containable sections... Primarily as it's my first ever build.




Male QDC compression fitting






(Sorry for blurry photos)
 
Rotary and QuickDisconnect combo provides a lot of flexibility





With rotary and 90degree fitting at pump/res outlet




Pump/res being installed to front rad


Front rad to top rad
 
Second GPU to bottom rad


And the full loop tubed up




My fingers are a bloody pulpy mess... (Fractured thumb during football 4 weeks ago def does not help....:( )
 
And now a word from our Sponsors...

Illy espresso tins and centrum vitamin tablet tubs are amazingly useful for holding tiny screws and parts....!

 
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Thanks Harry5522. The pipe I was a little bit concerned about was the one from the CPU to the 1st GPU (ie the one on the left in the second tube image). The pipe from the rad to the CPU is good with no kinks, may be just camera angle?
 
Luggs / RJW / Harry, thanks guys. Yeah am a bit chuffed... was bricking it a bit so quite pleased it all turned out well.

Concept behind the QDCs was to allow me to separate out all the main components from the loop without having to do a full drain. So using the 6 sets, I can take out any one of the main components (each of the 3 rads, the CPU water block, 2xGPUs 'block') and then slot them back in (presumably requiring a little extra fluid and a re-bleed). Given that this is my first ever pc build I thought it prudent to do so.

Using the 2xD5 varios provided an increased flow rate which hopefully will offset the additional restriction of this number of QDCs, as apparently also does the use of 1/2inch ID tubing. Will post pics of the fluid added soon.

First temps at idle as follows, as reported by AIDA64 Extreme, at 4.4ghz on the cpu, gpus at 'stock' overclock:

CPU Package: 25-26C
GPU 1: 23
GPU 2: 25
Water temp: 24-25 average across the 3 water sensors in the loop (1x bitspower in-line, 1x aquaero inline, 1xXSPC inline)

Fans at minimum speeds
Pumps are set to 2 (of 5).

A little concerned with the 2 degree differential between GPUs. They're set up in parallel so had thought the temps would be identical from what I'd read on the net.

Will over the next few days begin to set up profiles and curves and then start to tune the fan speeds to loading scenarios with stress tests, game tests, etc.
 
Ok here are some pics of the system filled up. It's all working well (I think!). Have ordered some sunset yellow pastel to add into the reservoir to make the fluid a little more orange to match the gigabyte mobo colours and cables. Whilst I like the red, it needs to match a little bit more to the components (noobo mistake..).



























 
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