project:sufficiency

[shadowscotland]

The first of the last set of parcels arrived for me today so I thought that I’d start writing up my build log.

I got into watercooling for a quiet life and to reduce my electric running costs (pc was OC running 24/7 at load)
and swapping all the fans for a 3w pumps made sense to me.

As with many taking their firsts steps into the world of WCing I went with a second hand ‘kit’.
But it wasn’t the usually XSPC or Swiftech kit’s, it was a Zalman Reserator 2.

But as with most things IT, I got the upgrade bug and moved away from the original kit of parts to
achieve high performance and remove the last fan in my build (PSU). I removed the RES2 body from
my loop a few months ago after maybe 4 year. If you find a Res2 I highly recommend you get it.
They will change the way you think about computing – they really are THAT good.

I have had my CPU/GPU/NB/MosFet/PSU/HHD all in a loop – but fanless is a pita.
In an air conditioned server room it’s workable – but a home PC - it’s more trouble than it is worth.
Others told me this as I got closer and closer to a 0dB system – I ignored them, I was wrong.
Why am I telling you all this – Well I think it helps explain some of my hardware choices, and of all the
build logs I’ve read, the ones with stories or themes are the ones I’ve enjoyed the most. But enough history.

Project:sufficiency

Sufficiency or in the words of Mary Poppins ‘Enough is as good as a feast’
It’s an old idiom that related to food portions, personal contentment and global resources equally.
It’s qualitative. It’s a personal reference point, it’s not accepting second best but at the same time
not over specifying for something that will never happen.

But sufficiency is also quantitative - do we have enough food for the week?
Will my pc overheat in summer when running full load? Will it be inaudible during the day?.
Will it allow me to work at home without waking my wife?

This isn’t a i7/800D/5970 build log – but I hope you enjoy it all the same.

 

Case: Lian Li PC-S80B
A double box aluminium server case - designed like a tank for reduced noise but showing its age in design features.
I got it pre cut to accept a PA120.3 in the roof, has the quality I want and the space I need to accept a full
internal passive loop.

Mobo: Asus Maximum II Gene
One of the first gaming grade mATX motherboard - almost everything it’s bigger brother has
except a few pci slots. To by honest my P5Q vanilla was fine, but it was always a second best option.

The Gene will work with my ram, allow NB and MosFet cooling with a single waterblock,
has a better overclocking/undervolting bios and has the 24pin power socket in the right place.
The mATX form factor also allows some additional modelling opportunities.

CPU: E8200es
Engineering sample of the popular wolfdale chip – Duel core, large cache what more do you need.
It’s a great chip that runs cool, overclocked at around 1.1 volts. Perfect for CAD, Office and light gaming.

Ram: Transcend aXe PC2-9600
One of the fasted DDR2 sticks available – Four 1Gb sticks of Micro D9 covered in oversized
aluminium heat spreaders – runs with very tight timing/low volts at 800 will do silly speeds
but enough D9’s have been sacrificed already.

GPU: Sapphire 3870 ‘blue pcb’
ATI answer to the 8800gs – cool, low energy more than enough for my needs. Was a bargain
with a Blue EK full cover block and a good upgrade from my passive 8500GT.

HHD: 2x Samsung 32mb SLC in RAID & WD black 500Gb
Silent running, high read/write speed, single level cell SSD’s – Not as good as the Intel’s.
But they are quicker/quieter/a more energy efficient that the raptor they replace.
The western digital (inside a GUP) takes care for the rest.

PSU: Yesico FL-550 Fanless
High wattage passive psu - rock solid fanless server grade psu.
It has a low amp's on the 12v rail so not a gamer PSU but perfect for my needs

Radiator: PA120.3 - dual-row, dual-pass copper triple radiator – still one of the best.

CPU Block: XSPC edge – high flow and as good as impingement blocks – EK supreme top.

GPU Block: EK-FC 3870 CF – high flow with blue plexi top to match pcb.

NB Block: EK-NB ASUS HP (?) – subject to change.

Res: EK-Multioption 150 – small and versatile res - upside down instillation.

Pump: D5 vario – powerful pump with variable speed/flow – best quiet pump.

Top: EK-D5 X-TOP Rev.2 – small performance increase and G1/4 threads.

Barbs: Primochill ghost – nickel plated brass High flow – Invisible and 10.1mm ID.

Tube: Feser/xspc Black – will test a few types with the barbs and see what’s best.

Detailing: Copper wire – more on this as the build progresses.

Optional external radient rad with QC's - maybe

 

[shadowscotland]

Heres a few shots of the case to get you started - as you don't see S80 very oftern

Front/side view - The outer side panel has been removed so that the inner 'box' is visable
Rad grill/PA and fill port visable on the top

Rear - passive PSU visable

 

[shadowscotland]

Bit of an intresting build, not often you get a 'lower spec' build that has watercooling as well.

Intresting that you class a ROG mobo, engineering sample cpu, D9's and SLC SSD's as 'lower spec' - but yes this is not your standard build
I'm not your standard pc owner, vive la difference!

How does that PSU cope? Ive always been wary of passive PSU's myself but would love one to quieten my PC a bit, but like you said, not good for gaming PC's

The Yesico is possably the best passive psu you can buy
All the others inc the silverstone nightjar's have catches in the warrenty that say you MUST have case airflow.
The Yesico doesn't need this, the whole casing and the fins at the back being a HS.
It also has a molex connecter that can be linked to a 'safety' fan - if the psu hits a user defined value (42-62c)
the fan is power up - if not the fan is always off. Had it linked to a fan for the first month of use - it never turned on

It will cope with most mid range cards - but has 18amp on the 12v rail
but then you need more that a 550w psu if you are building an overspec Quad/SLI monster.
I'm aiming for sub 150w at load (CPU/GPU)

Been playing around with modifying one of my EK-NB blocks instead of getting the EK-NB Asus HP.
The last option has the most potential as it's just drilling two holes but the fixings may foul the tube/barb.
I will use M3 bolts just like the HP block does so should be fine, but will most likely have it
rotated 180 degrees so the in/out lets are on the left.

 

[shadowscotland]

A few more pic's for you all - should give more of an idea of what it all about.

Standard box shots - the XSPC edge is no longer made, with is both understandable
(the design killed hundreads of milling bits) and a shame as the design is up there with the best of them.
Some would say the HK3 is a more manufacturing friendly version of the edge but with better pre-chambers.

It been in my loop of a while now and all those vertical fins needed a good clean.
So out with the Tommy K and a tooth brush (did a hot water/soap wash after)
finishing with a distilled water rince.

All the kit layed out for inspection - notice the odd one out. It's an EK supreme 775/1156 top plate.
And yes that is a cardboard spacer on the back plate - the sponge one stayed on the first mobo
The cardboard one has seen at least 4 mobo's

 

[shadowscotland]

Some assembley shots - not a bit fan of acrylic in blocks due to micro cracks.
That why I've opted of the supreme top - also will allow greater mounting pressure.
You will also see the primochill ghost barbs, been meaning to get theses into my loop for a while.

The nuts are in that loction just for the pic's - they would be pining the back place to the mobo in real life

Final shots for today show the copper wire coils - the final version will be different but these give a flavour
of what's to come. Still in two minds on the dull look (bioshock esk) or shiny

 

[shadowscotland]

Thanks for the comments guys

Are you intending to use a single fan on the radiator, or none at all?

None

Single case fan (front supply via side grills) with indirect air path using the S80 design.
Possitive presure case with Rad and psu as only outlets vents.
So fan assists the hot air to rise with a few baffels.
very simular to the way a fan assisted storage heater works (Bottom-cold in / top-hot out)

I have it the opposite way round at the minute - fan is rear extract with psu/rad as inlet.
But want to reduce the fan noise more - and indirect sound path is only real way to acheive this.
Will swap it back if the temps do not match the theory.

I'll go into all this in more detail later - as the S80 air flow is very different to a standard atx case.

 

[shadowscotland]

Thanks for the nudge - can't beleive it's been a month
Was installing a starfield suspended ceiling in my son's room and the wife has been very poorly
so have had very little 'me' time of late. Looks like I've already broken my minimum of one update a week aim.
Will try harder

Will be moving the hardware into my spare case so I can work on the internal S80 panels.
I perfer Midnight blue to black and it's more in keeping with the tube and Gene.

Also been very dissapointed with the ID of some SLI / Male to Male threaded connectors.
If a barb can be 10.1mm ID why is a connector < 8.5mm
Have a third on on it's way but may just use barb & tube...

 

[shadowscotland]

The connecting pipe OD is only 9.5ish.

I'll either splash some cash on a bitspower/Koolance fitting or use barb and hose.
Will do a few mock up and see what position I like my res and pump in most.
If close together I'll get a bitspower male/male rotary connector as I know they are +9.5mm ID.
But a nearly £10 for the black version, I'm likely to go with my invisable 'ghost' barbs

 

[shadowscotland]

It's the EK top mounting plate that I've used - not the pre-chamber.
I want max flow so impingement blocks are a big no-no for me.

HK3 has a significantly better pre chamber design to the edge. So preforms better.
But the edge beats everything except the fusion V1 in mimimal pressure drop.

And yes I have the metal ghost fitting - will be using them with 7/16 I think
But was planning on useing cable ties anyway (as a band of colour) with feser 1/2 black tube.
This has a slight hint of blue to it which I didn't like with the P5Q but works well with the Gene.
Will get some 7/16 and see what I like better

MP were you trying to say I could have got a cooler running more powerfull card?
Open to surgestions - but picked the 3870 up second hand with the full cover block so last summer
(seamed like a good idea at the time) untill xp pro and the ATI .dll's didn't play nicely

Decided on Audi - Crystal Blue (metalic) for the case internals (sorry MP you can't see that pic either)
As on second thoughts midnight blue would have been fine on the outside but too dark for the inside.
I have primer and three can of colour in my bag so will paint the panels at work over the next few days.
Credit too leoncc on painting his TJ07 - Still wasn't sure untill I saw his recents results

 

[shadowscotland]

The 4xxx were only just out at the time I think - but that is more watts that i'd like.
clocking it down to a 3750 on the core will help, went with ati at the time due to massively lower idle power usage.
Thanks for the link, something to consider

 

[shadowscotland]

I’m very pro doing things yourself but painting case parts one at a time is very time consuming.
Especially when the top coat is nothing like the colour swatch – on my third colour now.

I filled the office with fumes on by first mist coat of primer so the rest has been done outside.
Not ideal as it only just getting above 10c atm, and dust keeps falling onto the surfaces.
But still, little-by-little I’m making progress – will post up some pic’s when the top coat is how I want it.

As to the gpu issue – I’m going to stick with my 3870
It’s only 5w more at idle and B/ray playback that the best card of similar spec
(an a lots better that 8xxx and 9xxx cards)
So it seams pointless to get a new card to lower gaming electrical/heat load when I game 4h a week at most.

EDIT: just a quick shot of a panel back on the case - lighting isn't great sorry.
As you can see it's almost midnight blue (the colour I decided againest in the end)
And not really metalic, but I did stop at two mist coats as it wasn't getting any lighter.
New colour is more striking - simular to the asus pcb you can see in the case.

 

[shadowscotland]

Been busy in my lunch hours working up the coats of paint.

Good clean, rinse and dry (paper towels, then air dry for 20min's)
Mask up foam (as required see below)

Gray primer mist coat, 15mins wait
second coat, 15mins wait
Flip and repeat (mist, wait, coat, wait)
store in warm ventilated room for 24 hour

sand (1200 grit) (see above)
Rover Atlantic blue base colour mist coat, 10 mins wait
second coat, 10 mins wait
third coat, 10 mins wait
Flip and repeat (mist, wait, coat, wait, coat, wait)
store in warm ventilated room for 24 hour

sand (1200 grit)
wash, rince, dry, 20 mins wait
Ford Azure blue top mist coat, wait 10 mins
second coat, 10 mins wait
Flip and repeat (mist, wait, coat, wait)
store in warm ventilated room for 24 hour

The two small panels are at this stage now, will be applying the lacquer on thoses tomorrow.
Motherboard tray is being removed if I have the time tonight (as that requires a system rebuild in my second case )

Each panel (doing the two small panels together) needs three 'fair weather' days to paint!
This week so far has been very productive, but the guys and girls in the office are starting to ask lots of questions
Shaking an spray can ever 10 minutes does tend to get noticed

 

[shadowscotland]

Tommy K is an excelent cleaner for all metals, highly recomended.
Aquarium water is also very good, especially for precious metals
I can also high recomend cake - just not for cleaning

Used another whole 300ml can of blue used today - hopefully I get the three panels sanded and lacquer tomorrow before the weather breaks.
Starting to get the feeling a inexpensive airbrush would have been cheaper.

 

[shadowscotland]

Hit by triple bad luck today.

I droped the main panel and chiped all the paint of the edge
Touched the lacquer and left a fingerprint (this I smoothed out luckily)
And a plague of flies just landed on all three panels after the second coat

I need a garage before I ever consider painting again

Pict's to follow

 

[shadowscotland]

ARRRRRRRH - lacquer stuck my panels to the stand off.
Result - bare metal showing and I need to start again - well p'ed off
Should shave stopped yesterday - they were looking perfect yesterday.
And I don't think T-cut will get these marks out.
Only thing I can think of, is let the lacquer fully dry (two weeks) and sand it all off.

WARNING - only use lacquer to 'protect' your paint if you are hanging your panels to paint them.

Sanded with 1200 grit and air drying

Final coat showing damage

close up - office camera is not so great

Sooooooo annoyed - I most likely used to much, but just want to ditch the build and get a new case now

 

[shadowscotland]

Been busy on my case again - decided to just go for it and paint most of the internals

Starting point - internal and external panels removed

HHD bays removed

Fan bays removed

Motherboard tray and card slots removed - was going to stop here but decided to paint
most of the silver parts black as well as the mobo tray blue

All removed (inc PA120.3) front air baffle retained as I'm keeping this silver.
You can clearly see the lowered position of the psu in this shot.
Ideal for deep rads the rear grill will be blocked up to stop air path short circuits

 

[shadowscotland]

All the parts laid out - thats quiet a lot of surface area to be done.
Wishing I got an spraygun now - at least the black parts are not going to need 9 coats

The paint damage isn't as bad now - will touch it up soon
I never intended it to be super slick - just sufficient.
But I was trying for a near perfect finish, just lacked the practical skill at the time
Will not make the same mistake on the mobo tray and black panels

 

[shadowscotland]

New painting rig - much improved and no chance of wet paint sticking to any thing

 

[shadowscotland]

Not a lot of silver left now

Quick update
Used up another three cans of paint in the last two days must be into my third litre now
But all the blue panels are now done (reverse side to be lacqued tomorrow)
The top panels are now black too.
I'm trying enamel paint on these - as the primer (adhesion promoter) could be overcoated after an hours drying time.

Will post up some pics of the various finishes when done in a day or two.

I will add that spraying the panels in a vertical orinatation is much easier,
but you do need to make sure you don't overspray as runs are more noticable.

Also been lapping a few EK chipset blocks to remove the tarnish,
and have nuts and bolts on order to put it all back together again.

 

[shadowscotland]

Update and mini mock up while I wait for my machine screws to arrive.
The black still needs another coat, and may change my plans on the dvd drive.
As the scythe kara bay is too narrow (but blow hole trim fills the gap fine)
And it too short - dvd draw is wider than the bays height (mounting it vertically)

Anyway on with the photo's

Quick mock up - with blue tack and 4 allen button heads holding it together
The fan cages will not be in final build, so the Rad / res / pump with be in line.
The GUP and SSD's will also need a home