Project Three Piece Suite

pgi947 · 2 Mar 2012 at 19:14

This is a watercooling project on my existing build, also my very first attempt at watercooling! Mostly external too

The Three main components that will be used are the following:

Sig rig, including the 500R
Zalman Reserator v1+, pump removed to be used as a huge 2.5L res, should also take care of around 160w heat
Phobya Xtreme Nova 1080 radiator with 4 x 180mm Phobya G-silent 700rpm white fans.

WC wise the following spec has been settled on, well just about anyway.

XSPC Raystorm CPU Block
2 x EK-FC6870 plexi blocks (my 6950's are based on the 6870 PCB)
D5 Vario W/ Alphacool HF top
7/16 black speckle/black nickel compression fittings
7/16 White tubing (undecided between masterkleer and XSPC?)
Coolant will just be some DI with biocide/kill coil/corrosion inhibiter

How things look just now:

The absolutely huge radiator (essentially 3 x 360 rads to put it into perspective:

It may be slow progress to begin with, as I can't really do much of anything until I get the 6870 blocks in, which OCUK are very kindly ordering in for me (thanks Rjkoneil you're a star!) But at best the blocks will be with me next week, so fingers crossed for a build next weekend!

pgi947 · 3 Mar 2012 at 13:58

Hopefully its big enough to blow away curious cats who like to pick fights with moving parts

Also decided I'm going to add some LED strips around the underside edges of the motherboard, should brighten things up as I'll be ditching my current 140mm white LED spectre pro fans in the roof for a pair of 140mm antec true-quiets.

A window mod is also on the cards as I will no longer need the side mesh for a fan

pgi947 · 5 Mar 2012 at 17:39

Just a small update:

Just about everything ordered, having to order the GPU blocks direct from EK rather than from OCUK, but this does mean I could have the blocks by the weekend, so all being well I should be ready to build sat afternoon

pgi947 · 5 Mar 2012 at 18:19

It will be separate, fits under my desk out of sight nicely

3 Main components to my build, my sig rig, Zalman Reserator as a huge res and the huge rad. Should have no danger keeping everything nice and cool (I hope!)

pgi947 · 5 Mar 2012 at 19:28

Haha quite possibly! It was surprisingly cheap too, I originally considered a pair of 360 rads in an external box which would have ran me ~£170 with no fans, the 1080 rad was ~£150 including feet, fan grill and the four fans

Just about to order the pump and raystorm from here

Then its on to finding some 45 and 90 degree fittings that look similar to the Bitspower black sparkle, its almost a dull chrome look so thinking maybe black nickel will suffice!

Some auxiliary items I will be adding on order now too, like the Phobya PCI power plate so the fans have an external connection as well as some molex and 3pin fan extensions (black braid). Pulling out my hair trying to find a nice braided 4pin floppy power extension for my xonar DX, the Corsair provided cable is, well revolting, short and coated in other molex outputs.

pgi947 · 6 Mar 2012 at 21:22

GPU blocks are currently on an aircraft from Slovenia of all places (I thought EK was based in Germany? Learn something new every day!). So with the exception of Royal Mail/Parcel-force deciding to strike in the coming days I should be all set for the weekend

pgi947 · 7 Mar 2012 at 21:05

I found one! Though only in black and it was the last in stock afaik at the rainforest, took some finding but was part of a molex extension pack by Hiper consisting of 2 x Molex M-F and one Molex to 4pin floppy extension. I wish Bitfenix amongst others would realise people still need floppy power connectors for sound cards!

Pump and CPU block just ordered from OCUK, should be here friday, a little apprehensive that the GPU blocks will be here on time, in the space of two days they have gone from Slovenia, then onto Austria and now are currently in Germany where I hope they will be shoved in a cargo plane to the UK before the weekend

pgi947 · 8 Mar 2012 at 19:43

Some arrivals today, the tubing, some more fittings and the braided floppy extension, some pictures incoming.

The white XSPC tubing is really nice, the pictures probably wont show it but its a really nice pearl white, very flexible too

Hopeful I should get a fair few things from the postman tomorrow including the pump, raystorm, gpu blocks along with a heap of cables, connectors, pastes and water additives.

pgi947 · 8 Mar 2012 at 21:18

Another pic as promised, seems I may have ordered some wrong 45 degree fittings, the Phobya ones are male thread both ends

pgi947 · 9 Mar 2012 at 18:29

I would hope so

GPU blocks arrived today, as well as water additives, some more cables and some other odds and ends.

DPD Delivery for my OCUK stuff (cpu block and pump) is due between 18.05 and 19.05 tonight, I only got home at 18.10 so I'm going to be disgruntled at the very least if I missed it by 5 mins

Will update with more pics if/when my OCUK stuff gets here

pgi947 · 9 Mar 2012 at 19:11

CPU block and pump are here.....

Plexi HF top on the pump is cracked

Some pics of the offending crack

pgi947 · 11 Mar 2012 at 12:45

Yeah I got the RMA all sorted out with Killer UK yesterday, so it should be at OCUK HQ tuesday, hopefully in enough time to get a replacement sent out same day

So if you want to give the support team a nudge to get another pump ready for dispatch for when the faulty unit arrives that would be cool

In no major rush to get it though, long as it with me before Saturday, this PITA called work is getting in the way of building it durring the week. Speaking of work I'm going to have to pinch/borrow a low power heatgun to get the tubing over the compression fittings, its far too tight to force them on while connected to anything.

Another pic, raystrom, 6870 blocks and probably the most expensive QDC's ever used

pgi947 · 12 Mar 2012 at 20:42

Minor update:

Pump was sent back today, should be at OcUK HQ tomorrow morning.

Also just picked up 10L of De-Ionised water, £1.49 per 2.5L from ASDA, bargain!

pgi947 · 13 Mar 2012 at 19:39

Replacement pump in the post already, excellent service from OCUK as usual

All systems are currently go for a weekend build!

pgi947 · 14 Mar 2012 at 19:36

New pump arrived today in tip-top condition, we are go for a Sat build!

Decided I'm going to have the pump running at full speed all the time, got some 1/4" thick rubber padding to set it on, just need to get some longer screws

pgi947 · 17 Mar 2012 at 15:34

Build underway, slow progress but I'm getting there, will update with pics at the next chance!

pgi947 · 17 Mar 2012 at 20:14

All built!

Leak testing now then I'll get on with some pics while I re-wire everything.

Dropped a brick when I first started the pump up, loud grinding noise followed by it stopping, turns out it was down to the amount of air in the system - phew.

pgi947 · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:23

A little sample before I head off to bed, its been a long day to say the least!

pgi947 · 19 Mar 2012 at 20:34

Right here we go with some build pics!

The spread of what I was working with, got far too much DI, though 10L cost a mere £4 and should see me right for next time.

The rad getting a flush, left it flushing for around 2 hours just to be sure as its huge!

Sorry no pics of the GPU strip down and adding of waterblock, the first one took me an hour and a half to do, the 2nd only about half an hour.

Dry test of fittings to make sure I have everything at the correct angle

Tubing in place & leak testing

First time power on, still a little tidying to do

Everything back in its home, in my 'pit' in the corner of the spare room - next to the boiler of all things.

That rad, a nice snug fit out of the way

Zalman Reserator hiding at the side

Finishing touches, starting to think it looks a little tacky, not to mention the OcUK badge is off centre

Some quick load temps, over 20c better off than the H80

GPU load temps after an extreme kombuster bench, on air this would rocket up towards 80c. Heaven gave me ~36c BF3 ~39c

Thats all...for now, need to get my fan controller working (not a clue what has gone wrong there). Then its on to pushing 5+ghz on the CPU and getting my GPU's above 900mhz!

pgi947 · 21 Mar 2012 at 19:26

Some plans for the coming weekend...

Sort out the cable routing, I had to apply allot of pressure to the blank side panel to get it to close, cables everywhere. Going to remove all the cables and refit it all, see if I can get it all neater.

The fan controller I need to get sorted, not a clue why its not detecting any fans, at the moment there are two AP121's connected.

Get the 4th fan on the rad up and running, the PCI power plate only has 3 connections, so need to get a y-splitter, then route some extensions and hope the FC5 doesn't melt controlling 4 fans, failing that I will leave it running from the provided molex.

Once I'm happy then I'll have my first stab at serious GPU overclocking, aiming for 900/1325 as a minimum.

Any and all suggestions and input welcome, had the build bug going strong for 10 months now, I simply can't stop spending more on this thing

Currently edging close to the £2500 mark :eek: