Have been wanting to go Custom Loop Water Cooling for a while and the death of the H100, pictured below, prompted me to do so. This will be a first trip into Custom Loop WC for me so a sharp learning curve. Have watched plenty of instructional videos and read guides, there certainly was plenty I had not considered prior to doing so.
Why UnderOverStated? A 900D can never be classed as understated/subtle! And a Single GPU/CPU 2x480 Rad Loop has massive headroom over the current hardware. My part/colour choice is pretty subtle - That is, mostly neutral. Blacks and clears. I like a colour coded scheme but not if it means changing out a whole load of WC parts because my motherboard changes from one colour to another
As a result there is a fair amount of kit going into the 900D, not all of it is extreme, nor necessary and irrespective of that fact - It's all going to be pretty neutral! If I want to accent a certain colour in the future I can do it via LEDs and Coolant colour, rather than swapping out blocks, tubing or otherwise. Big case, pretty big loop and pretty middle of the road hardware in places - Hence UnderOverStated! The case and loop will serve as a platform with headroom for Multi-GPU and bigger CPU/Motherboard (With WC Blocks) in the future.
Parts Already in Situ:
Corsair 900D
i7 2600k / ASUS P8P67
Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD / 2 x 2TB Seagate 7200RPM HDDs in RAID-0
nVidia GTX 780Ti
ASUS Xonar STX
Superflower Leadex Platinum 1000W
Lamptron FC2 6 Channel Analogue Fan Controller
Corsair SP/AF120s
Parts En-Route:
XSPC D5 Photon 270 Reservoir/Pump Combo
EK Water Blocks EK-FC780 GTX Ti - Nickel
XSPC EX480 120mm Radiator - Black x 2
EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy - Nickel
Corsair SP120 Performance Series High Pressure x 4
Koolance QD3 Male Quick Disconnect No-Spill Coupling, Compression for 10mm x 13mm
Koolance QD3 Female Quick Disconnect No-Spill Coupling, Compression for 10mm x 13mm
Koolance QD3 Male Quick Disconnect No-Spill Coupling, Male Threaded G 1/4 BSPP
Mayhems X1 Clear Premixed Watercooling Fluid 1L
Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 13/10 - Clear
EK Water Blocks EK-PLUG Fitting G1/4 - Plexi
EK Water Blocks EK-CSQ Fitting 10/13mm G1/4 - Black
BitFenix Alchemy Molex Extension Adaptor 45cm - Black
Parts To Get:
Tube cutter
Distilled Water
Funnel
#6-32 Thread Tap and #36 Drill bit
Pictures
Build as it currently stands
1 x Dead H100
Basement Prepped. That is installtion of the 480 mounting brackets and gutting of all un-used parts. 3 x Lower HDD Caddy Slides / 2nd PSU Rest / Second HDD Caddy / Lower Front Bay 120MM Fan Brackets
Single remaining HDD Caddy (Hotswap one) relocated to upper front position
Pictures of the Lamptron FC2 and Superflower Leadex
Problems
The Superflower Leadex - It only ships with a SINGLE 3 x Molex Plug cable. This presents 2 problems. You only have 3 available Molex power points out of the box. Those 3 points are all in close proximity to each other. This has left me ordering Molex extension leads in order to run Molex to 3 very distinct locations. That being Lamptron FC2, Watercooling Pump, ASUS Xonar STX. All 3 extensions will run to behind the motherboard tray and connect to the cable managed 3 x Molex PSU lead there. That will be my Molex connectivity saturated without using 1 into X converters or somehow sourcing another Superflower Molex PSU lead - Where from?!?!
The Loop and Drain Line Idea
Loop design is pretty standard. An upper and lower 480, a Res/Pump combo and a single GPU and CPU Block to link in. Loop will most likely run as follows:
PumpRes Combo > GPU > CPU > Upper 480 > Lower 480 > PumpRes Combo.
I've been careful to ensure that the lower rad Upper port will connect to the Res Input to ensure that it can bleed properly. From everything that I have read the most common advice is that loop order makes no difference and it should be designed to ensure minimum tube length. That's what I have gone for here. Any pointers if I have made an obvious mistake or will compromise performance please do shout!
Additionally I want a hassle free loop. As a result a drain line was necessary. OcUK have no stock for making T-Lines or otherwise so I felt I want to go for something a little more fancy. Not cheap, not super expensive but worth it for the ease of use (hopefully). The idea is to run a G1/4 Male QDC in the Lower 480 Bottom port. This will connect to the Upper 480 Output via tube with a Female Compression QDC at the end. This will mate with the lower 480 in the basement of the 900D, right next to the basement door opposite the lower 480 - plenty of room here! The drain loop will be installed by de coupling the loop QDCs and then attaching another separate Female Compression QDC to the lower 480 Male QDC - A length of tubing with nothing on the other end will serve as the drain line out of the side of the case. In my mind it should work, it's hard to explain in words but hopefully when the kit arrives and is installed pictures will clear it up.
Next steps
Removal of H100 / Preparation of CPU Surface
Removal of 780Ti Stock Cooler / Preparation of GPU Surface
Identify mounting point for Photon 270 Res/Pump Combo and investigate possibility of tapping 6-32 thread into the Motherboard tray for direct attachment via screw.
Flush Radiators with Distilled Water
Installation of Blocks/Flushed Rads
Testing proposed Tube route and Drain Line
Final assembly/leak testing
Why UnderOverStated? A 900D can never be classed as understated/subtle! And a Single GPU/CPU 2x480 Rad Loop has massive headroom over the current hardware. My part/colour choice is pretty subtle - That is, mostly neutral. Blacks and clears. I like a colour coded scheme but not if it means changing out a whole load of WC parts because my motherboard changes from one colour to another
As a result there is a fair amount of kit going into the 900D, not all of it is extreme, nor necessary and irrespective of that fact - It's all going to be pretty neutral! If I want to accent a certain colour in the future I can do it via LEDs and Coolant colour, rather than swapping out blocks, tubing or otherwise. Big case, pretty big loop and pretty middle of the road hardware in places - Hence UnderOverStated! The case and loop will serve as a platform with headroom for Multi-GPU and bigger CPU/Motherboard (With WC Blocks) in the future.
Parts Already in Situ:
Corsair 900D
i7 2600k / ASUS P8P67
Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD / 2 x 2TB Seagate 7200RPM HDDs in RAID-0
nVidia GTX 780Ti
ASUS Xonar STX
Superflower Leadex Platinum 1000W
Lamptron FC2 6 Channel Analogue Fan Controller
Corsair SP/AF120s
Parts En-Route:
XSPC D5 Photon 270 Reservoir/Pump Combo
EK Water Blocks EK-FC780 GTX Ti - Nickel
XSPC EX480 120mm Radiator - Black x 2
EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy - Nickel
Corsair SP120 Performance Series High Pressure x 4
Koolance QD3 Male Quick Disconnect No-Spill Coupling, Compression for 10mm x 13mm
Koolance QD3 Female Quick Disconnect No-Spill Coupling, Compression for 10mm x 13mm
Koolance QD3 Male Quick Disconnect No-Spill Coupling, Male Threaded G 1/4 BSPP
Mayhems X1 Clear Premixed Watercooling Fluid 1L
Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 13/10 - Clear
EK Water Blocks EK-PLUG Fitting G1/4 - Plexi
EK Water Blocks EK-CSQ Fitting 10/13mm G1/4 - Black
BitFenix Alchemy Molex Extension Adaptor 45cm - Black
Parts To Get:
Tube cutter
Distilled Water
Funnel
#6-32 Thread Tap and #36 Drill bit
Pictures
Build as it currently stands
1 x Dead H100
Basement Prepped. That is installtion of the 480 mounting brackets and gutting of all un-used parts. 3 x Lower HDD Caddy Slides / 2nd PSU Rest / Second HDD Caddy / Lower Front Bay 120MM Fan Brackets
Single remaining HDD Caddy (Hotswap one) relocated to upper front position
Pictures of the Lamptron FC2 and Superflower Leadex
Problems
The Superflower Leadex - It only ships with a SINGLE 3 x Molex Plug cable. This presents 2 problems. You only have 3 available Molex power points out of the box. Those 3 points are all in close proximity to each other. This has left me ordering Molex extension leads in order to run Molex to 3 very distinct locations. That being Lamptron FC2, Watercooling Pump, ASUS Xonar STX. All 3 extensions will run to behind the motherboard tray and connect to the cable managed 3 x Molex PSU lead there. That will be my Molex connectivity saturated without using 1 into X converters or somehow sourcing another Superflower Molex PSU lead - Where from?!?!
The Loop and Drain Line Idea
Loop design is pretty standard. An upper and lower 480, a Res/Pump combo and a single GPU and CPU Block to link in. Loop will most likely run as follows:
PumpRes Combo > GPU > CPU > Upper 480 > Lower 480 > PumpRes Combo.
I've been careful to ensure that the lower rad Upper port will connect to the Res Input to ensure that it can bleed properly. From everything that I have read the most common advice is that loop order makes no difference and it should be designed to ensure minimum tube length. That's what I have gone for here. Any pointers if I have made an obvious mistake or will compromise performance please do shout!
Additionally I want a hassle free loop. As a result a drain line was necessary. OcUK have no stock for making T-Lines or otherwise so I felt I want to go for something a little more fancy. Not cheap, not super expensive but worth it for the ease of use (hopefully). The idea is to run a G1/4 Male QDC in the Lower 480 Bottom port. This will connect to the Upper 480 Output via tube with a Female Compression QDC at the end. This will mate with the lower 480 in the basement of the 900D, right next to the basement door opposite the lower 480 - plenty of room here! The drain loop will be installed by de coupling the loop QDCs and then attaching another separate Female Compression QDC to the lower 480 Male QDC - A length of tubing with nothing on the other end will serve as the drain line out of the side of the case. In my mind it should work, it's hard to explain in words but hopefully when the kit arrives and is installed pictures will clear it up.
Next steps
Removal of H100 / Preparation of CPU Surface
Removal of 780Ti Stock Cooler / Preparation of GPU Surface
Identify mounting point for Photon 270 Res/Pump Combo and investigate possibility of tapping 6-32 thread into the Motherboard tray for direct attachment via screw.
Flush Radiators with Distilled Water
Installation of Blocks/Flushed Rads
Testing proposed Tube route and Drain Line
Final assembly/leak testing
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