Project Zen 2 Update

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

Soldato
Joined
13 Jan 2004
Posts
21,034
New parts arrived for Zen 2 refresh and am slowly making progress in spare time between work... Unfortunately working rest of week/weekend so it painful not cracking on with it!

Spec will be:
Ryzen 3900x
Auros X570 Master
2 x 8GB 3600CL16
MP510 1TB nvme

Reused parts include :
Corsair 900D
SuperFlower Leadex Platinum 1000W
Auros RTX2080 WaterForce
Aqua Computer Aquaero 5LT


Will be updating my custom loop of 2 x 480s, Phobya 270 D5 res/pump combo to 16mm hardline. Aquaero has a block on it as the fans are voltage controlled (only 1 PWM channel on the 5) and it can get toasty in low RPM/high resistance situations.

So far managed to strip and clean case, get rads, Aquaero and built-up board back in and fittings where I think will suit the hardline. Drain port with a ball valve and QDC for soft tube attachment for the draining also built and put in lower rad.

Only had time to run the simplest tube run from top rad to Aquero. Could only get 500mm lengths in 16mm so had to use a fitting rather than a bend to make the distance.


Trusty old 4770k build with soft tubing loop.
project_zen2-1.jpg


Stripped! Whilst absolutely beastly and heaaaaavy when filled I love working with the 900D. Modular ability and space to work with is a joy.
project_zen2-2.jpg


Dusty... Probably overdue some loving :o
project_zen2-3.jpg


Should have bought some extensions as the width of the 16mm fittings don't clear the fixings for the block. Got creative with some rotarys instead....
project_zen2-4.jpg


Drain port arrangement
project_zen2-5.jpg


Aquaero in drive bay and starting to to be plumbed
project_zen2-6.jpg


Top rad rotary workaround... Should have got them extensions :o
project_zen2-0.jpg



Rest of the runs will all include bends so should start getting interesting!
 
Last edited:
Subbed - followed the thought process to these parts in threads - now compelled to watch the conclusion :D. Glad to read you finally got your hands on the Master, @Sin_Chase - and it should emphasise its presence more, aesthetically, than your existing board.

Best of luck.
 
Did a little more today. Got all the runs done and a quick leak test. Took much longer to heat the PETG to get it malleable and ended up using 170 Degree C on the heat gun.

My first time working with hardline and I was surprised to how small the window to bend is. The tubing very quickly starts to cool if you wait even a few seconds before bending.

I gave up using a rotary pipe cutter as I found the cut quality and finish to be poor as well as taking an age. The deburr tool makes mincemeat of chamfering PETG and even wet sanding down after left a less than desirable finish. I decided to dig my ratchet plastic pipe cutter out of my plumbing tools and used that. FAR quicker and a much cleaner cut with no burrs at all. Given that I am using inserts which provide a small chamfer when inserted I skipped using the deburr tool entirely.

First quick leak test was all looking good but after 5 minutes or so a drop formed on a 90 degree rotary in the top rad. Extracted the adjacent fan and pinched it up an eight of a turn and that seems to have sorted it. Will need to run an extended leak test and keep a close eye on it.

For a first run im the relatively happy with the loop. It functional but not as neat as I'd like. Multiple bend on the same pipe are difficult to measure and/or wing by eye. I think I'd have benefited from some of proper templating and might make some changes after I've settled in with the build a bit.

Tools I ended up using...
project_zen2-8.jpg


Inserts in cut tubing
project_zen2-7.jpg


First bends fitted
project_zen2-11.jpg


Loop as is
project_zen2-10.jpg


Leak :o
project_zen2-9.jpg
 
annnd we are up and running. Spent a few hours getting the cables run and managed (along without copious amounts of cable ties). Left the pump running for a majority of it to keep leak testing before getting the PSU in and cabled up last. Had an absolute mare with the CPU 12v EPS plugs, my Alchemy extensions just would not go in and the pin shapes and layouts were all wrong. Had my multimeter out to start continuity testing the pin outs to make sure if I forced it in it would work then realised my mistake....was trying to plug the CPU 12v into the PCI-E extensions :o Cable derpness overcome and was at the dreaded moment...POSTing for the first time and seeing if anything was DOA necessitating an RMA delay and draining/dismantling the loop.

I literally crapped myself...first POST sat on a black screen with the diagnostic LEDs cycling around like maniacs and nothing...for ages. Was starting to check which components were flagging as errored then got lift off and a BIOS splash. God knows what was happening, first power on weirdness I guess. BIOS update on and Windows installed fine. Just set XMP Profile for 3600CL16 and enabled PBO for now.

Chip idles at about 40-45 degrees in my loop which is a little higher than expected but seems about right. Full Cinebench R20 load sees 75ish degrees which again is higher than anticipated but not an issue. Typical gaming load is between 45 and 50 degrees.

Please excuse the mismatched RGB. Tonight I found out that RGB Fusion app from Gigabyte is flagged by Easy Anti Cheat and I couldn't even load up Apex Legends. Have had to uninstall it and have no other way of controlling lighting...a bit crap TBH. Oh..and the poor mans fill level on the res so I can keep an eye on levels whilst the loop settles. :D

project_zen2-12.jpg

project_zen2-13.jpg

project_zen2-14.jpg

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project_zen2-16.jpg
 
Final pictures after put some finishing touches on and sorting the RGB out. The RGB Fusion software needs updating as it's detected by Anti-Cheat software which is annoying :o

project_zen2-caseoff.jpg

project_zen2-detail2.jpg

project_zen2-detail.jpg
 
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