Hey all. Didn't think this warranted it's own thread in project logs since it's almost finished but I do require some advice on finishing off my build. (see end of post).
So it started off when I needed to downsize my current watercooled monster. It was running a first gen i7 860 @ 4gig on a MSi P55 board with a single 580, then later on I tried a 2nd 580 but it was just too loud. I thought my best bet would be sell on the gfx, mobo and processor and try and fund a smaller but faster version of what I had before.
So after browsing the for sale forum and monitoring the B-grade section for a week or so I picked up the following:
• Orange Bitfenix Prodigy, with windowed side panel
• Retail i5 3570k, apparently never overclocked
• Asus P8Z88-I Deluxe, the first itx board I've ever owned
• VTX 7950 with EK waterblock already fitted
• Various 90, 45 and straight compression fittings. I've never used compression fittings before. All my previous watercooled builds have used barbs and half inch hose. So this build will be the first time I've used different fittings and a different hose gauge.
I'm going to reuse my cpu block, radiator, XSPC 750 res/pump, fans and PSU along with keeping my 120gb SSD and terrabyte storage drive.
I think this will be the first prodigy to use the xspc pump/res combo. Mainly because it doesn't really fit anywhere.
Anyway, after a fair few the other night there I decided I could make it work. The following depicts my work from about 9pm to 4am
Case Stripped, mobo mounted along with 3.5 inch drive which I glued rubber gromets on all sides to reduce vibration and it fits snuggly in place. Note the pump/res in the front.
Graphics card in place with cpu block mounted and screwed down. You get a better picture of the pump/res here. I've mounted it with 2 long screws with rubber hard drive gromets either side of the front of the case to reduce vibration.
Graphics card connected to the pump and cpu. Also made sure my smaller pci-e cables were long enough to fit over the hoses.
Radiator mounted in really the only place left for it to fit and all hoses fitted and ready for leak testing.
Leak testing. Note my official Irn-Bru filler
My leak test lasted about an 90mins before I got the urge to turn it on for real
Ok, so first thing someone is gonna say is a single rad for 2 blocks?
I know it's not ideal but I just couldn't wait to get it going! The temps aren't that bad, I just can't overclock much. So first questions is ideas for another rad? One out the back? Massive external radiator stand?
Second thing are the fans. I've got all 4 (front, rear and 2 on the rad) 120mm fans all running at 7 volt but I don't like the look of them outside the case and not convinced about their performance. Any ideas or suggestions for new fans? Should I stick with the blue an orange theme?
I'm running the processor on auto overclock just now which keeps the processor idle in the high 30s @ <1v and never above 60 on full load.
I did do a 3dmark11 run with the graphics card overclocked to 1200/1600 and cpu at 4.5gig and got the following - http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7546822 Now that's only 900 points less than my old i7 860 was with sli 580s! Temps on the gfx peaked at 49 and the cpu hit 72 on 2 cores and 69 on the other 2.
Overall I'm really happy with the result so far. I've bought 2 blue lcd temperature displays which I'm going to try and retro fit into what's left if the 5 1/4 inch bay. Also thinking about some sort of mesh for the fans on the top, and maybe a window for the other side somehow?
Any ideas, suggestions or positive criticism are more than welcome!
p.s - sorry for the crap quality pics. Took them with my phone as I left my proper camera at work!
So it started off when I needed to downsize my current watercooled monster. It was running a first gen i7 860 @ 4gig on a MSi P55 board with a single 580, then later on I tried a 2nd 580 but it was just too loud. I thought my best bet would be sell on the gfx, mobo and processor and try and fund a smaller but faster version of what I had before.
So after browsing the for sale forum and monitoring the B-grade section for a week or so I picked up the following:
• Orange Bitfenix Prodigy, with windowed side panel
• Retail i5 3570k, apparently never overclocked
• Asus P8Z88-I Deluxe, the first itx board I've ever owned
• VTX 7950 with EK waterblock already fitted
• Various 90, 45 and straight compression fittings. I've never used compression fittings before. All my previous watercooled builds have used barbs and half inch hose. So this build will be the first time I've used different fittings and a different hose gauge.
I'm going to reuse my cpu block, radiator, XSPC 750 res/pump, fans and PSU along with keeping my 120gb SSD and terrabyte storage drive.
I think this will be the first prodigy to use the xspc pump/res combo. Mainly because it doesn't really fit anywhere.
Anyway, after a fair few the other night there I decided I could make it work. The following depicts my work from about 9pm to 4am
Case Stripped, mobo mounted along with 3.5 inch drive which I glued rubber gromets on all sides to reduce vibration and it fits snuggly in place. Note the pump/res in the front.
Graphics card in place with cpu block mounted and screwed down. You get a better picture of the pump/res here. I've mounted it with 2 long screws with rubber hard drive gromets either side of the front of the case to reduce vibration.
Graphics card connected to the pump and cpu. Also made sure my smaller pci-e cables were long enough to fit over the hoses.
Radiator mounted in really the only place left for it to fit and all hoses fitted and ready for leak testing.
Leak testing. Note my official Irn-Bru filler
My leak test lasted about an 90mins before I got the urge to turn it on for real
Ok, so first thing someone is gonna say is a single rad for 2 blocks?
I know it's not ideal but I just couldn't wait to get it going! The temps aren't that bad, I just can't overclock much. So first questions is ideas for another rad? One out the back? Massive external radiator stand?Second thing are the fans. I've got all 4 (front, rear and 2 on the rad) 120mm fans all running at 7 volt but I don't like the look of them outside the case and not convinced about their performance. Any ideas or suggestions for new fans? Should I stick with the blue an orange theme?
I'm running the processor on auto overclock just now which keeps the processor idle in the high 30s @ <1v and never above 60 on full load.
I did do a 3dmark11 run with the graphics card overclocked to 1200/1600 and cpu at 4.5gig and got the following - http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7546822
Now that's only 900 points less than my old i7 860 was with sli 580s! Temps on the gfx peaked at 49 and the cpu hit 72 on 2 cores and 69 on the other 2.Overall I'm really happy with the result so far. I've bought 2 blue lcd temperature displays which I'm going to try and retro fit into what's left if the 5 1/4 inch bay. Also thinking about some sort of mesh for the fans on the top, and maybe a window for the other side somehow?
Any ideas, suggestions or positive criticism are more than welcome!
p.s - sorry for the crap quality pics. Took them with my phone as I left my proper camera at work!
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