Time.Sync.

[ALXAndy]

Got home last night thinking I would be met with either some goodies or red cards from the post office. Nada.

About all I can do for today is make up two molex runs.. They were splitter runs but I had a think earlier and the SATA runs (well, two of them) are molex - SATA. I did not want to overload the single molex run I had with splitters so I took the pins and connectors that came with the PSU and made two more red runs up.

Oh, and tested them obs (hence the meter there).

That's about all I can do today, aside from making the pump cover which I will crack on with later no doubt.

 

[ALXAndy]

Crappy photo alert..

Tis the pump cover.

Apologies for poor pics, it is literally dark ffs.

 

[ALXAndy]

I haz live testbed !

Enormous thanks to Cenedd (G) for donating it after mine was DOA.

Now I need to test a few things and get them bios updated before moving on with the build.

 

[ALXAndy]

Right update time. So after playing with the test bed and testing the Aquaero (it tested out lovely, doesn't look used at all) I moved the test bed into the case. Why? well basically there is so much going on in there that I started to worry about it. Like, so much wiring, so many connections and wire paths etc. I wanted to make sure my wiring was sound before I went any further, so in the test bed goes.

First signs were good. RGB (via the Farbwerk, not connected to USB yet) was alive and so was the case panels. I breathed a big sigh of relief when it started cycling colours.

We're half way there.. Next I connected the single USB wire to the mobo. Now if I have done my job properly everything should connect once that is installed as it runs to two hubs.

OK so I tested the case USBs (working) the SATA power (working obs) and everything else. Played with the Farbwerk and then moved onto the ACC

I also tested the screen power cable etc. It wasn't doing anything before, turns out the Hubbys do not output power until they receive a signal from the board. That was really playing hard on my mind, but it all works as it should.

*PHEW*.

Next thing to do is order a 120gb SSD and clone the OS over, before fitting the test bed into the Triad build. Once that is done and I have a PC I can then start building into the new build next week. I am going to take the weekend off, as too much of it fries my brain (it's just been wiring after wiring after wiring). The only few jobs I have left to do are make a panel to mount the AE on (which I have tested and know is working 100% also, another weight off) and then fit the PA3 and splitty and wire up all of the fans. Which also need to be tested, and then labelled so I know exactly what channel they are on.

I found out earlier they are 1900RPM and man, they do hum some air out. So there is absolutely no chance I am running them all at full steam.

 

[ALXAndy]

Oh also, for the guy that bought the same clock kit (if you didn't figure it out) the -numberhere- is the day of the week. It goes from -1- to -7- and changes every 24 hours I suppose there was no way to make it display like, MON TUE WED etc so they went with that. So that's pretty much all of it figured out (god bless Engrish manual).

 

[ALXAndy]

OK so this is the bit where it all becomes a bit "super car". I will explain what I mean by that. Basically supercars now are made of a mono structure and stuck together so that you can't really do much if they break. Well my AE is going to be the same. If you look at the Farbwerk board here (the small white one) you will see where it resides.

Now the idea here is to stick the AE exactly opposite. The problem is that whilst I can easily get it in there I will have to do so by touch. Once it is stuck in it will be inaccessible. So what to do? well, basically glue on cables and then label them. So whilst there will be no way to see it or get to it I can still connect/remove things from it. I am going to glue on the extensions so that they do not get pulled out accidentally (because like I said no way to see the sockets or access them*) and do it that way. Out of sight etc.

So the first job today was making a mounting panel. I won't bore you with all the details.

So that was that done. Next step draw up labels and make some blanks for anything else I want to label.

All about as interesting as watching paint dry, but alas must be done. I have nearly finished that now.

OK, so I know I said I was only going to use it for the pump. But the thing is the 92mm rear fan and 80mm fan I will be hoping to fit to cool the boards and electronics will not have the same profile when it comes to voltage and noise to voltage. They may need to be driven harder or softer. So the idea now is to use the PA3 to control all 4 of the 120mm fans, and then the AE will be in charge of the pump, 92mm rear fan and 80mm floor fan.

I am going to apply glue later (it's like wet hot glue and can be removed if I wish) and then leave that to set.

 

[ALXAndy]

Plastic finally arrived. In totally the wrong size, and using an offcut with a clear line through the mirror.

Yes I am annoyed. Very. However it has taken so long (two weeks) that I really can't stall the front any more. So I did the best I could.

And spent about half an hour sanding the bottom to make it fit. It will have to do. I do need to block the light from behind, though, as it becomes a little too transparent.

I am happy enough with it, I guess. I really can't get all bummed out about it because that will spiral and I will just bail on it.

Let's hope the soldering and etc goes a little better.

 

[ALXAndy]

The front panel is finished. Sorry about the pics, the storms of the past couple of days have left a lovely salty haze all over my windows lol. All of the wiring is done and everything is set in. So it's literally ready to fit.

And I have stripped out the triad, cleaned all of the parts that came out and turned it into a server.

ph33r my benchmark smasher !

 

[ALXAndy]

OK am back. Feel better. Bit anxious, but then I am trying to finish the build in my head in ten minutes and that isn't going to happen. Had a bit of a mishap earlier which did its level best to bum me out, but I pulled myself through.

Basically I was upgrading the RAM and finishing up the Triad for server duties (fitting all of the PCIE covers, you know boring ****). Any way, I thought "Let me just release the right side panel so I can run this fan extension off to a molex" and then it slid and I heard this sickening crunch. Looked over, it had landed on one of my cherished valve amps. It shattered the acrylic valve guard before smooshing the valve. The valve had come out, and the legs were badly bent. Instead of smashing things up (like I normally would) I had a wave of calm come over me. I sat and bent all of the valve legs back, pushed it back in and amp works fine. Big phew, glad it didn't die. Seems valves are far more robust than I ever gave them credit for.

OK so today I began by dipping and soaking all of the fittings in straight white vinegar. Then I rinsed them off with cold water, then I dried them all. It took ages, it stunk, and it wasn't very pleasant. And that has been the build for a while really. Nothing I've done has been fun for ages and it has all been spade work due to my over complicated design.

However, I got there eventually.

Just turn it 90' counter clockwise in your mind and you will know how it should look. I can't bolt it into the PC yet as I need access before hand. So it will need to go in second to last (just before the front panel, which will cover access to the screws).

Like I say, all has to be done in order. And that has been the biggest challenge. Whilst that assembly looks pretty basic there are literally mms in it. Like bolt length so nothing fouls etc. Very happy with it, finally something I designed can be seen.

Next up? more wiring. At least it's given me a positive kick in the ass, though.

 

[ALXAndy]

After a marathon wiring session I have gotten a whole crap load done.

Apols for horrid photos, had to resort to flash (ahhhhh, he saved every one of us !)

It's getting just a little busy down there.. I have now glued all of the connectors to the AE, so that can go in tomorrow. I then need 3 more fan extension cables, but I ordered those on Saturday so they should be here Weds.

 

[ALXAndy]

Back out of bed at 2am. Ended up downing tools at 3:30. The vanity panels are now fitted and man, what a difference it makes. All of the silver now disappears leaving only black.

Apols about pic. As I suspected it's quite dark today, with only white light (very cloudy).

Time to test its faculties.

Yup, seems like they are all there

Do excuse the fan noise. Obviously they are running at full pelt now and man, do they shift some air. I can't address that until the PC is smart and no longer dumb.

 

[ALXAndy]

More done ! decided to cover the tacky Chinese logos on the ram coolers. First I found the logo...

Changed it a little bit.

Et voila (it's more Fifty Shades Of Grey, but ho hum it's an improvement).

I had to remember to flip the memory for two. Good old X99, it flips the ram banks.

Cleaned up the CPU.

Then I used a combination of AC posts and springs but with EK bolts. They are just so much nicer looking.

And.

Next up coffee and pills, then I need to daisy chain the RGBs and tape them under the board. I also need to make an IO shield.

 

[ALXAndy]

Well one thing is clear, I won't need a Christmas tree or any decorations this year. Simply set the outside case lighting to red and the inside green, instant St Nick.

 

[ALXAndy]

Daylight ! oh how I have missed thee.

Fitted the GPU into the riser, fitted the stop plugs and uh oh we have a problem. Can you see it?

I wouldn't even mind if they were actually the same bloody size *waves fist*

Total bust that was. I guess I will have to resort back to the sodding hex wrench bolts

 

[ALXAndy]

When your LED are so bright you can take half reasonable pics, without any flash or sunlight.

I *totally* planned on it reflecting like this *lies*

OK, so I admit I did not know it was going to do that at all but it's truly astounding. It makes the whole thing look like it's 3D. I wonder if Bitspower ever realised that when spinning around fast enough their logo turns into a pic of their flow meter? (look in the centre, concentrate, congratulations you have autistic vision )

Any one for squid ink spaghetti?

OK, so since then I have tested the screen to make sure it fits over all that wiring, it does. Literally drops in flat. I have no idea how or why but I am not arguing. I have also managed to get the 80mm fan in, right dead centre. It blows air toward the front and out, but more than anything will just allow some air to circulate down there. I was beginning to worry that I would need to extend about 30 wires for the front, so to ease my mind I measured the wire, cut a test piece and ran it where I would need to run it now that there are no gaping chasms. It reaches.. Phew.

Tomorrow I am hoping to finish up modding the floor panel (I need to create two grooves, one for the single USB wire that goes to the motherboard and one for the PWR SW, PWR LED and HDD LED) and then get that in. Then I can fit the front. Then the pump.. Hey, you know how it goes, right?

 

[ALXAndy]

Few problems.

The GPU almost touches the board. You can't mount it further forward on the mount either, so I would bear that in mind if you were thinking about buying one of these Cooler Master mounts.

It's also stopped me from hooking up the loop into the back of the card, as there's simply no room. On a positive note though, I don't need the caps I just wasted £4 odd on lol.

I need two more 90' rotary fittings and extenders, so I have ordered those.

A kink has developed in the cold over night and I can't get it out (right down at the pump where it meets the hose going to the flow meter.). To fix this I am going to measure it up, then buy one of those extenders that looks like a bar. This will bring out the 90 deg fitting enough so I can literally straight pipe it right into the flow meter.

I am going to go away for the weekend I think, given that there's not much more I can do for now.

 

[ALXAndy]

OK so I ordered two of these.

And one of these.

An issue I was having was with the Q adapter. It is so bulky that you can not put a regular fitting next to it. The only way was to extend out a little, but I want it out further so I got that ^. Not only should that clear the Q adapter but it will also look tidy. The 90' are EK, and unbranded (I hope). They should fit in well with the Bitspower stuff.

I have also decided (today) that I am going to make a cover for the GPU. That block just doesn't look right in copper and it needs something else. So, I think I will make a full cover fascia for it, but keep the cut out, if that makes sense.

I will design it when I get back home. I am away for the weekend now.

 

[ALXAndy]

Really having a spell of bad luck with this. Tied my money up for 5 days on a block not in stock (not here, another place) and then found a B grade here on OCUK so hoping to have that on Friday.

 

[ALXAndy]

Thank the heavens for OCUK. Scored this EK on sale and it's unused.

Snake fitting has been lost other than that I should have something to keep me busy as I decided to move the GPU on the vertical riser meaning it needs to be chopped up lol.

 

[ALXAndy]

Update. OK so the other day I powered the rig on for a few seconds with no coolant. I just wanted to see if everything worked.

It didn't. I had nothing coming from the USB on the mobo. Panic set in....

So last night I removed the block and fitted the AIO that came with the Triad. I also fitted an old Quadro. Sure enough it booted up and started fine, but nothing was happening on the USB. I removed the connector, then fitted it back and Windows popped up a message saying something like there was insufficient power for the socket. Thank god, or I'd have spent days trying to figure it out. I traced my steps back to when I last tested it and decided to remove the clock and the screen from the USB hubs. I ended up sending them 5v from a spare SATA rail. Bingo bongo ! it all works.

So the one thing bothering me was that basically this riser bracket is useless and doesn't fit. The end block on the EK was hitting the RAM and the thumb nuts on the water block for the CPU FFS. So I decided to do something about it. Here is the block fitted and the bracket modded. Note, I have managed to move it a full slot outward, meaning if I really wanted to I could now fit another card and use a 1X ribbon.

I am flummoxed as to why Cooler Master designed this so badly. I mean, it is a PC mod that you have to mod *scratches chin*. Any way, it's now 100% more usable and even fits in the PC without hitting anything. Who'da thunk it eh?

One thing that was peeing me off was the EVGA Powerlink. It is, quite clearly, incompatible with blocks with large ports. I wanted to use it, as it means the PCIE cables virtually vanish, but there was a rotten great big gap in it. So again out came the tools, and....

And that is where I am at. I am basically a roll of hose away from being able to complete, which makes me very happy.