Project Mega Rig

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Before I get flamed.. yes I will finish Project Android. But that is my server, this is my main rig. :)

Right, my current rig is a modest spec, but it does its job fairly well. Ive been planning on upgrading to a Conroe/Kentsfield rig, but for the moment my A64 will have to do. The whole rig is built inside an Antec p180 which I loved when I first got it, but its slowly been annoying me. Its over engineered and fiddly to work with. So to replace it I got a Lian Li v2000;

dscf16888vm0iu.jpg


For quite some time, ive wanted to fiddle with water and phase cooling. Initially I thought that my next rig would be water, then eventually I would move on to phase. But then I got thinking; Why do one at a time? Why not dive in at the deep end and build a computer with water AND phase cooling? I knew I could easily fit water cooling in a V2000, but what about the Phase cooling? I didn't like the ideo of a seperate box with it all in. So I did a bit of research and found that a custom unit could be built in the lower chamber of the v2000. So I asked Gray Mole if he would do me the honour of "make it cold and make it pretty". :D

But since I was going to get a custom phase unit built, I also wanted it to be something special. So I carefully chose parts to give it that extra bit of 'bling'.

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As you might be able to see in that pic, there is a clear enclosure courtesy of Aitor and Silencer. This fill form the centerpiece of the whole rig. The unit also includes a NL11F compressor, a vapochill style backplate with heater, EL wire down the suction line and other smaller details.

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I had the enclosure drilled, and white LEDs inserted. Gray also decided to use an unseen controller due to certain issues with the Golden Froster controllers.

dsc034437zf.jpg


The phase unit has now been completed and im very pleased with it. As you can see, most of the components have been painted black to match the compressor. Most of the rig is going to be black, to make the phase enclosure etc stand out more.

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Now that the phase unit is all done, I have to do a bit of modding. I have to drill 2x1" holes for the DD fillports. One will go on top of the case for the T-Line, and the other will go at the bottom of the case to act as a drain. I then need to make a cover for the drivebays to neaten it all up a bit. This cover will also include 2x120mm fans to draw air over the harddrive caddies (6xSmartdrive 2002c) I was going to take the case to pieces and have the inside anodised black, but after looking a the work involved, im probably going to end up covering the inside of the case in black acrylic.

Most of the waterloop is in a box next to me now and consists of;

DDC2 pump + Petras top
2xMaze 4 GPU blocks
Maze 4 NB block
DD fillports
DD fillport res
Tygon 1/2" tubing
Thermochill 120.1 rad.

Just like my other project, this one might take a while, but I will update it as things progress. Hope you like it as much as I am. :)
 
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Looks awesome mate,great work once again !!!

how long have you put the android off for,or you still working on it at the same time as this one?

Rob
 
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Crossy said:
yey first post :p Looks awesome mate, i hope everything goes to plan! oh yeah and project android also looks sweet keep up the good work :D

Dmack said:
yeh i can't wait for project android to finish, this is looking good also though

Cheers. :)

mosfet said:
Interested to see how you fit the water system in there.

Have you got a final spec of this new system?

Im hoping to have the pump in the bottom, behind the compressor, the rad mounted on the back 120mm fan slot. (Although there might be a slight space issue here) and the Tline running to the top of the case.

Rob43 said:
Looks awesome mate,great work once again !!!

how long have you put the android off for,or you still working on it at the same time as this one?

Rob

Cheers. Yeah, ive put it on the backburner a bit now until it warms up a bit so I can paint. I will finish it though, don't worry about that.

-Nick- said:
i never liked the look of the v2000 but must say i have been turned, very nice

Yeah, I didn't really like the v2000 to start with, but its really grown on me. Initially I wanted a PC-201, but im glad I didn't as I can now see the phase controller display.
 
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Looks good so far.

Whats the deal with the controllers? Can you set it to a temperature and it will try its best to get to it.
i.e. higher temp = lower noise and vice versa?
 
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Helium_Junkie said:
Tell me you wont be keeping that grey flat cable ;)
Is that connecting the LCD?

Love the clear enclosure :)
Hehe, don't worry I won't be keeping the gray cable. That was just to test the enclosure. Im eventually going to have 6x Enclosures all with SATA drives, and hopefully also a SATA DVD-RW. All the cables will be black or sleeved. The LCD is connected through a nice thin sleeved cable running down the side of the case.

Mr Mister said:
Looks good so far.

Whats the deal with the controllers? Can you set it to a temperature and it will try its best to get to it.
i.e. higher temp = lower noise and vice versa?

The controller is essentially a safety device. You can set startup temp, shutdown temp, fan speeds, display messages etc etc. It also looks damn good as well. :) Edit; And yeah, due to the gas blend I can have the system run fairly quietly, or I can have it running colder, but with louder fans.
 
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matt100 said:
have you run the compressor at all? If so how do you feel about the noise?

Oh yeah, and damn you!

tis very sexeh


Well thank you Mr Matt :D

Yeah, I started her up briefly and watched the frost develop :) She's got a bit of a rumble to start with, but it soon softens after a minute or two. I think I can live with the noise tbh. Its not like I leave the pc on while I sleep. And most of the ime it is on, ive also got heaphones on.

On another note, can you or anyone else who reads this, get hold of or swap a plain V2000B sidepanel? Im going to have to look at it closer, but I think the fan mesh on my +II will interfere with my planned window design. Oh, and ive managed to find a place that will laser cut my panel and fabriacte a few other parts I need... for free! :D
 
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messiah khan said:
On another note, can you or anyone else who reads this, get hold of or swap a plain V2000B sidepanel? Im going to have to look at it closer, but I think the fan mesh on my +II will interfere with my planned window design. Oh, and ive managed to find a place that will laser cut my panel and fabriacte a few other parts I need... for free! :D

I have a spare V2000B+ Side Panel if you still need one ?
 
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