Frank's 2013 upgrade.......

A quick question about the water cooling dye's. I have been out of touch of the modding scene for awhile. The last time I paid attention, dye's would collect in blocks and other such tight spaces and could cause problems with performance. Have the chemicals improved in that regard, or is regular flushing of Franks cooling system going to be a maintenance requirement?
 
Great Build Frank, I've been looking around at fan controllers, and may just go with what you have for 13+ fans.
 
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The1stCAV said:
SUCCESS! I have reserved a seat! They opened it up this morning for more seat sales, so I purchased one of the only two left for the $30 seat pack, sucks I wanted the $80 one. B52-22 is the seat, trying to get the one next to me reserved for AUS10 now........
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Did you ever get me a seat with you? I will be there to help you move Frank and everything so it should go smooth! We need to work out the days I will be flying in and flying out too. BTW looking great!
 
Frank I have a question about how you are controlling your fans. I haven't watercooled before but am planning a build. Are all your radiator fans constantly running at one speed? are they controlled by a fan controller? or do you only control non radiator fans with your fan controllers?
I was predisposed to thinking that I would run Scythe gentle typhoons with a fan controller but found that running 8x fans on a fan controller isn't always feasible. I then found out they weren't PWM as well but had a PWM adapter. I'm just trying to pin down the details to make a build that is solid.
Also any info on how fans work that are 3 pin fans with a 4 pin adapter attached would be appreciated.
 
Shadowspawn said:
A quick question about the water cooling dye's. I have been out of touch of the modding scene for a while. The last time I paid attention, dye's would collect in blocks and other such tight spaces and could cause problems with performance. Have the chemicals improved in that regard, or is regular flushing of Franks cooling system going to be a maintenance requirement?
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That used to be the case, however now it has gotten much better. Personally I have tried many coolants and really like the Primochill stuff, the intensifier is so much better than the old Dye Bomb. With red there will always be staining, there is no way around that. However that seems to be about the biggest concern.

Excalibrax said:
Great Build Frank, I've been looking around at fan controllers, and may just go with what you have for 13+ fans.
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Awesome - yeah these are the Lamptron Bay Bus switches that are rated at 60w per channel, so I can control many fans per switch. They would work very well for you to run 13+ fans with - they can handle it. I run 4-5 fans per switch and have 5 switches per bay device.

Aus10 said:
Did you ever get me a seat with you? I will be there to help you move Frank and everything so it should go smooth! We need to work out the days I will be flying in and flying out too. BTW looking great!
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Short Answer: No
Long Answer: Working the idea given above which should give us two seats at a table that we can also show people sleeving and sewing. If that works, its a win all the way around as I can show others how to do the stuff I do in Frank and we get you a seat.

Excalibrax said:
Frank I have a question about how you are controlling your fans. I haven't watercooled before but am planning a build. Are all your radiator fans constantly running at one speed? are they controlled by a fan controller? or do you only control non radiator fans with your fan controllers?
I was predisposed to thinking that I would run Scythe gentle typhoons with a fan controller but found that running 8x fans on a fan controller isn't always feasible. I then found out they weren't PWM as well but had a PWM adapter. I'm just trying to pin down the details to make a build that is solid.
Also any info on how fans work that are 3 pin fans with a 4 pin adapter attached would be appreciated.
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I use the Lamptron fan controllers that switch between 5v and 12v. I run 4-5 fans per switch, which each switch can handle 60W per channel. That is the main thing you need to check is what that fan controller can handle so you know how many fans you can run per switch. I run most of my fans at 5v, with the exception of the Xigmatech Crystal series fans which refuse to turn at that voltage, they want 12v to turn. They are super quiet though, so it’s not that big of a deal to let them rip. When I want to kick in some better cooling I can always run all at 12v. Hope that helps.
 
It gets so easy to just take snap shots on the phone, upload to the FB page and keep building. Then I need to remember there are other pages waiting for newer content and updates (facepalm) sorry for the delay's here, just been busy.

OK, so I got the fan grills put on last night - well some of them. I wanted to share some images of these as well as some I took of the Primochill CTR 400MM reservoir and the 5.25" Bays I re-arranged. So below will be lots of great shots of these really cool fan grills by Primochill. These are the new grills they just released and I have to say I like them on Frank. :D

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Anyway to cover those Thermaltake logos on the hotswap bays? For some reason it has bugged me since the beginning of your build. Not that it matters what bugs me ;) but just food for thought. Those radgrills are sweet too.
 
deadlift1 said:
Anyway to cover those Thermaltake logos on the hotswap bays? For some reason it has bugged me since the beginning of your build. Not that it matters what bugs me ;) but just food for thought. Those radgrills are sweet too.
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What is funny is every time I look at those I think black carbon fiber wrap - thanks for inspiring me to do just that - lol. :D
 
Nahid said:
What a sexy beast! :)
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NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHID! always good to hear from you man. :D

Frank just keeps getting sexier - if all goes as I think it may, more goodies could be added to the mix to just make him that much better...................
 
This is easily one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. This is art. I built my first computer back in November 2012 and am constantly itching to improve it and this is just pure inspiration. I'm still pretty much a noob and don't know anything about water cooling (partly because I'm afraid of it), but can definitely recognize something truly spectacular when I see it. Truly epic, good sir. One day I hope to be as learned in the art of PC building/modding as you!
 
In love with this build. Wish I had the money, time, space, willpower to create something this awesome. Inspirational!
 
perplexical said:
This is easily one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. This is art. I built my first computer back in November 2012 and am constantly itching to improve it and this is just pure inspiration. I'm still pretty much a noob and don't know anything about water cooling (partly because I'm afraid of it), but can definitely recognize something truly spectacular when I see it. Truly epic, good sir. One day I hope to be as learned in the art of PC building/modding as you!
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Well thank you for the kind words. This is truly a labor of love and not something one person could knock out in a couple weeks. Trying to navigate life and find time to mod, as well as the sheer amount of work that needs to be done can be daunting at times, but I do have a vision now where this should head and just need to get going on the cables now. Stay tuned, Frank is about to become even prettier.

board2death986 said:
In love with this build. Wish I had the money, time, space, willpower to create something this awesome. Inspirational!
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"Wishing" creates "Desire", when you begin to desire something this allows you the chance to begin looking for opportunities to make those wishes a reality - it just takes the desire to go for it. I hope to inspire many towards water cooling and modding as this is really a great hobby and lots of fun. Its very rewarding when you finally get it done and go "Wow, I did that", and something I hope many can experience for themselves. The other great thing is mostly everyone wants to share methods, tips, and tricks, and even help with advice on forums and other places. So there are tons of resources out there if you ever muster the "willpower" to take action. The rest is pretty much up to you, your taste, your preferences, and your budget. Thanks for the input and stay tuned - we have lots more to go.

deadlift1 said:
I feel as though a weight has been lifted and I can breath again. So much better now!
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That makes both of us, now if I can only get off my ass and start making cables instead of talking about it, we all will begin to realize the beauty Frank is destined to be..........
 
You've inspired me. I was just going to go the regular build route, but now I'm planning on dying my fans to match the mobo and doing a few other things. I don't have the money to wrap the whole thing in CF which would be epic, but one day...
 
Excalibrax said:
You've inspired me. I was just going to go the regular build route, but now I'm planning on dying my fans to match the mobo and doing a few other things. I don't have the money to wrap the whole thing in CF which would be epic, but one day...
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Awesome dude - mod on! :D
 
gankernation said:
great parts please post more when you have the chance
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You can bet on a three day weekend coming - there will be many more advancements made to this project, so expect some more goodness coming. I do though tend to do a more play by play on FB, so if you want to see things in process etc check out the FB page and please friend Frank (Trying to increase the number of friends Frank has) .

Forums are great to outline and detail out what each pic is, to discuss each step etc, so that is where the polished pics come into play and the good camera versus the iPhone quick pics I do a lot on FB, etc. So both mediums have their place in the process of the build I suppose.

So yes, there will be more pics coming - most certainly.
 
I felt like taking some more shots of Frank. I was sitting here, looked over and thought - hmm, I should take some pics. So I did and here they are :D Enjoy..........still working on custom cables.

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pfft ram not watercooled, fail.

HAHA jk, it's an awesome build man
 
gigatexal said:
pfft ram not watercooled, fail.

HAHA jk, it's an awesome build man
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lol, I would w/c the ram if you, EK or Bitspower wants to send me some blocks, I will be happy to block the RAM :D I came very very very close to putting some RAM blocks on it by Bitspower TBH. Still may, the build is always ever evolving :D Stay tuned - lol, nothing stays the same long in Frank.
 
I personally think it looks better with out w/c the ram. Everything looks so clean and tidy, with the RAM blocks on there everything just seems to look cluttered. Plus most RAM these days actually looks pretty good so the blocks would just hide them. That's my 2 cents anyways.
 
i was only kidding man, this build is perhaps the most epic build I've ever witnessed
 
MrWrong said:
I personally think it looks better with out w/c the ram. Everything looks so clean and tidy, with the RAM blocks on there everything just seems to look cluttered. Plus most RAM these days actually looks pretty good so the blocks would just hide them. That's my 2 cents anyways.
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I agree, but one thing I have never done is drop on RAM blocks ever before. Because these boards have ram slots on both sides of the CPU, I think it would look great on this board to actually block the ram modules this time around. I do agree, most of the time its too cluttered, but this board it should add to the symmetrical view I think.

gigatexal said:
i was only kidding man, this build is perhaps the most epic build I've ever witnessed
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Well then add in the blocks cause they are on their way :D. This is what I had in mind when I said you never knew what the future holds with my builds - I was in talks w/Bitspower about working that deal. My main objective was these blocks, so everything appears to have worked out and this is my first set of items from Bitspower. They are sending me these: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...Ms_-_Clear_BP-RAMS44-CLBK.html?tl=g30c225s557
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I will drop one of these on each side and this will change the look slightly I think but for the better. I will also be dropping in the red LED's so these are the only two things lit on the board showing the red coolant cruising through it. I think the outside black of the ramsinks will need to be touched with some black dinoc though.
 
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UPS only had to ring once - and I was there :D Got my Buttkicker replacement in the mail today. I will do an unboxing and install/use video of this as well. This is why its not out of the box and installed yet - I sooooooo miss it listening to music w/headphones on or gaming w/headphones. Its that feedback you don't realize you cannot live without, until you use it for over a year and you have to get it fixed - omg, the void is unbearable :D Seriously, if you are a gamer, or like that LFE feel form a sub-woofer, you have got to do yourself a favor and try one of these. I will be bringing mine to Quakecon 2013, so if you are there, come by, I'll show you why its so awesome.

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If you have never heard of or checked out Buttkicker - check them out here:
http://thebuttkicker.com/

Think IMAX theaters and the shaking you feel with the bass track - thats the same technology, just smaller for your chair. They are used around the world in movie theaters and amusement rides.

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I think have a Buttkicker would be a nice addtion to my setup however im afaid it would destroy my crappy old computer chair. Maybe when I get around to finding a decent replacement chair ill have to look into getting a Buttkicker. I have a nice sub thats great when im listening to music but when im gaming I usually have my headset on and miss out on the effect of the sub. It sound like this it just the thing im looking for to solve that problem.
 
MrWrong said:
I think have a Buttkicker would be a nice addtion to my setup however im afaid it would destroy my crappy old computer chair. Maybe when I get around to finding a decent replacement chair ill have to look into getting a Buttkicker. I have a nice sub thats great when im listening to music but when im gaming I usually have my headset on and miss out on the effect of the sub. It sound like this it just the thing im looking for to solve that problem.
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It is exactly that thing you miss with headphones - the LFE you get with the sub is enhanced through the vibrations of the chair, so it feels like the sub with headphones on - without the level of noise needed to feel it with a real sub.


As many of you that followed my last build log knows, this was something I was really wanting to get. Since then I bought my Asst. VP one for his Birthday because I liked it so much. When mine went out, I thought I was going to freak out, once you get used to having that tactile feedback from music and games, you tend to miss it when it’s gone. I am happy to finally have its replacement. However before I installed it, I wanted to take a moment and do some pictures because this thing is worth showing off IMO. I absolutely cannot say enough how much I love this little peripheral device. It’s one of those things you just don’t think about, but once you experience it, you know you’re missing it when it’s not around. It literally is the extra dimension most people never get to experience. You may know that sound determines the impact the visuals will have on your senses.

Watching Brain Games the other night they did a trick where two dots crossed or bounced off each other depending on if there was sound present at the time they touched or not, no sound and it appeared they went through each other and created a crossing motion. With a "click" sound the second they touched, automatically your brain assumed they bounced off each other. Well what they could not show is the difference when you add tactile feedback to that, it adds to the realism of those dots bouncing off each other. Now if you heard a "click" and FELT it as they did, it really moves the experience to the next level - that is what this thing does to music, movies and games and works with any PC, XBX, or PS3.

If you’re not gaming with a Buttkicker, I am sorry you are only getting a portion of the experience. lol :D

So with that, let me show you some pictures of this really awesome item:

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I was seriously kidding about teh ram being W/C'd but it's going to be awesome nonetheless. I had no idea that the tactile feedback gaming thing "buttkicker" existed until this thread. Awesome.
 
lol Wra18th (facepalm)

yeah they are pretty cool, surprised not as many have heard of them. I am quite honestly pretty addicted to having it around while working and gaming. I don't have to crank it up as much, upset the neighbors, etc., but still get a good LFE kick thing. I have even considered their car thing. They make or you can use something they make in the car too. So instead of cranking subs to get that seat vibrating, you can use one of those in a car to get that extra sensory feedback with your music. :eek:
 
The1stCAV said:
lol Wra18th (facepalm)

yeah they are pretty cool, surprised not as many have heard of them. I am quite honestly pretty addicted to having it around while working and gaming. I don't have to crank it up as much, upset the neighbors, etc., but still get a good LFE kick thing. I have even considered their car thing. They make or you can use something they make in the car too. So instead of cranking subs to get that seat vibrating, you can use one of those in a car to get that extra sensory feedback with your music. :eek:
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that would be a great prank to play on some one who did not know it was there. Just play a song with a really crazy drop, watch them jump out of their seat. Hope they don't crash...
 
OK here are some pics of the first set of GPU cables I made this weekend - then I ran out of Lutro0 Customs 16awg after the third set I build was actually right. First one I built was with 18awg, then realized they were wrong and I needed 16awg. The second set I assumed were "Y"'s when looking at the stock cable, but failed to count the number of wires to only find that two were "y"'s the rest straights, so off I went to make more. Here is the final result - at least I got good practice in before the real deal started - lol.

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