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Easy cases for PA120.3

S

scwam

Gawd
Joined
Jul 26, 2005
Messages
829
OMG. Been looking for a week at cases for the pa120.2 until Young-blood had to stick a gun to my head in the Hot Deals section on a good deal on the PA120.3. Now I got to get a case that can handle this beast. I really hated the look on the CM stacker and thought the Amour looked just as bad. Now it looks like I have no choice but to get a case that requires least modification. My problem is I don't want the 120.3 mounted on top or hung on the rear of the case, whatever case it may be. I would like to do no cutting or minimal cutting on the case as possible. What choices do I have. Is the Stacker the only real choice for an easy project with the PA120.3? I only need 4 slots (2 hd's, DVD and Fan controller). I was hoping to mount the radiator inside the front or on the bottom of whatever case I get. Please help!
 
Those are too ridiculously priced. I'm trying to keep the price sub $200. How are some of you gettin this radiator into the front of the CM stacker. I just don't see how it gets in there especially if you need 4 drive slots.
 
What about if you put it on it's side along the door of a case? That should work for any case has some space clear of drive bays...probably almost any case.
 
make your own case. I once tried to factor in the size of a Swiftech MCR-320 while designing one, and it fit just fine with room for 2 HDDs, an OCZ Powerstream, an AquaXtreme 50Z and an ATX mobo while taking up as much space as a standard mid-tower.
 
Chieftec full towers, Antec full towers, all LianLi full towers, all MountainMods "1203" labelled models (or that state "for HE120.3" in description - fits PA also)...

They've been the most popular choices we've been asked to prefit them into - just need to crop blowholes in...
 
if you wanna do no modding at all, look at the silverstone tj07

expensive though
 
aldy402 said:
if you wanna do no modding at all, look at the silverstone tj07

expensive though
Click to expand...

I have one, it's a total rip off. My $50 aspire was easier to work with. There's also really no good way to attach any radiator besides the 92.1. The top 120mm fans are held in a flimsy mesh cage, not attached directly to the chasis. The fans are also about half an inch apart, so from the looks of it, any standard multi-120mm rad won't fit.

Do not buy the TJ07, it's a waste of money for a lot of reasons that I won't go into here.
 
What about on its side along the bottom, like I suggested? Or will it not fit down there either (that would have been a really cool spot imo)?
 
holli4pirating said:
What about on its side along the bottom, like I suggested? Or will it not fit down there either (that would have been a really cool spot imo)?
Click to expand...

Your suggestion was a good one. I was mostly reacting to the comment that it doesn't need modification. It's just mesh down there and I doubt it would support the rad, but your Al sheet was a good idea.

The other thing is, because of the HD racks, you have to take off the right panel to access the HD's :rolleyes: You could in theory put the rad on the left panel, but you would need to leave some mesh to allow air to pass through the HD racks (they've got 120mm fans attached them blowing left to right).

The case itself is very, very frustrating to work with. The 5.25 bays have no support ledges, so you have to hold up your drives just right while you screw them in. The 5.25 bay covers are aluminum and they attach with screws - they don't just pop-out. The side panels never go back on properly. The motherboard tray screws don't all line up with their holes. The side panel holes don't line up. Some of the holes on the mobo tray itself that you screw the mobo to are not drilled in the proper places. The airflow is atrocious - it's all focused in the upper-left portion - on my system, no air flowed over the second cpu until I added a scythe kama.
 
they fit in the v2000 but you have to knock out the bottom hdd racks and all which to me really sucks. Possibly one of the CM stackers but i do not know those cases very well.
 
So far I'm only seeing the CM stacker as the only choice for a vertical mount in the hd bays. I've estimated I need at least 21" height for that type of placement w/any case. There are not many other cases that do this. I've also looked at the sideways mount but most cases have structural material that I'd have to cut out. Not only that the mb must clear at least 128mm from the bottom of the case for it to mount sidways. Only other way it to mount it outside on the side. I want to avoid that.
 
holli4pirating said:
What about on its side along the bottom, like I suggested? Or will it not fit down there either (that would have been a really cool spot imo)?
Click to expand...
That works perfectly.
The TJ07 is an excellent (albeit expensive) case for watercooling- far superior to the LL V-series, IMO.
I did not find any of Slartibartfast's objections to be significant with the exception of sidepanel fit which, on my case, was overcome with some tweaking during final reassembly.

The STC-T01 Stacker is the best option under $200 but scwam already said he doesn't like the looks.
Outside of the UFO cases I can't think of anything that can take a 120.3 rad internally with no panel cutting while still leaving room for four bay devices.
 
I've actually recalculated it. I would only have 2 available bays if I mounted in there. That's ok as I can easily mount the drives anywhere else in the stacker. I just wish there were more alternatives for people who got sli and watercooling crammed in their box.
 
The Full tower Lian Li's shoudl fit the budget and will easily house a rad in the top if you are willing to cut some holes.
 
sprocket said:
That works perfectly.
The TJ07 is an excellent (albeit expensive) case for watercooling- far superior to the LL V-series, IMO.
I did not find any of Slartibartfast's objections to be significant with the exception of sidepanel fit which, on my case, was overcome with some tweaking during final reassembly.

The STC-T01 Stacker is the best option under $200 but scwam already said he doesn't like the looks.
Outside of the UFO cases I can't think of anything that can take a 120.3 rad internally with no panel cutting while still leaving room for four bay devices.
Click to expand...

I've seen a few threads around where people have mounted rads to the bottom of the case but no good explanation of what they used to do it. Does anybody have any suggestions on doing this?
 
radspring1.jpg

One of my goals with the TJ build was not to drill any holes unless absolutely necessary.
Fortunately, with the rad, none are.

The edge that sits on the floor is covered in Velcro (as is the floor itself, obviously).
On the top edge (circled) I have two springs sandwiched between shouldered rubber washers.
The combination of spring tension and Velcro holds the rad in place quite well.
 
Lian Li G70? I forget how expensive it is, but I know you can fit a triple rad in the top and then put your psu in the bottom slot.
 
sprocket said:
One of my goals with the TJ build was not to drill any holes unless absolutely necessary.
Fortunately, with the rad, none are.

The edge that sits on the floor is covered in Velcro (as is the floor itself, obviously).
On the top edge (circled) I have two springs sandwiched between shouldered rubber washers.
The combination of spring tension and Velcro holds the rad in place quite well.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the info, sprocket. I was thinking trying the velcro thing, and using a cable tie to attach one of the outer screw holes on the rear fan to the grill at the back, and then another one up front somewhere.

Where did you get the springs you used?
 
Slartibartfast said:
Where did you get the springs you used?
Click to expand...
Both the springs and the shouldered washers came from Ace Hardware.

You don't need a lot of tension so don't go nuts with the springs- the Velcro actually does most of the holding.
My springs are only compressed about 1/4" when installed, any more and the subfloor is difficult to install.
 
sprocket said:
Both the springs and the shouldered washers came from Ace Hardware.

You don't need a lot of tension so don't go nuts with the springs- the Velcro actually does most of the holding.
My springs are only compressed about 1/4" when installed, any more and the subfloor is difficult to install.
Click to expand...

Ok cool, fortunately there's an ace 5 minutes from here so I will check it out today. Thanks :)
 
N H O said:
any of these three cases would do:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811196006
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811163035
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811124112

juss remove the harddrive cage and mount them, no big mods necessary ;)
Click to expand...
scwam said:
I would like to do no cutting or minimal cutting on the case as possible.
Click to expand...
All of those cases would require major surgery to mount a triple rad.
 
no they wouldnt, unless you consider taking out a few rivets as cutting :rolleyes:
 
Yea. Just drill the rivets. Then, get some 3.5-5.25 adaptors, and you have yourself a great looking case, all your hard drives are cooled // silenced, and you won't have to do any cutting.
 
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