Lian Li PC-Z70B

JMcQueen

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
142
Anyone got one of these and watercooled it? I bought one for a server project that never happened and now I have a spare case on my hands. Its not really worth selling it as I'd take a hit on the purchase price so I was thinking of ways to put it to good use.

The obvious problem is radiator positioning. I could fit a 2x120 to the roof and a 1x120 to the back panel but it seems a shame not to have a 3x120 or similar fitted to the case given its size. The only thing I can think of is to remove the 9x hard drive cage and mount the radiator on custome brackets facing the side of the case (where the vent slots are).
 
Removing the HDD bays is the best option. It can intake and exhaust air without entering the mobo area of the case.
Your loop will run cooler that way.
 
Thats what I thought but the fact there are no front mounted fans or mesh concerns me. I dont think there would be enough air flow to mount the radiator facing the front of the case which would be the easiest option. The more difficult option is to have it facing out the side (where there are mesh openings) and try and draw air from the side.
 
Thats what I thought but the fact there are no front mounted fans or mesh concerns me. I dont think there would be enough air flow to mount the radiator facing the front of the case which would be the easiest option. The more difficult option is to have it facing out the side (where there are mesh openings) and try and draw air from the side.

How is it more difficult? Because of mounting? The pros outweigh the cons.

Here's my Z70B last year:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1656522
 
Ok. I've stripped the case down to get a better look at my options (might get it powder coated whilst its in pieces too).

Unfortunately the drive cage is not removable without destroying rivets and is too narrow to mount a radiator down the centre. Also, I dont think theres enough room to mount a radiator to the side of the drive cage unless I used a super slim rad with slim fans. The only option would appear to be to cut the drive cage out and have something fabricated.

As a matter of interest, how did you secure you fans in the middle position, was it via the back of the backplane adaptors?

edit: just looked at your pics again. How did you remove the drive cage as mines held in place with rivets?
 
Ok. I've stripped the case down to get a better look at my options (might get it powder coated whilst its in pieces too).

Unfortunately the drive cage is not removable without destroying rivets and is too narrow to mount a radiator down the centre. Also, I dont think theres enough room to mount a radiator to the side of the drive cage unless I used a super slim rad with slim fans. The only option would appear to be to cut the drive cage out and have something fabricated.

As a matter of interest, how did you secure you fans in the middle position, was it via the back of the backplane adaptors?

edit: just looked at your pics again. How did you remove the drive cage as mines held in place with rivets?

Drill the rivets out. It's pretty easy.

There's four on the bottom and four on the top.
Then, you can install a rad under the drive bay.
I used zip ties to fasten the fan mount to the HDD cage.

Here's a video of a watercooled Z70. Note that he could have removed the HDD cage and installed the rad under the drive bay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzMPfdpGv1w
 
Ah right, thanks. I didnt know if there was a way of getting the rivets out and reusing them. Did you need to put a thread in the hole left behind or did it just take a screw without any problem?

Yeah, I think that vid is the first watercooled Z70 I've seen. I intend to put a extra thick reservoir underneath the drive bay but possibly mounted so that it faces one of the side vents so that the fans still have access to direct air. I also need to use the three optical bays so need to consider a different reservoir position but that should be relatively straight forward in comparison.

Many thanks for your input.
 
Ah right, thanks. I didnt know if there was a way of getting the rivets out and reusing them. Did you need to put a thread in the hole left behind or did it just take a screw without any problem?

Yeah, I think that vid is the first watercooled Z70 I've seen. I intend to put a extra thick reservoir underneath the drive bay but possibly mounted so that it faces one of the side vents so that the fans still have access to direct air. I also need to use the three optical bays so need to consider a different reservoir position but that should be relatively straight forward in comparison.

Many thanks for your input.

Nope. Rivets are just fasteners.
A thick rad can fit if you turn it perpendicular to the mobo area. In the video he used the traditional mounting technique.
The great feature about this case is that you can have air intake and exhaust through the side panels.
 
Yeah, that space under the optical drives really comes in useful. I have even considered using two thin 3x120 radiators mounted perpendicular to the MB and in parallel to each other i.e. one mount face the left vent and the other facing the right.
 
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