Lian Li V600 ?'s

[fenton06]

I am building a computer at the end of the summer, and am thinking about buying the V600 case from Lian-Li I want to know if it is going to be feasible to watercool this case. I am thinking about a dual 120mm rad on top, and using the aquabay to mount the pump on the back. I want to cool my CPU,GPU, and possibly the chipsets on the new Foxconn AM2 board. LMK what you all think!

 

[Rocky Mountain High]

I'm purchasing water cooling components now for my Lian Li PC-V600 case. Since I've decided to place all of my components within the case, I have constraints that you would not have. I believe that your system will have greater cooling capacity due to the larger external components that you will be using. I will keep updating my signature block as components arrive. Good luck!

 

[fenton06]

well, I suppose I didn't explain myself very clearly...(sorry). I want to put all my components inside the case as well. I meant have the radiator inside the case mounted to the top.

 

[Rocky Mountain High]

Your dual 120mm radiator/fan assembly can fit inside the PC-V600 but you will probably lose the use of your top PCI slot. Since the motherboard is mounted "upside down," the top PCI card is less than 2" from the top of the case. Keep in mind that the card will have its components facing up so the card components will be less than 1-1/2" from the top of the case.

You may also need to remove the top 120mm fan & bracket assembly that is included with the case. The fan and the motherboard components are less than 4-3/4" apart. I believe that you need at least 5" to accommodate the width of your dual 120mm radiator/fan assembly.

I am not familiar enough with the Thermaltake AquaBays to know how a pump can mount to the back of one. If you are referring to the AquaBay M1, it will occupy 2 drive bays so that leaves you only enough room for a CD drive and a floppy. If you plan on installing the attractive Lian Li faceplate for your CD, then the CD must be mounted on one of the top 2 drive bays that have flanges to screw the faceplate onto. Your AquaBay M1 will then be mounted in 2 of the bottom bays.

There appears to be room behind the bottom drive bays for a pump. There also appears to be room between the HDD cage and PSU for a pump. I recommend installing a PSU with thin flexible power cables otherwise the cable bundle may take up too much room.

I hope that helps.

 

[indokyne]

oooh... another possible v600 project

i had a G50 but returned it as soon as i got a good peek inside of the case...

it's definitilely do-able. one suggestion i have is to also look at the g50 if you haven't bought the v600 yet. same form factor, different front panel and more importantly, different HD cage layout. You could actually fit a 120mm radiator in the front intake 120mm fan by moving the cage back an inch or two.

regardless, i look forward to any progress from you or RMH....

 

[fenton06]

I had thought about putting a 120mm rad in the front, but moving the cage didn't occur to me(smacks forehead). I am using the AC aquabay, and the pump can mount on the back of it. Also, the pump I plan on using (the AC Aquastream) has the 3.5 control panel that I ant to mount. Could I put my HDD behind this in the 5.25 to 3.5 adapter from Lian-Li?

 

[L1ght]

I *might* get a v600. I need something smaller than my stacker...

If I do get one, I'll be putting my 120.3 rad on top(inside) and a DDC between the 5 1/2" and HD bays. I will be using 8x10mm tubing.

 

[indokyne]

I *might* get a v600. I need something smaller than my stacker...

If I do get one, I'll be putting my 120.3 rad on top(inside) and a DDC between the 5 1/2" and HD bays. I will be using 8x10mm tubing.

whoa - good luck with the radiator to motherboard clearance on the top of the case...

 

[L1ght]

whoa - good luck with the radiator to motherboard clearance on the top of the case...

I'll lose 1 or 2 PCI slots and 1 5 1/2' bay. Nothing too important.

 

[Rocky Mountain High]

Since I have a Lian Li PC-V600, I might be able to advise you on some of your ideas.

1. 120x3 Radiator/Fan – To make room for a 120x3 radiator/fan assembly mounted in the inside top of the case, you will have to limit the use of the top 5.25” drive bay slot, forego the use of the top PCI slot of the “upside down” motherboard, and remove the stock 120mm fan/bracket assembly. The front-panel drive bays are only 13” from the back of the case, so a 120x3 radiator/fan assembly will have to slide into the top slot of the drive bay cage. In the top drive bay, you will have room for a display/controller or maybe a flash card reader but not a floppy drive. If your radiator/fan assembly is less than 5-3/4” wide, it will fit into the drive bay cage. In an earlier post in this thread, I explained why the top PCI slot and stock fan must go. Since there are no vents on the top of the case, you will have to cut new vents.

2. 120x2 Radiator/Fan – It will fit on the inside top of the case and you will be able to use the top 5.25” drive bay but the top PCI slot and stock fan must still go. Vents must be cut on top of the case.

3. Aquastream Control Panel & HDD in Same Bay – Using the Lian Li 5.25” to 3.5” adapter, my Western Digital HDD will mount too far forward and leave only ½” for the control panel and its connectors. You can drill extra holes into the adapter to mount the HDD farther back and gain an additional inch. You are better off using the bottom HDD cage with its mounting rails.

4. DDC Pump Between 5.25” & HDD Cages. Between the two cages is a space 2” high x 5-3/4” wide for your pump. In my rig, that space is 10” deep with the fan in front and the PSU in back.

The ideas voiced in this thread are quite ambitious. Good luck!

 

[Rocky Mountain High]

I had thought about putting a 120mm rad in the front, but moving the cage didn't occur to me(smacks forehead).

I would not go through the trouble of moving the HDD cage simply to add a 120x1 radiator to the front fan. An easier place to add a 120x1 radiator is on the side outlet fan.

Between the fan and the side vent is a 23mm long octagonal tunnel. You can remove the tunnel and fit a ¾” thick Be Cooling radiator here. If you want to pull air through the radiator, the fan and the Be Cooling radiator can swap places. The inside of the bracket will accommodate a radiator if it is not much wider than the 120mm fan.

If you want a thicker radiator, you can move the fan bracket 20mm towards the motherboard. The fan bracket is mounted with 4 screws. The left and right screws are 20mm apart. Remove the bracket, move it 20mm towards the motherboard and remount the bracket with only 2 screws. You might need a washer or two because part of the bracket will now be sitting on top of a thin flange for the PCI card assembly. This arrangement will allow you to mount a radiator up to 43mm thick. The fan will remain on the inside of the bracket and push air through the radiator to the outside.

The 43mm limitation leaves out the ThermoChill and Aqua Computer Evo radiators but the Swiftech MCR120 and most of the Black Ice 120x1 radiators will definitely fit.

 

[fenton06]

well, I am debating about using a single 120mm rad in the front by the HDD case, and moving the HDD rails back. Also, if i mount the aquastream on the back of the aquabay, will it protrude to far towards the back of the case and look bad?

Edit: Is there a way i could mount eh rad on the BOTTOM of the case? and have air blow down. hmm...I will have to think this over and see if it could be made to look cool/nice.

 

[Rocky Mountain High]

well, I am debating about using a single 120mm rad in the front by the HDD case, and moving the HDD rails back. Also, if i mount the aquastream on the back of the aquabay, will it protrude to far towards the back of the case and look bad?

Edit: Is there a way i could mount eh rad on the BOTTOM of the case? and have air blow down. hmm...I will have to think this over and see if it could be made to look cool/nice.

Mounting a 120x1 radiator behind the front fan is a little more trouble than you think. In the interior pictures of the PC-V600, do you notice a trapezoidal aluminum structure between the upper drive bay and the bottom HDD cage?

This trapezoidal structure will need to be notched or moved to make room for a radiator behind the fan. This structure is screwed to the bottom HDD cage but riveted to the upper drive bay. Four screws and four rivets hold it in place. Its purpose is to provide rigidity to the upper drive bays. The trapezoidal structure’s roof is also the floor of the upper drive bay. If it is removed, installing a 5.25” device in the drive bay and screwing it in place can provide the same rigidity.

I don’t know the depth of an Aquabay & Aquastream assembly. If it is installed in any of the upper 3 drive bays, you have 11” between the front panel and the fan/bracket assembly in the back. If it is installed in the 4th drive bay, you have over a foot between the front panel and the PSU.

I don’t know how the Aquastream pump looks but it will not be visible because the stock side panel will cover it. Speaking of looks, the PC-V600 is not the ideal case to use to highlight your cooling system because the PSU covers the CPU. Your water block will not be visible unless you look at it from an angle through a transparent side window to see under the PSU.

A distance of 10” between the front fan and my PSU limits the size of a bottom-mounted radiator/fan assembly. If you include the modular cables protruding from my PSU, you have less than 8 inches. Mounting a 120x2 radiator will be a challenge.

The bottom of the case has two mesh-like venting areas. Both are only 2” x 4-1/2” in size. The PSU is above one of the vents.

 

[L1ght]

Since I have a Lian Li PC-V600, I might be able to advise you on some of your ideas.

1. 120x3 Radiator/Fan – To make room for a 120x3 radiator/fan assembly mounted in the inside top of the case, you will have to limit the use of the top 5.25” drive bay slot, forego the use of the top PCI slot of the “upside down” motherboard, and remove the stock 120mm fan/bracket assembly. The front-panel drive bays are only 13” from the back of the case, so a 120x3 radiator/fan assembly will have to slide into the top slot of the drive bay cage. In the top drive bay, you will have room for a display/controller or maybe a flash card reader but not a floppy drive. If your radiator/fan assembly is less than 5-3/4” wide, it will fit into the drive bay cage. In an earlier post in this thread, I explained why the top PCI slot and stock fan must go. Since there are no vents on the top of the case, you will have to cut new vents.


4. DDC Pump Between 5.25” & HDD Cages. Between the two cages is a space 2” high x 5-3/4” wide for your pump. In my rig, that space is 10” deep with the fan in front and the PSU in back.

The ideas voiced in this thread are quite ambitious. Good luck!

Thank You!

The DDC Ultra is 1.5", according to sharka, so that should work.

Many thanks!

 

[Rocky Mountain High]

Thank You!

The DDC Ultra is 1.5", according to sharka, so that should work.

Many thanks!

Be careful!

The DDC on the Sharka webstore is modified with a "Plexi Mount." This pump assembly is considerably taller than the stated 38mm (1.5").

I believe better dimensions and drawings for the DDC exist on www.swiftnets.com where it is listed as the MCP350.

 

[L1ght]

Be careful!

The DDC on the Sharka webstore is modified with a "Plexi Mount." This pump assembly is considerably taller than the stated 38mm (1.5").

I believe better dimensions and drawings for the DDC exist on www.swiftnets.com where it is listed as the MCP350.

Thanks again, looks like I'll have to use the normal DDC. I wonder what sharka was measuring. Maybe just the top part...

 

[Rocky Mountain High]

OK. It’s my turn to ask a question about the Lian Li PC-V600. I own one and I am considering reversing the airflow through it so the hot internal air is directed downwards instead of up. Here’s the scoop:

• There are only two 120mm case fans: the lower intake fan & the upper exhaust fan.
• The radiator can only be mounted to the upper exhaust fan without major case modifications.
• The PSU has a separate airflow with its own vents and fan so ignore it.

So which is better?

• Preserve natural air convection and direct hot exhaust through the radiator near the top.
• Reverse the flow: bring cool outside air into the radiator & exhaust through the lower fan.

 

[jvrobert]

I'm going to revive this thread as I'm considering the V600 for water cooling.

Anyone have any success with this? The 3x120 in the top sounds perfect if it worked for anyone? What about pump placement, anybody fit a DDC with alphacool top in here?

 

[L1ght]

I did it! Everything internal to. There is a thread in the case mod gallerly with pics and advice.

 

[johnrea77]

I've managed to get my Black Ice GT Stealth120 Xflow installed in my V600 next to the upper exhaust fan (mounted together with the bracket sandwiched). This is pretty much what RockyMountainHigh posted on 7/18/06. Since both are 30mm or less it seems the clearance is sufficient and shouldn't interfere with the EVGA 8800GTS. The rad is up against the side of the case and I mght consider "stretching" the mounting holes slightly to move it back. It's that close.

My next thing purchase will be the right angle barb fittings for 3/8"ID to make the tubing easy and unobstructed. I'm only cooling the E6400 which will be OC'd somewhat and the stock 8800GTS will be on its own air that exhausts out the back. Abit AB9 Pro MOBO. Pictures will follow as work progresses.

 

[aburgard]

Please post pictures (many of them) of your setup. I bought PC-V1000 just before the 600 came out and really wish I had a smaller case. Most of my watercooling stuff is just sitting in a box ready for a new system.

What radiator did you mount to that upper vent? Personally, I think that's definitely the way to go in that case.

 

[johnrea77]

The Black Ice Stealth X-Flow 120 radiator is only 25mm deep and all I needed to do was remove the exhaust fan shroud and move the four holes for the bracket back around 5mm. For the radiator fam I'm using an Aerocool extreme turbine controlled by the Koolance RP-1000.

I used a Zalman passive heatsink on the Northbridge chip due to the original mobo heatpipe being inverted in the PC-V600A case.

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