Project Bright Panel: 800D, Liquid Cooled, Illuminated Mid Panel

New Corsiar "Air Series" Fans

Been a while since my last update due to a very busy summer. My most gracious hardware sponsor Corsair, sent me the final components to finish up my build. This week I received a bundle-o-fans. These are their new line of "Air Series" fans, and they look great. There area verity of types, but they gave me the AF Quite Editions for case fans, and the SP series for my radiators. Here is the list of what came in:

Radiator Fans (120mm) - SP120s (High Performance Edition) x7
Rear Exhaust (120mm) - AF120 (Quiet Edition) x1
HDD Bay (140mm) - AF140 (Quiet Edition) x1

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I really dig the changeable color rings on the fans. It should look good with my black/blue theme. Each fan also comes with an adapter that will step down the voltage and manually slow down the RPMs. Nice that its included, but I will be counting on the Link or AquaComputer for that duty. The blades on the two types of fans are also different. The high pressure fans "SP Series" have blades specifically made to push more air through a radiator. The few reviews I have seen speak highly of them, so I am excited to get them installed.

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I was planning on getting all of these fans sleeved and installed this weekend, but "life" had other plans for me. Posting this update from the hospital, waiting to hear news on my 6 month old daughter. Looks like RSV & pneumonia... Again. Hopefully we will be back home soon.

Hope it all works out soon! Sorry she's going through this stuff. :(
 
Hope it all works out soon! Sorry she's going through this stuff. :(

Thanks. She is back home now and doing well.

I am going to run a few tests with my current CoolerMaster fans against these new Corsair ones. It won't be anything too scientific, but will basically measure simple airflow and noise levels at various RPMs. Stay tuned.
 
Hey Mr_Armageddon ,

Commented once before on this liquid awesome build you're doing - though I'm intimidated somewhat by the illuminated panel, I haven't ruled out including a similar feature in my own rig at some point.

I'm anxious to hear your feedback on the new Corsair fans. I just dropped five in my build - 3 on the 120.3 (push) and 2 on the 120.2 (pull paired with 2 Gentle Typhoons) and my overall impression is - they are very, very solid. They deliver on the promise of higher air pressure, remain suitably quiet (definitely quieter than the ineffective fans I had before, and loads quieter than the OEM fan / cowl that was on my video cards).

On an unrelated note, as a father of a 5-yr-old, I ache for what your daughter (and you) are going through. Nothing worse than when your child is uncomfortable and you can't make it all better. Hang in there brother. My prayers are with you and your family. The good news is that they seem to outgrow that RSV. Talk with your daughter's doctor about things like humidifiers and camphor / ginger / jasmine in her room while she sleeps. It's case-by-case - some kids benefit, others don't respond well. But apparently it can help open the airways up while they sleep, which tends to help with respiration and chest congestion. Keeping respiration up and congestion down will help prevent fluid collecting in the airways and can help prevent follow-up cases of RSV flare-up and pneumonia or bronchitis. But be SURE to check with your doctor first!
 
First off, thanks for all the kind words in this thread and PMs about my daughter. She is back home, and doing very well. And now back to the geeky stuff...

New Fans are INSTALLED!

I have to admit, the extra color highlights they bring the the build are right up my alley :D

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I did a bit of testing with the new Corsair SP120s against my previous fans, the CoolerMaster Blue LED Silent Fan 120mm (R4-L2R-20CK-GP). Specs on both are as follows.

Corsair SP120:
RPM 2,350
CFM 62
Noise 35dBA

CoolerMaster R4:
RPM 2,000
CFM 90
Noise 19dBA

I actually shot a video of the test, but apparenlty I was an idiot and shot it upside down with my phone :confused: So here is a screen cap of the test. Used a basic fan controller, a Decibel Meter on my phone (not super accurate), and a simple "blow test" with a piece of paper about 6in in front of the fan. Keep in mind, this is a very un-scientific method of testing these fans, and the Corsair SP fans are made to work better with static pressure that comes with being attached to radiators than just blowing power, but since I have no way to measure that, I did what I could.

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At 2,000 RPM, the Corsair SP120 had noticeably more "blowing" power than the CM fan, and was measured at around 43dBA. Again, this could be way off, but its what the meter said. The CM fan at this same speed had less power, and was louder at 48dBA... much higher than its specification of 19dBA.

Two other observations.
1) With the SP120 cranked all the way up to 2,350RPM, it was at the same noise level of the CM fan (when at 2,000RPM), but much more powerful.
2) When I brought the SP120 down to around 1,500RPM, it was barley audible. This was reassuring being that with a good fan controller, for basic computing (web browsing, movies, etc) the majority of the time the fans will be at a noise threshold that wouldn't bother the average individual.

So all I can really say about these Corsair fans at this point is that they are more powerful, and more quiet than my previous fans, and better looking. So I keep them! :D
 
So after my very rudimentary testing of the fans I own, I came across a much better review that used big expensive equipment, and has Charts / Graphs! I am an Excel monkey being in the Finance field, so I sometimes get overexcited about that kind of stuff :p

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The video review can be found here:
Corsair AF & SP Series Computer Case Cooling Fans Showcase & Review

And here are the juicy details. So it look like when comparing static pressure, which is what the SP120s are supposed to be made for, they in fact perform VERY well. The only thing the chart does not show is what RPM these fans are running at, but it still paints a pretty positive picture for using the SP series fans with radiators.

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Turns out the Decibel Meter on my phone may not be that far off. At full RPM, I was reading around 48dBA, which is what their results were as well.

Next step is for me to hook up my various "Smart" fan/system controllers to see which will work better with all the different fans and pumps in my build. Stay tuned.
 
HELP! Community Input Needed.

Ok guys, time for some community input for this build. I am really pleased on how everything is turning out so far. But after installing those new Corsair fans, I realized that the fans, and my blue color highlights in my sleeving are a lighter shade of blue than my tubing.

It was pointed out to me that clear tubing with Mayhem Pastel liquid and Blue Berry dye would match the colors of the sleeving and fans perfectly. As you can see in the picture below, it looks like a dead on match.

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I haven't had any experience with Mayhem liquids, but the last time I used a liquid with dye (Fesser One), it left nasty gunk inside of the waterblocks. That is why I decided to go with color tubing, and just use distilled water + PT Nuke / Kill Coil this go around. But the milky blue color looks really good. :confused:

Has anyone used Mayhem liquids for an extended period of time? Do they gunk up after a few months? Or should I just call it good and stay with what I have?

Any input on the subject would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Another possibility is to dye the color rings on the fan. If you don't want to mess with the blue rings, try to dye one of the other colors.

I don't have any real experience in this area, so it is easier for me to make suggestions. :)
 
Another possibility is to dye the color rings on the fan. If you don't want to mess with the blue rings, try to dye one of the other colors.

I don't have any real experience in this area, so it is easier for me to make suggestions. :)

Thanks. That is a good idea, but at this point I actually like the blue color on the fans, and it happens to be a better match for the blue highlights on my sleeving.
Originally I thought I would be fine with the tubing I have, but against the black case and the illuminated mid panel, it looks more purple than blue.

I have been reading some really good feedback on both Ice Dragon / Mayhem Pastel liquids, so it looks like it might be a great option, along with Durelene tubing. Apparently Mayhem recommends it for their liquids over Tygon, and lots of feedback from other forums I have seen recently seem to agree.
 
Thanks. That is a good idea, but at this point I actually like the blue color on the fans, and it happens to be a better match for the blue highlights on my sleeving.
Originally I thought I would be fine with the tubing I have, but against the black case and the illuminated mid panel, it looks more purple than blue.

I have been reading some really good feedback on both Ice Dragon / Mayhem Pastel liquids, so it looks like it might be a great option, along with Durelene tubing. Apparently Mayhem recommends it for their liquids over Tygon, and lots of feedback from other forums I have seen recently seem to agree.

For what it's worth, I think the two shades of blue looks pretty good. I can respect being CDO about wanting everything to be a spot-on, color-shade match, but you might consider simply adding some other elements to the case that match the darker blue of the tubing to help balance the two.

If you intend to go all one shade of blue, I would take the approach that x509 suggested - although, I would use the white rings to dye (that way, you still have the blue ones to fall back on, and the white ones likely will give the most predictable color change).

(For the record, "CDO" is like OCD, but the letters are arranged alphabetically.... as they should be.)
 
For what it's worth, I think the two shades of blue looks pretty good. I can respect being CDO about wanting everything to be a spot-on, color-shade match, but you might consider simply adding some other elements to the case that match the darker blue of the tubing to help balance the two.

If you intend to go all one shade of blue, I would take the approach that x509 suggested - although, I would use the white rings to dye (that way, you still have the blue ones to fall back on, and the white ones likely will give the most predictable color change).

(For the record, "CDO" is like OCD, but the letters are arranged alphabetically.... as they should be.)

I agree. From here on out is shall be known as "CDO". :D

I think I am going to give the Mayhem Pastel a shot, but I may darken the blue color just a tad to my liking. I will know more once it's installed. The Durelene tubing is on it's way.

Still looking for the best place to get the Mayhem Pastel Blue Berry in the 1L size, that doesn't require overseas shipping charges.
 
great work.
one of the most perfectionist projects made here.. great job!
 
Well, the Durelene Tubing from Sidewinder has arrived. Looks to bend pretty well without kinking. I'm going to keep my blue tubing around just in case I decide to switch back at some point.

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Still trying to get a hold of the Mayhem Pastel in Blue Berry color. I sent an email to Mayhem over a week ago asking where to get the stuff here in the US (besides PPCs which is currently out of stock), but no response yet. :(
Maybe more stores will have it in stock next week? If not, I will just get Ice Dragon, and add dye to my liking til I get the right color blue.
.
 
Wow, quite a bend radius there. Beats Tygon, that's for sure. What are the dimensions on that? I always prefer 1/2 Inch ID 3/4 OD... looks like that's maybe 1/2 ID 5/8 OD?
 
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Wow, quite a bend radius there. Beats Tygon, that's for sure. What are the dimensions on that? I always prefer 1/2 Inch ID 3/4 OD... looks like that's maybe 1/2 ID 3/8 OD?

It is 3/8" ID x 5/8" OD. I like the look of 1/2" tubing, but found the 3/8"x5/8" size much easier to work with.

I definitely like how well this tubing bends, and how clear it is. Hopefully it can stay clear for quite some time.
 
It is 3/8" ID x 5/8" OD. I like the look of 1/2" tubing, but found the 3/8"x5/8" size much easier to work with.

I definitely like how well this tubing bends, and how clear it is. Hopefully it can stay clear for quite some time.

Up late I see, but too busy to talk to poor ol' me. I see how ya are!


:p
 
New Tubing & Liquid

The new tubing is installed, and the Mayhem Pastel liquid with Blue Berry dye looks to be a perfect match. Still wasn't able to find any of the liquid in-stock from a Stateside shop, but luckily a generous forum member hooked me up. Also not very impressed with the lack of Mayhem's Customer Support. :(

Below to the left you will see a picture of the new tubing and liquid compared to what I previously had in stalled. Again, it looks to match the blue highlights on my sleeving, and the new fans perfectly. The old tubing almost looks purple next to it. On the right is the build with the new Durelene tubing installed.

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Now that I am through that change out, next step is to test the Corsair Link vs the Aquaero 5 XT... which will have to wait til next week since I am taking my wife to a resort in Steamboat Springs, CO for 4 days.

Time away from work, home, and kids will all me to recharge and do some late nights when I get back, so I can get this dang build finished. I really can't wait to get back to some weekend gaming. :D
 
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The new tubing / liquid dye is indeed a dramatic improvement. Nice work! Enjoy your vacation!
 
PowerAdjust 2 / Pump Setup

This week I have been working on getting the AquaCompuer PowerAdjust 2s all sleeved up and ready to hook into my system. These will be used to control the speed of my pumps either via an Aquaero 5, or independently via a temp sensor. I have not yet decided which way I am going to go (Aquaero 5 or Corsiar Link) for my fan controller, but until then, I will at least get my pumps set up and get a liquid "flush" through the system with some distilled water.

Here is the prep work I did to dye the cables from my pumps black, along with the USB header cables that connect to the Aquaero 5 and PA2s. It is actually vinyl dye, not spraypaint, so it doesn't flake off when bending the cables. In one of my last builds, I had a bunch of questions about the dye, and what kind I used, so I decided to include a picture of it in the build log this time around.

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I also wired up the PowerAdjust 2's after a bit of Questions / Answer sessions on the Aqua Computer English forum. It wasn't clear to me how to modify the cable on my pump to correctly interface with the PA2, so I did a little sketch and asked which option was better to use since my pumps are not controlled via PWM. Option 1 was the correct wiring method as seen below. Next to it is a picture of the 5pin power connectors going to the PA2s, along with the "AquaBus" jumper cable connecting the controls for the two pumps. You do have the option to control each one independently, but I want both my pumps operating at the same speeds.

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There is an important step that has to be done if you plan on using more than 1 PowerAdjust modules for pump / fan control. Each has to be given a Unique ID number to be see all the fan channels correctly in the software. Here is what you have to do in order to get 2 or more working together.

First, you should setup your Poweradjusts using the older Aquasuite version 4.72, which you can get here. Once installed you need to connect each Poweradjust (one at a time) over USB, to then update your PowerAdjust frimware and then adjust its Aquabus address. Once you have loaded up AquaSuite, select "Firmware" from the PowerAdjust 2 menu and update to v1003.

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Now you must give your PowerAdjusts a unique ID. I gave one the address of 51, the other is 52.

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Once this is done, you can disconnect the USB, plug them in over Aquabus and you should see extra fan channels in your Aquasuite 2012. Of if you don't plan on using Aquaero for your Fan Controller, you can leave them plugged in via USB for independent control. Next up... distilled water flush, and Fan Controller Battle Royal :D
.
 
Nice build, I definitely subscribed to it to later reference it a bit when I finally go water cool in my system.:D
 
The new tubing / liquid dye is indeed a dramatic improvement. Nice work! Enjoy your vacation!

Nice build, I definitely subscribed to it to later reference it a bit when I finally go water cool in my system.:D

Yup really nice!


Thanks guys!

I Sprung A LEAK... and Fan Extensions

Just wanted to post a mini-update, along with some crappy findings...
I finished wiring all my fan extensions that I will be using with my fans and the controllers. All have been cut to the exact length, sleeved, tested and work great.

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I also decided to post a picture of some of my wiring diagrams that I have done up to help me keep my thoughts straight while making my own cables. Shows how I wired illuminated vandal switches, my light panel, led strip, reservoir LEDs, and fan extensions along with RPM reducers which I may use on the fans not attached to radiators.

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So with everything wired up, I decided to do a leak test. Everything was looking great untill... LEAK!! And not just a leak requiring a tightening of a fitting, it was a leak in the seam of my XSPC reservoir.

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To add inslut to injury, I pulled the res out, and had it sitting on my work bench. My son came in behind me, and managed to pull it onto the cement floor, further cracking the unit. :mad:
I was able to put it back together with my liquid acrylic cement, and fill the seam. Also ran an additional leak test with just the res to see what would happen.

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It seemed to fix the leak, but at this point, I am going to toss this reservoir, since I can't really trust it for long term use. Placed an order for a new model today, so stay tuned for updates once it arrives.
 
Thanks for all the info on the power adjust dude, I was wondering what the software was like but had never gotten around to finding out!
 
As a father, it seems when I take off a side panel, one comes crawling, the over comes running. I hear ya!
 
It never fails, eh? :)

Nice wiring diagrams... I'll be tearing apart my PSU and doing much the same relatively soon... so I am sure I can cheat off of your sheets here and there! :D

Small setback, all things considering. Coming together nicely!
 
I have an XSPC reservoir as well (the dual reservoir, dual bay version) and discovered that the threading for the G 1/4" fitting is set at a slight angle, so I had issues with leaking as well. I rectified the situation by purchasing a thicker O-ring on the fitting, but it was a bit of a pain. Not that this relates to your issue (which it sounds like was a leak in the integrity of the reservoir itself), but it reminded me of the issue, for anyone else who happens to be experiencing issues with these models.
 
I love my kids to death (have 3 under the age of 4), but HATE when the someone.. **cough** Wife **cough** leaves the door unlocked so they can sneak in to my "shop" or home office. My daughter knows to keep her hands away, but my son is just as curious and inquisitive as I was at that age, and ends up breaking a lot of my stuff just because he hasn't learned how to be gentle with anything.

But after last night I think my wife will be better about locking the doors in the basement work room and our office when I'm not home. He got to her PC and managed to pick off about 5 of the keys from her fancy new backlit Logitech Keyboard. Three of them I was able to put back on, but the clips on the other two were broken off. That will teach her to keep the door locked :p

Having some fun playing around with the Aquasuite software while I wait for my new reservoir to arrive. I must say, it was a bit confusing at first, but now that I have the hang of it, it truly is a powerful monitoring / control tool. I have been taking screen shots, and will post a walk-thought of how I set things up. I then plan to do the same for the Corsair Link for comparison purposes. :D
 
Ok, it is review time. :D
I have two control systems that I have had a chance to play with for the last few days. I will first post my review for the Corsair Link Cooling & Lighting Kit, followed by the AquaComputer Aquaero 5 LT. Each contains a video walk-through showing the components and the software, followed by more detailed screen captures of the various setup screens of the software. And here we go...

CorsairLinkTitle.jpg



Click on the link below to launch a YouTube video I made that shows both the hardware and software in action.
Video - Corsair Link Cooling & Lighting Kit Overview

The Corsair Link Kit comes in to variants. The Basic Cooling kit which comes will all that is necessary to control your fans. Then there is the Cooling & Lighting kit which controls fans and comes with a Lighting Node which controls the RBG LED lighting strips.
Both kits include one (1) Controller Node which has 5 fan connectors, and a few temperature sensor plugin locations. Each fan channel can support up to 2 amps, and the node can support a maximum of 4 amps total across all channels. That being said, if someone is wanting to control both fans, and a liquid cooling pump, they would most likely have to purchase a second Control Node as the single one would be quickly maxed out with multiple fans and pumps.


When first starting up the Corsiar Link Software, the first thing that needs to be done is update the firmware for the various components. This was a necessary step for me because before the firmware update, my fans wouldn't change from spinning at 100% at all times.

CorsairLink01_Firmware.jpg


Here is an overview of the various sensors and readings that can be seen within the software. As shown in the above video, you can choose from a variety of computer cases and overlay the sensor data on top of your component locations. Its is all drag and drop at this point, and you can also easily change the name of any sensor data shown on this screen for better customization.

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Next up we have the "Groups" screen. This is where you make connections from sensor data to fan (or pump) control. This is also drag and drop, and every easy to configure.

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There is also a "Graphs" section that can show any of the sensor data listed on the Overview page. It is very basic, and doesn't offer much as far as customization goes of colors or graph size.

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Once all the grouping is set up between sensor data and fans, we can move on to taking more control of how the fans will operate in our system. The first bank of options is shown below. They are pre-defined control curves, and the names are pretty self expanitory. Below them are the "User Defined" settings including custom control curves. These are easy to set up, and seem to work just fine.

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As mentioned earlier, I have the Link Kit with the Lighting Module, so I thought I would show the different LED configuration options. More detail about these options and how they work can be seen in the above video.

CorsairLink06_LEDConfig.jpg


Ok, so that is the Corsair Link Kit. Very capable software. Next up I will review the AuqaComputer system I have, and compare the two in a future post... after I get some needed sleep. Look for it tomorrow night.


:D
 
And now its time for a similar walk-through for the AquaComputer Aquaero 5 LT.

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Click on the link below to launch a YouTube video I made that shows both the hardware and software in action.

Video - AquaComputer AqauSuite 2012, Aquaero 5, and PowerAdjust 2 Overview

AquaComputers makes a variety of prodtucts that all communicate together via the Aquasuite software. They have flow sensors, pumps, radiators, reservoirs, cpu blocks, etc. I have the main controller unit, the Aquaero 5 LT, and two PowerAdjust 2 modules to control my MCP355 Pumps.

The Aqauero 5 can be pushed up to a maximum of 1.65 amps per channel (20 watts) or 5 amps total. AquaComputer designed the output based on the temperature of the fan amps themselves to prevent damage. The cooler you keep them the closer to 1.65 amps they will push. For this reason, I installed a larger heatsink on my Aquaero, to keep things nice and cool and retain the ability to limit the RPMs as to keep things quiet when maximum performance isn't needed.

This will vary greatly depending on the fans you have, but 1.65amps is enough to run roughly 20x fans at 100%. However, the load and heat increase as you dial down the RPM's so the real limit is probably closer to 12 - 15 fans, fewer if you use higher amperage units. This is an amazing amount of fans to control off a single channel and is also enough juice to run a water pump such as the MCP355 or D5.

Even though it is possible to run a pump off one of the fan channels, it is better to use the Poweradjust 2 due to the high start up power draw of these pumps. Each PowerAdjust2 also has a large heatsink to keep the unit cool when you lower the speed of the pump. If you want to just run a pump at 100% all the time, you could probably just add it to one of the fan channels on the Aquaero 5. But if you do a lot of power based throttling like me, it is better to use the Poweradjust 2 for the pumps, and keep the fans on the Aquaero just to be safe. So, that is how I have set the hardware up. Lets jump into the software now.

When first opening up AquaSuite 2012, go the the settings tab to set up your basic units, and language. You can choose what units to use for temps, and flow measurements. This is also where you configure the software's startup options.

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Next head over to the System tab to make sure you are running the most current firmware for your hardware components.

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Now we can jump to the Overview page where you can set up how you would like to view the data that Aquasuite (and Open Hardware Monitor as mentioned in the above video). You can choose what data points you want displayed, and add graphs to monitor temps, flow rates, RPMs, ect. You have the ability to customize the look of all the items on this page (colors, fonts, opacity, etc.) But what you see below is just using the default look. You can set this page to launch automatically when Windows starts so you can monitor everything from a glance.

01_OverviewSetup_01.jpg



This is also a view of another Overview page, but this one has a picture of my case, with the various temp and RPM boxes placed over the hardware components in my system. Its a neat idea, but I personally think it looks a bit too cluttered. I prefer the look of the above page instead.

01_OverviewSetup_02.jpg



Next up is the Sensors Page. Here you will see the temps that Aquasutie brings to the table via physical temp sensors (like my in-line temp sensor in my loop), along with software sensors from 3rd party programs like Open Hardware Monitor or AIDA64. You can modify the names of the various sensors to better suite your needs.

02_Sensors.jpg



Now we will take a look at the Fan Setup tab. Here you can name your fan banks, set minimum / Maximum RPM levels, and a ton of other stuff that I haven't had a chance to play with yet. :D

04_Fans_01.jpg



On the same page you can see that my pumps are also visible. This is because they are connected in the following manner:
Aquero 5 HighSpeed Aquabus connector -> PA2 Aquabus connector 1 / PA2 Aquabus connector 2 -> PA2 Aquabus connector 1
So with that setup, I have 1 pump on each PA2, and they are can both be controlled via the Aquaero 5 in Aquasuite. The PowerAdjust 2 is a controller which was optimized for the use with a DDC pump (or anything else with a constant load of up to 25W at 12V.) The maximum surge current can go up to 48W so you have enough reserves for the massive starting current that some pumps or fans generate. A configurable startboost allows you to make sure that for example a pump has enough time to spin-up before it is getting slowed down by the controller. This Startboost setting can be seen in the image below.

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Now we get into the really cool part of the Aquasuite 2012 software... Controller Curves.
With custom controller curves, you can make it so your system runs silent when high power isn't needed, and rev up to 100% when you need that kind of power. I have set up 3 different curves so far, and they are working extremely well. When my system first boots up, it is near silent, yet everything stays nice and cool. My curves don't look "pretty" at the moment as I haven't had much time to really tweak them, but at this point they are very functional. Once I get everything overclocked, I may have to adjust the temperature variants of these curves.

Controller Curve 01 - CPU Temp controls the 3 fans on the top radiator
Controller Curve 02 - GPU Temp controls the 4 fans on the bottom radiaor
Controller Curve 03 - Liquid Temp controls the speed of my pumps

03_ControllerSetup_01.jpg


There are a lot of other tabs in the AquaSuite 2012 software, but I either haven't had a need for them yet, or I don't own components that will register with those pages (Aquacomputer pumps for example). Overall, I am very pleased with the Aquacomputer components and the new software to control them. In the past my system was near silent except for the pumps. Now even the pumps are silent during basic computing tasks.

AquaComputer Aquaero 5 vs Corsiar Link Kit

AquaComputer Pros
  • Extreme Customization and Options
  • Multiple Components available for liquid cooling systems
  • Easy Hardware installation
  • Works with most fans and pumps currently on the market
  • Controller Curves
  • Software seems stable and is feature rich
  • Build Quality
  • 4 Fan Connectors (Upgradable To 10)
  • Optimized for liquid cooling systems

AquaComputer Cons
  • Much of the documentation is only in German (English Forum is a big help)
  • Setup isn't as straightforward as could be
  • Cost (for some)


Corsair Link Pros
  • Easy Hardware installation
  • Controller Curves
  • Software is easy to setup and use
  • Build Quality
  • 5 Fan Connectors (Upgradable with more Control Nodes)
  • Can read CPU & GPU temps on its own (doesn't require 3rd party programs)
  • Advanced RGB LED lighting control

Corsair Link Cons
  • Customization and options not as advanced as competition
  • Not really made for liquid cooling (unless using self contained Corsair cooling products)
  • Fairly new software, can be buggy at times


I have enjoyed taking time to use both units, but after going through various scenarios with my hardware, I will be using the AquaComputer products to control my system components from this point on. Both kits offer their advantages, but the Aquaero 5 fits my needs better at this time.

I received my Koolance reservoir to replace the leaking XSPC one, so working on getting that installed soon. More pictures will follow.


:D
 
So how do you use sketchup to make something this detailed? I have never been able to use it!
 
Great info here, thanks for sharing!

No problem! I was frustrated at the lack of info found on these controller units, so hopefully my video walk-throughs can help someone else out down the road.

So how do you use sketchup to make something this detailed? I have never been able to use it!

There are videos on YouTube that teach you how to use SketchUp. Outside of that, a lot of it is just playing around with the software. There are a ton of 3D models ready for download on the 3D Warehouse, so after you learn the basics, go there to experiment more.
 
Exiting News... I pulled an all-nighter and this morning around 4:30AM, I officially finished my Build!! :D


Received my new Koolance RP-401X2 yesterday to replace my leaking XSPC unit. I really like the look and quality of this new reservoir.

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I had to cut the feet off of my Switech MCP355 pumps for them to work with this Res/Pump combo. Once installed they have a lot of head pressure and are pretty quiet.

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Larger Image


I then proceeded to bled the entire loop of air bubbles and everything is running cool and quiet. I am going to work on getting some really good photos of the case, and cable management. Hope to have them posted by this weekend. Stay tuned.
 
Congrats on the finished build! That is indeed a mighty nice looking bay reservoir you have there. I like how the pumps integrate right into it. How is the noise/vibration on that? Does it have any dampening material on it, or is it just really tightly secured?
 
On the one hand, I'm excited for you for completing this epic build. On the other, I am side that the one of my favorite projects will no longer be regularly updated. :(

You'll be building another one, right? :D
 
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