Project: Watercooled Full ATX "Conroe" build in mATX Microfly, Unnamed

[whrswoldo]

Hello and welcome to my worklog!

As the title says, this build is based on a Core 2 E6300/Gigabyte DS3 combo as well as 2x1GB Patriot memory, XFX 7900gt, X-fi sound and Seasonic S12 PSU crammed into an Ultra Microfly case. It will be watercooled using an Apogee CPU block, Laing DDC pump, and Maze4 GPU block with a DD StealthGTS 2x120 radiator. Everything will be internal.

Before anyone asks, yes, I realise this would be much easier in an ATX case. My current rig is also watercooled, in an ATX case, however I like the smaller size of the mATX case, and the challenge of cramming everything in there. I have been planning this build for a while, and do not plan on changing it significantly. I hope to accomplish a clean and somewhat novel look, as well as near silence and good performance. Credit goes out to Votey and his XeQtion mod which provided me with a lot of inspiration for my own.

A teaser of my progress as I upload the rest of the pics:

from the top

from the side

I recently finished summer classes and quit my job :wewt: so I plan on updating pretty regularly and having this completed within the next 2-3 weeks. Comments and questions are welcome of course

 

[whrswoldo]

the start

another angle

and with the side on

removing the window

window removed

window by the hole

The idea here is that I will make holes in the window itself, instead of having to cut the metal in the side panel. For this I will have to raise the mobo a little bit.

Here you can see a network cable going through where the future hole in the window will be. I don't ever use the PS2 mouse/keyboard/lpt/audio/com ports, so I will not even bother making holes for these.

here's a shot of an ethernet cable going through where the window would be

I figured out that I will need to raise the mobo a little bit more in order for both dvi ports on my video card to be usable

here is the solution I devised

I used some standoffs as well as the standoffs fromt he case, which I punched out using a hammer:

and then I cut off some of the case to allow room for the video and sound cards:

You can see in this last picture that I will be able to access the ethernet and some USB ports through the window without cutting the metal in the case side. I will also be using the front USB ports. I feel that this will allow for a much cleaner look. More pics to come...

 

[whrswoldo]

Well I knew things were going too smoothly and I have since hit a bit of a snag. The GPU block I received from DD has a slightly bent barb, although I don't think it is serious enough for me to go through the hassel of getting another one.

I also didn't account for space for the tubing leaving the GPU, however luckily the block can be positioned differently on the card

This will make it much easier to route the tubing as well as require less bending.

Next step: pump and rad, stay tuned...

 

[whrswoldo]

Ok made some more progress! First, I cut off the "tray" portion of the removable mobo tray.

The back portion is screwed in place, although the holes for ports will not actually be used.

Next up, the radiator needs to be mounted. It just happens to be that the holes for the windows on the Microfly case are nearly exactly 240mm across, which makes the right window a prime location for the radiator. First, some support beams need to be removed. Who needs support anyways?

I also took out the right 5 1/4" bay bracket as it was riveted to the other piece. This needs to be replaced, however I don't have a riveter (sp?) and so I used some fan screws. Worked very well:

Now the radiator and fans will fit! The 2 fans (yate loons) were mounted to the radiator which was placed on one side of the side panel. On the other side of the side panel I placed a 24x12cm rad grill, and screwed it into the radiator thus "sandwiching" the side panel. I had planned on actually screwing the rad grill into the side panel, however that doesn't appear to be necessary.

here you can see me and my awesometastic camera

the gap at the top of the radiator will eventually be filled with a cut section of the window

side view

top view

Well that's all for now, must go see the woman. With luck I will have the water loops set up by tomorrow! Peace

 

[synaps3]

Sexy.

Glad to see someone else modding a MF. Too bad I never have time to work on mine

Looks great so far. I may be going conroe with my sff soon also, but not ATX...

I want to see this thing done, so I will be checking back on this.

 

[ThatsAgood1jay]

god talk about a cramped case

 

[N H O]

looks nice man, keep us updated

 

[Votey]

I am loving this worklog so far. Not just for the mod (which is hyper-sweet, by the way) or because my name gets mentioned but the worklog itself is very well done. Easy to read and follow your thought process. Very few (if any) spelling or grammatical hiccups. Nicely taken and framed photos. Damn, it's like an orgy for your brain!

This is just so well done.

Many many props to you, man!

 

[el rolio]

very wel ldone! keep it up

 

[MC FLMJIG]

Good, I'm in the middle of one myself and I need more ideas, heh heh.

You and Votey are very inspiring.

Thanks a ton.

Are those ddr 667? If they are what's the highest you've taken them. Mine can go [email protected]

 

[Asian Dub Foundation]

subscribed! love craming stuff into small places

 

[L1ght]

I have much respect for you, sir. I did a build for work with the microfly. Quite possibly the cheapest case I have ever used. No way would I build another comp in one, much less WC one.

 

[whrswoldo]

*Update 8-10*

Well I have good news: the WC loop is in place The bad news however is that, apparently, getting the air out of the loop using a T-line is a PAIN IN THE ASS. Filling it is a PAIN IN THE ASS as well!

The tubing (which is actually 5/16" masterkleer) slipped on without too much trouble after a dip in boiling water (I'm using 3/8" fittings.) Unfortunately, the tube clamps I received from performance-pcs are too small . I don't know if the tubing I have is too thick, or if the fittings are just the wrong size, but they cannot "catch" at all on the barbs, and so are useless. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to find a replacement locally I suppose.

Anyways, there is still much air in the loop, however here are some pics of the debubbling process for your viewing pleasure.

the loop in action

and the god-forsaken T-line

As you can see in the last picture, the pump is temporarily zip-tied to a bracket that will be its future home. I ran out of space at the bottom of the case, but thankfully a fellow [H] member suggested mounting the pump on a similar bracket. It would have been a pain to mount it on the side of the case do to the positioning of the inlet/outlet.

If you are doing a watercooling project and are attempting to decide between the 2, don't be a fool; pick a reservoir. The loop in my old computer used a reservoir, and was incredibly easier to fill and remove the bubbles. JMHO

 

[el rolio]

you cna always zip tie the tubing a the base of the barbs, in the meantime at the very least while you leak test.

 

[oneil]

http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1029786887&postcount=14

I also recently installed a WC using a T-line, bleeding it took aprox. 3hours. On top of that, my tubing was bigger than yours and pretty much foam there were so many bubbles!

My recommendation is to set up your Tline in such a way that the current catches into the filler tube and that way the bubbles will be forced into it. Obviously this would be terrible if you were running your loop for cooling but it works wonders for bleeding.

Looking for something to do whilst it's bleeding? I spent that time cleaning up the freaking mess in my room caused [in part] by the WCing

All in all, your mod is looking shweet - Keep it up!

 

[whrswoldo]

Ok minor update! WE HAVE POST In fact, better than post, we have an overnight completion of memtest error free!

Most (if not all) of the bubbles bled out during the night as well. It sure was a pain to fill and bleed, but man this thing is silent! Even compared to my old WC'd system, this one is quiet.

quick pic of it in action

After memtesting all night, it is sitting at 39 degrees system, 34 degrees CPU. The northbridge heatsink is noticeably hot, so I may reset the heatsink later, or perhaps buy a beefier one. I'll run more tests once I have windows up of course, but first I need to go buy a DVD/CD drive... apparently in my excitement I forgot to order one . I'm currently using a drive from my old-old rig, which is serving as a "media pc/dvr" in the living room. Also, I need to go buy some acetone; I bought some IPA however inadvertantly got 50%, which does not clean or dry very well .

I will update later this afternoon after I have gotten everything inside, although I still have to paint. Did I mention all the bare aluminum was going to be painted? Stay tuned...

 

[Votey]

Don't worry about that northbridge heatsink. Once you get the sides put on and start pulling air through the case, it will cool right down.

 

[Darkside]

whrswoldo..nice work..looks like you should be finish soon

 

[whrswoldo]

*Update 8-13*

Well, what a weekend! I've been really busy but have made some good progress. I finished constructing the mount for the pump, and started work on the painting.

the guts removed

ignore my big toe

and priming on my uber leet painting rig

meanwhile, my housemate and some friends are building a halfpipe in our backyard...

Anyways, back on topic; I applied a couple layers of primer and paint last night, and have been sanding and applying more today. I am a senior at UT, (home of the 2005 National Football Champs baby!)and a hardcore fan, and so I feel BURNT ORANGE is only appropriate, not to mention hella sexy .

my progress so far on the orange coat

I hope to be done with the painting and clear-coating by tonight so I can start work on the sleeving and wire management. It is hot as hell outside, of course, and so I don't think I'll have to wait too long for the paint to dry.

Also, I'm not exactly a pro at painting, so if anyone has any tips to offer I am all ears! I have looked over this guide although admittedly I'm a bit impatient about things sometimes. Luckily, the stock black case parts will be covering the top, sides, and front of the case, so the paint job need not be perfect. Nonetheless, I still want it to look nice and more importantly be durable enough to resist some amount of wear.

 

[xLiquidx]

Pretty nice looking mod you got going on

 

[sunama]

Did you have any problems fitting the Swiftech Apogee waterblock onto the DS3, in particular the mouting plate (which I think goes at the back of the mobo)?

 

[whrswoldo]

Did you have any problems fitting the Swiftech Apogee waterblock onto the DS3, in particular the mouting plate (which I think goes at the back of the mobo)?

No not at all, although I'm not sure what mounting plate you're talking about?

 

[whrswoldo]

*Update 8-16!*

Well I have a fairly substantial update today! The system has been put back together, and is up and running very smoothly. I am currently transferring some files onto it as I type this. There is still some work to be done, although mostly wire management and a few cosmetic details. Onto the pics...

the front

the right

note the !@#&* parking ticket

the left

In case you are wondering, the movie that the hard drive on top of my case is resting on is "Primal Fear." It's a good movie, I encourage everyone to watch it . It is temporarily connected via SATA.

now onto the right side

You can see the still rough dremmel cuts on the window, which I intend to cover up with car door trim:

damn my thumb is huge

The video and sound card are not currently "held in" by anything; I am debating between supergluing them in place and using a zip tie, or perhaps creating some sort of bracket with a "slot" in it to be mounted on the CD-ROM/HDD bracket.

pic for clarity

Here you can also see my pump mount and power distribution to the right (the case's front.) A molex conenctor connects to the PSU and then leads to 2 screw-down power blocks: one for 12V and one for 5V. The 5V connects to the thermometer thing on the front of the case and the 12V connects to the 2 radiator fans and the pump. Unfortunately I could not get a good close up of this area, but you can kind of make stuff out. The nest of unused wires is currently ziptied to the side of the CD-ROM drive/drive bay. I am undecided on what to do with all the unused power connectors; there are currently unused cords connecting to 8-pin power, sata, and molex connections. I think I may either cut off the unnecessary cords or buy a "hobby box?" to place them in and mount it beside the CD-ROM drive. Thoughts?

here is a good interior shot showing the CPU block, NB heatsink, ram, and the radiator fans

I still have not bothered to affix the tubes for the watercooling in place, although they seem to be snug without clamps or zip-ties.

here is the interior from above

You can see the PSU on the bottom, CD-ROM on the right, radiator on the top, and exhaust fan on the left.

here it is again edited

The wires are:
1-temporary sata cable leading out to HDD
2-temporary molex cable " " " "
3-temperature sensor for front display
4-IDE calbe for CD-ROM
5-mobo power cable

Onto the front and the stealthed CD-ROM drive...

closed

open

closup of the bezel

closup of the button

The clips for the bezel cover were cut off, and then the bezel was double-sided-taped onto the CD tray. A piece of foam with adhesive on one side was placed on the button. This is such an easy mod to do, but IMO is pretty cool for the time required.

Onto the left side with the radiator...

and another pic

I think this part turned out really nicely! I got lucky, and the width of the window (as mentioned earlier) just happened to be almost exactly 24cm (the width of 2x12mm fans.) The radiator is actually held onto the side of the case by friction; the radgrill on the outside of the case is screwed into the radiator, thus sandwiching the side panel. I cut a strip of the window and filled in the gap with it.

I have one more shot showing the hard drive in a noise absorbtion/cooling rack, as well as the fillport.

This shows the hard drive in the top position although I later moved it down.

As far as performance goes, I am currently running at 450MHZ FSB for a net speed of 3.15GHZ, with memory voltage at 2.1V and CPU voltage at 3.9V. Temps are looking pretty good (41c system, 47c CPU with full dual-core load @ case ambient of 31c and room ambient of 26c.)

The case ambient temperature (as measured by front temperature LCD with sensor located behind the CD-ROM drive) is a little bit warmer than room ambient than I'd prefer, and the northbridge heatsink gets blazing hot under full load, so I am considering adding a big ass fan to the top that will be connected to a switch for use when temps get too high. I'm not sure whether I would have it exhaust or blow down on the ram and NB. Here is the fan:

It it very loud by my standards, although pushes about twice the air of the yate loons I am using. If I used it, I would cut a hole in the top of the case next to the PSU, and mount it with a rad grill matching the one on the side of the case. Thoughts?

That's about all for this update, if anyone has any ideas, thoughts or comments I'd love to hear them .

 

[whrswoldo]

*Minor update 8-16*

I finished transferring files and so took some new pics without the HD on top

front

side

other side

 

[tayunz]

This came out great, I like the orange/black color scheme. the fly is a great case.

 

[Asian Dub Foundation]

tremendous work! kudos to you my friend

 

[sunama]

I like the clean polished look about it. If it were in the living room it wouldnt look out of place sitting next to a very big screen television.

 

[Tysterisk]

Yeah, those things are loud as all hell. I've got two of them hooked up in my old Antec Sonata and holy crap, I can hear them across the house!

 

[el rolio]

awesome awesome job.

again a note about the tubing. its definately snug now, but after months it may come loose as the tubing expenads and gets used to the shape it took over the barbs, and maybe with water pressure will leak. just tkae some of yer zip ties and clamp it down. wont take 10 mins to get them all done and you prolly wont have to move anything but its a good safety precaution. cant stress it enough. this lil project would be too dear to mess up wtih leaks.

 

[Votey]

On my way home from work today, a crazy old homeless guy ran up and started yelling something about how, later today, I was going to see the best thing ever. I naturally dismissed his ramblings, and continued about my business, secure in my belief that he was deranged and sleep-deprived.

This thread has proven that I was wrong.

Nice work.

 

[whrswoldo]

Haha thanks man! You gotta watch out for those crazy homeless people, especially the prophetic ones

 

[Mr_And3rsson]

i like the orange and black combo. good choise

 

[Stu55]

That is a really sweet sff case, crazy.

 

[lozaning]

this turned out sweet

 

[Hyper_Psycho]

dude that looks great


ps: what camera are you using ?

 

[whrswoldo]

dude that looks great


ps: what camera are you using ?

I used a Nikon Coolpix 3200... It is a tiny POS and is extremely difficult to take blur free shots with, especially with the flash off. What I didn't show on my worklog were the 42386 pictures that I took that turned out like crap

When I'm done I'm going to see about borrowing my housemate's D70s something something whose flash alone cost more than my camera.

 

[veek]

Excellent finish on your mod!

I really like the aesthetics of SFF cases.
Combine that with the functionality of a full ATX mobo and the reduced
noise provided by water cooling and you have what I'd call a perfect setup.

I like how your hand was in the photographs. Made me feel like I was watching a first person shooter

I'm curious, if you were to transport your case, would you
drain the water from your cooling setup?

 

[Kid8]

we have those exact same tickets at my school.....damn u parking services

 

[whrswoldo]

Excellent finish on your mod!

I really like the aesthetics of SFF cases.
Combine that with the functionality of a full ATX mobo and the reduced
noise provided by water cooling and you have what I'd call a perfect setup.

I like how your hand was in the photographs. Made me feel like I was watching a first person shooter

I'm curious, if you were to transport your case, would you
drain the water from your cooling setup?

Thank you for the comments, and to answer your question no I don't intend on draining the water for a long while. I moved my old rig (which was watercooled as well) around frequently and never experienced any ill effects; it had the same tubing and fluid in it for nearly 2 years, and I never ran into a problem or experienced changes in cooling performance! One thing I will say however is that I don't intend on ever using the built in handle for transportation, as it seems incredibly weak and I'm afraid it will just break off.

As recommended I have added hose clamps on the tubing connected to the CPU block and zip-ties to the remaining tubing. The barbs in my loop are all 3/8" and the tubing I purchased was 5/16" and therefore all the tubing had to be boiled for a few minutes and even then was difficult to stretch over the barbs, but it never hurts to be safe I suppose.

I was definitely anxious to complete this project and to be able to play with my shiny new computer, although now that I've gotten it in running order there are still a few things left to do.

Expect another update in the next few days or so...

 

[whrswoldo]

we have those exact same tickets at my school.....damn u parking services

The infuriating part about my ticket was that I was parked in front of my !&*@^#% house. On my (now old) street, parking was restricted from 7-9AM and 4-6PM. I was in the middle of a move, and had my car on the street so that I could load up a truck in my driveway. They ticketed me while I was at my new house unloading my stuff . Ironically, that was the first ticket I received at that house, and it was on one of the last days I lived there. Go figure