[Build Log] Watercooled Case Labs M8, i7 2600K, Dual GTX580 SLi

Introduction
So this will be my first ever watercooled build!! (and first proper build log)

I have been building my own PC's for around 10 years now, and I've also built a few for my family members too so I am hoping I know my way around the "normal components" of a PC enough to have a go at a full custom watercooled rig. After lurking around (and some questions) on these forums, plus about 4-6 weeks planning and procuring all the parts I am confident I have most of what's needed - anything else I can buy along the way

I'll try and keep this build log updated and post links to the posts with pictures so people can see what I have done.

Components List (work in progress)
From existing air-cooled setup
i7 2600K
16GB G.Skill ripjaws RAM
ASUS Maximus IV Extreme Z
GTX580 MSI Twin Frozr II
OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD
2 x WD velociraptor (RAID 0)
1 x Samsung Spinpoint 1TB

Watercooled stuff/extras
Case Labs M8
GTX580 MSI Twin Frozr II (for SLi)
Corasir AX1200 PSU
12xGentle Typhoon AP 15
XSPC Raystorm CPU cooler
Indigo Extreme CPU interface
EK FC GTX580 cooler (x2)
EK Bridge bits - 3 slot serial
EK Multioption 2 Advanced 250 Res
XSPC RX 360 Radiators (2)
Alphacool 655 (laing D5) pump 2 x MCP655 with tacho sensor
EK D5 Pump Top EK Dual D5 (Serial) pump top
Aquaero 5 XT
Aquaero 5 Black faceplate
3xAquaero Poweradjust 2 ultra + Black faceplate
Bitspower compression fittings
Koolance QDC fittings
1/2" ID 3/4" OD Primochill Primoflex LRT Tubing
lots of MDPC-X Sleeving

plus various connectors, crimps, mounts, screws, hookup wire etc

Index of build posts
1 - Components
2 - Fans
3 - Fans Part II (Distribution box)
4 - Front panel connections
5 - Aquaero, PA2's and cables
6 - Water loop "Sanity Check"
7 - Water loop & fittings
8 - Cable Sleeving I
9 - Cable Sleeving II
10 - Metalwork Painting
11 - Metalwork Painting II - Wheels

Final Images
Edited by alstorm - 6/3/12 at 1:04am

Components

So we can start of with the usual obligatory box shots....


This is most of the watercooling bits, plus the new PSU and 2nd GTX580 to add to the one already in the aircooled computer (this one I am typing on!) - I am going to try and ensure the down time without a PC is minimal, while still allowing for proper leak testing of course!



Case Labs M8 - I cant say enough about how incredibly good this case is; Plus the whole experience of buying one is top notch - Jim dealt very well with all my queries and purchase, and my case was shipped to the UK in perfect condition.



Some MDPC-X sleeve (another excellent company to deal with!) what we have here is black, Titanium grey and Color-X (I might end up using Red rather than Color-X)



A nice shot of the multioption - res



Some bitspower fittings and a koolance QDC
Edited by alstorm - 11/27/11 at 6:46am

I have been going a few days on the build so the first set of updates can come in a bit of batch!

Fans
Gentle Typhoons are great fans but they do look like they have fallen out of the ugly tree hitting every branch along the way. I decided to disassemble and paint mine....

I know that GT's are supposedly perfectly balanced etc. and painting can cause issues/imbalance, but I tested the method (documented a few times on these forums) a few weeks ago on a test fan and it worked just fine. I guess if you want coloured fans its a choice of something with worse performance in the right colour or to modify the GT's and run the risk of future issues. While 12 fans are a lot of money, individually they are not too expensive in the big scheme of things (compared to the cost of a custom WC system)

I did have one small problem: while carrying a couple of re-assembled painted fans I dropped one without the back sticker on and the infamous c-clip popped off and disappeared!

Luckily I only currently need 11 of the 12 fans for the build, but I'd recommend putting the sticker back ASAP just in case.



Masked (badly!)



My custom spray room - I have an apartment, no garage etc, so this was in the bathroom with extractor on, I tried to ensure that we had some air through the apartment too by opening windows and doors - I covered the place with newspaper and plastic sheet. I put the fans on little sections of cut up cardboard tube so that the blades didn't stick to the box i painted them on.



Fans drying after a couple of hours - the colour is satin white



The final result back in its frame



A couple of sleeved fans in the Case Labs PSU side fan mounts - 3 pin fan ontop, 2 pin fan underneath

I rewired the fans using some suitable AWG 24 (i think) wire, since the Aquaero will control the fan speed in batches (MB side Rad, PSU side Rad, MB side intake, PSU side intake) I need only one of the fans in each batch to have a RPM sensor cable (3 pin) all the other fans I have rewired as 2 pin fans.

All of the fans have a stubby little cable with connector - I decided to build some custom sleeved extensions



All the cables get sleeved back to the control board on the fan
To do this you kind of need to open up the notch in the side of the fan surround to be a few mm bigger to fit in a sleeved cable - that was easily done with a dremmel



Super wire Girl!



She transforms into a uneven split Y connector with a 3 pin and a 2 pin connector

ASCII art time!


Another fan extension cable this one is a simple 3 pin extension approx 80cm and will be used for the back exhaust fan



Fans mounted to the rads in the roof of the case:
I have some thin (7mm) rubber shrouds and used 37mm screws and also some rubber washers for a bit of extra vibration reduction. The rads have also been edged with a foam to try to minimise any air loss



These are the fans installed in the front of the case on the MB side - I have decided to mount the res on the back of the fan mounts.
I coloured the back of the labels with a sharpie, I might see if i can find some suitable stickers to replace, but for the moment it does not look too bad.

The cabling will be hidden as much as possible....



This shot shows the view of the cabling for the MB side front intake fans as seen from the PSU side
Edited by alstorm - 11/27/11 at 6:48am

The screw holes for the cable clamps you see in the last image are actually just part of the Case Labs fan cages (flex bay) for the MB side.

Basically the flex bay fan cage comes in two halves to allow you to "cage" the fan, those are the screws and holes used to attach the two halves of the cage together once the fan is inside. I have just re-purposed them so that they join the two halves of the cage together and they also fix an MDPC cable clamps. It looks quite neat imo

I just used the normal 6-32 screws supplied with the Case labs case to attach them.

You can see in the one of other shots that there are no screw holes in the PSU side fan cages, they have a different design. I may have to think of something different to hide the cables for that bit.

I have some cable tie bases that I am currently using elsewhere in the case, but I think clamps look far neater. To use them all around would probably take a lot of planning, a suitable M3 or 6-3 tap bit (or lots of suitable screws/nuts and a normal drill).

If I am going to use clamps all around I will need to decide in the next day or so to do that as I would need a stripped down case to drill in.