[Build Log] Switched On Ivy - My S810 IB Build

Hi all. This will be my second water cooling build, and sort of a learn-as-I-go process. With input from the community and my meager skills/funds I hope this will turn into something I can be proud of, although it will not be a high dollar build that will rival all the super great ones I see everyday here at OCN.

**56K Warning! Large pics throughout!**
(List updated 8/27/2012)
Here are some main components:
Case: Switch 810 - White
Mobo: GA-Z77X-UD5H
CPU: 3770K
PSU: Seasonic 1000w (sleeved)
DVD: SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner SH-222BB/BEBE – OEM
OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit
Graphics: Powercolor 7950

Water Cooling Parts:
XSPC RX360
XSPC EX240
XSPC Raystorm Copper cpu block
FrozenQ Liquid Fusion V Series 250 ml Reservoir - Black (POM) (HX250-B)
2x Swiftech MCP655 pumps with Speed control
2x Bitspower V2 pump tops black
8x Yate Loon 120x25mm D12SH-12 fans (radiators)
EK full cover block and backplate for the 7950
Bitspower fittings throughout, Shiny Silver
Lamptron FC9 Fan controller (for 2x MCP655 pumps)
Lamptron FC8 Fan controller (all radiator and case fans)

Front fans - Stock NZXT 140mm white
Mid bay fan - Stock NZXT 140mm white
Rear fans - 2x Gelid 80mm white

Case / build mods
Top bay cut down for improved airflow for end rad fan
Front cover custom cutouts
Custom psu/radiator cover (final cover made of acrylic)
2x MCP655 pumps mounted to HDD cage and linked in series
Pull cathode from FrozenQ res and sub 1 blue and 1 white led

Some pic links: (in order-shows the progression of the build)
Bay cut out
First psu/rad cover - steel
Front cover mod
Horizontal res mount
ATX sleeving
Rear mount FrozenQ res
First loop
Second loop
Controllers & front
Final res location & bi-level psu/rad cover
Top section of aluminum bi-level cover
Dual D5's mounted to HDD cage
Adventures with acrylic
More adventures with acrylic/final psu cover?

I'm not the best with a camera but here goes.

A few case shots




Test fit with the RX360:

Some parts on hand:


Bunch 'O Yate Loons:




The hard stuff. The plan is the blue and black for psu, etc, and gray for fans. I'm going to stick with shrink-less except for the fans and you'll see why in a bit:

Some of what I've done so far:
The fan wires were a twisted mess so I straightened as best I could with a heat gun before sleeving. The fan side turned out alright, I guess, but the plug end shrink sizes are all over the place due to me misjudging the length of paracord and/or the wires trying to bunch up. As a bonus you get to see the grill of my trusty/dusty HAF. Place is a dust bowl.......

I painted the XSPC rads using etching primer and Rustoleum gloss black. Hard to tell but the 360 also has clear coat, some really sucky stuff from Lowes that spit out bubbles and has a dull finish. Next time I will go to the auto parts store for clear coat. The people at Lowes were like "What is clear coat paint? Never heard of that." I said, er, OK, I'll just look around.

Edited by mandrix - 8/27/12 at 5:24am

I should have some more cash in hand in a few days and plan to get a pump top, video card and some odds and ends. Would really like to try and mount the res horizontally but not sure right now how that will work out. If anyone has some suggestions for a 7950 and full water block to fit I'm open for suggestions. I like the Sapphire's but not stuck on them. This will be my first venture into graphics card water cooling!
Another part of the plan, for now at least, is to mount the EX240 in the bottom as I would really like to use one of the HDD cages. If this works out I will try to build a psu cover providing I can scrounge up some metal.

The RX360 and fans intrude into the forward area of the case a fair bit. Looking around to see if I want to trim this plate to increase airflow.


I don't think I'll drag out the dremel, for now. Right now I'm going to put the fans on the top of the case and push fresh air back into the case. This radiator has a low FPI so I think it will be OK.
If not, I can always change it later. Going to start looking at some shrouds to help seal off these areas between fans/radiator and the case top in between or I may pick up some sheet rubber and make my own.

Thank you.
Yep, good old Logitech. It's served me well for a while. Plus it's one of the few wireless kb my motherboard seems to like.

Trying this out.....but it's not set in stone yet....

For the rad mounted in top, the top frame is sandwiched between radiator and fans. I got some 6x6x1/8 rubber gasket today and thinking about making gaskets to put in the "sandwich". Might be tricky though, too much gasket and flow is disrupted, not enough and it's worthless. Since the top is made to take either 120 or 140mm fans there's a bit of open space on either end of the fans. Hard to see here unless you look at the top of the fans in this shot.

I was busy posting pics and didn't see you post.
I actually had a Corsair 800D paid for at Amazon but something kept calling me back to the Switch. I've had all kinds of black and beige pc's over the years but never a white one.
Anyway supposedly at some point the Switch is going to undergo a change at the top where the area forward will be opened up, making it easier to run a radiator longer than a 360. I mean, you could get a 4xx up there now but some of the air flow would be obscured without modding the top.