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Super-Charged 351

17K views 201 replies 36 participants last post by  fast_fate 
#1 ·
I'm going to start a work-log for my HTPC rebuild.
It was meant to be a simple upgrade from air cooled to custom water cooling.
Mention "cwc" and things generally do not end up simple.

I had 90% of the upgrade complete.....



when I fell face first over this hurdle.



An amateur mistake - measure up 1st dummy !!!

Some case mods are obviously required and so another build log begins.......
 
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#2 ·
The Super-Charged Kit...

EDIT
22-12-13 CPU and Motherboard SOLD
23-12-13 Bought cheap second hand CPU and Mobo combo

Using recycled parts so not all the newest, latest and greatest.
But some of the best gear from generation past.
If I had to guess I would say that most people's HTPC components are made from their old gaming/general use PC parts.
Will edit/update here as/if things change.

Case - LianLi PC-V351B
Motherboard - ASRock H67M-GE
CPU - Intel i7 2600
GPU - MSI GTX 580 Twin Frozr II
RAM - 2 x G.Skill 6GB 1333Mhz Kits Now using only 4 of the 6 sticks due to motherboard change.
Sound Card - Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion
Power Supply - Corsair HX620W

Water Cooling bits 'n pieces
Subject to changes as the case mod progresses.
My original quick plan had external cooler pack - now as case mods required I will try to incorporate as much inside the case as I can.

CPU Block - MIPS Ice Force HF
GPU Block - Koolance VID-NX580
RAM Block - MIPS RAM Cooler 5
Fittings - Mostly Bitspower Shining Silver 3/8 x 5/8
Pump / Resi combo - EK-D5 Vario X-RES 140
Radiator/s - Phobya Xtreme 200
Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 80mm
Hardware Labs Black Ice® GTX M160
Tubing - Primochill Advanced LRT - 3/8 x 5/8 clear
.
.
 
#3 ·
So I got some time between rain showers this morning to get a start.

The case without side panels prior to stripping.....and the gutted



Thinking, thinking...how to go about this ??
Measuring, measuring....
Decision made - Dremel out and go...



I decided to leave the outside posts at this stage to keep squareness of the frame.
The other option being to build an entire new rear of the case.
I will try to keep these for as long as possible. but if they end up having to go then so be it.

Quick test fit for some major items and all looks good.
Obviously still a lot more work required at the rear (which is what I will work on next.
But all is as hoped so far.... roof mounted rad abouve psu will fit - possibly a thicker one than sized up with.
And it seems like I could fit 2 x 240 rads (slimline as pictured) at the front of the case.





That's about it for this update.
Hope you enjoy !!
 
#4 ·
After being put on hold for a while I managed to get some work done yesterday.

Worked out that while I could have fit a 240 rad above PSU it just isn't practical for this build
Instead I leak tested a second hand 160mm rad which is a perfect sideways fit, as you will see at end of this update.


Need to fabricate some rear panel action...
1st up is the PSU side and fitted the motherboard tray guide rails.

Bottom guide rail....and....Top guide rail

and Yes I know I need to tidy up the curves around the PSU screw holes, quite uneven atm.

on a roll, so made the new motherboard tray rear panel


and how does it fit......



Pretty good I thinks - with in/out shield installed

and the PSU screwed into place...

Finally for this update a side view with where the 160mm rad will go above the PSU.
Also can see here the space left below the PSU for an SSD or two.


Next up will be the 2 rads at front of the case, so stay tuned.
Hope you liked this update, either way feel free to comment and offer any suggestions.
smile.gif
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by fast_fate View Post

I'm going to start a work-log for my HTPC rebuild.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KillThePancake View Post

SUBBED. And you use all of that awesome hardware for HTPC stuffs!? Overkill much?
tongue.gif
Looks like a GHTPC to me (Gaming Home Theater Performance Computer), no matter what you call it, it looks promising.
Hurdles are what make this fun, for me at least, I love it when I have to overcome a dilemma/situation, provided I succeed.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by KillThePancake View Post

SUBBED. And you use all of that awesome hardware for HTPC stuffs!? Overkill much?
tongue.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Re-Evolution View Post

Looks like a GHTPC to me (Gaming Home Theater Performance Computer), no matter what you call it, it looks promising.
Hurdles are what make this fun, for me at least, I love it when I have to overcome a dilemma/situation, provided I succeed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mironccr345 View Post

^^ I was thinking the same thing. You have some really nice hardware for this build. Nice work so far.
thumb.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by GZJR View Post

subbed
thumb.gif
\

Thanks Guys - I think
rolleyes.gif

Welcome Aboard
thumb.gif


Tonight after what seems like months - wait, it has been.
Oh well, anyways.
AN UPDATE

Here is our how we left our hero last time


Got 3 new fans for the mini 80mm and 160mm rads.
Noiseblocker M8-S2



to go with the Swiftech 80mm radiator MCR80-QPK.


Plan was to fit this inside at the rear of motherboard tray.


and this is how it came up finished...



Tomorrow - the front 180 radiator install.
Stay tuned.......
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by KillThePancake View Post

Those 80mm rads are soo tiny! Hopefully the fans don't drive you up a wall with the noise.
I have tested one of them and near silent operation.
In fact the fan on the test psu was louder.
If they can move enough air through the rads and exhaust the heat is the million dollar question
rolleyes.gif

But have the 180 up front also - so not too worried just yet.
 
#14 ·
As hoped I got time today to play around with the 351;
and more specifically fitting the front radiator.

Plan was to fit this - Phobya Xtreme 200



into here...



First we must tape up - painters masking tape to be precise, and mark out our job.
Used the supplied Phobya mounting plate as my template - perfect.
I drilled and used M3 tap on the 8 mounting holes 1st.



Then got to the meat of the job



Not too shabby at all
biggrin.gif

Little touch up with the Dremel and we're good to go.

New Bitfenix Spectre Pro 200mm all black - very nice thank you



Here I was at a standstill - looking for that mounting plate I used as template earlier
mad.gif




45 minutes later...found it.
Spent another 45 minutes trying to screw into it from the front.
1st to go was drilling out the M3 threads I put in earlier - still not enough (m3 bolt width out) to get all the screws in.
My conclusion is that the mounting plate holes OR the fans holes are out of whack - my money is on the plate.
Persistence paid off and got all 8 bolts in with out breaking anything.



So I had to slide in the mobo tray and have a look how it fits amongst the other gear...




You can't tell in those pics but there is about 27mm between the GPU and radiator so another fan would fit to go push / pull.

Next on the hit list would have to be pump and resi installation.
Hope you enjoyed the update - going to focus on this build until complete.
'Til tomorrow
thumb.gif
 
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#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by GZJR View Post

sick stuff. really jealous of this thing
Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeisshort117 View Post

looks crazy so far. keep it up man
Thanks Guys - hope you liked today's work also.
Snorkle.gif

Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeisshort117 View Post

legit! loving the whole idea of this build and execution is spot on. i personally dont think you'd need another fan to do push/pull. push seems good enough, but maybe a fan controller somewhere? i never thought fan controllers were a must until my 800d build. now, i always have to find a spot for one lol.

great work
thumb.gif
Don't think a fan controller is going to make it into this build.
Most of my builds do have controllers - but fan selection is equally important .
I have crunching rigs that need full fan 24hrs, so fan selection counts for me and happy to pay what it costs for them.
To be honest - all 4 fans in this build aren't too bad - so I'll probably be happy for them to run at full revs.

Cheers
smile.gif
 
#17 ·
Holy. Crap.

I officially love this log. That 200mm in the front looks so badass! I kinda want to have stab at modding one of these cases, or something like it...

By the way, what motherboard is that? That's an X58/1366 board I'm assuming, from the 6 RAM slots?

Keep it up!
biggrin.gif
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by KillThePancake View Post

Holy. Crap.

I officially love this log. That 200mm in the front looks so badass! I kinda want to have stab at modding one of these cases, or something like it...

By the way, what motherboard is that? That's an X58/1366 board I'm assuming, from the 6 RAM slots?

Keep it up!
biggrin.gif
Mobo is a Rampage III Gene.
Yep - socket 1366

Got a good bit of planning done this evening - planning / pondering takes more time than the actual work sometimes
rolleyes.gif

So I should have another log entry by tomorrow night
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by fast_fate View Post

Mobo is a Rampage III Gene.
Yep - socket 1366

Got a good bit of planning done this evening - planning / pondering takes more time than the actual work sometimes
rolleyes.gif

So I should have another log entry by tomorrow night
Ah, thank you! How viable is the 1366 socket in this day and age?

And with good planning comes excellent results
biggrin.gif
Can't wait for it
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by KillThePancake View Post

Ah, thank you! How viable is the 1366 socket in this day and age?

And with good planning comes excellent results
biggrin.gif
Can't wait for it
980x was/is a badass cpu.
It won't miss a beat
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Striker36 View Post

this build is SICK. keep up the awesome work!
Cheers Mate
thumb.gif


Well no modding or build progress today
madsmiley.png

Instead i can give you a sneak peak of what I have planned for stage two of this project.
Someone asked about space for an optical drive - Blu-ray / DVD disk player given that is an HTPC.
Could I fit a slimline player in at the front ??
Simple answer would be yes I could have if I had placed the front rad differently.

But that was never the plan.
Meet the 351's smaller brother - Lian Li EX-40N



I'm currently using this for back-ups.
But it is way too slow for general file transfer.
Now Imagine it sitting next to the 351.
Plan is to gut the sata controller & display and run cables direct to the 351's mobo.
Mod the bottom section to fit Blu-ray combo player
thumb.gif
 
#23 ·
Well well well;
I did get something done today after all (pity - I just made mistake - fixable though)

Anyways, originally this case mod started because of temp issues - with case in stock format and running on air.
Worst design ever for airflow !!!

So I was thinking that if the front fan blowing air thought the rad into case - everything inside would start getting warm again.
What if I reverse the fan and blow out the front - no problems.
BUT need to get more "cool" air into the case for the 200mm fan to blow out.

Why not cut a couple holes in the bottom and push some air in.
Sure let's go !!!
Wait where do those holes have to go....

This is where I thought they should go
rolleyes.gif

As usual tape up, mark out and drill holes 1st




Every time I cut fan holes I wish I had a 114mm hole saw
redface.gif




Not too bad......



Not exactly round but will never see.

Add a bit of rubber u-channel and job done !!!



OR IS IT ?????

Lets see if measurements taken earlier work out and everything fits.
Install some fans - these ones exactly
Skythe slip-stream fans - Kaze-JYuni Slim 120mm @ 1600rmp



Motherboard tray slides in no problem



But....
There is no way I'll be able to fit any of the headers on
weirdsmiley.gif

So tomorrow I'll have to elongate the fan holes and bring them closer to the edge of the case.
I'll have between 10 and 15mm to play with and still get the rear fans holes.
It will be enough for the header plugs - just !!
It will leave an open gap at rear of fans in the floor - extra ventilation is the story I'm gunna stick by
tongue.gif

And might end up coming in handy to route the sata cables out to its little brother EX-40N
 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by mironccr345 View Post

Loving the progress...and all this for an HTPC, my man!
cheers.gif
Thanks mate
smil3dbd4e4c2e742.gif

Glad you enjoying the build log and progress updates
 
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