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[Build Log] Project DD01 - Corsair 900D Custom Water Cooled (FINAL PICTURES)

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80K views 73 replies 38 participants last post by  Sah7d  
#1 ·
23/06/14 UPDATE: Final Pics Uploaded





Link to the ALBUM: http://www.overclock.net/t/1496679/build-log-project-dd01-corsair-900d-asus-maximus-vi-formula-custom-water-cooled/10#post_22459023

Hey guys!

I'm totally new here and also a beginner in building water cooling system and case modding as well. I've just done my first build recently and decided to make a build log to share with you my long but very excited journey. Yeah that's my first water cooling build ever, first time modding something, first build log so far.

Also English is not my first language so I'm sorry if you found something funny in my post. However I'll try to post as much detailed pictures as I can hopefully that will cover me well.

Ok, here we go! Components:


Core:
CPU: i7 4770k
Motherboard: ASUS Maximus IV Formula
RAM: 2x 8Gb G.Skill Trident X 2400 mHz
GPU: 2x HIS Radeon R9 290
PSU: Silverstone Strider Gold 1200w
SSD:
  • Samsung 840 EVO 250Gb
  • 2x Corsair Force 240Gb
  • ASUS Raidr Express 240Gb (optional)
HDD: WD Green 4Tb

Cooling:
CPU water block: EK Supremacy Plexi/Nickel
GPU water block: 2x EK Radeon R9-290X VGA Liquid Cooling Block - Acetal
2x EK R9-290X VGA Liquid Cooling RAM Backplate
2x EK Coolstream PE 480mm Radiator
EK Coolstream PE 240mm Radiator
Pump: 2x Swiftech MCP655
Fan:
  • Corsair Air Series AF140 Quiet Edition Red LED
  • 2x Corsair Air Series AF120 Quiet Edition Red LED
  • 8x Corsair Air Series AF120 Quiet Edition
  • 6x Corsair Air Series AF120 Performance Edition
Reservoirs: Bitspower Water Tank Z-Multi 250 Clear
Bitspower Dual D5 Mod Top
2x Bitspower D5/MCP655 Shining Silver 2 Pump Mod
Bitspower crystal link
E22 acrylic rigid tubing
Coolant: Mayhem X 1 Red
Bitspower fitting: too many to list

Other material and stuff:
ModMyToys Power Distribution PCB 3 and 8 way
Red and White LED strip
Some MDPC-X sleeving
1.2mm Aluminium Sheet
3mm Frosted and Clear Cast Acrylic

And the Show of course
smile.gif


The Giant
*
*
Old vs new looks like father and son







*













Ok, that's just for now. Correct me if I'm wrong, any feedback and suggestion would be much appreciated as my lack of experiences. Hope you enjoy guys and see you in the next update which will be posted very soon, Cheers!
 
#2 ·
Update...

All components must be tested to make sure they're working together


All good so far


Start up by making mid plate, motherboard tray cover and 5.2" bay cover. I cut out those pieces from 1.2mm aluminium sheet


Filing and sanding with 360 grit sand paper to smooth out the edges




There are two layers for the mid plate, bottom layer is clear cast acrylic



Test fitting, I'm going to double check everything before taking any further step to reduce mistake


Drill holes for tubing on mid plate



With the pump in place


Pumps are secured to the mb tray cover by two screws and spacers and it will be very steady with the support of mid plate as well


The mid plate would be illuminated in an unique way so I use a plunge router to change it a little bit



It should be ok now


For the bottom layer, I'm going to polish all the edges



I also routed it following the design of the top layer. My cheap plunge router's guide fence is unreliable, very hard to control in making straight cut so I had to make my own one from plywood and timber.



I put them together with a LED strip at the edge of the bottom layer for testing

Pretty good, isn't it?
 
#3 ·
Working on 5.2" bay cover - printed out a ROG logo stencil then transfer onto aluminium piece



Then dremel it, filing and sanding the edges



It took me almost 3 days to get it done


The 5.2" bay cover also has two layers, the second one is a piece of 3mm frosted acrylic. I painted front side of the aluminium piece then glued them together.




I also painted mid plate and mb tray cover



 
#11 ·
Thank you guys, hope you all enjoy it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sinnedone View Post

Looks very good so far, how long have you been working on it?
Click to expand...
It's been 6 months now due to my very limited time. I've been extremely busy running my business since Christmas. It wouldn't be that long, one and half a month is more than enough to get the build done, mostly is just for the parts arrival I think.

Ok back to work, this time is for a very exciting part - sleeving
thumb.gif


I've got some goodies from MDPC



I asked Nils to draw me a special pic and he did it, thanks to him


Begin with the PSU


Silverstone Strider 1200w is a good fully modular PSU for the price. However you gonna hate it if you want to sleeve it, there are too much crossing cables, a bad cable layout overall in my opinion.


I use heatshrinkless method


For the clean look








SATA cables



Fan cables - sleeved and shortened



Header cables




Also solder and sleeve rad fan cables



 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by nightfox View Post

subbed.

I dont believe its your first time modding
biggrin.gif


wish I have skill as yours......

It looks great....

question, why did you choose the AF version instead of the SP version corsair fans for rads. SP is more pressure for rads
Click to expand...
biggrin.gif
Thanks mate!

I've got all those fans from a local store for really good price but they didn't stock enough SP quiet version so I decided to get the AF one. All 8 AF fans will be used for the top rad in push - pull configuration, I think that should be ok.
 
#14 ·
Continue to work on the 5.2" bay cover, to illuminate it I cut off some short LED strip then solder them together



Testing


LED strip for mid late illuminating - a non waterproof one, I sprayed some liquid electrical insulation on its surface to prevent again any possibility short circuits.


I use two aluminium angles to support the mid plate



With the LED strip placed


Now is time for assembling some cool stuffs together








Cut, wet sand and polish tube's ends


Twin swords





Bottom rads are in place




This system is supposed to be OCed 24/7 mostly for gaming (Battlefield 4) so I want all the fans run at their max performance. Fan controller is not needed in this case, I use ModMyToys PCB for all fans and LED strip instead.

 
#16 ·
Update and Finish

I cut out a slot for header and SATA cable routing


Tubing through the mid plate


There is no gap between LED strip and bottom layer of the mid plate




We're almost there, it basically looks like this


Leak test, I let it run overnight and luckily no leak so far


In the meantime I cut off an alu piece, printed out a corsair logo stencil for spray painting on it. But what is that for? Please take a look at the finished product later
smile.gif



After some tests, I was not really happy with the CPU temperature under high load. So I decided to change the tubing layout a little bit. The CPU's temp dropped down 2-3 degree celsius with the new configuration, I'm now very happy with the result.

Finished product's pics will be uploaded in the next post, please check it out.
 
#24 ·
jaw-drop.png


S T U N N I N G
 
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