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[build log] "Chessboard" SMA8

48K views 494 replies 42 participants last post by  Gabrielzm 
#1 ·
Pictures: http://www.overclock.net/t/1521734/chessboard-sma8-build/270#post_23485196


videos:



Build setup/parts listing :
Case and accessories
▪ CaseLabs Magnum SMA8 reverse White with flex bay Black
▪ CaseLabs 120.2 Flex-Bay Rad Mount
▪ CaseLabs 120.1 Flex-Bay Fan Mount
▪ XXL Clear windows
▪ Case Caster
▪ PSU mount
▪ CaseLabs 140.4 Rad Side Mount

Components
▪ Asus x99 Deluxe Motherboard
▪ Intel i7 5960x CPU
▪ Gskill 64GB DDR4-2400 RAM (F4-2400c15q-32gnt)
▪ Corsair ax 1200i PSU
▪ EVGA Titan (x2)
▪ Samsung Evo 1 Tb (2x)
▪ Seagate 3 TB 7200 rpm
▪ Samsumg M2 SAMSUNG XP941 512 Gb

Cooling
▪ Phanteks PH-F120S White frame and black blades (x10)
▪ Bitfenix Spectre Pro BFF-LPRO-12025R-RP 140mm White (4x)
▪ Schyte ultra slim 120 mm fan (x4)
▪ XSPC rx v3 480 mm Radiator
▪ XSPC rx v3 240 mm Radiator
▪ Hardware Labs Black Ice SR1 560 mm Radiator
▪ D5 Aquacomputer USB Pump (4x)
▪ EK-D5 X-TOP CSQ - WHITE Acetal
▪ EK-D5 X-TOP CSQ - BLACK Acetal
▪ EK-Multioption X3 250 with white acetal ends
▪ EK-Multioption X3 250 with black acetal ends
▪ EK-UNI Holder D5 (2x)
▪ Shoggy Sandwich
▪ Bitspower enhanced White Crystal Links with a lots of extenders, adapters and 90 degrees
▪ Bitspower enhanced Black Crystal Links with a lots of extenders, adapters and 90 degrees
▪ EK-HD Tube 10/12mm 500mm - 2 pack (10x)
▪ EK Supremacy CPU Waterblock - Clear
▪ EK-RAM Dominator Waterblock - Clear Copper
▪ EK Titan block short clear/nickel (2x)
▪ Ek BLACK backplate (x2)
▪ Mayhem Aurora Green (2x)
▪ Mayhem Red dye
▪ Mayhem Pastel White (x2)
▪ Aquacomputer Aquaero 6 XT USB Fan-Controller
▪ Aquacomputer Black Faceplate for Aquaero
▪ Aquacomputer 5 LT with water block
▪ Aquacomputer Flow sensor mps flow 400, G1/4 (2x)

Sleeving, Cable and lightning
Fan extensions from lamptron controller and led light stripes (white high density) brought locally +solder
▪ Corsair White PSU cables
Mods
▪ Painting ram (White)
▪ Painting radiator (White)
▪Some holes and pass through in the Caselabs SMA8. Had to cut the bitspower Pass-Through Fitting / Fillport to custom length

The plan:
Dual loop with redundant d5 pumps. One loop for the GPU + Aquaero 5 lt waterblock and another loop for the ram + CPU block.
GPU loop - It is a reverse case so the white rads (XSPC 480 and 240) will handle the two titan blocks. This loop is with fittings in white and dark grey liquid.
CPU loop - The single 560 mm HWlabs rad on the bottom compartment will handle this loop. The rad, fittings and reservoir are black with white liquid (either Aurora 2 or Pastel).







This is long due and have a lot of work on it to post it here already. Just want to give a start. Will update soon with details of testing loops outside the case, mods, paintings, and so on.
 
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#3 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheCautiousOne View Post

Does the Case come ready for a 480mm up top standard?

EDIT: oh and Subbed
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Hey Mate, welcome and thks for the interest. Yes you can order the top already cut for 480 mm rads. It comes with cover plates for all 4 120mm holes as well as 2 cover plates in rectangular form at both ends. This is very useful since you can use ports facing up to have fill ports on top.
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I think you can see that here:



notice the plate close to the front before the first 120 mm hole.
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabrielzm View Post

Hey Mate, welcome and thks for the interest. Yes you can order the top already cut for 480 mm rads. It comes with cover plates for all 4 120mm holes as well as 2 cover plates in rectangular form at both ends. This is very useful since you can use ports facing up to have fill ports on top.
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I think you can see that here:



notice the plate close to the front before the first 120 mm hole.
Did you have to ask though? Or does it come standard cutout to 480mm?
 
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheCautiousOne View Post

Did you have to ask though? Or does it come standard cutout to 480mm?
Oh it is standard that way. The thing you have to decide is the top style (ventilated or solid) and the dimension of it (standard, 39 mm or 120 mm). Standard is the top you see on the pictures above. Is good for routing cables and perhaps some tubes. I tested is good enough to fit a slim Schyte 12 mm height 120mm fan but not a regular 25 mm fan. For that you need the 39 mm extended top. If you want more space you order the 120 mm top.
 
#6 ·
for sure subbed
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question, I will upgrade to X99 Deluxe, as per manual, if we have a dual SLI, we need to use PCIE-1 and PCIE-4 , not sure you are in these PCIE slot......
PCIE16x 1 2 and 4 are gen3.0 all other are gen 2.0

you seem to be in PCIE 16x-3, I think its a gen 2,

did you put power before watercooled and chek if its work?

ask because esthetic is a way better like yours than 1 and 4
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by snef View Post

for sure subbed
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question, I will upgrade to X99 Deluxe, as per manual, if we have a dual SLI, we need to use PCIE-1 and PCIE-4 , not sure you are in these PCIE slot......
PCIE16x 1 2 and 4 are gen3.0 all other are gen 2.0

you seem to be in PCIE 16x-3, I think its a gen,

did you put power before watercooled and chek if its work?
Yay Snef, welcome aboard mate and thks for the insterest
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I did tested the board, cpu and ram before any modding. Will add pictures latter. In fact installed windows already. But I used a non WC based spare 780 card for that. I just changed the titan blocks from black acetal/copper to nickel/plexy since they were in my Enthoo Primo build and have to drain and take them out of the loop. So I didn´t power it up with the titans in sli. Good point I will check that latter at home before actually placing the final tube/link between them. I might have got that wrong...

BTW are you updating your bloody angel build to this same board? Awesome. Bloody Angel was a huge inspiration to me while I was planing which case would hold this build.
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EDIT- Snef, just checked online the x99 deluxe manual. There is a difference (pages 1-12 and 1-13) between the 28 x 40 lanes cpu. In my case the recommended slots for dual vga is 1 and 3 (since I got the 5960x). If you are using the 28 lanes cpu (5820) then you will go for slots 1 and 4 if I got it right from the manual. Check that latter. Hmmm...now I am confused...The manual states PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_3 as the second slot for the VGA in dual sli but that would be the slot number 4 in page 1-12 diagram...I think you are correct mate and I got the second vga in the wrong slot:



have to check that latter at home.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabrielzm View Post

BTW are you updating your bloody angel build to this same board? Awesome. Bloody Angel was a huge inspiration to me while I was planing which case would hold this build.
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EDIT- Snef, just checked online the x99 deluxe manual. There is a difference (pages 1-12 and 1-13) between the 28 x 40 lanes cpu. In my case the recommended slots for dual vga is 1 and 3 (since I got the 5960x). If you are using the 28 lanes cpu (5820) then you will go for slots 1 and 4 if I got it right from the manual. Check that latter. Hmmm...now I am confused...The manual states PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_3 as the second slot for the VGA in dual sli but that would be the slot number 4 in page 1-12 diagram...I think you are correct mate and I got the second vga in the wrong slot:

have to check that latter at home.
Thnaks, im happy if my build inspired you
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yes, jump into X99 cult/religion with Bloody Angel

very weird, how a gen 2 slot can change to gen 3 slot? if its because the lane number available, why not give the choice in bios?

download the manual again right now

EDIT ok you're right, you're in the right PCIE slot,
and as per manual, we can change the PCIE GEN on all slot

I will simply change the PCIE gen of PCIE_3 to gen 3 and put my Phoebus in the PCIE_5 and limit the bandwith to 4X

the issue is I cant test the GPU before, because already under water

 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by snef View Post

Thnaks, im happy if my build inspired you
redface.gif


yes, jump into X99 cult/religion with Bloody Angel

very weird, how a gen 2 slot can change to gen 3 slot? if its because the lane number available, why not give the choice in bios?

download the manual again right now

EDIT ok you're right, you're in the right PCIE slot,
and as per manual, we can change the PCIE GEN on all slot

I will simply change the PCIE gen of PCIE_3 to gen 3 and put my Phoebus in the PCIE_5 and limit the bandwith to 4X

the issue is I cant test the GPU before, because already under water

Yep just checked at home. Second card is in slot 4 in the correct position. Glad because as you said aesthetically is the best option. Will clean the rads today so I can finally start getting the tubes on. Here is a small update on the ram; mounting the heatsinks:





And the monarch block I cover with painters tape the central area and use the matte white spray to paint it. I also changed the frosty default cover to clear plexy since I think will look better:




Edit. I struggle with the thought if I should paint the heatsinks white too but decided that would be too much. The black heat sinks will go well with the monarch block with a white accent and the white liquid on it I think.
 
#11 ·
Here is the Aquaero 6 been prepared to receive the black passive heatsink. I got the old version not the newer revision but don't mind that since I don't use corsair PWM fans. I also decided to put the AQ 5 heatsink on top of the black passive AQ6 instead of the waterblock. The waterblock is going into the AQ5 that will be in bottom chamber controlling the fans on the cpu loop (since the AQ 5 generate a lot more heat that the AQ6). But the passive heatsink (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-124-AQ) painted white against the black I though would look great and so here it is:




XSPC rad rx v3 just after I got it straight from the box:



and here how it looks now on the case with the xspc rx v3 rads (top and front) already in place along with the AQ6 just to check the colors after the painting job.






and finally the testing colors for the white rads (GPU) loop with liquid. I kind of
wubsmiley.gif
that color:







I think if I could just paint the XSPC logo on the side of the rad in black would look great but I fear it might be overdo and difficult to accomplish...What you guys think?
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by snef View Post

I have the same fear about XSPC logo, but easy to repaint it if you don't like it
try it...........
Yep, not sure is going to work...I need to figure how to paint it since a mask will not be easy to do with painters tape to use spray...Perhaps using a small brush. Also what you guys think about the gpu blocks? I have the option to use the black acetal default to the nickel/plexy block or switch to the plexy ek bridge/link. I kind of lean towards the black one. The liquid will be dark gray.

 
#14 ·
Hey Gab'z,

Checking in & subbing up
wink.gif


Spunky Case
Awesome hardware list.
Some great mods done already - the RAM blocks I think is my favourite so far.
Tube work on the CPU & Ram looks brilliant
drool.gif


Can't wait for more updates
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EDIT: Both black links gets my vote with acrylic tube joining them
 
#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by fast_fate View Post

Hey Gab'z,

Checking in & subbing up
wink.gif


Spunky Case
Awesome hardware list.
Some great mods done already - the RAM blocks I think is my favourite so far.
Tube work on the CPU & Ram looks brilliant
drool.gif


Can't wait for more updates
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Welcome aboard mate and thanks for the interest
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You are part of this build too already since all the testing done on the loops outside the case you were one of the driving forces pushing me forward. I should report the outside the case tests of the loops soon here and refer people to the community testing thread since individual components were tested there.

cheers.gif
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by snef View Post

If i remember. , the xspc logo is 2 or 3 mm lower

Use sirynge, fill it with black paint and put a layer of 1 mm very carefully

I like more the black fc terminal
Ha, great idea. +rep for that mate. I agree, I like more the black too.

cheers.gif
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bart View Post

IN!! Just because I was chess champion of my school when I was in grade 6.
biggrin.gif
Black blocks / link get my vote too. The liquid is too dark to really pop via the clear blocks.
Lol! Welcome aboard mate and thks for the vote and interest. Yep, I am leaning toward that too.
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#20 ·
Ok Folks some steps along the way to get where I am today. The painting chamber (an old monitor box) where the rads went to get the painting job:



and here the fillports/pass through (black) painted in matte black. Notice that two of those were cut it to allow for clearance fo the PSU (the two that goes to the cpu block) since otherwise would conflict with the PSU below. This is a tricky thing since uneven surface would lead to a certain leak:




and here testing the components (ram, cpu, m2 ssd and mb) before going ahead:



 
#21 ·
And here a glimpse of the reservoir/pumps mounted. Today I will put all 3 rads to clean with hot water/shake and then latter a 12 hours bath with Mayhems cleaning solution.



Hmmm, just noticed the two reservoir brackets are not aligned...Ok, a simple adjustment and they are now perfectly aligned.



you can also see in this picture the two pass through I have done with grommets instead of the bitspower fittings, one in the lower left corner and the other at the superior right corner. Those will have the acrylic tubes going straight to the back of the case to close the white fittings/gpu loop.
 
#23 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrancisJF View Post

This looks awesome, Subbed for sure.
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Thks mate and welcome aboard. @snef just bump into this two sources which might be quite useful to you too:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1510328/asus-x99-motherboard-series-official-support-thread-north-america

https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=3E8613852BC739B!5921&app=WordPdf

this second link is the first one on the x99 MBs thread.

Just on the testing phase I was able to hit 4 ghz quickly and easy with a low voltage. Let's see what I can get after the build is done with these tips from Raja.
cheers.gif

Quote:
Originally Posted by Barefooter View Post

Subbed for sure! Looks like it'll be an awesome build.
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Welcome aboard too mate and thks!
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#24 ·
Not sure I like the current tubes going back to the reservoirs on top...While the symmetry is nice I think both are dislocated to the front to much... I did that way because of the GPU to be a straight line back to the reservoir but perhaps I should flip the dual 90-degree adapter to be horizontal and add another step to the path so the L will go from GPU-back of the case- then up to the reservoir....Perhaps I should sleep over it and think more about it...

 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabrielzm View Post

Not sure I like the current tubes going back to the reservoirs on top...While the symmetry is nice I think both are dislocated to the front to much... I did that way because of the GPU to be a straight line back to the reservoir but perhaps I should flip the dual 90-degree adapter to be horizontal and add another step to the path so the L will go from GPU-back of the case- then up to the reservoir....Perhaps I should sleep over it and think more about it...
Hey Gab'z
Those res tops have ports on the top yeah ??
Try placing both vertical tubes between motherboard and gpu res behind one another.
Could interfere with the cabling though ??

If height was an issue you could try to get the front facing ports you are currently using to face toward the motherboard.
Just tossing ideas around
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I did a quick mock up - please excuse the paint skills
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#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by fast_fate View Post

[/SPOILER]

Hey Gab'z
Those res tops have ports on the top yeah ??
Try placing both vertical tubes between motherboard and gpu res behind one another.
Could interfere with the cabling though ??

If height was an issue you could try to get the front facing ports you are currently using to face toward the motherboard.
Just tossing ideas around
biggrin.gif

I did a quick mock up - please excuse the paint skills
rolleyes.gif


Yep, thks mate but the problem is the rad up on top. I didn't like the massive fittings extensions on top. With 2x 45 and 1x 90 degrees looks way better. I guess I will have to paint those in matte black to get rid of the golden bitspower logo. Still not sure will be the final arrangement but it is looking better.

 
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