Dell Poweredge 4200 cube server. Need ideas for first watercool rig.

Silvos00 · Sep 29, 2013

In my line of work, I come across a lot of older computer. In this case, it's a Dell PowerEdge 4200 Cube Server. Running a P2. It was given to me by a coworker who was gonna throw it out, but I thought I could make a project out of it. Was thinking of turning it into my first water cooled rig, andc taking advantage of the drive bays to use it as a server.

Still working on removing the bulky PSU and the original fans.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also, that PSU is proving to be a pain...trying to keep the original case intact, but might have to rip it out.

bombastinator · Sep 29, 2013

O.O Sooo much case.. That's not a cube case, it's... Something else. It's like two mid towers stuck together. This may be a unique opportunity. For one thing you've got the option of having two "pretty" sides because the Mobo mounts in the middle.

Well for starters I could definitely see some paint. That beige is just so 1989, and not in a good way.
Those card slot holes also look really high up there. you may have fit issues without major surgery. You've effectively got two whole cases though. I;d kind of like to see what the case looks like without the old MoBo. Also, that's a ridiculous amount of drive space. You could pull a whole rack out and still have more than you could possibly use.

One weird thought off the top of my head is to do a headless am3 mITX or mATX server on the drive side, an Intel gaming box on the other side, where you need the card slots, make a shared cooling system and call it Ettin. Something like that would definitely be good for a few photos.

Silvos00 · Sep 29, 2013

Ya I may have called it cube wrong, it's the Dell PowerEdge 4200, with some nice 333 Mhz P2s in it.

I'm thinking a RAID5 array on one side, and everything else on the other. There will also DEF be a paint job, one I get my dremel tools and some powder coating.

And yes, that thing was a monster to fit into my Bonneville. Would just need some long cables, which I can manage. Thinking of pulling those 3 fans and replacing them with some nice LEDs, and a custom water loop.

bombastinator · Sep 29, 2013

powder coating? You plan to kick it down a hill or something? Powdercoating is for truck beds. It's also a huge pain in the butt. You've got to sand blast the thing and electrify it then shoot it with a special paint gun, then bake it. Much cost, little gain. Car paint is both cheaper and shinier. Will stand up to having things screwed into it better I suppose, but tht happens mostly on the inside. Unless you're cutting peekaboo windows I'm not sure there's a lot of point to it.

As I am a naturally cheap ass bastard, What I might give a shot, especially if I got a lot of time, and don't particularly care what color it is as long as it;s cool, is to hit up a custom car painter for a twofer. The next time he's painting a car some interesting color, have him shoot your case too. You'll get several coats of something interesting, maybe even cool like a metal flake, with a clear over it to make it uber shiney, and it shouldn't cost near what a powder coating does.

Is that giagantic block on the disk side that PSU you were talking about?! It's HUUUGE! How many watts is that thing?! If you're not going to use it you definitely want it gone.

Silvos00 · Sep 29, 2013

The PSU is the bottom...I'd say 2/5 of that stack on the right in the 2nd pic. I imagine it's only like...200W? It's a Pentium 2 system. I will be sanding it with my Dremel though, then painting it. Not sure what I'll do with the front cover...but I think I'll cut out the sides for Acrylic.

Silvos00 · Oct 7, 2013

Update on the project. I solved the HDD problem, the old mounts will continue working. But I ran into a problem previously pointed out. The I/O slots and expansion slots are reversed. I also have a few ideas about the power buttons, and the poweredge logo on the front, but that will be aesthetics after the body is done.

Any ideas on how to reverse the i/o with expansion slots without cannibalizing another case? I got a Dremel and not afraid to use it.

Also took a few pics without t he mobo.

bombastinator · Oct 7, 2013

theres got to be something horrendously clever to do with allthat space. What is your interest? Do you want to do something wild and photogenic and get net recognition? something uber looking to intimidate your lan buddies? make something pretty?build a megaserver? What is your wish?

Silvos00 · Oct 7, 2013

I honestly couldn't tell you, I just knew it was an opportunity to show something off to OCN at some point. I don't even have a mobo to stick in there XD. It's gonna be more to do it just because I can? sort of deal. As to what to do with it, I honestly cannot think of anything short of a massive radiator.

Terrere · Oct 7, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by bombastinator

O.O Sooo much case.. That's not a cube case, it's... Something else. It's like two mid towers stuck together. This may be a unique opportunity. For one thing you've got the option of having two "pretty" sides because the Mobo mounts in the middle.

Well for starters I could definitely see some paint. That beige is just so 1989, and not in a good way.
Those card slot holes also look really high up there. you may have fit issues without major surgery. You've effectively got two whole cases though. I;d kind of like to see what the case looks like without the old MoBo. Also, that's a ridiculous amount of drive space. You could pull a whole rack out and still have more than you could possibly use.

One weird thought off the top of my head is to do a headless am3 mITX or mATX server on the drive side, an Intel gaming box on the other side, where you need the card slots, make a shared cooling system and call it Ettin. Something like that would definitely be good for a few photos.

This^ Has sooo much win built in.

Honestly, with that much space you can really do anything you want and it really does have the capability to be a dual system build. THAT is the coolest suggestion that I think you can have for this. When I saw the case I instantly though O.O Mother of God, that could fit two builds. Low and behold, it was suggested XD

Silvos00 · Oct 7, 2013

I could prolly do that. Honestly...my buddy suggested to me using a case to put a PS3 ans Xbox 360 in it and water cool it.

Terrere · Oct 7, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvos00

I could prolly do that. Honestly...my buddy suggested to me using a case to put a PS3 ans Xbox 360 in it and water cool it.

Yeah... I suppose you could do that... Or wait for next-gen consoles and buy the PS3 and 360 super cheap!

Honestly, anything you do will be cool. Now I'm going to go see if I can find one of these for sale XD

Silvos00 · Oct 7, 2013

The only problem with that dual system though is that I would be to acquire both systems...I would need 2 mobos and CPUs, and PSUs, and likely RAM. Opportunely it sets it outside of my budget =\.

Though what goes inside I could worry about after, I still have the unfortunate glaring issue of the expansion and i/o slots being upside down.

Silvos00 · Oct 7, 2013

Also bought a bunch of acrylic to do custom side panels and I'll prolly be throwing some LEDs. Now I just need a theme.

Terrere · Oct 7, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvos00

The only problem with that dual system though is that I would be to acquire both systems...I would need 2 mobos and CPUs, and PSUs, and likely RAM. Opportunely it sets it outside of my budget =\.

Though what goes inside I could worry about after, I still have the unfortunate glaring issue of the expansion and i/o slots being upside down.

Upside down? As in it's a BTX build rather than ATX?

Silvos00 · Oct 7, 2013

Nah, look in the pics. The I/O slots and expansions slots are switched. Which either means surgery, or some clever re-working...

edit: Most of which I don't mind, but I only have the tools for cutting, not for re-attaching =\

Also a thought occures...what if I put the mobos with the I/O panel facing...UP, and re-cutout the entire panel? Complete random thought

bombastinator · Oct 7, 2013

well on the massive radiator front you could use the back area for a "small" evaporative water to water heat exchanger system. They have the advantage of being close to free and are extremely powerful. Most people who build them do it in a separate plastic bucket but you could actually do one in the case.

You'd basically build the back side into a watertight bucket, and put in a couple small used motorcycle radiators. You run the coolant through those into your water heatsink. They have a name for those here beginning with A but I've forgotten what it is. They're very very quiet. the only motors are the water pump and a single fan to get enough air in to cool the MoBo chips.

Silvos00 · Oct 8, 2013

An interesting idea. Managed to get the back panel off of another case, which I can hopefully meld to the new one. I found a thread of case mod guides on here somewhere and can't find anymore. Will be ordering the case fans soon I hope, also sanding the entire thing down and painting it once I decide on a theme.

Silvos00 · Oct 10, 2013

Going to turn this into a work log soon enough.

Update. Fixed the issue with the i/o and expansions slots, some extremely tedious dremel work and about 5 cutting wheels(I think this might be titanium). Cannibalized the rear cover of a different case and just need to attach it with bolts. Now I just need to figure out the mobo mounts.

Before

After

And finally

bombastinator · Oct 10, 2013

well it's no longer a reverse ATX case, which could be a good thing. A lot of people do that mod to MAKE a case reverse ATX, dunno why though. How will you close that hole above the i/o?

Silvos00 · Oct 10, 2013

Honestly Idk. I'll see if it becomes a problem after I get the mobo mounted. I could just use some scrap metal from another case, if need be. But no joke, that back panel took a combined total of 3 hours to cut out. All I got is my trusty Dremel =\

Dell Poweredge 4200 cube server. Need ideas for first watercool rig.

Silvos00

bombastinator

Silvos00

bombastinator

Silvos00

Silvos00

bombastinator

Silvos00

Terrere

Silvos00

Terrere

Silvos00

Silvos00

Terrere

Silvos00

bombastinator

Silvos00

Silvos00

bombastinator

Silvos00

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities