Project 358 Kelvin (originally Big and Blue)

Updates:

1. The beginning of modding
2. Modding Continues
3. Stealthing the dvd drive
4. The way the drive plates were made
5. Top fan grille and watercooling

Latest Image

 

Ok, so I thought i would finally start a project log. Just if anyone says that it isn't a log, its a "work in process" only because i'm revising for my A-levels

As a poor student i can't really afford much so here are the specs:

AMD Athlon XP2000
Gigabyte GA-7N400 Pro2
512Mb PC2700 Corsair XMS
Hiper Type-R 480w Chrome
Sapphire Radeon 7000 64mb (yes i know its crap but i can't afford anything better)
Sony Dual Layer 16x drive
80Gb Maxtor Harddrive

Other "Hardware"
Danger Den Laing 12v Pump
Danger Den RBX (Socket A) waterblock
Danger Den Single Bay Res
Thermochill 120.3
Various bits of tubing.

All housed in a Chieftec full tower, in a metalic blue
As I didnt own a digital camera before (or at the start) I started modding I've had to find an image off the internet of the case.


I didn't really start with a plan, just addapting as i went along. I'll let the pictures do the talking really.

Over view of the case
















As you can see, the three fans on the top of the case are for cooling the radiator (when its fitted). To fit the rad there is a small bleed screw on the back of it so there has to be a small hole drilled in the case for this to fit into (otherwise the top will not go on)


These two switches are the lighting and fan voltage controls, The left switch does lighting, when it is up, the lights are on and when it is down all but the front fans lighting is switched off.
The right had switch moves all but the harddrive cage fan and cpu fan from 12v to 7v, I dont think I have to explain about that.

This is probably my favourite part of the mod and it is the most personal thing about the whole mod. Its simple and gives a great effect to a space normally left untouched.




I obtained a car led light bar from a car modding magazine and chopped it up, so that it would light the cables off my PSU




An overview of the top section


A couple of side views and a couple of the top lit up








and a random picture of the ram reflecting the motherboard (I was testing the Macro and liked the pic)


Mini Review:

Hyper 480W Type R Power Supply

First impression of the power supply was nice; it comes in a plastic box which gives a feel of quality.



The contents of the box.



There were the usual power connectors both EU and UK, however to my surprise there were two hard drive cables and an 80mm fan.



The PSU situated in its protective box.

 

Over view of the PSU.



Top of the PSU. Cooling of the PSU is by this single 120mm fan.



Rear of the PSU, you can see that there is no rear fan, which was also a slight surprise.



As this is the “chrome” version it is obviously shiny. This is the reflection of the hard drive cable on the top.



The cables are sleeved with chrome sleeveing then an acrylic cover is put on them, all the plugs are also black quick fit connectors.



Over view of the PSU, I have two criticisms of the PSU, why could they not manage to sleeve the cables to the ends. Maybe this is because they think that all but the ends of the cables are hidden or maybe it was cheaper to produce. Only hyper can explain this.



My other criticism is that some of the braiding doesn’t look great, it was hard to get a picture but I hope this helps you see what I mean.



This PSU supplies nice solid voltages.





Recently I did a little to the case, I took the photos eariler this evening

To clean up the cables in the top area of the case I made a small channel out of see through blue acrylic (the same that is on the front of the drive bays). This has left only the ATX cable with is rather large (sorry about the bluryness)




Showing the PSU, engraving and ATX cable


I recently changed the CPU fan from a stock fan to an 80mm fan, as i dont have any spare led blue ones I used the one that came with the PSU, I will tidy the wire but untill I watercool the computer i'm going to leave it as it is.


Overview of the top of the case and the whole thing (with lights on)




If your wondering why the top fan at the back had no lights, its because I managed to blow the leds. I rewired them but didn't realise there was a built in resistor untill it smelt funny.

 

very nice so far, but the chrome supply and unstealthed CD drive seem a bit out of place. May i suggets a chromed chassis and a stealthmod . Loooks kickass otherwise tbqfh.

 

I really like the piece of plexi along the drive bays that youhave your handle etched into, very unique, and a great idea! I have a couple of dragons I am slowly working on and you work provides so good insperation/food for thought.

 

The drive is the next thing on the agenda, I just need to see if i made enough perspex plates to cover the DVD drive. If not I will have to make another by sneeking into the Technology Department now i've officially left college.
@the PSU. I like the PSU and chroming the chassis sounds expensive (well i know its expensive) in real life the PSU actually blends into the steel walls of the case, looking at it something needs to be done to make it a feature. Just had an idea of putting more blue plexi behind the PSU which will hide the horrible grey side pannel

 

Simple and too the point. Thumbs up!!

 

nice mod.. BIG CASE

 

Looks good. What you could do is make a top plate for the case, out of plexi. You could make some nice round holes in it for the fans, and it would quite nicely match the front bezel's plexi blanking plates.

 

It would be quite hard to make an entire top out of it, as it supports the whole case, i was making so fan grilles for the top of the case as its a bit dangerous at the moment.

 

I didn't mean an entire new top. I meant more like a nice plexi panel, that will be fitted on the top of the case, so the (not too great) cutouts for the fans will be hidden a bit. You'd have only 3 perfectly round holes left, and a few screws in the panel.

 

Im going to make so kind of grill for the top that will hide the fan holes

UPDATE

Steathed the dvd drive

During gluing, I used two part epoxy, i had to modify the Chieftec drive rails so that it would fit in. I will make another plate for the other blanking plate some when.


After it was stuck






Just attatched the missing drive plate, so here it is, finished apart from the top fan grill...........untill I watercool the beast

 

Yeah... something like that is what I meant...

 

Maybe something like this?

It would compliment your PSU nicely.

 

Thats quite nice, i'll keep that in mind as its another colour rather than just the blue, blue and a little bit of silver.

 

I want that power supply, nice case as well. Lots of fans, yay for cooling!

 

great choice of motherboard the only thing that i want to know is just how did you do that with the drive bay covers looks great

 

OK, there really quite easy to make, you just need the plexi to be the same size as the front of the drive bay with a hole lined up in each. I just took one appart so i can show you.
click for bigger, on each one




The finished articles

 

well where did you get the blue tinted plexi?

 

i was just going to askt the same thing.... come on spill it... where did u get that really nice blue plexi from?