cover the pink and make me happy...lol. seriously though MS im gettin antsy, me wants to see the fin!!
We will get to it, I promise..But, first I want to install Windows and get the VFD working.. Installing Windows will tell me the DVD drive is working correctly. Remember, I had the drive chromed plated and also drilled/tapped the drawer for M4 bolts..The BIOS says it's there, but I will feel better once Windows is on the HD. Then on to the AC Aquaero VFD..The last two units that could give me trouble. Then wiring, so we can get the skin back on the case. After that, there is quite a list of odds/ends that need work (including the pink parallel port).. Trust me, I want to FIN this project ASAP..BUt, it looks like a few more weeks at best..The machine has left my Slaughterhose and is at the owners home, so about 8-hours work/play a week is all I can do.. I will be "back@it" later today. Not sure what kind of update I can put together though, more screenshots and beer bottles I guess.. after all the hard-work this is the fun part for me, the machine is running good.. We are almost there..
Wonder what temps to expect with windows and all its apps running. I prefer 3 fan rads. So much cooler looking. ANd more effective I think the major bottleneck for wc or air cooling is ambient temp.
I think the single 120mm radiators look-best. Bigger is better (radiators) for cool-temps no doubt about that..no room for a big-rad..more H20 will help temps as well (the reason for two reservoirs in this machine)..725ml. of H20 My BN uses a single 120mm Innovatek Alu-unit and about 500ml. of H20. The highest "real-world" CPU temp was in the 50C range after a few hours of HL2..I expect about the same with this machine..Having the videocard and CPU in the same loop is the real-reason for the 50C..In the "perfect world" and in a much larger case, dual-loops would be way to go:
BAD NEWs No update this weekend. Some "real-world" issues came up and they made working on the machine impossible.. Should be back on track, justa week behind..
Holy crap! This is amazingly thorough. Great attention to detail and creativity. I have been reading this log while not paying attention to some continuing education I have to complete for work. Just out of curiosity, what is the approximate $$ output for a project like this? I know you are building it for someone else, I hope they are making it worth your while!
thanks MaX: I would say in the $5000US range..The paint alone for this case (base colors; transparents and clearcoat) was $300US.. This machine is a "cost no object" build.. A "what ever it takes" project.. As for me, I have been paid in BeeR and posts like your's saying you like what I have done....... @CH: no worries.. SG's owner and myself could not workout a time-table for Saturday. I would have liked to finish this machine in my SlaughterHouse, but it's owner want's some "hands-on" action..
Bigger is certainly better to an extent for temps, but once much also consider the pressure drop if you are to use a bigger radiator. Much the same as an intercooler in a car - a big bar and plate core will keep the temps down, but the pressure drop is sufficient to cause a loss of throttle response. Different situation, but the commonality is there. If you go back to basics, you find that cooling is a product of a number of factors: dwell (how long the fluid is in a position to absorb heat), flow (how fast fluid is moving through a loop) and specific heat capacity (the ability or resistance to absorbing energy), among others. With this in mind, it might be a better idea to look at synthetic fluids such as mineral oils or engine oils, or fluid additives which aid in heat transfer. One could also look at aiding heat transfer through more airflow of the same size radiator instead of replacing it with a bigger alternative. You could improve transfer by adding turbulence so a greater proportion of the fluid will interact with the heat exhanging element. Even a metal reservoir eg made from copper would assist in cooling by providing an alternative route for heat transfer. One could even go further and weld fins on to said metal reservoir and give it some airflow!
All-true tkd.. We should be back on track for this weekend. Work will progress.. I hope to "knock-out" a few odds/ends. The DVD drive cover and the parallel port are high on the list.. until then.. MS
sMall update: Today was HD format and Windows install day. Straight forward stuff, nothing to show U guys.. But, I did get some odds/ends done as well: pictured above are the three keys to moddin' a beer a smoke and a tape measure.. the pink parallel port hidden under some AC Ryan mesh: the mesh was bent to fit into the small gap around the I/O plate.. here is an old picture that shows the "gap in question" it fits great, "push-fit" into that gap.. so, it was measure-bend-paint and add c-strip.. no-more pink.. then: pluggin' in a mouse and keyboard was a pain with my original mesh PSU cover..the mod (of a mod): need to get more c-strip to finish this: next-time... then: remember the Logisys 5-LED units I set-up under the MB? I removed there chrome-plastic shell for clearance. Did I throw away that plastic-chrome..NO-WAY... the prototype. I should have made/cut the body longer, to hide the wires...I have enough to try-again, and I will... Chrome-plastic...gotta love it.. That does-it guys.. I am heading out of town, so no-work next weekend... come-on it's labor day give me a break.... we will tackle that rat's nest of wires behind the MB next: be back 9/7/06........
As to be expected, this is sweet. If you keep doing mods like this, I'll have to switch to small bore water cooling since its so dang pretty.
oooooo i was looking at the pump cover at the bottom of the pic, but i didnt know it was the pump cover so thats what i thought he was talking about, i had the top on figured out. just had to come another day and look at the pic.
Much-thanks GS....once you go-small there is no-choice at all speaking of small-bore: Aqua-Computer's cubicle at GC2006 prototype-gear (I love prototype-gear)... check this out... need a "small radiator"... and in chrome, no-less..
Ooh, I'm loving that new AC gear. How I wish I could be there Nice update too - you did a really great job pulling off that little pink-cover, and great idea with the PCIE chromeage.
