Case Mod - In Progress XTREME CHILL. (Lian Li pc-v880a)

[WELCOME TO



Hi Im Mark im a NZ (New Zealand) modder. Sum of you would have seen other cases I have modded before on this forum.
Anyways im back and have a new Project. Lets begin.

Starting off with a Lian Li pc-v880a Aluminum Home Theatre Case. I pick this case up off Trademe for half the cost of a new one and this one is like new only about 6 months old. Has everything with it that you would get when new.



Right onto photos of the case as it is stock. Little dusty but cleaned it up like new.








Started stripping out the parts I didnt need for the build and sold the parts on Trademe.


Case stripped and ready to be modded.




Got a package of parts in mail.

4x Scythe Ultra Kaze 120mm fans, 3000rpm, 38mm thick.
8x 120mm fan filters. (Filters can be removed)
4x Chrome 120mm fan grills.
4x Chrome 60mm fan grills.
2x Chrome Momentary push buttons
2x Chrome bezel Led holders (Use 5mm leds)





Time to start modding. The two rear 60mm fan holes have not a lot of air flow.


Much better.


Grill test. Still have to get fans for here or mite just get 2 fans and rip the middles out of them and just have the housings.


On to the front of the case. There is only two external 5.25" bays but has three internal 5.25" bays.


I want to use all three so ripped the black mesh out and cut the middle parts out of the front so now i have three 5.25" bays.


Now More work on the front of the case. I dont like usb and headphone ports on fronts of cases plus its xtra cables you have to sort out inside the case so they have to go.


Gone and never to be seen again. I saved the wires from the old power, restart buttons and hdd, power leds.


Brought a new tool today. Set of steped drill bits. Seen them getting used on a hotrod so I got sum and man they are new but costly.


Using the parts I got and sum 40mm wide, 3mm thick alloy I made up a new power panel.




Thats it for now will have another update soon. Thanks for looking and hope you pop back soon.​

 

Nice, clean case you got there, looks promising. Keep up the good work!

 

Update time.

Got another package in mail.

2x A.C.Ryan 2x120mm RadGrills Stainless steel.
2x A.C.Ryan 3x120mm RadGrills Stainless steel.

Yes they are all going on this case lol.







Right moving alone to the top panel of the case. Its nice stock but the 80mm fans have to go they are to small and old school.


Applied masking tape to the top panel and worked out where the radgrills are going also making sure that the two 80mm fan holes get removed. I used a double sided tape to hold the rad onto the panel. (Automotive tape)


Drilled all the holes and as I drilled them I put a bolt in the holes.


After drilling I put new masking tape on and bolted the radgrill in place then got a shape pencil then drawn round the inside of the radgrill where i needed to cut the middle out. Here is one hole cut.


Two holes cut.


Masking tape all off and edges sanded smooth.




I did test fit the radgrills afterdoing them but didnt get a photo. Will get a photo of them on it tomorrow.

Moving on to the side of the case. Has lots of holes for air venting but I want more air flow.


This looks a lot better air flow.


Same setup as the top panel radgrills.


All cut out


Masking tape removed and sanded smooth.


Testing a fan in the case.


Couple of photos of the case as it is at moment. Hasnt got the bottom panel on it.




The other side of the case ready for me tomorrow to mark out.


Before sumone asks what I used to cut the holes I didnt use a dremel. But I do have 1. Im using a jigsaw with a fine metal cutting bit in it. also use hand drill and drill press and vice. I have only used the dremel 1 time and that was to cut the hole in the front of the case where the power buttons are as I didnt have the blade for the jigsaw. Also use a hacksaw with fine metal cutting blade in it. G clamps plus rulers and sqaures.
​

 

Excellent work, subbing this thread.

It seems my next investment should be a jigsaw - folks get such neat and straight cuts with it!

 

Thanks. Yeh jigsaw is a bit faster then a dremel I find also.

Just marking out the other side of the case at moment to work on it.

 

whats the system going to be used for? is this a HTPC?

Love the mod by the way!

 

Going to use it for my everyday pc. Will replace my Dell Optiplex GX520 As its maxed out and only has room for 1 hdd.

 

Looking good so far, nice and clean cuts.

 

Thanks badje.

Got more work done on the case today. Worked on the other side and got it done.

First off here is a photo of the finished side with the radgrill in place.


This is the top panel with the two radgrills in place.


Started the other side of the case the same way as the other radgrills. Here it is drilled and marked out ready for cutting.


All cutout and sanded smooth.


Side two all done.


Side two with the radgrill in place.


Photo of the case as it is tonight.


Thats it for now. Just planning the next part to do on it. Also you mite have seen that there is room under the mobo tray and the bottom panel of the case. There is 12mm gap under the tray so will be hiding as much cables under there as I can.​

 

Nice cuttings, that looks very good.

 

MMMM., Stainless steel and anodised aluminium. That looks good enough to eat!

 

Yeh looking at getting stainless bolts for the readgrills and the fans.

Be a bit hard on the teeth I think. lol

 

This case is gonna be about 70% fans

Like it, subbed.

 

dare you to have all ten 120mm fans blowing in and let two 60mm fans exhaust! lol!

 

Yeah hell good looking case indeed. Great craftmanship too. If you r gonna use so many fans, hope they r not too loud or will you will be controlling them with some sort of controller?

 

LOL dont be silly.

Yeh Maybe 65% fans.

Thanks. Yeh all fans will be up to a fan controller in the front of the case. Just found out that the fans startup volts is 3.1volts. If you run them at 3.6v they do 730 RPM, 20 CFM, 19 dBA@1m.

The fran controller im going to be using goes from off 0v up to 12v so will be able to set to a speed I like or turn a fan or 2 off.

 

Looking good, icbz. Very clean.

 

Good idea.. I used on my acrylic case toggle switches to turn some of the fans completely off when they are not needed at all.. That was because the controllers came with the fans wouldnt completely turn them off.

 

Very nice case. I've been looking for one, but they seem to be discontinued. Can't find one in Denmark anyway....