All New Me
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)Posted by: Sprocket
Time for a makeover.
This time it's my decision, not that idiot Clocker's.
I have heard through the secret computer backchannels of a smokin deal on a Cooler Master Wave Master (http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/cases/coolermaster/wavemaster/) case.
It was a special order that somehow didn't work out and I can get it for $100.
My second choice is a server case that has just become redundant up in Boulder.
Tomorrow I shall send Clocker out to bring me the two cases so I can decide.
Oh, fun.
Anyone here have any personal experience with the WaveMaster?
Posted by: clocker
Wait a minute...where did you get $100?
Posted by: Duffman
i hate this!
Posted by: tesco
:o Clocker's become your zomby!
you evil...thing!
Kill it! :angry:
nice case though. :)
Posted by: bigdawgfoxx
I dunoo.
The coolermaster cases, some of the I was just looking at, have 2 intakes and 1 exhaust, which we know is a no-no. They also dont seem to be very roomy.
Clocker I am not exactly sure what you are looking for nowdays lol but really I wish everyone would try the Chieftec mid tower dragon.
The case is so nice on the inside. It has snap in fan mounts for EXTREMLY easy fan placement, and the places inside it are so nice for wiring god I love it. Where ever you need to mount a wire, there is a place. You will see when we take more pix of Matts new computer, how the only wire you see is the ATX power wire. Everything just seems to fit together so perfect. The removable HDD things make it SO easy to use too. When matt first saw it he loved how easy it was. Also, the fans are not restricted by little holes. They have big squares cut out into the back of the fans, so there is no reduced airflow, and same goes for the front of the case, it just slides in through the slots.
Its just a suggestion....I love the look of the coolermaster ones too, but I just want yall to know how much I love my case. Have fun clocker.. or sproket.. or :blink: ...
Posted by: Snee
Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx+29 July 2004 - 05:10--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (bigdawgfoxx @ 29 July 2004 - 05:10)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I dunoo.
The coolermaster cases, some of the I was just looking at, have 2 intakes and 1 exhaust, which we know is a no-no.* They also dont seem to be very roomy.
Clocker I am not exactly sure what you are looking for nowdays lol but really I wish everyone would try the Chieftec mid tower dragon.
The case is so nice on the inside.* It has snap in fan mounts for EXTREMLY easy fan placement, and the places inside it are so nice for wiring god I love it.* Where ever you need to mount a wire, there is a place.* You will see when we take more pix of Matts new computer, how the only wire you see is the ATX power wire.* Everything just seems to fit together so perfect.* The removable HDD things make it SO easy to use too.* When matt first saw it he loved how easy it was.* Also, the fans are not restricted by little holes.* They have big squares cut out into the back of the fans, so there is no reduced airflow, and same goes for the front of the case, it just slides in through the slots.
Its just a suggestion....I love the look of the coolermaster ones too, but I just want yall to know how much I love my case.* Have fun clocker.. or sproket.. or* :blink: ... [/b]
<!--QuoteBegin-bigdawgfoxx@29 July 2004 - 05:10
The coolermaster cases, some of the I was just looking at, have 2 intakes and 1 exhaust, which we know is a no-no.* [/quote]
Unless the fans have been glued in place, it shouldn't be much of a hassle to take one out or turn it around.
http://www.xoxide.com/cowacas.html
I think you can mount one at the back, one in the front, and one in the middle of the roof.
Looks roomy enough for a midtower to me.
And it does have that tool-less assembly thing going for it.
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx@28 July 2004 - 22:10
The coolermaster cases, some of the I was just looking at, have 2 intakes and 1 exhaust, which we know is a no-no. They also dont seem to be very roomy.
Personally, I've never bought into the theory of "balanced intake and exhaust", so that issue doesn't bother me.
What does appear to be a problem with the WaveMaster is the front bezel....specifically, the fact that it can't easily be opened up for airflow.
When I go to look at it today I'll pay special attention to that area.
It's hard to see in pics of the case, but it also looks like the the entire bay structure is one piece from roof to case floor.
Since Sprocket ( despite her wildest dreams) probably will never have need for 5 HDDs, I have usually removed the lower drive cages to free up space in the case, which might not be possible here.
On the plus side is the removable motherboard tray, a feature I think would be very handy.
As for the server case, it's biggest asset is it's size...bigger ( I think) than Sprocket's current Gateway.
It is also unusual ( to me at least) in that it has a rear bezel in addition to the front.
I haven't seen the whole thing assembled yet, so I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but it is different.
Naturally, the server case is not configured for ATX, so a lot of modification will be necessary to fit my board.
Simply screwing down the board is no big deal, but the whole back panel is different...the I/O panel and AGP/PCI slot area will be off.
I'd like to try to fabricate a removable tray like the WaveMaster's if Sprocket decides on this case ( which seems likely...I think she's lying about having $100).
We'll see what happens today.
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Hey clocker, you seem to have lost control of Sprocket. You better put your foot down right away.
Posted by: Sprocket
Hey.
Like he ever had control of me.
Silly boy.
Clocker and I have reached an agreement.
I have accepted the server case instead of the WaveMaster.
This is fine with me ( I probably would have chosen it anyway) as he has agreed to buy me a new 36GB Raptor also.
My first birthday is coming up in two weeks and he owed me a present.
After he returns the WaveMaster to the shop I'll have him take some pics of my new home.
Toodles.
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by Sprocket@29 July 2004 - 11:25
Clocker and I have reached an agreement.
I have accepted the server case instead of the WaveMaster.
Lucky you. He made the "right" choice. ;)
Posted by: Sprocket
Aha!
A whole new body to move into and a functional ( not to mention, appropriate) avatar, all in the same day!
This bodes well for my second year, I think.
I believe a "wOOt!" is in order.
Posted by: Sprocket
My new body...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/NSCside.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/NSCside2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/NSCfront.jpg
26 1/2" tall
7 1/2" wide
16 1/2" deep
Much taller ( 5") and much thinner (1 1/2") than the current Gateway case.
Six exposed 5 1/2" bays and an inner HDD cage for 5 drives.
Tons of room.
One slight problem ( although I have complete confidence in Clocker's ability to overcome this...)- the back panel is completely wrong for an ATX motherboard and a modern PSU.
This will take some major modding...
Posted by: bigdawgfoxx
why choose that over a wavemaster....sooooo ugly...but I guess it fits your needs lol
Posted by: Duffman
...the voices...
Posted by: Sprocket
Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx@29 July 2004 - 22:46
why choose that over a wavemaster....sooooo ugly...but I guess it fits your needs lol
1.) I do not find it ugly. Almost classical, really.
2.) It was free and that can make up for many shortcomings.
Using this case instead of the WaveMaster made it possible to acquire the new Raptor HDD and I would much prefer my bling-bling to be on the inside and functional rather than just eye candy.
Posted by: tesco
that will take more modding than just the i\o panel.
that's an AT case. the pwoer button at teh front will need replacing to an atx type (unless u choose to just flick the switch to on position for a second then back to off), the motherboard supports\standoffs\\risers are not gonna line up properly, the power supply screws may not line up (not sure on that one).
and the case is just plain ugly so i think a new paint job is in order. ;)
Posted by: Sprocket
Mere details, Ross.
No biggie.
Posted by: clocker
Easy for you to say.
Bitch.
Posted by: peat moss
Clocker=Sprocket! OH OK , I keep thinging about the three faces of Eve. I'm so smart. :lol: You had me going tho clocker . Saw a post by sprocket and thought what a name rip off .
Posted by: bigdawgfoxx
that thing has like no room to get air in or out i hate how those old cases were made..
Posted by: bigdawgfoxx
Originally posted by clocker@29 July 2004 - 23:44
Easy for you to say.
Bitch.
hahahahahaha :lol:
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx@30 July 2004 - 00:22
that thing has like no room to get air in or out i hate how those old cases were made..
Dawg,
If you'll recall, I have spent innumerable hours hacking up new cases to improve airflow.
Take the WaveMaster, for instance.
As stylish as it is, it's design, especially the front bezel, hardly lends iself to free intake flow and would require quite a bit of work.
Very difficult to do properly when the sleek, unbroken front is such a major feature of the overall aesthetic.
Very few new cases impress me as being well optimised for airflow.
As far a build quality goes...
I could probably run over this case with my car and not hurt it.
I hate how flimsy and cheaply most new cases are assembled ( the WaveMaster excepted....it was quite nicely made and the aluminum was well finished and sufficiently thick).
Posted by: Snee
Originally posted by clocker@30 July 2004 - 12:40
( the WaveMaster excepted....it was quite nicely made and the aluminum was well finished and sufficiently thick).
It's supposed to be of a special kind whatever that means.
And I have this notion that'd it'd be really cool to have a big servercase as a sort of centerpiece in one's home, I'd fit it out with terabytes of storage, and use it as a...dun duN DUN! Fileserver! possibly /Linux Firewall.
And then sff's in every room, all connected in one big happy network. :D
All I need is a lot of money to make this humble dream come true.
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by SnnY@30 July 2004 - 05:53
It's supposed to be of a special kind whatever that means.
It appeared to be just a brushed aluminum with a hard anodized finish.
It was nice.
Posted by: Snee
A 3mm thick casing of some aluminum alloy, something special about the alloy, someone IRL said.
All I could find now tho' was this:
They also use a higher gauge Aluminum making them much more rigid than any Aluminum case I’ve used. With that said, let’s take a look at the WaveMaster and see if Cooler Master has continued with this tradition.
all that means is that it's thicker, as far as I can tell.
source (http://www.3dxtreme.net/index.php?id=Coolermaster-WaveMaster-p1)
Anyway, I wouldn't mind that server case myself, if I didn't have to lug my 'puter around for stuff.
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by peat moss@29 July 2004 - 23:51
Clocker=Sprocket! OH OK , I keep thinging about the three faces of Eve. I'm so smart. :lol: You had me going tho clocker . Saw a post by sprocket and thought what a name rip off .
No! Sprocket isn't Clocker. It's his computer talking to us. And by what I can see so far is that she is a 'bitch'.
I want to hear about how well the Rapter works.
Posted by: clocker
Yes, the sheetmetal was definitely a heavier guage than I'm used to seeing and the forming was very nice and even...all in all, a well made unit.
If that case was still around in a few months ( which it won't be at that price) I wouldn't mind getting it and playing, but right now I had higher priority purchases to make.
With the $100 I saved on the case I'm considering either chroming or powdercoating the chassis of this server.
Plus, I have to fabricate an entire rear panel to accept the ATX I/O panel & AGP card...not to mention a PSU.
The PSU is simple...it's the other part that will be difficult to do well and I'll probably have to sub out some work to a shop with a metal brake.
Posted by: bigdawgfoxx
Yeah those coolermasters front bezel is extremly thick and sturdy it seems like lol...its like a chalkboard it gives me chills when my fingernails touch it haha
Thats another thing I like about the chieftec, there are those slots at the bottom for plenty of airflow.
Posted by: clocker
In case you've been wondering what happened to this project, you can catch up here (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=318779) or here. (http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=65673)
Posted by: mattesca
nice job
What is that tubing stuff u used to mount the mobo and hard drives?
At first i thught u were crazy gettin a case like that, but now i think i mite get something like that to mod the hell out of.
keep us posted with ur progress
Posted by: clocker
That "tubing stuff" is 3/8" diameter solid steel rod.
I would have preferred aluminum ( sooooo much easier to work with), but this was cheap and readily available.
At first i thught u were crazy gettin a case like that
I am crazy.
It's a prerequisite for the job.
Posted by: mattesca
Where u get that steel tubing?
Im just about to mod my old case and was trying to get some ideas
Posted by: kaiweiler
Originally posted by mattesca@11 August 2004 - 09:02
Where u get that steel tubing?
Im just about to mod my old case and was trying to get some ideas
In his post, he said Home Depot ;)
And nice work Clocker, keep it up.
EDIT ***DAMN ANTI-SPAM!*** :angry:
Posted by: lynx
When do we learn the purpose of the mystery black plastic tubing?
Posted by: Snee
Pretty interesting looking.
I trust you have really flash plans for the exterior of the thing?
Posted by: peat moss
Originally posted by clocker@10 August 2004 - 20:05
In case you've been wondering what happened to this project, you can catch up here (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=318779) or here. (http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=65673)
Clocker, that forum looks like a fun place . Are you cheating on us or did Sprocket make you ? :D
Posted by: kaiweiler
Originally posted by peat moss+11 August 2004 - 21:24--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (peat moss @ 11 August 2004 - 21:24)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-clocker@10 August 2004 - 20:05
In case you've been wondering what happened to this project, you can catch up here (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=318779) or here. (http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=65673)
Clocker, that forum looks like a fun place . Are you cheating on us or did Sprocket make you ? :D [/b][/quote]
OC forums is one of my favorite places to hang out, sometimes even better then here!
It's just more of what I'm into, cooling, extreme modding, overclocking, etc
I spend a lot more time there then I do here, so I can't blame him for cheating on us! :lol:
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by peat moss@11 August 2004 - 19:24
Clocker, that forum looks like a fun place . Are you cheating on us or did Sprocket make you ? :D
Both of those forums ARE quite fun.
Not to mention, educational.
I posted this particular thread in those places because they are specifically intended to appeal to hardware freaks and I was interested to see what kind of response I would get.
It's not that I don't respect or like all of the folks here, cause I do, I'm just expanding a bit.
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by lynx@11 August 2004 - 11:13
When do we learn the purpose of the mystery black plastic tubing?
Image Resized
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/5rawmat.jpg' width='200' height='120' border='0' alt='click for full size view'> ('http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/5rawmat.jpg')
Yeah. I would like to know too.
Posted by: The_Hunter
My case has fans on top, both sides and back and front. dont have no heating problems at the moment and if i do will put more in. Good idea to use the largest box you can find, allows for more air movement.
Posted by: clocker
Jeez lynx and VB, I figured that you guys already knew what the tubing was for.
Ok then.
The nylon clamps I'm using ( sold in the electrical dept. of Home Depot) don't really grab the steel rods all that tightly.
As a result, the drives could slide up and down the rails.
The motherboard, having 9 clamps, didn't move so much.
I cut the tubing to fit the space between each clamp...now the drives are fixed in location and I didn't have to paint the ugly rods either...a "two birds with one stone" kinda deal.
Pretty clever, eh?
Image Resized
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/PSUIn.jpg' width='200' height='120' border='0' alt='click for full size view'> ('http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/PSUIn.jpg')
Here's a general view of how the project stands as of tonight.
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
I see. Neat.
I also like the way you have put the motherboard in upside down.
I think I see where this is going. The air intake in the lower front, the CPU and I guess a future exhaust at the same level at the back will make for great crossflow.
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@12 August 2004 - 22:23
I think I see where this is going. The air intake in the lower front, the CPU and I guess a future exhaust at the same level at the back will make for great crossflow.
Hmmm.
Ya think?
No.
Edit:
A question...will a floppy drive operate properly in any orientation?
Say, on it's side or maybe on it's end ( standing upright)?
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Yeah. No problem with the floppy. Put it the way you like.
Posted by: kaiweiler
My guess would be that he has the mobo in upside down so that the cpu is at the bottom in line with that fan hole on the left. I figure he will make another fan hole at the same height but on the right and then possibly make a duct going straight through to his heatsink and then out the other fan hole which would cause a great airflow due to the lack of bends and turns in the duct. Just a guess and it's probably wrong, but it'd definatly work :)
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@13 August 2004 - 05:44
Yeah. No problem with the floppy. Put it the way you like.
Excellent!
That news is such a relief, VB, I can't tell you how much simpler that makes things.
It also means that I can ( temporarily, at least) ignore the floppy drive issue and move on to the CPU cooling....much more fun.
The trick here is to cobble up some prototypes without having to mess up the case.
Now...where did I put that Torin blower?
Posted by: Snee
I have the floppy standing on its side in one pc, works fine, that.
Like VB said.
But don't put it in with the slot pointing to the sky.
It'll just collect crap that way.
You'll get dust and whatnot in the drive.
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by SnnY@13 August 2004 - 07:16
I have the floppy standing on its side in one pc, works fine, that.
Like VB said.
But don't put it in with the slot pointing to the sky.
It'll just collect crap that way.
You'll get dust and whatnot in the drive.
Ah, who cares. It's only a floppy drive afterall. They also have door for a dust cover.
Posted by: tesco
Originally posted by kaiweiler@13 August 2004 - 07:13
My guess would be that he has the mobo in upside down so that the cpu is at the bottom in line with that fan hole on the left. I figure he will make another fan hole at the same height but on the right and then possibly make a duct going straight through to his heatsink and then out the other fan hole which would cause a great airflow due to the lack of bends and turns in the duct. Just a guess and it's probably wrong, but it'd definatly work :)
hmm, well i thoguht it was just becuase that was where the previous motherboard was since at goes the other way around than in atx cases....now that i think about it they DON'T go that way. :lol:
Posted by: Sprocket
Hi guys.
First post from my new home.
Clocker Frankensteined me together just to see what the new heatsink was like.
No shrouds or anything fancy, just the Torin blower aimed at the Aerocool.
Kinda tickles my nether regions, really.
With the blower running on 12v ( out of a possible 24v) it is nearly dead silent.
There are no system fans running at all, only the PSU fans ( on low).
Obviously, there are no sidepanels either.
MBM5 reports a board temp of 22C and a CPU temp of 31C ( at idle).
The blower is not positioned at all where I thought it was going to go...if I can convince the lazy bastard to experiment with some different placements maybe things will get a bit better, but he's so chuffed with himself that it could take a while.
Right now Clocker is preoccupied tweaking the Windows install on the new Raptor HDD, so he'll prolly leave me in this disgraceful state for a few hours.
Maybe after dinner, sated by human food ( how do you people eat that stuff?), he'll be more amenable to my blandishments and we'll try some different blower layouts.
As you were.
Posted by: Sprocket
Alrighty then...a few preliminary reports from the front.
I've now got all the major hardware cobbled into place...no pics cause frankly, it looks like hell.
Cables draped all over and slapdash power wiring to the roof fans.
But at least she's up and running.
Among other things ( like the fresh Windows install ) I've been toying with different cooling fans.
Surprisingly, a regular 92mm axial fan is outperforming the Torin blower by 1 degree.
I think the Torin would be superior, but it's bulk makes it tough to get aligned with the heatsink to the best advantage.
If I could get it under the heatsink blowing up, I think I'd be very happy, but I'm not sure how to go about this elegantly. I'd have to make a riser for the stock base and cut a hole in the floor.
It's an intriguing idea...I'll have to ponder it.
The HDDs are my second issue.
They are running about 15 C or so above the case temp.
Honestly, I was hoping for better.
I've given this some thought and come up with a variation of the current cradle that might be just the ticket.
It won't be difficult to make, just time consuming, so that's my primary goal for this weekend.
Obviously, all the hardware has to be in place before I can even think of wiring/cable management ( another nightmare job).
Have a good weekend all...enjoy the Olympics!
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by Sprocket@13 August 2004 - 21:05
But at least she's up and running.
Who's she? Is Sprocket building herself a machine now? :unsure: :rolleyes:
Posted by: clocker
Ooops.
Posted by: kaiweiler
:lol: The truth prevails....
Posted by: lynx
Originally posted by kaiweiler@15 August 2004 - 14:19
:lol: The truth prevails....
Nah, clocker just hadn't noticed that Sprocket had logged him off and signed on as herself.
Yeah, that'll be it. :rolleyes:
Posted by: clocker
Actually, Clocker is just not used to dealing with multiple personalities.
I don't know how J'pol keeps them straight.
Since my browser remembers passwords I never have to log in ...but that means I'm signed in under whatever identity I last used.
I'll try to pay more attention in the future, but I'm not making any promises....
Posted by: tesco
Originally posted by clocker@15 August 2004 - 13:23
Actually, Clocker is just not used to dealing with multiple personalities.
I don't know how J'pol keeps them straight.
Since my browser remembers passwords I never have to log in ...but that means I'm signed in under whatever identity I last used.
I'll try to pay more attention in the future, but I'm not making any promises....
:P
Posted by: ziggyjuarez
:)
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by clocker@15 August 2004 - 12:23
Actually, Clocker is just not used to dealing with multiple personalities.
I don't know how J'pol keeps them straight.
Since my browser remembers passwords I never have to log in ...but that means I'm signed in under whatever identity I last used.
I'll try to pay more attention in the future, but I'm not making any promises....
So she had logged in without telling you? Boy she's determined.
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@15 August 2004 - 15:53
So she had logged in without telling you? Boy she's determined.
Not to mention devious...
Posted by: clocker
Hi kids...I'm baaaack!
Too bad about Photobucket, eh?
Guess I was a little too greedy trying to run my log in two different forums.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
Dead pics aside, progress has been slow and painful but ultimately, I have prevailed.
CPU cooling was the big issue and I was determined to make this Sprocket's coolest case (in all senses of the word).
The Aerocool was an interesting diversion, but ultimately not suitable for this project*.
Believe me, I tried, but in the end I was not able to provide the necessary airflow in an elegant and neatly packaged manner.
Perhaps on a board that was set up in the normal way it would work fine, but for my upside down layout it just wasn't working out. Space was an issue and overcoming the problem would have required making some radical modifications to the case...a move I was unwilling to persue in the event it didn't pan out.
So, what to do...?
I had previously decided that the Torin blower was going to be the focal point of the cooling solution.
It not only possesses superior airflow properties, but also has a weirdness factor that appeals to me. The blower was one of the main reasons that I laid out the mobo the way I did ( cable management being the other).
Unfortunately however, the Torin is bulkier than I had imagined ( yes, I knew the dimensions when I bought it, but it wasn't till I physically had it in my hands that I could really appreciate it's size....), and squeezing it into the case was a problem.
Looking through my (rapidly growing) pile of parts I came upon a stock AMD HS.
The good one, copper base, aluminum fins.
Hmmm....
A bit of time fabbing up a bracket for the blower ( it's waaay too big to hang off the sink itself, so this bracket mounts to the casefloor), and the combo was installed.
Wow!
Instant results.
Only one small problem...the blower was about 1/4" outside the chassis due to the height of the heatsink.
Well, an hour on the beltsander and some touch up filing reduced the sink to 35mm high (1 3/8") and now the combo fit within the confines of the case.
Beautiful.
The bracket also provided a handy place to mount a fan to actively cool the RAM.
How convenient.
Ran Prime95 overnight ( yes...no errors!) and the CPU temp maxxed out at 37C ( case temp was 19C).
Decided to see if I could up my vCore and FSB some more ( a move I have previously resisted due to heat concerns), so this morning I made a few BIOS changes and am now up to 2.31GHz and temp hasn't changed...still 37C.
Excellent!
I am one happy camper.
Now I'm going to look around for an all copper ( preferably skivved fins) socket A heatsink that is but 35mm tall and see if it makes any difference.
If anyone knows of such a creature I'd appreciate the info.
As you were.
*I am now sitting on three aftermarket sinks...the Zalman 700cu, the Aerocool DeepImpact HT-102 and the Thermatake SilentTower, if anyone has an interest in any/all of them, PM me.
Posted by: tesco
Originally posted by clocker@20 August 2004 - 09:04
Hi kids...I'm baaaack!
Too bad about Photobucket, eh?
Guess I was a little too greedy trying to run my log in two different forums.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
Dead pics aside, progress has been slow and painful but ultimately, I have prevailed.
CPU cooling was the big issue and I was determined to make this Sprocket's coolest case (in all senses of the word).
The Aerocool was an interesting diversion, but ultimately not suitable for this project*.
Believe me, I tried, but in the end I was not able to provide the necessary airflow in an elegant and neatly packaged manner.
Perhaps on a board that was set up in the normal way it would work fine, but for my upside down layout it just wasn't working out. Space was an issue and overcoming the problem would have required making some radical modifications to the case...a move I was unwilling to persue in the event it didn't pan out.
So, what to do...?
I had previously decided that the Torin blower was going to be the focal point of the cooling solution.
It not only possesses superior airflow properties, but also has a weirdness factor that appeals to me. The blower was one of the main reasons that I laid out the mobo the way I did ( cable management being the other).
Unfortunately however, the Torin is bulkier than I had imagined ( yes, I knew the dimensions when I bought it, but it wasn't till I physically had it in my hands that I could really appreciate it's size....), and squeezing it into the case was a problem.
Looking through my (rapidly growing) pile of parts I came upon a stock AMD HS.
The good one, copper base, aluminum fins.
Hmmm....
A bit of time fabbing up a bracket for the blower ( it's waaay too big to hang off the sink itself, so this bracket mounts to the casefloor), and the combo was installed.
Wow!
Instant results.
Only one small problem...the blower was about 1/4" outside the chassis due to the height of the heatsink.
Well, an hour on the beltsander and some touch up filing reduced the sink to 35mm high (1 3/8") and now the combo fit within the confines of the case.
Beautiful.
The bracket also provided a handy place to mount a fan to actively cool the RAM.
How convenient.
Ran Prime95 overnight ( yes...no errors!) and the CPU temp maxxed out at 37C ( case temp was 19C).
Decided to see if I could up my vCore and FSB some more ( a move I have previously resisted due to heat concerns), so this morning I made a few BIOS changes and am now up to 2.31GHz and temp hasn't changed...still 37C.
Excellent!
I am one happy camper.
Now I'm going to look around for an all copper ( preferably skivved fins) socket A heatsink that is but 35mm tall and see if it makes any difference.
If anyone knows of such a creature I'd appreciate the info.
As you were.
*I am now sitting on three aftermarket sinks...the Zalman 700cu, the Aerocool DeepImpact HT-102 and the Thermatake SilentTower, if anyone has an interest in any/all of them, PM me.
what happened to photobucket? :blink:
Posted by: lynx
Originally posted by ROSSCO_2004@20 August 2004 - 17:29
what happened to photobucket? :blink:
Bandwidth Exceeded. :rolleyes:
Tried uploadit.org (http://www.uploadit.org)? Free account can have 20 pics with no bandwidth limit.
Posted by: mattesca
or this (http://imageshack.us/index3.php)
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Now I'm going to look around for an all copper ( preferably skivved fins) socket A heatsink that is but 35mm tall and see if it makes any difference.
If anyone knows of such a creature I'd appreciate the info.
I think aluminum with a copper base is better.
Photobucket still works for me. Why not setup a new account with them.
Posted by: clocker
You might be right about the sink...I'd just like to try it out.
I now have multiple accounts at both Photobucket AND Upload-It! so the hosting prob should be a thing of the past. ;)
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Can we see some photos of the progress?
Posted by: Storm
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 16:14
I think aluminum with a copper base is better.
true......... copper is better at conducting heat, but aluminum is better at radiating it........ for that reason industrial type heatsinks are made of aluminum..... cause it can disperse heat much faster....... if you where to use water cooling (and thus conducting the heat), copper would be better, but for air cooling, you are better of using a aluminum HS with a copper inserted core......
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 10:18
Can we see some photos of the progress?
Lookie here. (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=318779)
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by clocker+21 August 2004 - 11:16--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (clocker @ 21 August 2004 - 11:16)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 10:18
Can we see some photos of the progress?
Lookie here. (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=318779) [/b][/quote]
Nice work, clocker.
One thing that comes to mind looking at that setup. Did you considered adding small jumper wires to ground the components that are now insulated from the case?
Posted by: lynx
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234+21 August 2004 - 21:03--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Virtualbody1234 @ 21 August 2004 - 21:03)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Originally posted by clocker@21 August 2004 - 11:16
<!--QuoteBegin-Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 10:18
Can we see some photos of the progress?
Lookie here. (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=318779)
Nice work, clocker.
One thing that comes to mind looking at that setup. Did you considered adding small jumper wires to ground the components that are now insulated from the case? [/b][/quote]
See page 2, post 38.
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 14:03
Did you considered adding small jumper wires to ground the components that are now insulated from the case?
Despite the fact that I have yet to hit an identifiable grounding problem, the issue does haunt me.
As yet, no one has provided a clear cut yea/nay answer.
To be on the side of the angels, the final wiring harness includes a common ground point for every component in the case.
This will be implemented as I build my latest addition to the project- the dualPSU.
Two separate ( but equal, no doubt) units housed in a common chassis
Unit one will power the motherboard and HDDs, unit two will handle optical drives, all fans and auxiliary display/control devices.
I have been doing extensive BIOS testing (there are a bewildering number of modded versions available for the NF-7S) and memory tweaking.
In order to remain Prime stable as I crank down the RAM timing ( now down to 2-2-2-11) I have had to raise the chipset voltage from the default 1.65 to 1.75v, which not only raised my temps a bit, but has also lowered my 12v PSU rail.
The details are shown here:
Image Resized
[img]http://server6.uploadit.org/files/sprocket2-primetemp.jpg' width='200' height='120' border='0' alt='click for full size view'> ('http://server6.uploadit.org/files/sprocket2-primetemp.jpg')
Note the 12volt reading...it used to run pretty stable at 11.97v now it's down to 11.73v.
The only change is the chipset voltage, so I must conclude that it is struggling for some reason.
Fortunately, I have several PSUs at hand...the only question is whether to use an ATX or AT unit.
I'm leaning towards AT...the separate on/off switch would allow me to run the cooling system independent of the operating status of the motherboard...in other words, extended cooldowns or even pre-cooling would be possible.
Whatchoo guys think?
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
I get your idea about the AT power supply but if you have spare ATX then I would go with that. No need to continue cooling after shutdown it will cool by itself (slower but who cares). ATX would be more automated. Just one regular shutdown.
Posted by: Storm
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 23:48
I get your idea about the AT power supply but if you have spare ATX then I would go with that. No need to continue cooling after shutdown it will cool by itself (slower but who cares). ATX would be more automated. Just one regular shutdown.
how would that work??? i mean, only one PSU would be hooked to the mobo, so how would the other shutdown??? you'd have 2 have some common wires...... my guess is that it would be way easier to just use the AT PSU (though pre/post cooling sounds kinda pointless, especially pre-cooling....... i mean, that would do nothing at all..... you comp would be at room temp before you turn it on, and you cant get it any cooler than that..........
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
The second ATX power supply can be "joined" to start and shutdown too. I'm sure clocker knows how to do this already.
Posted by: tesco
Originally posted by Storm+21 August 2004 - 18:14--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Storm @ 21 August 2004 - 18:14)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 23:48
I get your idea about the AT power supply but if you have spare ATX then I would go with that. No need to continue cooling after shutdown it will cool by itself (slower but who cares). ATX would be more automated. Just one regular shutdown.
how would that work??? i mean, only one PSU would be hooked to the mobo, so how would the other shutdown??? you'd have 2 have some common wires...... my guess is that it would be way easier to just use the AT PSU (though pre/post cooling sounds kinda pointless, especially pre-cooling....... i mean, that would do nothing at all..... you comp would be at room temp before you turn it on, and you cant get it any cooler than that.......... [/b][/quote]
with realays. you plug the "on" wires on the second psu to the relay as well as i think any powered wire on teh first psu (or maybe the power button) then when the first one powers up it sets off the relay which starts up the second psu. :)
Posted by: clocker
Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@21 August 2004 - 17:45
The second ATX power supply can be "joined" to start and shutdown too. I'm sure clocker knows how to do this already.
Indeed I do...it's a very simple two wire splice.
I don't know, I agree that the "pre-cool" concept is silly now that I think about it, but I have more AT PSUs laying about...I'm prolly down to 4 ATX units.
It's only one extra switch to remember at startup/shutdown and I wouldn't have to do any fancy wiring if I just use an AT supply.
Actually, the point is moot right now...I really should run a test install of the second PSU and verify that my 12v rail improves before I do anything radical (or stupid).
Good news on the HS front, though.
My buddies down at Geek St. came up with the ideal candidate to try...it's a Thermaltake sink of some sort...aluminum body with a copper base, and the size is absolutely perfect.
Now that I have some good baseline data with this setup I can swap it out and see how she flies.
I also found the perfect little sink for the southbridge...probably useless, but why the hell not?
The price was right (i.e. free) so all I have to lose is the time it takes to try it out.
This time round I'm determined to get the insides right before I proceed to the fun stuff outside.
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Yup a 2 wire splice for ATX.
You could rig one of the AT power supplies to be controlled by the ATX one via a relay. If you really want to get fancy you could make a timer. :rolleyes:
Posted by: Virtualbody1234
Originally posted by clocker@21 August 2004 - 19:28
Good news on the HS front, though.
My buddies down at Geek St. came up with the ideal candidate to try...it's a Thermaltake sink of some sort...aluminum body with a copper base, and the size is absolutely perfect.
I'd like to see that. Is there anyway you could find that sink online at the thermaltake site?
Posted by: clocker
VB, it apparently is too old to still be featured on their website...this is the closest current product. (http://www.ocprices.com/index.php?action=reviews&rev_id=146&page=3)
The biggest difference is the base...mine has a copper plate running the full width of the base instead of a round insert.
Clearly, it was intended as a "budget" cooler, or possibly it was just one of their very first ( hence not terribly sophisticated) designs.
I'll grab a pic of it for you when I mount it.
Posted by: clocker
How flattering.
Apparently my post was deemed worthy of being at the head of the line in our new world.
The pressure is unbearable.
Posted by: 3RA1N1AC
oh, SNAP! it's groundhog day?
Posted by: tesco
How flattering.
Apparently my post was deemed worthy of being at the head of the line in our new world.
The pressure is unbearable.
happened last time to. :P
Posted by: accat13
How flattering.
Apparently my post was deemed worthy of being at the head of the line in our new world.
The pressure is unbearable.
Hope there's no performance anxiety :)
Posted by: mattesca
very cool cant wiat to see a finish product
Posted by: clocker
Me neither.
Since this thread began in August, the only remaining part of the original Sprocket is the baby Raptor HDD.
I should have the majority of the new parts installed this week, and the (inevitable) upgrades/tweaks will follow as time/finances/necessity dictate.