Project Cunning Plan!

[scaryjim]

Well, after much debate, purchasing from the For Sale section, and general procrastination, I've finally got round to starting my watercooling project / log! I've tried to come up with a clever title for this project, something water related that also fits with my computer's name, but I simply couldn't do it. And while I was taking one of today's photos, it struck me: this is just like one of Baldrick's cunning plans. As soon as I mention it you know it's a bad idea, and it's so horribly complicated it could never work, even the parts of it that aren't downright impossible anyway! Well, something like that.

Since it was unexpectedly sunny in Manchester today, I went on a mushroom hunt and took my wife out for a posh dinner in Didsbury, so I've not done any cutting or modding yet - that's to come tomorrow (probably!). So this first post is just an outline of the project, to introduce Kali, and give you an idea of how I'm setting up. So, meet Kali:



This is a basic shot of what's currently in there - looking unusually orange, apparently It's a bog standard budget ATX mid-tower, along with lots of stock air cooling: toasty The CPU heads up to ~ 70degC when you give it anything vaguely taxing to do - like wPrime or video transcoding, for instance - and that's just a little too warm for my liking. The 8800GTX is a much better thermal performer, I have to say, sitting at a rock steady 84degC in Furmark for as long as it took me to get bored However, a Q6600 and one 8800GTX, both at stock speeds, just isn't going to set the world alight, performance-wise. So, enter Project Cunning Plan: an absolutely ridiculous scheme to fit some decent watercooling into the same mid-tower that already houses Kali, allowing me to go for some insane overclocks. Utterly mad?



Um. Erm, well. Yes. Maybe. All of that has to go in the case? Perhaps now you understand why I chose the project title

Anyway, time for some well earned props to the Hexus regulars who assisted in the accumulation of that lot. D-Tek Fuzion v1 CPU block from Englander. OASE 12v-24v 10W-18W Pump from megah0. 4m of 1/2" ID 3/4" OD black hose + ~12 assorted 1/2" barbs from MoonPig (arrived on Tuesday ). And last, but by no means least: old spacing PA 120.3, 2xmosfet blocks + 2xchipset blocks, 8800GTX full cover waterblock plus a second 8800GTX with waterblock all from GoNz0 (what a star!). I'll also offer up an honorable mention to bored0m, from whom I bought the Corsair TX750W to ensure I had enough juice (and PCI-E connectors) to run everything.

So, that's the base rig, and the watercooling set up that's going into her! I won't ask if you think I'm mad because I obviously am - just tell me exactly *how* mad I am

[scaryjim]

So, first thing to do is to remove Kali from the case to be modded. In the process I removed these:



Trust me, that's as close a view as you want of them! Perhaps I should've just cleaned everything up - but where would be the fun in that One thing I can tell you though - I'm not putting any components back in that case until I've cleaned and vacuumed it

Anyway, removing Kali from her old case was straight forward and uneventful, but left me with another conundrum: what do you do with a Hindu Goddess of Destruction while her home is being refurbished?

Easy: you move her to a generic temporary accommodation!



Yup, you don't get much more generic than that! Another budget ATX mid-tower, but this one in delightful beige. The dark blue trimmings do give it a distinctive appearance though, and I was amazed at how nicely the black DVD drive blended in with it... hmmm, maybe I should just leave her be?



In performing the transplant I removed quite a few extraneous wires (I'd left some spare SATA and PATA cables in the other case for swapping in spare hard drives, but they're really not necessary here). Eagle-eyes readers will notice that the power supply has miraculously changed from a Corsair TX750W to a less impressive-looking unit - don't be fooled by the humdrum appearance though: that's an Antec TruePower Trio, a very high quality PSU. It's in there because I have plans for the TX750W, which will become clear later. For now, however, I've got the modding case emptied, so tomorrow the fun begins!

[GoNz0]

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nukking futter

you have the rad grille don't you ? just on the off chance it has to be mounted on the top

[scaryjim]

I do have the rad grille, yes But it'd give far too much away if I said any more about that

[nibbler]

Been waiting a long time for this. Can't wait to see how 'well' this goes
Good luck private!

[razer121]

Always like builds! looking at that pc makes me think of my old rig,

[GoNz0]

most of this is my old rig, including the cpu block i sold englander

[scaryjim]

... including the cpu block i sold englander

LOL! What goes around comes around, eh?

[GoNz0]

hexus.recycle

[Biscuit]

/subscribed

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Since it was unexpectedly sunny in Manchester today, I went on a mushroom hunt and took my wife out for a posh dinner in Didsbury, so I've not done any cutting or modding yet - that's to come tomorrow (probably!).

It still drizzled though...!

So this first post is just an outline of the project, to introduce Kali, and give you an idea of how I'm setting up. So, meet Kali:

[scaryjim]

@CAT: I originally had aspirations of doing artistic stuff in the way of case windows or a big fretwork cutout of a representation of Kali. Then I realised that my artistic skills just weren't up to it

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

@CAT: I originally had aspirations of doing artistic stuff in the way of case windows or a big fretwork cutout of a representation of Kali. Then I realised that my artistic skills just weren't up to it

Can't you just stick a drawing of Kali on the side of your PC?

[Pob255]

This is going to be an interesting one, I'm looking forward to it.

Dear god! how much dust? Won't some body think of the fans?

Somehow I don't think that 120.3 rad will fit in the top without some major surgery to the case structure.
But fitting it to the bottom as an intake would make good sense.

[mycarsavw]

<subscribed>

How were the 'shrooms maaaaaan?

[scaryjim]

Somehow I don't think that 120.3 rad will fit in the top without some major surgery to the case structure.

Watch and learn, young padawan I can't fit it in the bottom as the lower graphics cards will be in the second PCI slot up, so there wouldn't be clearance for the rad and fans...

How were the 'shrooms maaaaaan?

Just finished identifying the largest haul, and it turns out they're an edible species, but a little uninspiring flavour-wise. Haven't decided what to do with them yet, but once we've cooked them up and eaten them I'll let you know