Looking for comments/idea's

[Cova]

I'm going to be doing a complete overhaul/upgrade of my system in the very near future (required to be up and running before Fragapalooza), and I'm looking for some different opinions on my plans before I go spend the money on them. My current system is already water-cooled, and consists of:

KT7A-RAID MB with TBird 1333 @ 1533
512MB PC133 RAM
2x40GB and 2x60GB HD's (2 RAID-0 arrays)
Radeon 9700Pro All In Wonder video (stock cooling)
ViaAqua 1300 pump, BlackIce rad (original high-restriction one), Maze-2 WB
Other assorted parts that don't matter here.

My upgrade will consist of:

Asus A7V8X Deluxe
1GB Corsair TwinX
Barton CPU (likely 2500+, may go up a step if price is right)
Considering a pair of SATA HD's and put all my old drives in my file server
Keeping video card, but adding GPU WB and ram-sinks
northbridge also to be watercooled
CPU WB to be upgraded
Rad to be upgraded
Pump will probably have to be upgraded, plan on running all three blocks in series.
Considering HD water-cooling.
Would like to get this case: http://www.antec-inc.com/pro_details...p?ProdID=81046

Now..., I've got two problems that I'm having trouble deciding on.

1. What blocks to use to cool everything. I plan on it all being visible, and would prefer poly-topped blocks where possible. Currently looking at Maze-4 and DangerDen chipset blocks, and a Swiftec GPU block (I like their radeon mounting stuff). Shipping to Canada can get expensive if I order many different types of things from many places, so I'm trying to keep it to as few online stores as possible - the above allows me to order everything from Dangerden.com except the GPU block (I can get BI Extreme rad and Eheim pump from dangerden, which are my prefered rad and pump options) The case, MB, CPU, etc. I plan on buying locally.

2. I'd like to mount the rad in the front-bottom of the case and take advantage of the large air-filter that that case has, but I'd like to do it without cutting the lower HD bay out of the case. This leaves about 10.5cm of space between the case bottom and the bottom of the drive-bay. The case will be raised off the floor (feet or wheels I'm not sure yet which), so mounting the rad to exhaust out the bottom is a possibility, but that still doesn't allow a 120mm fan to stand under the drive bays. And I have no idea where I'm going to put the pump, except that if I have to I'll place it just like my current ViaAqua is - in front of the PCI slots. Likely the ONLY card in the system will be the AGP card, but I'd still rather keep the area in front of the MB clear of large parts.

[Pritorian]

I would change the Motherboard too the Nforce 2 and not the Via KT400 board.
Probably what you where aiming at but the V inn the mobo name indicates a Via mobo, and i didn´t think thay made a delux ver. of it..

The Via board is a worse performer then the Nforces one´s.

The rest looks real nice

Well just my tought..

-P-

[bigben2k]

Some options:

1-Go with the Black Ice Micro. I'd then drop the 1250 for a 1048.

2-Go with the heatercore, bottom mounted, and put in a clear acrylic duct. Add lights (why not?). Keep the 1250.

3-Same as #2, but duct from the two fans in the back of the case (bad for overall airflow).


Is a top mounted rad an option? How about a side mounted one?

Would you consider putting both HDDs in the top HD bay (they do fit), and sticking the pump in the second one?

[Cova]

Oops, typo. I did mean the NForce2 chipset board, not the Via one. (after all, I did say I am getting TwinX ram, and would have no PCI cards - using integrated NIC and audio from the NForce).

bigben: I don't think a BI Micro would give me anywhere near enough cooling. I do plan on OCing both the vid-card and the CPU to the max, and I'm not afraid of upping voltages to the max I can get short of modding the boards.

Your option two I don't quite understand... What are you thinking of for pushing air around in that scenario? And I'm already planning on having the case lit-up. Any shrouds I end up building will be made from acrylic. I have a feeling number three would not work well at all - it would be a long and hard to build duct to clear the AGP card and stuff, and would make accessing the AGP and PCI slots a real pain in the ass if I ever needed too.

Anything is an option - my first post is just my preferences. I'd like to have the rad in the lower front (like my current setup) and keep all my drive bays, but I can't think of a good way to do it (which is why I asked here). I am willing to sacrifice some of these things though if they just can't work well. The top-panel must have a carrying handle attached that is centered above the case's point of balance (likely will be around 2/3 the way forward if weight distribution is similar to my current case), the side-panel will have a window of some type in it - a friend of mine who is a graphic artist is brainstorming ideas for it. Working within those limitations, anything is possible, and I will trade-off my original requests if it is required or there are large performance gains.

Also, keep in mind I don't like res's. The system will (like my current system) have a T somewhere for a fill-line / air-trap, and with the top of the T-line closed will be air-tight to at least 20 or 30 psi. Keeps evaporation to a minimum, keeps oxygen out of the coolant (if something does start to grow, not much will grow before it runs out of oxygen and stops), and doesn't use as much space in the case. If the T / fill-line can be located somewhere near the front so that I can make a little 1/2" wide, few inch long window along the fill-tube as a water-level gauge, it would be convienient. (I currently have such a window, but it is located near the back at the top of the side-panel)

[Sproket]

Back to the mobo issue.
I prefer the Abit 2.0 or Epox Nforce2's.
My opinion and others, they are the 2 best.

I have a Epox 8rda+ and Im sticking with it.


Here is a great link on both boards

http://www.8rdafaq.com/

[bigben2k]

In option 2, you use the same front fan.

It means making a special shroud, one that will redirect the flow from horizontal to vertical. It isn't preferred, but it will work.

You really don't have a million options here. I knew you were after some performance, so I can only really see the bottom mounted heatercore working for you. What's left is how to fit the fan(s).

You could mount a lit/colored fan in the side panel, to assist the front fan, as described above. Mounted correctly, it shouldn't hinder the operation of the door. I happen to know that you're capable of doing this . It would certainly be unique!

Alternatively, you could try to get creative with that long VW(?, ref HC DB) heatercore, but I just can't picture how it'd fit.