Build Log - Corsair Obsidian 900D

[TeaLeaf]

Whilst coming to terms with the delay imposed on the build by lack of connecting parts, I did some work on the loop and decided a change was in order.  So the original pump/reservoir combo has been RMA'd to overclockers and replaced by a separate pump with a separate reservoir: the XSPC Photon 270.

[TeaLeaf]

Quiet day on the build front as I'm still waiting for the connectors.

Filled the hot-swap bays today with a 256GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD as the main boot drive and 2 x 3TB mechanicals to fill out the storage.
Fitted the top 480 radiator & gasket.
Also measured and put some marks inside the case which will need drilling tomorrow so that I can mount the reservoir.

[TeaLeaf]

Located a nice position for the reservoir this afternoon, the mounting bracket screws are just long enough to allow me to mount the plate between and resting on the rubber cable routing grommets, so I marked out carefully and made sure it was mounted vertically and then took a deep breath and put a power dirll to my 900D.    Really pleased with the result, the reservoir is going to look awesome once it has the red cooling fluid in it and the 'white' tube is lit from within by the white LED that plugs into the bottom of the reservoir.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2343[/ATTACH]

[Sneakytiger]

will we see this beast at the lan tl or is it not transportable?

[TeaLeaf]

It will probably not come to the LAN as it will weigh a huge amount and both times I transported my current water-cooled PC to the LAN it didn't take to kindly to it and broke. :sad:

[TeaLeaf]

Disppointing week so far, I'm still waiting for the dry connectors.  I chased the UK supplier today and he said that there must have been a misunderstanding as they don't arrive until the middle of *next* week, not this.   Well, I know what the guy said to me when I ordered them, he even called Germany to check when they would arrive, so I'm peeved that they are still not here.   No dry connects means no loop, which means I am pretty much stuck until they arrive.  :sad:

So, to cheer myself up somewhat I installed the CPU and waterblock today.     First I masked off the contacts on the top of the CPU and gave them a good coating of nail varnish (yep, you read it correctly).
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2349[/ATTACH]

Once that had dried I cleaned the CPU again, then got out the Liquid Pro and gave it a dollop.    The syringe in the picture holds 0.3ml and the recommended 'dose' is a very small 0.003ml.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2350[/ATTACH]
You can see from the above picture just how small 0.003ml looks!    The Liquid Pro was spread with a cotton bud and the CPU die takes on a wierd shimmering look once it has been spread, sort of like the liquid metal terminator from the film Terminator 2!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2351[/ATTACH]
The above cotton bud has an incredibly small amount of Liquid Pro on the tip, confirming just how spreadable this TIM really is, so I'm hoping for some excellent core temps once this PC is up and running.

Final job of the day was then to mount the CPU into the Haswell socket, place the Intel heat spreader on top of the die and then, clamp it into place with Intel's locking lever.     I added some Noctua NH-1 tim to the IHS and then mounted the XSPC Raystorm waterblock (including the backplate).    There did not seem to be much length in the mounting bolts, they only just seemed to reach through the mobo to the backplate, so I am hoping that I have not inadvertently crushed the cpu pins in the process!  I guess I'll find out when I get to boot stage.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2352[/ATTACH]
I replaced the default black faceplate with an optional red faceplate and I really like the look of it.   Next to the Raystorm waterblock you can also see some of the XSPC angle & compression mounts that are being installed.  The one on the right is the normal 'black chrome' G1/4" compression fitting, whereas the one on the left has a G1/4" 45^o rotating mount into which the standard G1/4" compression mount is fitted.   The dry fit connectors are unofrtunately a boring black, but it was either that or chrome and the black will probably blend in better with the case (I hope).

All done for today though and I'm now back to waiting for these darned Koolance dry connects to arrive :doh:

[Gandalf]

Are you not concerned about that q-tip leaving cotton fibres in the TIM? The best way I've found for spreading TIM is get a surgical glove on and use your finger!

[TeaLeaf]

Coolaboratory don't seem concerned so I followed their lead:

[video=youtube;qFhbqiFh9Us]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFhbqiFh9Us[/video]

I usually use the side of a creditcard for spreading TIM paste, but this stuff 'flows' and doesn't need the same pressure, just a very light wipe seems to spread it sufficiently.

[TeaLeaf]

Just had it confirmed that my QD3 order is part of a bigger shipment that has now left Germany but is not due with the suppliers until Wednesday, so FedEx allowing, I should get them on Thursday.   Fingers crossed they arrive so I can get on with finishing this build, it is so frustrating having parts just sat there and not being able to power them up. :sad:

[TeaLeaf]

So frustrated at the moment.  The connectors I am waiting for were originally due last week, then last week they told me that the shipment was in transit but would not arrive with the UK distributor until Wednesday this week, so when I chased them today you can guess how ticked off I was to be told that the shipment was delayed and had not even left Germany yet.  So now the last bits I need for this build are stuck in the eurozone and I do not even have a delivery date yet.  It's the very last thing I need to finish the build

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[Chaosphere]

I experimented with different TIM application methods once, out of curiosity (and a little boredom), by trying a method, mounting, running prime95 overnight, and then seeing how the TIM looked afterwards. There was no difference whatsoever in the spread of the stuff, the pressure from the heatsink and heat from the CPU spreads it out evenly enough once its on. Temps were the same too, the only thing that really made a difference there was using too much or too little.

[TeaLeaf]

Finally zee beast is being built.   Dry connects arrived and the water-cooling loop is being put together, I'm just trying to make a final decision on the routing at the bottom of the loop from an aesthetics point of view.   Hoping to get around to doing the first fill this weekend and then 24 hours of leak-testing!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2377[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2378[/ATTACH]

The rear of the case has room to run a tube up behind the motherboard tray and into the top radiator which I think makes the loop look really clea n & neat.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2379[/ATTACH]

[sulky_uk]

wow ...what a rig...nice build


you should be just about able to run arma 3

[TeaLeaf]

Today is a good day :biggrin:

The loop was completed, checked and the PSU tricked into powering up the pump even though it was not plugged into the motherboard.    Leak testing has begun!   No major leaks were immediately apparent and the coolant level has held steady for 30 minutes now and tissue paper has been added to check for slower leaks.   It will be left running overnight for final confirmation of 'no leaks' and to help the system bleed itself of the air bubbles.  The system took a full 2 litres of Mayhem's X1 UV Red coolant.



Here's the route map for the loop that is now running in.

1.  From pump up the back of the case and then into the top 480 radiator.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2393[/ATTACH]

2. In what I now realise is a very shaky shot (apologies), loop goes from top radiator into CPU, then to GPU1 then to GPU2 and then drops down into the bottom of the case to travel along to the bottom 360 radiator.  
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2394[/ATTACH]
Beneath reservoir you can see that there are two tubes coming out off the bottom, one is the return from the bottom 360 radiator and the other then drops directly down to the pump (see below).

3. In this piccie you can see the pump inlet (horizontal tube coming into the right side of the pump) which has dropped down from the reservoir.   I've used a 90 degree fitting and inserted an in-flow water temperature sensor which will be attached to a red digital display which I will then mount internally within the case in a position yet to be decided but to be visible through the side window.   The top horizontal tube is the 'pump out' which goes to the top radiator as in picture 1.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2395[/ATTACH]

4. Spaghetti junction for the loop with 4 tubes on show: top 2 tubes are (on left) the pump->toprad, and (on right) return from bottomrad->reservoir.    Bottom 2 tubes are (on left) the return from reservoir->pump-in(with 90 degree fitting) and (on right) the return from GPU2->bottomrad.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2398[/ATTACH]

5. It's difficult to see in the daylight with all of the case sides off, but I am loving the way the reservoir looks with the central rod being lit by a single 3mm LED mounted between the inlets at the bottom.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2396[/ATTACH]

Assuming no leaks are discovered overnight (blood red coolant on my wife's light sandstone carpet should be pretty easy to spot), then tomorrow I'll start plugging things in and installing & tidying up the wiring loom.   I'll post more piccies once the work is done and its looking a bit neater.

[sulky_uk]

and again ....WOW