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Chimera Industries Cerberus: The 18L, mATX, USA-made enclosure

Kooki

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Mar 30, 2016
129
56
It is the Gigabyte X399 Designare EX, missing the middle hole in the top row, there is a heatsink where it should be.

I used a dremel to remove the standoff in the case to make sure it did not make contact with the PCB.

I would have loved seeing the MB standoffs being screwed in with a supplied tool or head for screwdriver, so that I did not have to dremel it : P

Other than that I'm happy as can be!


Screwed standoffs would be nice as it also adds compatibility to mATX boards to the CerberusX!
No idea how it'd affect cost and manufacturing difficulty, though.
 
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BasicPowerUser

Minimal Tinkerer
Mar 2, 2018
4
0
there are fairly simple workarounds to both issues

couple layers of electrical tape on the standoff should work fine
idk if they make a plastic insert to fit in or thread into unused standoffs with a flat top
main thing is to make the standoff non conductive

i think it was already mentioned the solution for mATX, the plastic snap in stand offs
 
Last edited:

MaskedNozza

Chassis Packer
May 4, 2017
13
4
At LONG LAST the windowed side panels are ready! Now I can pick my colour and get the case. However, I have 2 questions. I've seen the backside panel with vents. Is there actually room and/or mounts behind the motherboard tray to mount fans or are the vents for show? Also, are the prices all in USD, not just parts but shipping costs as well? I'm in AUS so I want to know what it's actually going to be costing me.
 

Qrash

Cable-Tie Ninja
Aug 10, 2015
198
152
there are fairly simple workarounds to both issues

couple layers of electrical tape on the standoff should work fine
idk if they make a plastic insert to fit in or thread into unused standoffs with a flat top
main thing is to make the standoff non conductive

i think it was already mentioned the solution for mATX, the plastic snap in stand offs

On my Asus mini-ITX motherboard the VRM circuitry is on a daughterboard that is secured to the motherboard by a screw at the same location as one of the motherboard standoffs. It was necessary to unthread this screw, align the motherboard to the standoffs, and screw into the standoffs including the one at the end of the daughterboard. Would this have been possible for this Gigabyte board?
 

Johnny0971

Caliper Novice
Dec 19, 2017
24
37
On my Asus mini-ITX motherboard the VRM circuitry is on a daughterboard that is secured to the motherboard by a screw at the same location as one of the motherboard standoffs. It was necessary to unthread this screw, align the motherboard to the standoffs, and screw into the standoffs including the one at the end of the daughterboard. Would this have been possible for this Gigabyte board?

No, it wouldn't have been possible.
 

Syr

Cable Smoosher
Feb 17, 2018
10
8
Been waiting for those side panels! Finally got my cerberus ordered!

Is it possible to stick some 1U (40mm) server fans under the SFX PSU when the PSU is installed in the front? (as in, in the gap on the fronnt between the SFX PSU and the motherboard side of the case) I'll find out in a few days anyways when the case (sans windowed panel) arrives, but I was hoping to know ahead of time so i could just have the necessary parts in hand.
 
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KSliger

King of Cable Management
Sliger Designs
May 8, 2015
855
3,186
At LONG LAST the windowed side panels are ready! Now I can pick my colour and get the case. However, I have 2 questions. I've seen the backside panel with vents. Is there actually room and/or mounts behind the motherboard tray to mount fans or are the vents for show? Also, are the prices all in USD, not just parts but shipping costs as well? I'm in AUS so I want to know what it's actually going to be costing me.

No room to put anything back there, but it does provide ventilation to the underside of the CPU socket. And looks nice and symmetrical!

All prices are in USD, correct, I will update site to add a note of that.

Been waiting for those side panels! Finally got my cerberus ordered!

Is it possible to stick some 1U (40mm) server fans under the SFX PSU when the PSU is installed in the front? (as in, in the gap on the fronnt between the SFX PSU and the motherboard side of the case) I'll find out in a few days anyways when the case (sans windowed panel) arrives, but I was hoping to know ahead of time so i could just have the necessary parts in hand.

Only 25mm of space there, won't fit. Curious what you're trying to cool though?
 

Syr

Cable Smoosher
Feb 17, 2018
10
8
I have a supermicro X11SPM-F https://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon/C620/X11SPM-F.cfm w/ all 6 ram slots populated

and a dynatron B5 https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/eIgAAOSwvp5ZgPoQ/s-l640.jpg

I am trying to provide some additional front -> back airflow across the ram and for the cpu cooler. The problem with the rear SFX PSU mount is that there were no exhaust holes, its a solid plate, so the hot exhaust would hit that and the powersupply before being pushed upwards and out of the case. A lot of heat transfer to the case and PSU chassis would take place there, and I found its typically preferable to just have a fan at the back to exhaust out that hot air (the case will still get hot in that area under load, but it will do so less fast and it will cool off faster)

With 25mm case fans fit, or will there not be any screw holes that line up?
 

Syr

Cable Smoosher
Feb 17, 2018
10
8
I couldn't edit my previous post (I think the software thinks its spam-like due to the links), but i also had the thought that perhaps thin blower fans attached to the side of the PSU with a divider installed to only pull in outside air might also do the trick.
 

KSliger

King of Cable Management
Sliger Designs
May 8, 2015
855
3,186
I have a supermicro X11SPM-F https://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon/C620/X11SPM-F.cfm w/ all 6 ram slots populated

and a dynatron B5 https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/eIgAAOSwvp5ZgPoQ/s-l640.jpg

I am trying to provide some additional front -> back airflow across the ram and for the cpu cooler. The problem with the rear SFX PSU mount is that there were no exhaust holes, its a solid plate, so the hot exhaust would hit that and the powersupply before being pushed upwards and out of the case. A lot of heat transfer to the case and PSU chassis would take place there, and I found its typically preferable to just have a fan at the back to exhaust out that hot air (the case will still get hot in that area under load, but it will do so less fast and it will cool off faster)

With 25mm case fans fit, or will there not be any screw holes that line up?


Do you have the handle kit? Can mount a 120mm (or a 140mm fan with 120mm holes) there. The rear plate also has room to mount a 92mm fan. I'd also put a 120mm fan on the side hinge bracket.

If you can make a 3D model of a bracket to adapt a 280mm AIO of your choice to the socket I'll make it for you.
Here's the Thermal Design Guide, bolster drawings on page 140ish

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/guides/xeon-scalable-thermal-guide.pdf
 

KSliger

King of Cable Management
Sliger Designs
May 8, 2015
855
3,186
I couldn't edit my previous post (I think the software thinks its spam-like due to the links), but i also had the thought that perhaps thin blower fans attached to the side of the PSU with a divider installed to only pull in outside air might also do the trick.

I'd have to get a better idea of the overall setup to give any ideas - CPU, cards, etc.

Board has 9 fan headers so you're in no way limited.
 

Syr

Cable Smoosher
Feb 17, 2018
10
8
I completely forgot about the side hinge bracket! :| - Using that would certainly be a good idea and would probably solve the whiole issue.

I've got the handle kit ordered for my case.

As for an AIO, the dies in these CPUs are huge so likely the only viable option would one of the threadripper/epyc-specific AIOs since i dont believe that traditional consumer AIOs meant for 115x or AMx sockets are able to properly cover the die. If the side mounted fan doesn't provide adequate cooling (it probably will work great though) I'll look into the AIO adapter!

I saw significant improvements going from a traditional consumer AIO (tried several asetek ones including 240mm and 360mm) to one designed for SP3/TR4 (from enermax) on my personal threadripper build at home.
 

galletabah

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Feb 9, 2016
136
88
i'm waiting on a windowed side panel before i take glamour shots. do you want to see anything in particular?
I will buy the case and I have an asus strix 1080ti and want to see how many space I hace to mount my new alphacool eisbaer lt240
 

KSliger

King of Cable Management
Sliger Designs
May 8, 2015
855
3,186
I will buy the case and I have an asus strix 1080ti and want to see how many space I hace to mount my new alphacool eisbaer lt240

Can you measure the outside dimensions of that radiator? Should fit not problem, but I'm skeptical on the length.
 
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