Log [COMPLETE] X300-M(AX): A watercooled sandwich style X300M build! [5.6-5.9L, 12V!]

[msystems]

I've used the X300 in my 12V powered DSX1 for quite some time and can confirm it works perfectly fine. One thing to note: if you don't like soldering the DC input wires directly to the motherboard I would try to find a (very) good quality DC barrel connector. The cheap ones won't last long with the higher amps that come with using 12VDC.

Good warning!.. Time to do some research I guess

Highest rated plug i can see on Mouser that is actually ROHS cert is an 8amp plug. https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/670/pp3_002bh-1778632.pdf

Switchcraft, who makes cables and plugs in USA for medical grade devices, audio, ect. on their standard DC barrels, they make only 5a max, ROHS. Seem reluctant to spec higher. Hmm
https://www.switchcraft.com/Specification.aspx?Parent=959

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/393/760-765_cd-371293.pdf

Amazon, just examining the pigtails and the thickest wire seen is 18awg and even that is fake. Actually its more like 20-22 awg on most these, more than 3a = . Looking on the magical ali express here is some 16awg pigtails claiming 10 amps, but with no rating on the wire, so no doubt they are the kind of wire that changes to silly putty at heat shrink temperatures.

The highest 19v brick I can find that using DC barrel design is HP Workstation brick, for 200w at just over 10 amps. After that wattage, it seems that dc bricks are using the safer design of a 4-pin mini DIN or 8-pin Molex like Dell 220w.

So the common theme I see is that a dc barrel plug is not used beyond 10 amps, but even to get above 8 amps is a bit questionable, with the typical design being 3-5a. So I understand how soldering would be safer for 12v, you don't have to worry about hitting the design limit of the DC barrel.

 

[REVOCCASES]

Good warning!.. Time to do some research I guess

Highest rated plug i can see on Mouser that is actually ROHS cert is an 8amp plug. https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/670/pp3_002bh-1778632.pdf

Switchcraft, who makes cables and plugs in USA for medical grade devices, audio, ect. on their standard DC barrels, they make only 5a max, ROHS. Seem reluctant to spec higher. Hmm
https://www.switchcraft.com/Specification.aspx?Parent=959

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/393/760-765_cd-371293.pdf

Amazon, just examining the pigtails and the thickest wire seen is 18awg and even that is fake. Actually its more like 20-22 awg on most these, more than 3a = . Looking on the magical ali express here is some 16awg pigtails claiming 10 amps, but with no rating on the wire, so no doubt they are the kind of wire that changes to silly putty at heat shrink temperatures.

The highest 19v brick I can find that using DC barrel design is HP Workstation brick, for 200w at just over 10 amps. After that wattage, it seems that dc bricks are using the safer design of a 4-pin mini DIN or 8-pin Molex like Dell 220w.

So the common theme I see is that a dc barrel plug is not used beyond 10 amps, but even to get above 8 amps is a bit questionable, with the typical design being 3-5a. So I understand how soldering would be safer for 12v, you don't have to worry about hitting the design limit of the DC barrel.

From my experience it's fine if the connector and cable is really rated for 10A (but those are hard to find). If you adjust your PSU to 12.4VDC that gives you a total wattage of 124W which IMHO you usually won't need in a "normal" use case scenario - at least not continuesly.

I can't find the link right now but I had good success with gold plated copper barrel connectors that are usually used for "HiFi" applications.

 

[Curiosity]

ITS ALIVE!!!
and needs a few small things, finialized side panels, a touched up riser riser (and/or the 4.0 version of the riser) small stuff.
Then I can add the watercooling and call it done!

 

[Curiosity]

I also will need to mount the power button and front type C and generate the audio passthrough

 

[msystems]

Any backstory on your funky purple power cable? Is that a serial connector?

 

[Valantar]

ITS ALIVE!!!
and needs a few small things, finialized side panels, a touched up riser riser (and/or the 4.0 version of the riser) small stuff.
Then I can add the watercooling and call it done!

I have to ask (since I'm suddenly thinking of having a case made myself, though not as cool as this one), what did this end up costing you?

Also: love the tight margins around that CPU cooler. Not that it's staying, but I can imagine the annoyance if that had hit the panel

 

[Curiosity]

Any backstory on your funky purple power cable? Is that a serial connector?

Revocases found it! It's a D-Sub style connector but it's rated for 1000VAC, has 3 large pins.
I put the male side on the case side, and the female side on the cable. And as a rule I'll always plug in the cable to the pc first.

I have to ask (since I'm suddenly thinking of having a case made myself, though not as cool as this one), what did this end up costing you?

Also: love the tight margins around that CPU cooler. Not that it's staying, but I can imagine the annoyance if that had hit the panel

This has cost me about $100 so far. Both sides were ~$50 and the top and bottom panel were $10 each, and I had a coupon lol
If you design the case to only need flat panels it can be a lot less, the bending costs $20 per part which shoots the price up quickly.
I saw someone made a case using printed corners to hold flat panels together and kinda wished I'd done that a few weeks ago, if for no other reason than cost lol.

Yeah, it's basically touching, that's the price I pay for designing it around a eisbaer Lt solo and just slapping it in with the stock cooler for now haha

 

[msystems]

Err, so how is the x300 board being powered now? I looked at it a bit but im not sure if that gray cable is your dc plug

 

[Curiosity]

Err, so how is the x300 board being powered now? I looked at it a bit but im not sure if that gray cable is your dc plug

Thanks! but I have to admit that's the DP cable..
The actual solution is both more and less elegant, behold poor pictures i quickly took this morning:

I think these kind of showcase the flaws I need to address as well. Showing where the sausage is made a bit lmao

 

[msystems]

Ok, that's kinda what i figured you did but it wasn't shown. Id say you did about as good as possible at keeping that dc cable short and clean, given the limitation that its running from inside to outside.

 

[Curiosity]

I'm considering sleeving it to match, especially since it rubs against the case body on it's way out.
But i agree, and thank you!

I am considering soldering an MR30 connector onto the back of the DC barrel on the board, I think revocases has done it before.
It makes it much cleaner but the chance to RMA would be gone lol

 

[msystems]

Thinking the same, but with xt90 then putting this on the case cause my dc source is outside.

I will let your build be the guinea pig for soldering.

 

[Curiosity]

well, you'll hear about it here if I do

 

[Valantar]

This has cost me about $100 so far. Both sides were ~$50 and the top and bottom panel were $10 each, and I had a coupon lol
If you design the case to only need flat panels it can be a lot less, the bending costs $20 per part which shoots the price up quickly.
I saw someone made a case using printed corners to hold flat panels together and kinda wished I'd done that a few weeks ago, if for no other reason than cost lol.

Cool, thanks for the info. That's exactly what I'm thinking of doing, actually: though not just corners but "seams" if you will, i.e. corners + trusses between them, so that the panels sit up against and screw into a printed ledge. I have barely started thinking of this, let alone designed anyting or landed on a layout, so we'll see what (if anything) it ends up being. But the idea was exactly what you're saying: to avoid bends and be able to work with cut flat panels only, while still making for a good-looking and sturdy build. The reason for the trusses is to soften the corners of the case (easier to pack and handle) without having to resort to very thick panelling or bends.

 

[Danlopez1222]

I really should have looked around regarding the A300/X300 accepting a 12V input. I just bought a 450W 18V brick from a supplier in China and a 300W PSU for my planned 5700G RX6800 build. 12V would have made my PSU choices much cheaper.

 

[Valantar]

I really should have looked around regarding the A300/X300 accepting a 12V input. I just bought a 450W 18V brick from a supplier in China and a 300W PSU for my planned 5700G RX6800 build. 12V would have made my PSU choices much cheaper.

Oh, wow, that sucks. I can't imagine that brick to be cheap, nor there being much choice in terms of efficiency or options in that kind of output range. With 12V you could have gone brickless too :/

 

[Danlopez1222]

Oh, wow, that sucks. I can't imagine that brick to be cheap, nor there being much choice in terms of efficiency or options in that kind of output range. With 12V you could have gone brickless too :/

The power brick is rated at 88% minimum, and the 300W PSU is rated at 92% typical. However, they were $125 and $85 respectively.

It can't be all that bad, as it seems the 5700G itself pulls around 90W via stress testing. I'd be concerned pulling 10+ amps through that barrel connector at 12V, and I'd like to keep the motherboard power rails stock.

The fun part will be wiring in a way to drain PS_ON to ground via USB power trigger- That way the PSU doesn't continuously supply power to the GPU when the system is off.

 

[Curiosity]

That cost hurts, I think the WLP350+ chassis kit only cost me ~$40.
I'm sure the brick will be a solid solution, and the actual PC will be able to be smaller!

My lazy solution for stopping the PC from constantly drawing power has just been to unplug it from the wall, if it works it works.

I tried to make a point of posting about the A300 accepting 12V through the barrel just fine here and on reddit so it would hopefully be searchable, sorry you didn't find it.

 

[msystems]

Possibly of interest, I have found somewhat nicer looking barrel plugs on Ali, although, they don't divulge amperage specification. I am hoping they are higher performance than the ubiquitous chrome barrel connector. They require soldering, but in a way this is good so you can ensure quality wire is being used.

2.24US $ 10% OFF|1pcs/10pcs Taiwan pure copper gold plated DC DC power plug full range of specifications linear power output line DIY|Plug & Connectors| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

I also found an impressive looking Japanese one, probably the nicest one that exists, although it only had a .5 amp rating, which is a bit sad since it looks like it could handle much more.

Oyaide DC 2.1 | DC 2.5

Oyaide DC 2.1 and DC 2.5 connectors for Audiophile DC power cables. In stock, worldwide shipping, with free shipping to USA > $100.

www.vhaudio.com

 

[REVOCCASES]

Possibly of interest, I have found somewhat nicer looking barrel plugs on Ali, although, they don't divulge amperage specification. I am hoping they are higher performance than the ubiquitous chrome barrel connector. They require soldering, but in a way this is good so you can ensure quality wire is being used.

2.24US $ 10% OFF|1pcs/10pcs Taiwan pure copper gold plated DC DC power plug full range of specifications linear power output line DIY|Plug & Connectors| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

those look like the ones I've been using in my previous X300 12V build. I've tested them together with 14AWG wire and the connector/barrel stays well below 65C @ 125W (measured at the DC input side of the X300 board). So I'd say it's safe to use them unless someone manages to pull more wattage with their Deskmini.