Dr. Zaber Sentry AIO Cooled W/Full sized GPU

[Illoominatty]

Well the title sums it all up. I'm gonna install a 120mm AIO cooler in the sentry kind of like that guy on the BITWIT youtube channel did with his Node 202 with great results. This idea was mentioned on hardware forum but I never saw anything of it. I'm gonna try a couple of different options as stated in the photo below before going full dremel or hole saw on this case. I don't expect anything crazy amazing but should be good for a light overclock on a 95W TDP CPU. The noctua fan should help with the confines of the space given and static pressure.

 

[SaperPL]

Do you realise that 1070 Strix will not fit inside Sentry?

I believe one of the backers neglected our advise and checked physically that his Strix did not fit.

Also running a Strix-class card off DC-ATX adapter might not go perfectly considering increased power draw of those units.

 

[Illoominatty]

Oh I was just going off of what I saw this photo. But thats okay it doesn't have to be a strix. But I'm sure if I realized it I wouldn't have mentioned it... Also my PSU is rated for a 1080ti So i'm sure I'll be ok.

 

[NuclearLemons]

Oh I was just going off of what I saw this photo. But thats okay it doesn't have to be a strix. But I'm sure if I realized it I wouldn't have mentioned it... Also my PSU is rated for a 1080ti So i'm sure I'll be ok.

yes he did fit it, but as he described in his message, he only got it to fit by taking the entire case apart and cutting of the ends of some screws.

 

[SaperPL]

That's interesting. Can you link here the whole build and not only this single photo? Photos from the top and back would tell us how did it fit.

EDIT: wow, actually we've shared this photo as well His post on it: https://hardforum.com/threads/sentr...case-project.1832126/page-123#post-1043164321

By spec this card should be 4 mm too wide to fit inside Sentry. Looks like the spec are not so real here ...

There was a backer that had one of the big cards installed in the slot and made the photo from the back of the case showing how much the card stands out so the side bracket wasn't even installed. He had posted this photo on twitter with comment that was something like "of course it won't fit...". I can't seem to find this tweet now, but I was pretty sure that was about the Strix card.

 

[NuclearLemons]

That's interesting. Can you link here the whole build and not only this single photo? Photos from the top and back would tell us how did it fit. EDIT: wow, actually we've shared this photo as well

By spec this card should be 4 mm too wide to fit inside Sentry, so if the dimensions on the product site are real, there's some modding in place for this card to fit like removing the card's PCI bracket and shaving off some plastic from the riser's pci-e slot so it goes further inside the mounting gap.

There was a backer that had one of the Strix cards installed in the slot and made the photo from the back of the case showing how much the card stands out so the side bracket wasn't even installed. He had posted this photo on twitter with comment that was something like "of course it won't fit...". I can't seem to find this tweet now, but I'm pretty sure that was about the Strix card.

i found the post of the guy who fit it and what he did,

 

[SaperPL]

Anyway getting back to the topic - if this build is supposed to work properly:

Make sure that your power brick and DC-ATX board can handle Strix - the card has expanded power section to provide more power meaning it'll take more than what reference 1070 does. It might be something like 180W instead of 150W. If it can't give that much power to the card then you'll be overpaying for it unnecessarily.

Print your vent layout on a piece of paper including the outline of the radiator before drilling. Even before you do that, I'd recommend mounting the motherboard with the AIO and figuring out a plan to route the hoses and power cables.

Lock the case in place before drilling and figure out how to drill holes centred according to your printed layout before drilling.

Finally make sure to clean off the case properly after drilling so metal shavings won't short-circuit your components.

 

[Illoominatty]

yes he did fit it, but as he described in his message, he only got it to fit by taking the entire case apart and cutting of the ends of some screws.

Yes I knew some modoing was required.

 

[Illoominatty]

Anyway getting back to the topic - if this build is supposed to work properly:

Make sure that your power brick and DC-ATX board can handle Strix - the card has expanded power section to provide more power meaning it'll take more than what reference 1070 does. It might be something like 180W instead of 150W. If it can't give that much power to the card then you'll be overpaying for it unnecessarily.

Print your vent layout on a piece of paper including the outline of the radiator before drilling. Even before you do that, I'd recommend mounting the motherboard with the AIO and figuring out a plan to route the hoses and power cables.

Lock the case in place before drilling and figure out how to drill holes centred according to your printed layout before drilling.

Finally make sure to clean off the case properly after drilling so metal shavings won't short-circuit your components.

Thanks for the advice but modding cases isn't new to me. Also I'm a machinist and welder so metal working isn't a stranger to me. Thanks again though.

 

[lyang238]

I got some plans for dual 120 mm rads + pump. I'll let you guys know how that goes

 

[Illoominatty]

I got some plans for dual 120 mm rads + pump. I'll let you guys know how that goes

Awesome! I was already thinking thats possible too probably will have to cut the case though.

 

[quetzacoatlx]

Do you realise that 1070 Strix will not fit inside Sentry?

I believe one of the backers neglected our advise and checked physically that his Strix did not fit.

Also running a Strix-class card off DC-ATX adapter might not go perfectly considering increased power draw of those units.

Besides, is it possible for you to confirm that if an EKWB water block + a reference card can fit inside the sentry?

Some one did a custom water cooling loop in the node 202, since the water block can turn a GPU single slot so he could fit in an 240mm radiator aside the card. There is as thin as 22mm radiators and 10mm 120 fans, but the sentry may not be tall enough for the tube connector on the water block.

 

[SaperPL]

Besides, is it possible for you to confirm that if an EKWB water block + a reference card can fit inside the sentry?

Some one did a custom water cooling loop in the node 202, since the water block can turn a GPU single slot so he could fit in an 240mm radiator aside the card. There is as thin as 22mm radiators and 10mm 120 fans, but the sentry may not be tall enough for the tube connector on the water block.

It doesn't look like the extension that has holes for tube fittings would fit inside the case. Note the fact that we have 18 mm of space for GPU oversize and the holes themselves are 12.9 mm but there's a lot of material around them. Remember that node 202 is significantly bigger not only for the space wasting construction but also to support bigger cards and coolers than Sentry.

 

[lyang238]

Awesome! I was already thinking thats possible too probably will have to cut the case though.

I don't think you'll have to cut the case. There are some radiator mounts you can buy which should be able to put in push with fans blowing out of the case. I am getting these so you shouldn't have to drill holes
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...ADH-BK.html?tl=g30c637s1731&id=qsyUqR6x#blank

 

[Illoominatty]

I meant for the radiator

 

[Illoominatty]

Good news! It fits decently. At least good enough. I'm gonna use a slim noctua 120 mm fan. I'm actually thinking of making a 120 bracket that hooks to the ssd screw holes. Or just attach it to the vent holes on the side panel.

 

[Illoominatty]

So I went ahead and just mounted it to the inside of the case so its easier to work with and now it should also have amazing airflow for the radiator. :3

 

[quetzacoatlx]

So I went ahead and just mounted it to the inside of the case so its easier to work with and now it should also have amazing airflow for the radiator. :3

What do you use for PSU? DC-ATX?

 

[lyang238]

Nice which AIO did you end up going with?

 

[Illoominatty]

What do you use for PSU? DC-ATX?

G-unique