Completed Lone Industries L5 - 4.6L Mini ITX

[aquelito]

Hi @Lone

Just writing there to thank you. This is the most amazing case I had the chance to play around with.
I was lucky enough to purchase it at at a great price from a fellow french SFF lover (also ringing @GuilleAcoustic

The case is housing a secondary workstation from leftover parts, that I can easily carry around. To do so, I had to find a way to fit an internal PSU, while keeping the 80mm fans and a dGPU.
WITHOUT MODIFYING THE CASE !

The solution came from an AIO 180W Platinum PSU, namely Lite-On PS-2181-08 and a Weipu SF12 AC connector, which perfectly fits into the original 13 mm diamater hole.




Parts are as follow :

Case : Lone L5 Black
MOBO : DFI CR101-D
CPU : i7 3630QM
CPU Cooler : modded Zalman VF900
GPU : Palit GT 1030 (soon to be replaced by a Radeon Pro WX4100). Fan has been modded to be controlled manually. Unbearable otherwise.
STORAGE : 1TB WD Blue SSD
RAM : HyperX Impact HX316LS9IBK2/8
PSU : Lite-On PS-2181-08 and a Weipu SF12 AC connector
FANS: Noctua Chromax 2x NF-A8 PWM




Some temperature results : after 20 min of OCCT (20°C ambiant temp), CPU temp is stable @ 70°C while the GPU remains at a steady 61°C.

All fans are fed with 5V straight from the onboard Molex connector, since the mobo does not offer PWM control (the PWM fans came with the case).
5V = pretty silent system.



Some poor pics of this little build :

 

[aquelito]

Received the custom Schuko to WEIPU connector for the HDPLEX AC-DC brick from Solidstrands today. Really looking forward to building in the case without having to grind a part of the PCI slots away ?

I had not seen not that you were the first to use a Weipu connector @robinpfeiffer !

I found this one after spending hours searching for the right connector.
I did not trust noname GX12 connectors from Amazon to withstand 230V AC.

 

[Lone]

Hi @Lone

Just writing there to thank you. This is the most amazing case I had the chance to play around with.
I was lucky enough to purchase it at at a great price from a fellow french SFF lover (also ringing @GuilleAcoustic

The case is housing a secondary workstation from leftover parts, that I can easily carry around. To do so, I had to find a way to fit an internal PSU, while keeping the 80mm fans and a dGPU.
WITHOUT MODIFYING THE CASE !

The solution came from an AIO 180W Platinum PSU, namely Lite-On PS-2181-08 and a Weipu SF12 AC connector, which perfectly fits into the original 13 mm diamater hole.

@aquelito You're welcome! Thank you for posting your amazing build.

I've added the Weipu SF12 connector to the website.

 

[aquelito]

Alternatively, you could use the slightly beefier and cheaper Weipu SP13 (OEM also sold by Bulkin, Cliff, etc.) :

Products Archive - WEIPU

weipuconnector.com

For those who do not want to solder anything, you could also place a pushbutton switch like the Switchcraft 913X into the 13 mm diameter bottom hole and slightly enlarge the original switch 16 mm hole to get a panel mount IEC C6 connector to fit :




BTW, do you understand the wiring schematic of the 913X switch ?

https://www.mouser.fr/datasheet/2/393/903x_903dx_913x_913dx_cd-37185.pdf

 

[Lone]

@aquelito not sure about that switch wiring. If you wanted a switch like the original you could use a 12mm anti vandal switch like the Langir L12. I'm not sure if it's available in black though.

 

[Analogue Blacksheep]

Anyone using a Gigabyte A520 or B550 ITX board with a HDPLEX 200W DC-ATX? Does it clash with the front 25mm fans?

 

[deeeeeeeeee]

@Lone do you have an estimate when the next batch of cases would be available?

 

[Lone]

@Lone do you have an estimate when the next batch of cases would be available?

I'm sorry, I don't have any estimate at this time. It's been so long I'm having a hard time getting motivated again!

 

[deeeeeeeeee]

@Lone hopefully you would be able to find that motivation again. NFC has recently announced their S4T and to be honest i find this case more versatile for most people's APU purposes, plus the minimalistic design of this case is absolutely lovely. maybe you could consider a small production run with a higher price instead of letting this die

 

[vlad1966]

@Lone hopefully you would be able to find that motivation again. NFC has recently announced their S4T and to be honest i find this case more versatile for most people's APU purposes, plus the minimalistic design of this case is absolutely lovely. maybe you could consider a small production run with a higher price instead of letting this die

Ditto please - count me in for another one - like a dummy I sold the last one i had & have been regretting it ever since.

 

[Lone]

@Lone hopefully you would be able to find that motivation again. NFC has recently announced their S4T and to be honest i find this case more versatile for most people's APU purposes, plus the minimalistic design of this case is absolutely lovely. maybe you could consider a small production run with a higher price instead of letting this die

Thank you! Part of my problem is I keep thinking I want to improve the design somehow, but haven't had any inspiration as to how. I have considered making the left and right side covers the same/interchangeable, with the split in the center. This should reduce costs, but would mean there would be a vent on both sides. Not sure how I feel about that.

I must say, I really like the S4T. I'd consider buying one myself if the price isn't too high (which it probably will be).

 

[deeeeeeeeee]

@Lone the split down the centre and the vented panels on both sides would definitely take away some of its aesthetic appeal, however i dont see why there is a need to improve on the design, or at least on the outer appearance as it is. perhaps tiny improvements such as supporting more power jacks out of the box or minute improvements like that. as it stands i think the case is close to perfect.

considering that you need an additional S4T on top of the one you've purchased to have a GPU in your system, i dont think it is a viable or cost effective solution for anyone at all to begin with. besides, the way the top and bottom panels of the S4T are affixed into place, there is this horrible scratching on the inner surface of the panels with the screws and chassis on the other side and it majes me cringe every time i close it off

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Honestly, there's nothing I'd change about the L5 as it is and the asymetrical side panels is part of its charm. Maybe a metal case badge like the one on the old IBM stuff to push the industrial look even further and an AT style red power switch .

Maybe increase its length to fit an HDPLEX400 DC-DC or an AC-DC unit between the motherboard and the front fans, but that wouldn't be an L5 anymore.

 

[smitty2k1]

I would say the only thing to add is a way to get an internal PSU + LP GPU. Maybe something smaller than the 200w Meanwell has come about in the last year or so, I haven't been keeping up on my DC PSUs.

 

[vlad1966]

No reason why we couldn't have an L5 Classic (original) & an L5D (deeper) version to accomodate internal PSU + LP GPU like the 200W Meanwell.

 

[Lone]

Thanks for your comments. I probably won't make any changes. It's nice to have a stable design that doesn't change often.

 

[Jello]

I don't own a case myself. However, I would leave the L5 as is, but apply the aesthetic and design to a different style of case, like a sandwich or shoebox layout. The look of the L5 is a huge part of the appeal, imo.

 

[deeeeeeeeee]

Thanks for your comments. I probably won't make any changes. It's nice to have a stable design that doesn't change often.

Now we just have to wait for the notification that the case is available

 

[Lone]

I should have a limited quantity of L5 in white/black available to ship sometime in early June!

 

[robinpfeiffer]

EDIT: nvm, can't read