'Minefoxi's (crazy) ideas' thread (New: LAN-BOX)

[Minefoxi]

Welcome to my 'idea thread'
Here you can find all the (crazy) stuff coming to my mind!

Spoiler: Custom watercooled acrylic 200mm Cube

containing the following components:

Hardware:
-Skylake Processor (65W)
-ASUS MAXIMUS VIII IMPACT (or cheaper Z170 MB)
-AMD R9 Nano (Non-OC)
-16GB DDR4 RAM
-2,5" SSD
-Silverstone SX600-G

Cooling:
-EKWB EK-FB ASUS M8I Monoblock (or less stylish CPU waterblock)
-EKWB EK-FC R9 Nano
-Magicool DCP450 - DC 12V Pump

...and all cooled by a single 45mm thick 120mm Radiator with a 140mm Fan in front of it
(I thought if @QinX could keep the temps in his H2O-Micro reasonably then this might work as well )

Played around in CAD so you could get an impression of what it looks like:

I could be terribly wrong with this and I don't have any experience with custom watercooling and that's why I'm sharing it here and I'd like to know what you think about it

All feedback is highly appreciated!

Spoiler: Two chamber acrylic-steel construction showcase

Updates in posts #9 , #15 , #30

Spoiler: Project LAN-BOX

Back view

Inside view

Updates in posts: #36

 

[iFreilicht]

Well, a 120mm radiator has a surface area of 14,400mm², as compared to the 12,800mm² of a double 80mm one, so I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work, though I feel like it won't be very quiet.

With 20cm edgelength we're looking at an 8L system, right?

 

[Minefoxi]

Well, a 120mm radiator has a surface area of 14,400mm², as compared to the 12,800mm² of a double 80mm one, so I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work, though I feel like it won't be very quiet.
With 20cm edgelength we're looking at an 8L system, right?

Yeah that's right.
The radiator is also thicker as compared to the dual 80mm rad and I think a 140mm rad is a bit more quiet than the two 80mm fans.

 

[Soul_Est]

To get the best cooling performance, may I recommend the AquaComputer cuplex kryos delrin for the processor and the AquaComputer kryographics for the R9 Nano?

 

[iFreilicht]

Can you prove those to be better than competing blocks? Or have you just used those and aren't disappointed with them?

 

[Minefoxi]

To get the best cooling performance, may I recommend the AquaComputer cuplex kryos delrin for the processor and the AquaComputer kryographics for the R9 Nano?

Sorry but they don't nearly look as stylish and I know what this sounds like but that is what this build is supposed to be about.
And in this case I just trust EKWB that they know what they're doing. Their reputation wouldn't be there without reason.

 

[Soul_Est]

Can you prove those to be better than competing blocks? Or have you just used those and aren't disappointed with them?

I got my information from here: [Review] CPU-Cooler roundup - nine water coolers in test (Alphacool, Aquacomputer, EK-Waterblocks, Koolance, Phobya, Swiftech, XSPC) . I only wish I could afford the hardware and the coolers to go with them.

Sorry but they don't nearly look as stylish and I know what this sounds like but that is what this build is supposed to be about.
And in this case I just trust EKWB that they know what they're doing. Their reputation wouldn't be there without reason.

No need to apologize and I understand your reasoning. I do agree about EKWB. They have earned their good reputation.

 

[Minefoxi]

I got my information from here: [Review] CPU-Cooler roundup - nine water coolers in test (Alphacool, Aquacomputer, EK-Waterblocks, Koolance, Phobya, Swiftech, XSPC) . I only wish I could afford the hardware and the coolers to go with them.

No need to apologize and I understand your reasoning. I do agree about EKWB. They have earned their good reputation.

Now I see but as said, there are different reasons why I'll go with EK here.

 

[Minefoxi]

Different idea I had, not a cube this time but a two chamber case with vertical layout of MB and GPU (approx. 350mm L x 280mm H x 150mm W)

And once again I'd like to hear your opinion

This is a top view screenshot:

I plan to have one intake for a 180mm radiator on the right side (here: bottom) and have the air flow through a slim 20mm channel behind it to an SFX-L PSU and normal exhaust vents next to it on the back (here: right).

Is it a problem that the seperation wall between the two chambers (marked black) is located so closely (20mm) to the fan (grey)?

 

[iFreilicht]

Where's the GPU in that case? Behind the reservoir? It's a cool idea in theory, but I feel like you could save a good amount of space by just putting the PSU and radiator above the GPU and mainboard to eliminate the air pockets that the design currently has. That would also help cool the VRMs and chipset.

 

[Pat-Roner]

Nice project. Btw 600w is very overkill in regards to psu.

Edit:

Whats your reasoning behind 140mm fan on a 120mm rad?

 

[Minefoxi]

Nice project. Btw 600w is very overkill in regards to psu.

Edit:
Whats your reasoning behind 140mm fan on a 120mm rad?

The 600 W is only used because I already own it and the 120mm rad is used because it's the biggest rad thar fits (and the 140 fan for the style because this way it is right in the top right corner and yet covers the whole rad)

 

[Pat-Roner]

The 600 W is only used because I already own it and the 120mm rad is used because it's the biggest rad thar fits (and the 140 fan for the style because this way it is right in the top right corner and yet covers the whole rad)

Of course. I did not think of that. Geez!

In regards to the 140mm fan; just remember that most of the air from pressure optimised fans, comes out at a 30-45 degree angle at the rim, so If you don't have a tight fit with the rad, you're at risk of loosing high pressure air around the rad.

It´s just something to think about

 

[Tek Everything]

This is an interesting idea. With the fan and sidewall so close together it would probably be fairly loud, and run warm. In my experience I have also found that setting your fan to push out instead of pull in, when dealing with compact systems is much more effective.

 

[Minefoxi]

It's a cool idea in theory, but I feel like you could save a good amount of space by just putting the PSU and radiator above the GPU and mainboard to eliminate the air pockets that the design currently has. That would also help cool the VRMs and chipset.

Thanks! I don't quite understand what you mean with "above GPU and mainboard"

Also mabye I should have given you that first:

This is an interesting idea. With the fan and sidewall so close together it would probably be fairly loud, and run warm. In my experience I have also found that setting your fan to push out instead of pull in, when dealing with compact systems is much more effective.

Thanks for the feedback. Switching the fan and rad should be no problem.

Mabye I'll put some cutouts around and behind the GPU and MB so that the air can flow through both chambers to also cool the VRMs and the chipset.

 

[iFreilicht]

Ah I see, now it makes more sense to put the components the way you did, looks very neat! Really like the I/O on the bottom as well.

My idea was that you could save space by swapping the positions of the two chambers, which would eliminate the need for that gap of air you now need to duct the airflow from the radiator to the PSU. But it looks like you're more going for looks than pure space efficiency anyway, so I'd say leave it as it is right now.

 

[Minefoxi]

Ah I see, now it makes more sense to put the components the way you did, looks very neat! Really like the I/O on the bottom as well.

My idea was that you could save space by swapping the positions of the two chambers, which would eliminate the need for that gap of air you now need to duct the airflow from the radiator to the PSU. But it looks like you're more going for looks than pure space efficiency anyway, so I'd say leave it as it is right now.

Yeah, it is supposed to be a showcase like system with large window panels and everything you don't want to see will be hidden in the chamber below the MB and GPU's I/O plates (with another seperation panel) or behind the motherboard tray.

 

[|||]

According to the position of the inlet and outlet of your CPU block, The flow will be going from the right to the left (I'm assuming the Gigabyte board represented is a stand-in for the Asus Impact board and the CPU water block is correct). This makes the reservoir not really have much of any function in the loop as they are typically used to give a consistent fluid source to the water pump. You may want to reconsider your water loop setup.

 

[Minefoxi]

According to the position of the inlet and outlet of your CPU block, The flow will be going from the right to the left (I'm assuming the Gigabyte board represented is a stand-in for the Asus Impact board and the CPU water block is correct). This makes the reservoir not really have much of any function in the loop as they are typically used to give a consistent fluid source to the water pump. You may want to reconsider your water loop setup.

Thanks for the tips considering the loop

You guessed right pretty much everything except for the fact that the not really necessary reservoir is only there to fill the empty space above the GPU which you could not know. I might also consider putting just tubing there to save a bit of money

And in addition there will be another reservoir or a pump/res combo in the other chamber above the PSU which you also could not know.

 

[|||]

You could potentially shave down on the height some by routing your bulkhead connectors through where the reservoir is and not need the space directly above the motherboard.