Prototype Neutrino : a 4L case dedicated to thin mini-ITX with discrete GPU

aquelito

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It's going to be my "nomad" case so yes, I'd liked to start designing something serious !

As you suggest, a mix of 3D-printed parts and metal panels ?
 

aquelito

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A quick update : what was going to be an easy on-the-side project is becoming increasingly complicated (maybe the natural inclination of French people to complicate things) !

- Issue #1 : I connected the reservoir to the rad. Fortunately it fits into the case, with almost no clearance thanks to the extra G3/8 adaptor though.
However, I used some 16/10 tubing to connect the reservoir to the pump and the result is not OK... the short hose section is too rigid and too much force is applied to the reservoir fittings.
Also too bulky for such a small case.


- Issue #2 : the water blocks soldered "fittings" are made for 4.8 mm ID tubing, while I plan to use 6.4 mm ID tubing.
I found the right horse adaptor but I do not like to have four metallic hose clamps between the motherboard and GPU PCBs...


Fortunately, there are solutions !

- Issue #1 : removing the reservoir and modifying the radiator by soldering a filling port, so I can use it as a reservoir. Pretty much like an EK Predator AIO.


- Modify the water block by soldering two sections of 8/6 copper tube sections over the existing ones. Like this (Bauhaus-esque picture) :


A good friend of mine is going to take care of the soldering job as he is quite experienced in that field and has all the needed hardware.
 
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BaK

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- Issue #1 : I connected the reservoir to the rad. Fortunately it fits into the case, with almost no clearance thanks to the extra G3/8 adaptor though.
However, I used some 16/10 tubing to connect the reservoir to the pump and the result is not OK... the short hose section is too rigid and too much force is applied to the reservoir fittings.
Also too bulky for such a small case.

Fortunately, there are solutions !

- Issue #1 : removing the reservoir and modifying the radiator by soldering a filling port, so I can use it as a reservoir. Pretty much like an EK Predator AIO.

WUT? So you are not going to use the mini res even after having drilled a new hole in it successfully?! :eek:

Did you try some 13/10 tubing which should be less rigid?
I bet the much softer Norprene tubing would help you here. I might have some of it (both 13/10 and 16/10) lying around, want me to look at it?

Or what about adding a dual 45° rotating fitting on the pump to align its port with the res one?


I don't think you need more offset, but if you do, maybe have a look at a 'Barrow 180 Degree 5 Way Rotary Snake Fitting Adapter'.


Well, now that you have the rad mod in mind, I guess you must have the itch to try that route! :p
 
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aquelito

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@BaK : ahah yes I know ! I guess I just wanted to finish what I started.

Good call on the dual 45° fitting though : I also thought of it but clearance issues, etc.

As you only need the res and bleed to fill the loop, it's lots of estate for not much.

As you mentioned it, I find the idea to use the radiator as a reservoir very appealing SFF-wise !
Much cleaner, smaller, easier and practical.

We finally settled on soldering two fittings : one fill port on top, and one outlet at bottom, to further increase clearance between the pump and case.
The final loop should look like this :


Upon my friend's advise, I will fill the loop using a syringe and some 10mm ID tubing : I'll be able to see when the system is filled to the maximum without flooding my case :)
Since the syringe tube is very small, the air will have plenty of room to escape.


EDIT : I just found this little guy on eBay for $10. I had been looking for it for more than a year !!
11 mm high.

 
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BaK

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As you mentioned it, I find the idea to use the radiator a reservoir very appealing SFF-wise !
Much cleaner, smaller, easier and practical.

We finally settled on soldering two fittings : one fill port on top, and one outlet at bottom, to further increase clearance between the pump and case.

Looks good!

Upon my friend's advise, I will fill the loop using a syringe and some 10mm ID tubing : I'll be able to see when the system is filled to the maximum without flooding my case :)
Since the syringe tube is very small, the air will have plenty of room to escape.

Clever way of filling the res!
It will take time though with such a small tubing...


EDIT : I just found this little guy on eBay for $10. I had been looking for it for more than a year !!
11 mm high.

Link?
 

BaK

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Thx for the link, I thought it was a tiny reservoir haha!

That's probably to avoid shorts that the springs are inside the tubing in your last pic. First time I see such tubing...
 

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aquelito

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It's alive !!

When you look at how crowded the 4L case is, modding the radiator into a kind of AIO was almost mandatory.
Bleeding the loop using a syringe through the newly added fill-port did not take more than two minutes.


With GPU


Even without 24 wires, the cable management was not easy in this volume.


Today was particularly hot (35°C outside) ; it was a good opportunity to test the cooling system, case closed.

Ambient temp was 25°.
Fans are set to run at 50% of the max speed. They only become quite around 40% though.
The DC-LT 2600 runs at 9V.
  • After one hour of Prime95 : 65°C on the coolest core, 72°C on the hottest.


  • After 45 min of Heaven Bench. The dual 60 mm fans have to work harder as they are exhausting the hot air coming from the rear of the GTX 1060 cooler.


In that particular case, power consumption was measured at 165W. The PSU is rated for 155W when passively cooled. The small 40 mm fan helps with that.
The temperature measured around the PSU was around 50°C, as well inside the case.

Next steps :
  • Redo the front panel.
  • Rotate the pump by 180° (upside down right-now).
  • Find out why the GPU is only running at 4X speed, while it was running at 16X in the previous tests.
  • Find quieter fans ?
 

BaK

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Proper SFF build without empty space as I like them! :thumb:

Is that a capacitive switch we see on the bottom right?
And is it another switch wrapped into some rubber, on the left, half under the pump?

Bleeding the loop using a syringe through the newly added fill-port did not take more than two minutes.
I would have liked to see that, no vid? Not enough hands I bet...
However it's good to know the syringe with small tubing worked fine!


  • Find quieter fans ?
I am quite happy with my BlackSilent Pro 60mm.
 

aquelito

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Feb 16, 2016
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Thanks !

Proper SFF build without empty space as I like them! :thumb:

Is that a capacitive switch we see on the bottom right?
And is it another switch wrapped into some rubber, on the left, half under the pump?

It's a Piezzo switch from Apem. Very low profile and elegant solution !
I need to laser cut a new front panel to fix it properly.

The other part is just a C14 rubber cover I used to support the pump.
Since then, I just rotated the pump by 90°, like in the 3D view above.

I would have liked to see that, no vid? Not enough hands I bet...
However it's good to know the syringe with small tubing worked fine!

I just have an iPhone 4 ahah ! With my i7 3630QM, I guess I stay true to my passion for vintage stuff !

Jokes apart, it did not take more than 150 mL of liquid and two minutes to fill the loop completely.
Once filled to the max, I ran the pump briefly to get rid of a big bubble and I was done !

Thanks for the fans. I'll keep my Gelid as they are silent at 40% et quiet at 50%.
 
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BaK

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It's a Piezzo switch from Apem. Very low profile and elegant solution !
Cool, will have to try one!


Once filled to the max, I ran the pump briefly to get rid of a big bubble and I was done !
You probably did it, but tilting the case is a good way to get rid of bubbles hidden in some corners.


I just have an iPhone 4 ahah ! With my i7 3630QM, I guess I stay true to my passion for vintage stuff !
Moto Defy+ here, you beat me by a year in the vintage stuff! And d*mn, you also beat me by a few mm in phone SFF! XD
 

aquelito

King of Cable Management
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Feb 16, 2016
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Yes I titled the case just to be sure.

Few months ago, I won an i7 3920XM on Yahoo Japan for 20€ :eek:
Few pins are bent. I did the best I could.

I'll test it later on.
 
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