Update #3
So after some time working with the parts I finally got them ready for assembly.
First a test fit with the Rog Apex X motherboard (~26,7 cm width).
The assembly of the case (rather simple
):
With countersunk screws and T-sections to keep the case together (along with Parvum modding cubes):
At the back, four HDD screws is inserted which match that of the wall mounting plate.
This allows the case/system to be easily placed and removed from the wall (~7 mm from the wall), and orientate the case in any of the four directions. Thereby the case can be placed both at left and right side while still showing the hardware.
The Apex motherboard takes most of the space when installed.
The back allows for installation for two 2.5" drives, a external OD 7,4mm power brick connection and two C14 connectors (lower slot only possible with mATX or ITX).
The case could have been some 5 mm slimmer, but I wanted better cooling support for the CPU and the extra features that 5 mm added.
Since Dynatron doesn't make a vapor chamber 1U cooler for 115X, I spent some time figuring out how to get the Dynatron R15 cooler (socket 2011/2066) installed on the Apex board. In order to do so an 6,5 mm high installation bracket was milled in aluminium with M3 threads:
And it fits perfectly on the motherboard (it screws in from the back and rest on plastic washers. Waiting on the EKWB True backplate 115X for less motherboard stress). The 16 mm standoffs are there to prevent high installation forces with the stock springs (I will show a picture of this in next update).
Second problem for the R15 installation is the flat base of the cooler which doesn't fit with Intels keep out zone for 115X.
On the Apex the surrounding capacitors were ~1,0 mm to high for the cooler to have contact with the IHS (a single capasitor was 1,2 mm to high). One could solder on low capacitors, however I decided to go with a 1,5 mm high copper shim:
Did spend a few hours getting it as flat as possible and polish it up (right piece to show "before").
Instead of shim, one could delid and get a custom copper IHS made that is higher. This removes a thermal paste layer = likely better cooling.
By adding the extra 5 mm height; a few stand off screws, two simple aluminium "beams" and a custom backplate, the KMPKT can be installed at multiple "unused areas", allowing for even more power when using ATX or mATX:
The unit can be installed over the VRM heat sink (the back plate is ~36 mm above the motherboard) or above low profile RAMs (~33 mm high DDR4 dimms will work). With GFX of reference height (111,15 mm) there is also space between the CPU cooler and GFX. So you can have up to three 360W units in the case (doesn't make any sense with three but for power hungry system two makes perfect sense
).
The back plate for the KMPKT 360W also features cutout for a 40 mm fan if you need it for better VRM heat sink cooling.
A third beam can also be used to install fans above RAM or VRM heat sink.
The GFX is installed with a riser. Here I used a HDplex 21 cm semi black one:
The GFX fits well (needs to be the last piece installed) and it is steady in place thanks to the modding cube and the riser touching the case wall. To secure the GFX even more, beams will be made in 3 mm acrylic that will prevent the GFX from sacking towards the motherboard when used in a horizontal position. If traveling with the case, the GFX can be secured more firmly to these support beams by double sided tape or strips a the power connector.
Talking about power, the front side can be disassembled to install AC-DCs (I'm using a 300W and 160W):
Back into the case, slap on the cooler and the two KMPKT units and the system is beginning to take form:
Install the GFX and put up the wall mount on the side of my desk (the aluminium was way to reflective to be installed on the wall beside the window
). And it boots
I haven't made the 3.0 mm front acrylic yet and better looking cables and sleeving is on its way from MDPC-X
Also two different RPM black Sunon 92 mm fans is on their way (should be silent with the MagLev bearing) to create a better looking system (Noctua, please make a black 92 mm fan!). If the R15 doesn't perform better than the LP-53, I'm tempted to go with a C7 Alu or a copper with graphene coat to complete the alu/black look
For my usage, the M.2 SSDs are plenty, however if needed the KMPKT Dynamo 360W could be placed between the CPU cooler and GFX so that two 2,5" drives can be installed above the VRM heat sink (making this system really compact).
However, I like the idea of less cables, so having no sata cables is great. Also using the Dynamo 160W removes the need for the bulky 24 pin cable. Overall there will be very few cables running in this system (and most of them hidden under the PCI-e riser).
Short test; the cooler keeps the I5 8600k@stock with package temperature around 68 degrees C (~21 C ambient) with the NF-A9 at max RPM in Intel XTU Bench.
Will do more test and compare to the Cooltek LP-53 that arrives soon
Only problem so far is the power routing. During CPU and GFX benching the HDplex 160W unit (and front alu that acts as heat sink) got hot to the touch. The Dynamo 160W heat sink got really hot! Way to hot for touch. The HDplex 300W and Dynamo 360W on the other hand was cold
.
The power routing is:
160W AC-DC -> 160W DC-DC -> 8 pin EPS for CPU
300W AC-DC -> 360W DC-DC -> 8 pin for GFX
So the 160W units was powering the motherboard, DIMMs, SSD and fans (~40W) and the CPU (~90W), which is well under the 160W limit.
However, turns out that the reference GTX 1070 (which the Evga 1070 SC is (just with a aftermarket cooler)) pulls on average 65W from the PCI-e slot!
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-1070-8gb-pascal-performance,4585-7.html
That meant the 160W units was supplying around 195W of power! No wonder the heat sink on the dynamo 160 got hot (also why I added the extra copper heat sinks).
It is a little strange behavior for the GTX 1070 considering that the reference 1080 only pulls ~45W from the PCI-e slot. And both of them have a 8 pin connector (and 1080 requires more power). The 1070 almost shares its input power need between the PCI-e slot and 8 pin even though the 8 pin can give plenty of more power
So be aware of this, and in general the after market PCB cards with multiple 6 or 8 pins takes less power from the PCI-e slot (see the link above).
To fix this, a custom cable for the Dynamo 360 unit will be made so it can power the 8 pin EPS (CPU). So the 360W unit delivers ~ 110W for GFX (~140W with OC) and ~90W (~140W with OC and AVX) which is reasonable. These estimates are for benchmarks, gaming will of course be lower.
That means the 160W units will power the GFX via PCI-e slot ~65W (perhaps ~75W at OC) and all the rest for 40-50W. So well within their power limit.
The Dynamo 160W does get hot to the touch at idle over time due to the limited airflow. So I will likely add extra heat sinks and perhaps change the heat sink on the 360W unit to one with more surface are (I like my hardware cold
).
If the Sunon Super Silent 40x10 mm fans are silent enough I will likely add a fan to cool the VRM/back side of Dynamo 360 (though the VRM heat sink on the Apex does a really good job), one for the M.2 SSDs (will also cool the Dynamo 160) and one on the HDplex 300W.
If more GFX (1080 Ti) or CPU (I9 or threadripper) power is needed, the HDplex 160W could be changed for a 300W unit and a extra Dynamo 360W could be installed (looking forward to that merger unit
@Kmpkt . Will it be able to merge different watt units?).
Comments and questions is welcome
Will soon be back with CPU temperature test (semi open bench situation (no acrylic front)) and hopefully a better looking setup (and better pictures).