SKYREACH 4 MINI (S4M)

[Kmpkt]

Dynamo Mini 200 DC-ATX looks slightly better, but are there any ~200W AC-DC adapters that will fit internally?

The HDPlex 160W and the Dynamo are actually the same unit and were developed by Larry and I together. The only difference is that my heatsink is custom and either 1 or 2 mm thinner if fit is super tight for some reason.

If you're not satisfied with the HDPlex 160W AC-DC and don't mind having to wire up and cool a unit yourself, there are a number of 4" x 2" AC-DC converters from Meanwell (cheapest) all the way up the Artesyn 250W (expensive but much higher rating) that you can pair with these units. If taking this approach, then you have to use the 24V variants (16-24V input range on the Dynamo Mini).

 

[kevlar]

The HDPlex 160W and the Dynamo are actually the same unit and were developed by Larry and I together. The only difference is that my heatsink is custom and either 1 or 2 mm thinner if fit is super tight for some reason.

This is what I suspected, but the fact that it had a completely different name confused me at the time. Perhaps it's the 200 in the name that was confusing even though both are rated to go up to around 200W.

 

[Tanax]

Is the HDPLEX 160W AC-DC Adapter + 160W DC-ATX NanoATX Combo the only internal AC power supply that will fit?

Dynamo Mini 200 DC-ATX looks slightly better, but are there any ~200W AC-DC adapters that will fit internally?

My plan is to first get the Dynamo Mini 200 and an external 330W brick. Later when Dynamo 360 and Merger is released, might look into getting both an internal HDPLEX 160W AC-DC and internal HDPLEX 80W AC-DC for a total of 240W internal.

Not sure if this will work or even fit as I would like to only have 1 power cable going from wall socket to the case but then inside case split into the 160W and 80W AC-DC units. @Kmpkt might be able to answer this better

EDIT: My internal solution would then replace the external brick to keep everything internally

 

[Andrew.J.Vigil]

Hey everyone! Perfect timing, this is exactly what I'm looking to get into, a 165watt+ Skyreach 4 build that's got fully internal DC/AC conversion. I love the HDPLEX/Dynamo 160 combo and they max at 10 amps @ 19v but I'm very afraid to push a 35 watt CPU/120ish watt GPU so close to that limit once power from board, fans, drives etc are factored in. Is it safe? Thoughts in line with the current discussion?

 

[Andrew.J.Vigil]

Thank you for this project @Josh | NFC , @Dubnobass is right. Thank you for everyone involved, I hope this batch and the next sell well., so you can fund a revision or another batch with an all black option down the road maybe. This project even coming to fruition is a sucess for our Niche Small Form Factor boutique style PC enclosure market.

As for me I'm not only waiting for advancements in internal AC-DC brickless hardware, innovations in new gen CPUs and GPUs for lower power usage, so i can cram a better brickless system into and SRM than I could ever do in an S4M-C... but my S4M-C and SRM will be sitting front and center in my home theater to drive my games media playback, so all black is a MUST-HAVE considering I even went to the lengths of turning OFF my "deep LED" vandal switch's light, and my ZOTAC 1080 mini's lights, and I covered up my ASUS z270i's STRIX motherboard's "always on amber light" with some non-conductive tape. Also I'm broke and just recently payed off the credit card where I put all my S4M-C #193's build purchases, I need to give my wallet a breather. So I'll watch this project closely on the sidelines, lying in wait...

My NFC systems cases gotta look beautiful when the lights are up in my theater(and that's a gimme, because they DO look BEAUTIFUL), but they gotta also be incognito when the lights ARE dimmed, and most of all be invisible to me and my guests when it's pitch black and it's running. I didn't line every surface with black velvet in my theater room for nothing! I'm crazy, i know!

Dude same! I just paid off my bill as well, red powdercoat, acrylic bezel, plus custom stenciling on the S4M-C with a 1080, it was just too easy to put on a credit card. ;p all the best to Josh and hopefully Kmpkt has some cool power stuff in the works for us soon.

 

[AP2]

@Josh | NFC I have already preorder a case and would like to purchase another. any way I can add it to my existing order to save money on shipping?

 

[Josh | NFC]

@Josh | NFC I have already preorder a case and would like to purchase another. any way I can add it to my existing order to save money on shipping?

THANK YOU for your order!

Unfortunately I can't help you...but I'm sure SFFLAB can if you contact them! I'm partnered with SFFLAB, but it's a completely separate entity.

However I am not sure on shipping cost being reduced, as they have a really fancy "dimensional weight" calculation system. I think you should email them and we can see if the cost does go down.

I'm 100% here for your technical MINI questions and build help through my contact form on NFC-systems.com so don't be hesitant to ask questions.

Peace

 

[Josh | NFC]

Hey everyone! Perfect timing, this is exactly what I'm looking to get into, a 165watt+ Skyreach 4 build that's got fully internal DC/AC conversion. I love the HDPLEX/Dynamo 160 combo and they max at 10 amps @ 19v but I'm very afraid to push a 35 watt CPU/120ish watt GPU so close to that limit once power from board, fans, drives etc are factored in. Is it safe? Thoughts in line with the current discussion?

So I'm running a 65w CPU and a 1060 off a Dynamo Mini right now, but a Dell 330w brick...because the 160ACDC couldn't cut it. I'm positive you can't do this stably off the 160 ACDC unit. You *might* get really lucky with your "silicon" --I have seen that happen, but it's not built for that so be prepared for aggressive tuning!

Peace

 

[Andrew.J.Vigil]

So I'm running a 65w CPU and a 1060 off a Dynamo Mini right now, but a Dell 330w brick...because the 160ACDC couldn't cut it. I'm positive you can't do this stably off the 160 ACDC unit. You *might* get really lucky with your "silicon" --I have seen that happen, but it's not built for that so be prepared for aggressive tuning!

Peace

Dang, just too close. Thanks Josh!

 

[Kmpkt]

@Tanax , @Andrew.J.Vigil

Not sure if this will work or even fit as I would like to only have 1 power cable going from wall socket to the case but then inside case split into the 160W and 80W AC-DC units. @Kmpkt might be able to answer this better

I have a pretty cool dual brickless build idea that I am planning for the new S4M that you guys may want to consider (maybe @Josh | NFC can chime in on this).

If you want your S4M to be internally bricked for higher power hardware, I think it will be possible to do this using two HDPlex AC-DC 160W and a Dynamo Duo (Dynamo 360 + Dynamo Mini Combo) to get a total rated system wattage of around 320W.

If you can get a 170mm GPU (GeForce 1070/1080 Mini from Gigabyte and MSI Aero 1070 come to mind) then you should easily be able get two HD Plex 160W AC-DC units mounted on the inside of the front panel. With two 160W units occupying 288mm and the case having an internal length of 341mm, that leaves ~55mm for your bulgin and stuff. Additionally with a 170mm GPU, there should be 45mm of distance in which to squeeze the 40mm tall AC-DC unit.

Once this is done, you can hook the first 160W AC-DC to the Dynamo Mini and the second 160W AC-DC to the Dynamo 360. There should be adequate room to put the Dynamo 360 on the bottom of the case or possibly inverted on a fan bracket. By using the sync cable feature I've built in, you should be able to now operate the system as a single unit with appropriate power up and power down.

Hypothetically with this combo you should be able operate a GPU of up to 235W (160W + 75W from PCIe slot), which puts the 1080ti (or Vega Nano/Vega 56 ITX) in reach should a 170mm variant of these be released at some point. Alternatively you could also manage a 1070/1080 and X299 AsRock board if you need more in the CPU department

The only portion of this build that may be too technical for some people would be the need to custom wire a C8 inlet to split to two of the 160W AC-DC units. If this build works out well enough to become commonplace, perhaps Josh would consider selling these in a beautifully sleeved variant.

Tell me what you guys think.

 

[Josh | NFC]

@Tanax , @Andrew.J.Vigil



I have a pretty cool dual brickless build idea that I am planning for the new S4M that you guys may want to consider (maybe @Josh | NFC can chime in on this).

If you want your S4M to be internally bricked for higher power hardware, I think it will be possible to do this using two HDPlex AC-DC 160W and a Dynamo Duo (Dynamo 360 + Dynamo Mini Combo) to get a total rated system wattage of around 320W.

If you can get a 170mm GPU (GeForce 1070/1080 Mini from Gigabyte and MSI Aero 1070 come to mind) then you should easily be able get two HD Plex 160W AC-DC units mounted on the inside of the front panel. With two 160W units occupying 288mm and the case having an internal length of 341mm, that leaves ~55mm for your bulgin and stuff. Additionally with a 170mm GPU, there should be 45mm of distance in which to squeeze the 40mm tall AC-DC unit.

Once this is done, you can hook the first 160W AC-DC to the Dynamo Mini and the second 160W AC-DC to the Dynamo 360. There should be adequate room to put the Dynamo 360 on the bottom of the case or possibly inverted on a fan bracket. By using the sync cable feature I've built in, you should be able to now operate the system as a single unit with appropriate power up and power down.

Hypothetically with this combo you should be able operate a GPU of up to 235W (160W + 75W from PCIe slot), which puts the 1080ti (or Vega Nano/Vega 56 ITX) in reach should a 170mm variant of these be released at some point. Alternatively you could also manage a 1070/1080 and X299 AsRock board if you need more in the CPU department

The only portion of this build that may be too technical for some people would be the need to custom wire a C8 inlet to split to two of the 160W AC-DC units. If this build works out well enough to become commonplace, perhaps Josh would consider selling these in a beautifully sleeved variant.

Tell me what you guys think.

Well I didn't think this was possible but I was excited to see if this stuff would fit.

Hmmm so close but not quite. I can't get a 160 unit to fit in front of the motherboard with the Dynamo Mini installed--the PCIE connectors stick out too far. I have a 1060 Aero installed right now and its juuuuuuuuuuuust too long for me to install the second 160 unit in front of it, but I think it could be possible with the 1070 mini from GB.

So I took the 160 unit out of its shell (just for giggles). Ok, now things fit. You do need to deal with the fact you have no more heatsink (important) AND you need some way of not shocking the crap out of yourself...which I have done with a shelled HDPLEX 160 on my last build in Lone's L4. You will need to do some crazy wiring...but if you could cool this down and insulate it, I think it would work.

I think this just reiterates what I have been saying. Right now, the internal power solutions are limited...but there is plenty of room for a specially designed unit in the S4M that could achieve this.

 

[Thehack]

Well I didn't think this was possible but I was excited to see if this stuff would fit.

Hmmm so close but not quite. I can't get a 160 unit to fit in front of the motherboard with the Dynamo Mini installed--the PCIE connectors stick out too far. I have a 1060 Aero installed right now and its juuuuuuuuuuuust too long for me to install the second 160 unit in front of it, but I think it could be possible with the 1070 mini from GB.

So I took the 160 unit out of its shell (just for giggles). Ok, now things fit. You do need to deal with the fact you have no more heatsink (important) AND you need some way of not shocking the crap out of yourself...which I have done with a shelled HDPLEX 160 on my last build in Lone's L4. You will need to do some crazy wiring...but if you could cool this down and insulate it, I think it would work.

I think this just reiterates what I have been saying. Right now, the internal power solutions are limited...but there is plenty of room for a specially designed unit in the SRM that could achieve this.

Josh, I have been advocating 12V for a while. This is the perfect time for someone to spearhead the project.

 

[ColorZepppelin]

Hi Josh, just wanted to say great design with the new S4M. I also wanted to say it's very cool of you to share the detailed sketchup model for the community to play with.
In fact I liked the model so much I thought to myself your logo, when close up doesn't match the maturity of the new design so I thought of a re-design and did it in PS as a thank you. In the least it might serve to give you an idea or just amuse.

Spoiler: images

 

[CubanLegend]

So @Josh | NFC is this new chassis's abbreviation the S4M, or SRM? Cause I know the old one is the S4M-C? you might want ot have the mods differentiate the thread titles with those abbreviations? Just thinking out loud, lol.

Hi Josh, just wanted to say great design with the new S4M. I also wanted to say it's very cool of you to share the detailed sketchup model for the community to play with.
In fact I liked the model so much I thought to myself your logo, when close up doesn't match the maturity of the new design so I thought of a re-design and did it in PS as a thank you. In the least it might serve to give you an idea or just amuse.

Spoiler: images

I'm not gonna lie, that first one looks NICE! I like the whole "c" and wing are one peice, thing.

 

[Zerofool]

Does the C7 fit in the S4M with a Noctua slim fan? Once the all copper version is released (can’t remember when) if this fits it could be the best combo.

No it will not fit even with a different fan. Noctua is the best combo until someone makes a nice fat one. I hear KMPKT is working on one but details are slim.

Actually, it does fit if you're stubborn . I used it in my S4M-C together with a Scythe 100x12mm PWM fan. I used washers under the motherboard to lift it a bit (maybe around 1.5mm), otherwise two of the retention nuts from the C7 under the motherboard would push against a part of the S4M-C inner frame and bend it more than I would be comfortable with. It also means you won't be able to use the mobo I/O plate, but you're better off without it anyway, cooling-wise. On top of that, the Scythe fan is almost touching the side panel (sub-1mm gap), which hurts thermals and noise.
So it's possible, but if the LP53 (with A9x14) fits on your mobo, it's probably a better option in terms of performance and ease of installation.

 

[Andrew.J.Vigil]

@Tanax , @Andrew.J.Vigil



I have a pretty cool dual brickless build idea that I am planning for the new S4M that you guys may want to consider (maybe @Josh | NFC can chime in on this).

If you want your S4M to be internally bricked for higher power hardware, I think it will be possible to do this using two HDPlex AC-DC 160W and a Dynamo Duo (Dynamo 360 + Dynamo Mini Combo) to get a total rated system wattage of around 320W.

If you can get a 170mm GPU (GeForce 1070/1080 Mini from Gigabyte and MSI Aero 1070 come to mind) then you should easily be able get two HD Plex 160W AC-DC units mounted on the inside of the front panel. With two 160W units occupying 288mm and the case having an internal length of 341mm, that leaves ~55mm for your bulgin and stuff. Additionally with a 170mm GPU, there should be 45mm of distance in which to squeeze the 40mm tall AC-DC unit.

Once this is done, you can hook the first 160W AC-DC to the Dynamo Mini and the second 160W AC-DC to the Dynamo 360. There should be adequate room to put the Dynamo 360 on the bottom of the case or possibly inverted on a fan bracket. By using the sync cable feature I've built in, you should be able to now operate the system as a single unit with appropriate power up and power down.

Hypothetically with this combo you should be able operate a GPU of up to 235W (160W + 75W from PCIe slot), which puts the 1080ti (or Vega Nano/Vega 56 ITX) in reach should a 170mm variant of these be released at some point. Alternatively you could also manage a 1070/1080 and X299 AsRock board if you need more in the CPU department

The only portion of this build that may be too technical for some people would be the need to custom wire a C8 inlet to split to two of the 160W AC-DC units. If this build works out well enough to become commonplace, perhaps Josh would consider selling these in a beautifully sleeved variant.

Tell me what you guys think.

I absolutely love the idea. On convection cooling WITHOUT the heatsink on one of the 160 AC-DC units maybe power would be sufficient for a 35 watt CPU still...? With 75 watts at the PCIe. And it would fit as Josh mentioned. Leaving the other AC-DC unit to do the heavy lifting.

Still risk shocking yourself but you should be ready for that with a project like this.

Well I didn't think this was possible but I was excited to see if this stuff would fit.

Hmmm so close but not quite. I can't get a 160 unit to fit in front of the motherboard with the Dynamo Mini installed--the PCIE connectors stick out too far. I have a 1060 Aero installed right now and its juuuuuuuuuuuust too long for me to install the second 160 unit in front of it, but I think it could be possible with the 1070 mini from GB.

So I took the 160 unit out of its shell (just for giggles). Ok, now things fit. You do need to deal with the fact you have no more heatsink (important) AND you need some way of not shocking the crap out of yourself...which I have done with a shelled HDPLEX 160 on my last build in Lone's L4. You will need to do some crazy wiring...but if you could cool this down and insulate it, I think it would work.

I think this just reiterates what I have been saying. Right now, the internal power solutions are limited...but there is plenty of room for a specially designed unit in the SRM that could achieve this.

Josh you took the DC-DC or AC-DC unit out of it's shell?

Hi Josh, just wanted to say great design with the new S4M. I also wanted to say it's very cool of you to share the detailed sketchup model for the community to play with.
In fact I liked the model so much I thought to myself your logo, when close up doesn't match the maturity of the new design so I thought of a re-design and did it in PS as a thank you. In the least it might serve to give you an idea or just amuse.

Spoiler: images

ColorZeppelin I LOVE the first logo, looks great dude!

 

[Josh | NFC]

Hi Josh, just wanted to say great design with the new S4M. I also wanted to say it's very cool of you to share the detailed sketchup model for the community to play with.
In fact I liked the model so much I thought to myself your logo, when close up doesn't match the maturity of the new design so I thought of a re-design and did it in PS as a thank you. In the least it might serve to give you an idea or just amuse.

Spoiler: images

Wow, I really appreciate this gift and I appreciate your talents. I agree, my logo needs to be refined and I am not the right guy to do it. Your work here proves you have the talent. I do have a few requirements that we need to hit, PM incoming!

So @Josh | NFC is this new chassis's abbreviation the S4M, or SRM? Cause I know the old one is the S4M-C? you might want ot have the mods differentiate the thread titles with those abbreviations? Just thinking out loud, lol.

I'm not gonna lie, that first one looks NICE! I like the whole "c" and wing are one peice, thing.

Oh man...see this is why I need you looking out for me. I called it the *** all during the idea phase and prototyping, but decided S4M was way better. I've been so tired and busy I didn't even notice that huge mistake. Thank you.

 

[CubanLegend]

Oh man...see this is why I need you looking out for me. I called it the *** all during the idea phase and prototyping, but decided S4M was way better. I've been so tired and busy I didn't even notice that huge mistake. Thank you.

Dude no worries. I'm glad it's all figured out, S4M it is!

 

[Kmpkt]

Josh, I have been advocating 12V for a while. This is the perfect time for someone to spearhead the project.

I think the biggest barrier to 12V right now is the cost of certification. I was talking to one company about a 12V brick a while ago and they said that just to get the UL certification increases the cost of their unit by 15%.

 

[Josh | NFC]

I think the biggest barrier to 12V right now is the cost of certification. I was talking to one company about a 12V brick a while ago and they said that just to get the UL certification increases the cost of their unit by 15%.

Yup