Log Walrus mk02: a 3D-printed brickless ~4L case with external radiator

[morj]

Its good to know - I have plans to use 5900x with 3070 fe but with flex-atx 500 W psu - should be ok if we assume that 3070 uses 100 W less than 3080

Yep, I deliberately haven't even undervolted to test the limits. 3070 should be the sweet spot for flex ATX, 3080 would be stretching it. Mind that my test was carried out on a temporary system with i7-8700k.

 

[morj]

Small update while waiting for watercooling components:

I've redesigned the rear panel to have a separate GPU tab and added space for a GX12 connector (to hook up fans on the external radiator).

Also, designed the side panels so they can be lazer-cut in 1.5mm aluminum or 1.0mm steel (depending on design parameter).

Bonus: PSU wiring with all the connectors in place:

 

[REVOCCASES]

@morj

your parts are on the way...

can't wait to see the final build

 

[morj]

Koolance QD3 are seriously awesome! Patiently waiting for the other watercooling parts (and the panels) to arrive.

The gnarly sawn-off top bar will be re-printed anyway, never mind the ugliness of its back side for now.

 

[morj]

Preliminary build incoming!

Got impatient and did a test build with 8700K and with external pump (eventually will be Ryzen 5900X and internal DDC pump).

For this, made wiring for my Aqua Computer Quadro to hook it up directly to the Pico PSU.

Also, you might notice that I finally connected the ground wire of the C14 connector to the PSU shell (it was always dangling previously). Less to worry about safety now, I guess!

Plumbing with 13/10 Tygon tubing:

All hooked up!

More Quadro wiring:

Cable management is not great since the pump is not supposed to be outside the case.

All running with a 140mm radiator for now!

 

[Valantar]

Preliminary build incoming!

Got impatient and did a test build with 8700K and with external pump (eventually will be Ryzen 5900X and internal DDC pump).

For this, made wiring for my Aqua Computer Quadro to hook it up directly to the Pico PSU.

Also, you might notice that I finally connected the ground wire of the C14 connector to the PSU shell (it was always dangling previously). Less to worry about safety now, I guess!

Plumbing with 13/10 Tygon tubing:

All hooked up!

More Quadro wiring:

Cable management is not great since the pump is not supposed to be outside the case.

All running with a 140mm radiator for now!

Looking good, but those solder joints on the Quadro look pretty weak (if not just cold). I would go over them again if it was my setup. Are you sure your iron is able to handle a joint that hefty? There's some thermal mass in those molex connectors.

 

[morj]

Looking good, but those solder joints on the Quadro look pretty weak (if not just cold). I would go over them again if it was my setup. Are you sure your iron is able to handle a joint that hefty? There's some thermal mass in those molex connectors.

Thanks for the tip! I wanted to be gentle with the existing joints, but I will try to melt the bond better. If it won't work, I will go over them with a better soldering station at my workplace.

 

[BaK]

Thanks for the tip! I wanted to be gentle with the existing joints, but I will try to melt the bond better. If it won't work, I will go over them with a better soldering station at my workplace.

No room left to use the available molex on the Quadro?

 

[morj]

No room left to use the available molex on the Quadro?

The original harness is too bulky. I can make it work with the pico using a JST to Molex adapter, but first I need to re-wire the pump to work from the motherboard header. Currently the pump is powered by the Molex on the other side of the Quadro.

 

[BaK]

The original harness is too bulky. I can make it work with the pico using a JST to Molex adapter, but first I need to re-wire the pump to work from the motherboard header. Currently the pump is powered by the Molex on the other side of the Quadro.

Ok I see, the Molex is already in use.

 

[morj]

Ok I see, the Molex is already in use.

For now, yes. When the pump will be wired to the mobo, there will be much lower wattage going through the Quadro anyway, just some RGB and 3 fans (I've hooked the PSU fan to the Quadro too, even with a temperature probe to monitor PSU temperature).

 

[BaK]

For now, yes. When the pump will be wired to the mobo, there will be much lower wattage going through the Quadro anyway, just some RGB and 3 fans (I've hooked the PSU fan to the Quadro too, even with a temperature probe to monitor PSU temperature).

Nice goodies!

 

[morj]

Today is the big day!

Got the panels fresh from the @REVOCCASES laser-cutter in the mail a couple of hours ago. They fit perfectly, many thanks for extra stuff in the package. Need to re-print one (top) plastic part of the case frame, but that was expected.

Next step will be to implement some more custom wiring (for the pump, fans), and build with internal pump+block combo.

Also I've ordered a gigantic (dual 200mm) radiator from Alphacool to push the cooling to the max for the more stationary variant of the build.

 

[Valantar]

Today is the big day!

Got the panels fresh from the @REVOCCASES laser-cutter in the mail a couple of hours ago. They fit perfectly, many thanks for extra stuff in the package. Need to re-print one (top) plastic part of the case frame, but that was expected.

Next step will be to implement some more custom wiring (for the pump, fans), and build with internal pump+block combo.

Also I've ordered a gigantic (dual 200mm) radiator from Alphacool to push the cooling to the max for the more stationary variant of the build.

Looks great! I'm wary of that 200mm radiator though - it looks thick (i.e. restrictive) yet larger fans always have worse static pressure, and 180-200mm fans are notoriously bad in that regard. I wouldn't be surprised if that needed push-pull just to deliver half decent cooling per volume. They also tend to be noisier than their rpm indicates due to the high velocity of the fan blade tips due to their sheer size. Why not a 420mm (3*140mm) rad or even one of those 2*2 120 or 140 rads?

 

[eedev]

Congratulations on your custom case it looks great!

 

[morj]

Looks great! I'm wary of that 200mm radiator though - it looks thick (i.e. restrictive) yet larger fans always have worse static pressure, and 180-200mm fans are notoriously bad in that regard. I wouldn't be surprised if that needed push-pull just to deliver half decent cooling per volume. They also tend to be noisier than their rpm indicates due to the high velocity of the fan blade tips due to their sheer size. Why not a 420mm (3*140mm) rad or even one of those 2*2 120 or 140 rads?

I wanted to place it vertically on my desk (for lower footprint). This radiator only has 12 FPI and Alphacool claim it works with low static pressure. It's a new product, released this month, I figured I might give it a try.

 

[Valantar]

I wanted to place it vertically on my desk (for lower footprint). This radiator only has 12 FPI and Alphacool claim it works with low static pressure. It's a new product, released this month, I figured I might give it a try.

Sounds interesting! Definitely worth checking out. What fans will you be using?

 

[morj]

Sounds interesting! Definitely worth checking out. What fans will you be using?

Dual Noctua NF-A20 chromax.

 

[Valantar]

Dual Noctua NF-A20 chromax.

Sounds good! It would be really interesting to see it compared side-by-side to something like a similarly thick 420mm rad with rpm/noise normalized at various levels, though I guess that's a bit much to ask

 

[BaK]

Today is the big day!

Got the panels fresh from the @REVOCCASES laser-cutter in the mail a couple of hours ago. They fit perfectly, many thanks for extra stuff in the package. Need to re-print one (top) plastic part of the case frame, but that was expected.

Congrats, it looks fantastic!
I especially like how you made the window big enough to show the metal part of the GPU block!