Log Walrus WS — 2.6L Ryzen workstation with RTX A2000 and optimized cooling

morj

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
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Feb 11, 2020
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Small update: finally have wired up the 200W HP brick so I can connect it externally via mini-din port.
And now I don't have sudden shutdowns on short load spikes from 3D work on GPU while CPU is loaded! My wall meter now can go up to 210W sometimes, but the 200W platinum brick holds up like a champ (and yes I removed HP stickers from it, also want to clip the mounting ears and paint the casing).




Temperature inside is also reasonable:



Also checked the connector, seems to be fine, no overheating of the contacts, all the heat is coming through the wires from the PCB itself.

 

CC Ricers

Shrink Ray Wielder
Bronze Supporter
Nov 1, 2015
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I think I have that same power supply actually. Haven't really used it though and I'm guessing that's a XT-60 connector? Better snug fit than Molex, that's for sure.

Now I'm thinking if I should go full slim with my own rig sans GPU- I do have a 1U cooler laying around >_>
 

morj

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
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Feb 11, 2020
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Haven't really used it though and I'm guessing that's a XT-60 connector?

Nope, XT-90. For me the most important thing was modularity, so I can hook up different wires to this PC with ease.
 

morj

Airflow Optimizer
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Feb 11, 2020
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Idea: what if I manage to fit a 120mm CPU cooler fan? In this case I can use a Scythe 1212 PWM fan (12mm thickness instead of 14mm thickness) making the case slimmer.

240.46 * 62 * 176.15 ~= 2.63L



Moreover, in this scenario the depth of the case can be increased by 25mm to accommodate the HDPLEX 250W GAN in the front: 240.46 * 62 * 201.15 < 3L

UPD: test fitted a 120x25 fan, spot on!


 
Last edited:

BaK

King of Cable Management
Bronze Supporter
May 17, 2016
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1212 fan fits so perfectly, as if you had planned this from the beginning! Looks very nice indeed!

Did you manage to attach the fan somehow with these rubber fan mounts?

I notice the PDCB is not right under the fan, but anyhow its temp looks to be below 50°C on to the thermal pic. No more hot air pocket!
 

morj

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
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Feb 11, 2020
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1212 fan fits so perfectly, as if you had planned this from the beginning! Looks very nice indeed!

Thanks for the idea!

Did you manage to attach the fan somehow with these rubber fan mounts?

Nope, I'm just using them as spacers so the fan doesn't lean on the side panel (because it's now 2mm away from the fan). I will make some 3D-printed bracket to attach the fan to the sides of the case. For now the fan is just sandwiched in place (from all 6 sides).

I notice the PDCB is not right under the fan, but anyhow its temp looks to be below 50°C on to the thermal pic. No more hot air pocket!

PDCB is still too high to fit under the fan, so I designed some cutouts in the top corner for the air to escape.
Haven't printed any of this though.

 

morj

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
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Feb 11, 2020
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BTW, this project isn't dead (yet).

With much woes I re-printed most of the case with carbon reinforced polyamide (Fiberthree F3 PA-CF Pro, much better heat resistance, but way harder to print with).

The case feels super sturdy now.

Still want to make top/bottom panels out of metal or maybe 1mm carbon sheet.

12012 fan will be back and installed once the panels are done (currently nowhere to mount it).

With 1mm panels and 12mm thick fan the volume should be 2.6L spot on.





 

robbee

King of Cable Management
n3rdware
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Sep 24, 2016
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Looking good!

You may be interested in this thing that ADT link released a while back, it's a PCB angled riser that supports 4.0: https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005004697330934.html

I received mine a while ago and it works very well. The only issue is that the gpu pci bracket overlaps the motherboard a little bit, but if i got it right, you already bent yours a little to solve that exact issue.
 

msystems

King of Cable Management
Apr 28, 2017
781
1,366
How do you like the Rgeek? Just looking at it in more detail and it's really neat. It looks like it comes with.... double DC barrels? So you modified to GX16 which looks great. Oh and was other thing you did looks like resolder the input from the front to the back of the pcb?

Would be amazing if they sold it with the modification you have done here, its perfect
 

morj

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
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Feb 11, 2020
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620
Looking good!

You may be interested in this thing that ADT link released a while back, it's a PCB angled riser that supports 4.0: https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005004697330934.html

I received mine a while ago and it works very well. The only issue is that the gpu pci bracket overlaps the motherboard a little bit, but if i got it right, you already bent yours a little to solve that exact issue.

Thanks for the tip! I've been eyeballing PCB risers, but unfortunately using it would mean the GPU has to sit much further away from the motherboard. Here the GPU position is defined by the shape of the case down to a millimeter.
 

morj

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
Bronze Supporter
Feb 11, 2020
322
620
How do you like the Rgeek? Just looking at it in more detail and it's really neat. It looks like it comes with.... double DC barrels? So you modified to GX16 which looks great. Oh and was other thing you did looks like resolder the input from the front to the back of the pcb?

Would be amazing if they sold it with the modification you have done here, its perfect

The RGeek "450W" version holds up pretty well, although in the previous case revision without vents it was getting quite toasty. I think running it at 200-250W is a maximum I would dare to put through this power delivery board.

In my other build (the one in my forum signature) I have the "250W" RGeek converted to have PS_ON passthrough, but it only handles the mobo ATX 24 pin and pump/fans, the CPU 8-pin is wired directly to the 800W server "power brick", so much less load. No complains still and I'm pretty happy with it.

Yeah, I have re-soldered both input and output wires on this board, the output has now 4 wires that convert to 8-pin for the CPU via 2 pairs of bullet connectors.

UPD: this is not GX16, it's a 4 pin Mini-DIN for 12V DC input.
 

BaK

King of Cable Management
Bronze Supporter
May 17, 2016
930
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With much woes I re-printed most of the case with carbon reinforced polyamide (Fiberthree F3 PA-CF Pro, much better heat resistance, but way harder to print with).

The case feels super sturdy now.
Anything to do to smooth/hide the print layers? Will acetone works with this reinforced polyamide material?
 

morj

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
Bronze Supporter
Feb 11, 2020
322
620
Anything to do to smooth/hide the print layers? Will acetone works with this reinforced polyamide material?

I think sanding/filing would do the trick, I just don't have a lot time lately. Hope to do it once I figure out the panels.
 
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czr

Chassis Packer
Oct 20, 2016
13
5
Small update: finally have wired up the 200W HP brick so I can connect it externally via mini-din port.
And now I don't have sudden shutdowns on short load spikes from 3D work on GPU while CPU is loaded! My wall meter now can go up to 210W sometimes, but the 200W platinum brick holds up like a champ (and yes I removed HP stickers from it, also want to clip the mounting ears and paint the casing).




Temperature inside is also reasonable:



Also checked the connector, seems to be fine, no overheating of the contacts, all the heat is coming through the wires from the PCB itself.

What are the dimensions of this unit?