completed [Build Log] Project Re-Define - Rigid Tubing | Hackintosh | Watercooled Define R5 (Finished)

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

Table of Content

Prior to WaterCooling   (2/6/15)

Update #1: WaterCooling Component Part I   (2/6/15)

Update #2: Case Preparation    (2/6/15)

Update #3: Hardware Migration   (2/8/15)

Update #4: Fittings Arrival   (2/9/15)

Update #5: Micro Center Pick-up   (3/8/15)

Update #6: More Stuff   (3/8/15)

Update #7: Carbon Fiber Wrapped PSU   (3/9/15)

Update #8: Performance PC Package   (3/12/15)

Update #9: D5 Pump Modification and Testing   (3/13/15)

Update #10: CPU & GPU WaterBlock Installation   (3/13/15)

Update #11: Radiator & Pump Installation    (3/13/15)

Update #12: Very Ghetto Tubing Runs   (3/15/15)

Update #13: 12-Hour Leak Test Complete   (3/16/15)

Update #14: Mark I Complete   (3/19/15)

Update #15a: Draining and Running Tubing, again...but better!   (3/26/15)

Update #15b: New Coolant & Leak Testing   (3/26/15)

Update #16: Mark II Complete   (4/6/15)

Update #17: Prototype of Mark III   (4/23/15)

Minor Update   (5/13/15)

Minor Update   (9/3/15)

"Minor-ish Update"   (9/6/15)

Update #18a: Day 1 of Maintenance   (9/6/15)

Update #18b: Day 2 of Maintenance   (9/7/15)

Update #19: Crippling OS (9/9/15)

Update #20: MS X Pro & OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 (9/17/15)

Update #21a: ThunderBoltEX II Card   (10/14/15)

Update #21b: ThunderBoltEX II Card Failure (10/14/15)

Update #22: HyperX Predator 240GB PCI-E M.2 SSD   (10/31/15)

Update #23: LTT Nocuta 140mm Fans   (11/20/15)

Update #24: Mark III Completed [End of Build-Log]   (2/22/2016)

 

Introduction

Let me just state this now, this project was inspired by Akula and his Project Armada which I had stumbled upon over half a year ago and since then, I have been motivated to build my own custom loop.

The project gets its name for two reason, one of which is because I am Re-using all (if not most) of my component from my current rig, and secondly because the case itself is named 'Define'. So combining those two words in bold, leads to Re-Define...yes I am aware the name isn't the best, but it's all what I can come up with. 

Alongside of being a custom PC and running typical Microsoft Windows OS, I have plans to make it be able to boot Mac OS X and possibly some distro of Linux. 

Also I would like to mention that this is my first custom loop, and as a challenge for myself, I will be using bending PETG Tubing with a heat gun.

The project itself won't be done in a matter of weeks but maybe over the course of months as I am a college student and funding doesn't come easy for me nevertheless I don't always have time tinkering around with a system like this. 

 

Current Component

Intel Core i7 3770k

Asus P8Z77V-Pro

Corsair Vengeance Pro Blue 1866Mhz (2x8GB)

Gigabyte GTX 980 (Reference)

Fractal Design Define R4

OCZ Vertex 460 (240GB), OCZ Agility 3 (240GB), Intel 530 (120GB), 2x Western Digital Caviar Black (1TB)

Corsair RM750 (with Corsair Black Sleeved Cables)

 

Upgrades

Fractal Design Define R5 (Acquired)

Fractal Design Titanium Grey Front Panel (Acquired)

Seasonic Platinum SS-860XP2 (Acquired)

Ensourced Custom Cables for the Seasonic Platinum PSU (Acquired)

Hyper-X Predator PCI-e SSD 240GB (Acquired)

2x HGST Travelstar 1TB 7200RPM 2.5"  HDD (Acquired)

 

Watercooling Components

EK-Supremacy Evo Copper Acetal Clean CSQ Full Nickel Waterblock (Acquired)

EK-FC980 GTX Nickel Acetal Clean CSQ Waterblock (Acquired)

EK-FC980 GTX Black Nickel Backplate (Acquired)

Alphacool NexXxos XT45 Full Copper Radiator 360 (Acquired)

Alphacool NexXxos ST30 XT45 Full Copper Radiator 280 (Acquired)

Bitspower Single D5 Pump and Reservoir Combo (Acquired)

Bitspower D5 Top Upgrade 150 - Black (Acquired)

Bitspower D5 Mod Top v2 - Acrylic Black (Acquired)

Swiftech MCP655 Variable Speed (Acquired)

Bitspower D5 Pump Mod Kit - Matte Black (Acquired)

Bitspower Anti-Cyclone Adapter (Acquired)

Bitspower Aqua-Pipe (Acquired)

PrimoChill 1/2" OD Rigid PETG Tube (Acquired)

PrimoChill 1/2" OD Rigid Revolver Compression Diamond Knurled Fittings Anodized Black  (Acquired)

 

Miscellaneous

2x Noctua NF-A14 (Acquired)

2x LinusTechTip Edition Noctua NF-A14 (Acquired)

3x Noctua NF-F12 (Acquired)

Corsair AF140 (Acquired)

Mayhems X1 EK-Koolant Evo UV Blue (Acquired)

Swifttech 8-Way PWM Splitter (Acquired)

Lian Li PCI Replacement Slot Cover Black (Acquired)

Carbon Fiber Vinyl Wrap (Acquired)

SilverStone 500mm Ultra Thin 6G/s Sata Cable (Acquired)

Alphacool Pump Mount Universal for 120-140mm Fan/Radiators (Acquired)

Bitspower 140 Water Tank Mount (Acquired)

Bitspower Pump Universal Bracket (Acquired)

 

Finished Build:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Norman_the_Owl]

Mmmm, love define builds...

 

Especially redefine builds!

 

Looks like it's going to be good, only 30mm on the 280 rad though? For the top or front?

 

Edit: I'm a dirt whore for pictures too, even of parts piles

[Thebman712]

I WANT THEM PICTURES

[itsmyjobtoknow]

Mmmm, love define builds...

 

Especially redefine builds!

 

Looks like it's going to be good, only 30mm on the 280 rad though? For the top or front?

 

Edit: I'm a dirt whore for pictures too, even of parts piles

 

yes the 280 is for the front while the 360 is on the top.

[itsmyjobtoknow]

I WANT THEM PICTURES

 

I'm working on it 

[Tearass]

I'm working on it 

 

How much longer?

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

This was my rig prior to watercooling it.

It used to be in a Define R4 that had the front door wrapped in Carbon Fiber Vinyl.

Speaking of Carbon Fiber Vinyl...the RM 750 PSU with its braided Corsair cables was also wrapped with the stuff.

The Tower cooler was a Thermalright Archon IB-E X2 with two Phantek 140mm fans on it...while it served me well, I am sadden to see it go...

Also only reason I got a reference GTX 980 was to essentially knowing that there were going to be GPU blocks made for it...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Norman_the_Owl]

Mmmmm dat camera quality...

[itsmyjobtoknow]

Just a little update:

 

Spent most of last night preparing the case for hardware migration.

 

I may or may not have burnt my fingers during the process of preparing the case.....

 

And somethings in this build may or may not be ghetto mounted....well somewhat ghetto mounted.

 

I also apologize in advance if my camera quality goes to sh*t, I got really tired and I just stopped caring for the lighting and getting the perfect shot 

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

Wrapping the interior with Carbon Fiber Vinyl was a pain in the ass to do especially when I am doing this in the middle of the night by myself without any help at all...took a few tries before I got it right...although not perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lucian22]

I rate this pretty awesome .

[Gilbert]

l-lewd.

 

I love the changes you put into the R5, it's so nice to see more builds in that case, it's my favorite case and i hope to get it one day.

[willemdoom1]

This is gearing up to be a awesome build!!

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

The fittings for the PETG tubing has finally arrived..

 

[YT2002]

I thought that phanteks cooler was a painted noctua

[itsmyjobtoknow]

Sorry for the lack of updates, got caught up on with work and college.

 

Anyways I just ordered the rest of the components that I needed so they should be arriving the end of this week and early next week. 

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

Went to MicroCenter to pick up a few things..just for the sakes on convenience sake....but getting there wasn't even remotely convenient at all.

For those of you that know of the NYC and the five borough...I was already in Queens visiting Thomas Edison High School to witness my old High School (not Thomas Edison) compete in a competition. So I thought I might as well go to the MicroCenter in Queens since I was already there...but man, it was a pain to get there via public transportation and the travel back home was another pain to go through since I am essentially traveling around uncharted area..

 

 

[Norman_the_Owl]

They have bitspower stuff at microcenter???

[itsmyjobtoknow]

 

A few more things that arrived in the mail...

You may notice a new PSU...well I only got it because it is essentially a shorter(the main factor on why I made the purchase) and essentially a better PSU then my RM750.

I do intended on re-using the RM750 in another build though...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[itsmyjobtoknow]

They have bitspower stuff at microcenter???

 

Yes...kinda

On the receipt I got, next to all the Bitspower stuff, it said FrozenCPU...

[Norman_the_Owl]

Yes...kinda

On the receipt I got, next to all the Bitspower stuff, it said FrozenCPU...

Damn i had no idea you could get WC gear at a microcenter...

 

Might be a good excuse for me to take a drive

[itsmyjobtoknow]

Damn i had no idea you could get WC gear at a microcenter...

 

Might be a good excuse for me to take a drive

 

To my surprise, they have a good amount of watercooling sutff there.

 

Only problem I see is that they only have a very limited stock of each item, well at least the ones in New York does. 

[Norman_the_Owl]

To my surprise, they have a good amount of watercooling sutff there.

 

Only problem I see is that they only have a very limited stock of each item, well at least the ones in New York does. 

Same at the paterson location.

 

They have 2 or 3 of each type of fitting