Project Mercury - Caselabs S3 | Watercooled | GTX Titan - Completed!

[CynicalRootVegetable]

I like it!

[Akula]

I was able to fix my issue with the 36mm Top Cover mounting, appears the clips that the cover snaps too were worn, they looked overused, so i replaced them with the spares and all is perfect with the case.

 

Been hard at work this morning with the case wiring, at first i thought it was going to be a disaster due to the placement of the Vandal switches, although the way I've managed to route the USB 3.0 & Power/Reset cables is really nice, almost ads a small focal to the build.

I actually had taken some quick photo's but not too happy how they turned out so I'll re-shoot later in the day.

 

Case looks very bare currently, with the lack of fans, radiator's & the reservoir.

 

Guess I'll get back to finishing these wires, onto the power supply next

 

More Photo's soon!

[iBored]

Where's that bitspower full motherboard waterblock?!

[megadarkwood]

Where's that bitspower full motherboard waterblock?!

You should have used this

[Nicktrance]

Yeah that board with that naked die, so sexy .

[WunderWuffle]

This in black would be amazing

Now we have to wait for EK to release their block...

[Akula]

Not interested in a chipset block for this motherboard, going to be difficult enough routing the tubing throughout this build let alone adding extra blocks.

[iBored]

This in black would be amazing

 

Did you say black?

[Nicktrance]

Not interested in a chipset block for this motherboard, going to be difficult enough routing the tubing throughout this build let alone adding extra blocks.

 

But this isn't just a chipset cooler, you'd end up with the same amount of tubes and blocks with this because it covers the CPU too .

[Akula]

Massive changes within the build.

 

No longer going to be using the Nvidia GTX 680 within this build, excellent card and a beast overclocking card although i want something newer, something that I'll never use to it's full potential, something crazy, The Titan.

Why am i going over towards the Titan? No real reason other than i want it.

 

I'll be selling my remaining stock of GTX 680's so that will fund the purchase of the GTX Titan.

 

I've completely revamped the entire build with this idea, no more Nickel & Acetal water-blocks.

Instead I've chosen to go with EK Plexi & Nickel Clean CSQ Variation.

 

New Products

• Gigabyte GeForce GTX Titan OC
• EK Full Cover GTX Titan Clean Backplate
• EK Supremacy Plexi Clean CSQ Top
• EK GTX Titan FC Plexi & Nickel Clean CSQ Waterblock

So there will be some delays before the next update as I'll have to reshuffle my entire build to accommodate these updates.

The good side to this is EK's Blood Red coolant will be highly visible throughout this build.

 

This will be the first time I've gone away from Acetal waterblocks so this is new ground for me.

 

[alpenwasser]

Why am i going over towards the Titan? No real reason other than i want it.

Hehe, I used the same argument for getting my Titan.

[Akula]

Going to be a slow road ahead, majority of my watercooling items are on back-order until October 18th.

So i won't be able to go forward with the installation of any waterblocks.

 

This gives me more time to sort my cables out i guess, but a little disappointing.

 

Items on back-order

• EK Supremacy Plexi CSQ Top
• EK GTX Titan FC Plexi & Nickel CSQ Waterblock
• EK Coolstream PE 240mm Radiator

 

It's a shame that the three items i require the most are all on back-order.

[alpenwasser]

It's a shame that the three items i require the most are all on back-order.

That's water cooling for ya. Delivery delays have been part of this

for as long as I can remember. Then again, Oct 18th is not that far

away.

[Akula]

The Main Board.

I've completely reedited my photographs, really was not happy with the initial outcome, and some of the parts I've photographed at no longer part of this build-log so here's to updated photo's

I'm looking for criticism/comments on my photographing & editing of the below photo's - I've picked up some tips from Paultan's video - Always loved his work.

 

I'll continue to upload as much as i can, i know people hate logs full of walls of text and no photo's so i'll try and limit your notification spam as much as possible

 

GTX Titan & Backplate arrives tomorrow, along with some 16AWG Wire so i can start on these power supply cables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Akula]

Arrival of the Titan.

My GTX Titan arrived today along with the EK Backplate to match.

I went with the Gigabyte GTX Titan Windforce Edition - I believe it's the highest factory clocked Titan expect for the Hydro Copper, don't quote me, comes with their aftermarket Windforce Cooler within the box, nice touch.

 

Just an update with my waterblocks, initially i intended to do with Clean CSQ blocks, although personally I like the EK CSQ Circles on the original blocks, my only concern was the transparency of the blocks, well I've reached middle ground.

I will be polishing each waterblock, wet sanding 1500/2000 Grit & Polishing, should give a very nice transparent look without sacrificing the CSQ circles.

 

Was hoping for one of my EK Coolstream PE Radiator's to arrive today, but no luck, which means it will be here tomorrow, so i'll be able to mount the radiator & start mounting fans.

 

 

 

[alpenwasser]

I will be polishing each waterblock, wet sanding 1500/2000 Grit & Polishing, should give a very nice transparent look without sacrificing the CSQ circles.

I've seen some awesome results with that. :wub:

[Nicktrance]

Not sure if I want to replace that beautiful reference cooler with a Windforce one but I guess that's not an issue here .

[ALXAndy]

This is awesome. Caselabs pissed me off though. If they had made this case an inch wider it could have taken a MATX board. Which would have made it affordable for me

 

Will be following this

[megadarkwood]

Arrival of the Titan.

My GTX Titan arrived today along with the EK Backplate to match.

I went with the Gigabyte GTX Titan Windforce Edition - I believe it's the highest factory clocked Titan expect for the Hydro Copper, don't quote me, comes with their aftermarket Windforce Cooler within the box, nice touch.

 

Just an update with my waterblocks, initially i intended to do with Clean CSQ blocks, although personally I like the EK CSQ Circles on the original blocks, my only concern was the transparency of the blocks, well I've reached middle ground.

I will be polishing each waterblock, wet sanding 1500/2000 Grit & Polishing, should give a very nice transparent look without sacrificing the CSQ circles.

 

Was hoping for one of my EK Coolstream PE Radiator's to arrive today, but no luck, which means it will be here tomorrow, so i'll be able to mount the radiator & start mounting fans.

 

 

 

 

You dont need that! Give it to me and I will use it for "Good cause"!

[Det]

~

[Akula]

This is awesome. Caselabs pissed me off though. If they had made this case an inch wider it could have taken a MATX board. Which would have made it affordable for me

 

Will be following this

 

Technically you can fit an mATX motherboard within this case, you just cannot utilize the full PCIE lane, the Mercury S5 is the mATX variation of this case you should check it out

[Akula]

Fans & Radiator's.

Received my EK Radiator today, one of them at least, excellent looking radiator, something you don't normally see unless you go with something higher end like AC.

Mounted the Noiseblocker PL-2 Fans on the 120/140.2 Drop In Mount - Excellent fit, now I'm working on some cable routing ideas for these fans.

 

Luckily the motherboard has 4 Fan headers, so if i wanted i could run them all directly from the board, haven't done that in a while

 

Last night i painted my OCZ Vertex cover Gloss Black - Finish came out rather well, surprisingly it didn't finish as Gloss but Matte which is the effect i was initially chasing, so i'll have that dry for a few hours and perhaps i may install it into the side mount.

 

Anyway heres a few shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[B NEGATIVE]

I have seen problems with HW chips warping the PCB when delidded,just a heads up.

 

You can use a good fujipoly pad to go around the die,this is good for onboard VRM.

 

 

I have a S3/Impact build going too...im using a 7990 instead of a Titan.

[ALXAndy]

Very nice mate. Those fans look lovely.

[alpenwasser]

Those really are some nice radiators. :wub: