SM8 Rebuild

[FluffyNuggets]

So I decided I wanted to redo my build since I wasn't exactly happy with it. I decided to change out the soft tubing with bent acrylic, do custom cable sleeving with MDPC sleeve, changed out my reservoir, and change out all my fans with Noctua. 

 

For the most part I'm happy with how things turned out considering what a nightmare it was to bend E22 tubing. 

 

Only things that didn't turn out so great that I plan to correct when I get more time is the tubing and sleeving. I actually didn't order enough tubing and the last tube I was bending collapsed from being overworked. So I ended up having to use soft tubing for the last run since there was no other option. With the sleeving I decided to do heat shrinkless and the sleeve pulled off a couple wires, this was mainly due to some of the wires not going into the connectors properly. I gotta say, doing sleeve on the Corsair AX850 was an absolute P.I.T.A. to put it mildly! Most of the pins wouldn't release in the 24-pin connector and once they did I couldn't get them to go fully back in. I don't know if there was something faulty with how my wires were done at the factory but it makes me rethink buying another Corsair PSU. The 8-Pin CPU connector and PCIE cables didn't have the issue so I'm guessing it was just a defect. 

 

Well anyways, here's a couple photos I took. Go easy on me since I've never done acrylic or cable sleeving and decided to do both at the same time lol!

 

Before

Gutted

Radiators and Noctua fans installed

New reservoir

Monsoon Bending Kit

Everything needed to bend

Miter box

Pump installed in new EK pump reservoir combo

3M tape on reservoir

Reservoir/Pump installed (Moved afterwards)

Tube bend

First tube installed

Second tube installed (money was there to give somebody on another forum scale)

This was the tube I ended up destroying because I had bent it to the wrong outlet of the pump since EK didn't specify which one it was. Was replaced with soft tube! It's a shame since it was bent perfectly to the wrong fitting lol. 

Black MDPC sleeve

Green MDPC sleeve

Pin removal tool

Nils drawing

Starting sleeving

Put heat shrink on

Melt heat shrink (I used a lighter)

Cut heat shrink off

Sleeve melted to edge of pin

Install in connector

24-pin sleeved (Wasn't long enough to run behind the motherboard)

8-pin CPU connector sleeved

8-pin CPU connector installed (Again, not long enought)

Started filling

Mayhem UV Green dye added

With UV lights off

Night shot

 

 

[Tea1337]

Awesome job! That thing looks sexy!

 

You should try to get longer cables to clean up the look

[FloRolf]

Well, i actually fell in love with the before pic

 

After is a little too wirey. I know its intented to be like that but i dont think it looks too good with the cables like that.

[FluffyNuggets]

Awesome job! That thing looks sexy!

Thanks man! It was pain but I think it turned out good. 

 

Well, i actually fell in love with the before pic

 

After is a little too wirey. I know its intented to be like that but i dont think it looks too good with the cables like that.

Actually no, it wasn't intended to be like that. I didn't test to see if the 24-pin would would be long enough since I was using extensions before. I just assumed the 24-pin would be long enough since it usually is in most cases, at least the ones I've built in. I knew the 8-pin wouldn't be long enough since the SM8 is so tall. I may sleeve an 8-pin extension cable to clean it up. I'm not gonna sleeve a 24-pin extension because that would be far too time consuming considering I have to get ready for a move. 

 

Yeah the before picture was good but there was just so many things I hated, mainly the reservoir and fans. 

 

You think if I cable tie the cables it will clean it up? 

 

EDIT: Scratch that, I think I may be able to get the 24-pin behind the motherboard. I'm gonna have to see if there's a way for me to get it to stretch more. I'm only short a couple inches so maybe it was caught up on something!

 

I'm right there with you in not liking that many wires!

[TheRetiredSlave]

Great looking build (ignoring the awesomeness of the ugly noctua fans)!

 

Also: How much higher of an overclock do you get with the hundred-dollar bill installed? I've only tried putting $1 bills on my rig and they didn't do anything..

[FluffyNuggets]

Great looking build (ignoring the awesomeness of the ugly noctua fans)!

 

Also: How much higher of an overclock do you get with the hundred-dollar bill installed? I've only tried putting $1 bills on my rig and they didn't do anything..

Haha, I don't know if I get any added bonus to adding a $100 bill. Somebody wanted me to put a bill in the picture to give the build scale and that's all I had on me. 

 

Although Noctua isn't the greatest looking fan it performs amazing! Also, the way they build their fans justifies the huge price tag. These things are built like tanks and are extremely quiet!

 

I got rid of a 240mm radiator that I had before the rebuild and my temps are lower using Noctua fans with the ULN adapter on all of the fans. That right there goes to show how amazing these fans are if I can get lower temps with 240mm less radiator space!

[TheRetiredSlave]

Although Noctua isn't the greatest looking fan it performs amazing! Also, the way they build their fans justifies the huge price tag. These things are built like tanks and are extremely quiet!

 

I got rid of a 240mm radiator that I had before the rebuild and my temps are lower using Noctua fans with the ULN adapter on all of the fans. That right there goes to show how amazing these fans are if I can get lower temps with 240mm less radiator space!

Yeah I have several Noctua fans in my rig too. I have their NH-U14S which keeps my 4770K (moderate OC) extremely cool and nearly impossible to hear. Like you said, the price tag wasn't too gentle on the wallet but the quality totally justifies it.

[FluffyNuggets]

Yeah I have several Noctua fans in my rig too. I have their NH-U14S which keeps my 4770K (moderate OC) extremely cool and nearly impossible to hear. Like you said, the price tag wasn't too gentle on the wallet but the quality totally justifies it.

Do you like how Noctua fans look in person? I thought I would hate them but I actually think they look really good considering their tan lol. 

[lazerphazer21]

nice job man, not sure if its just the picture but that slightly crooked rad to cpu tube really russels my jimmys

 

also have you heard of cable sewing? if you can do it, it might be a good choice if you're going to have the wires on display like that

 

otherwise looks great!

[FluffyNuggets]

nice job man, not sure if its just the picture but that slightly crooked rad to cpu tube really russels my jimmys

 

also have you heard of cable sewing? if you can do it, it might be a good choice if you're going to have the wires on display like that

 

otherwise looks great!

Haha, no that's how it looks. Problem was the front radiator mount isn't lined up with the CPU. If I moved it down it would be below the fitting. So there was really no other way for me to line it up right since it's only a hair off and I don't think I could have done any sort of bend to correct it. If there was a larger difference than I could have fixed it. 

 

I'm not a 100% satisfied with how it turned out and I wish I had the money to buy fittings to make things line up. Considering that would cost me $100's just for the fittings it wasn't really an option. 

 

With the wires I'm gonna cable tie them. Cable sewing would be a better option but I just know I'd mess it up and I'd break something if I had to re-sleeve the 24-pin because it took forever the first time. 

 

Maybe tomorrow I'll figure out a better way to route the cables. Maybe I'll sleeve the 8-pin extension cable I have to clean it up even more. 

 

This is still a work in progress with sorting out the little things. It took me a week to do this so I'm gonna take a break for a little bit to regain my motivation! I now understand why most people don't bend acrylic and I can't say I blame them. Probably the worst decision I made lol!

[TheRetiredSlave]

Do you like how Noctua fans look in person? I thought I would hate them but I actually think they look really good considering their tan lol.

Not really.. I went with a windowless case just so I could ignore them and still get great performance. I figured that I wouldn't really be showing off my PC that much anyway, so why should I spend a ton of time and effort making it look perfect?

I guess it mainly depends on the other colors in your build. The red from my MSI G45-Gaming, TridentX, and Asus DCU2 all clash really badly(IMO) with the brown/tan fans.

[FluffyNuggets]

Not really.. I went with a windowless case just so I could ignore them and still get great performance. I figured that I wouldn't really be showing off my PC that much anyway, so why should I spend a ton of time and effort making it look perfect?

I guess it mainly depends on the other colors in your build. The red from my MSI G45-Gaming, TridentX, and Asus DCU2 all clash really badly(IMO) with the brown/tan fans.

I'm pretty sure Noctua clashes with just about everything. Maybe I should have went with a tan theme instead even though I don't like tan! 

 

I guess the good thing about Noctuas colors is it shows you paid a ton of money for fans. 

 

I don't know, they don't look super great in photos but I think they look good in person. They match my Sennheiser HD598's perfectly and people hate the look of those as well lol. 

[900d]

lookin good man.

[FluffyNuggets]

lookin good man.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Is that your build in your photo? If so that looks sexy! I wish I could have bent the tubing that good!

[TheLordofMoisture]

Are you running your fans in push/pull? Also, are you using NF-S12's? If you are then why didn't you go for F12's or P12's since they are more optimized for static pressure. However, your temps should be fine anyway with a great setup like that. I love the look of the coolant as well!

[FluffyNuggets]

Are you running your fans in push/pull? Also, are you using NF-S12's? If you are then why didn't you go for F12's or P12's since they are more optimized for static pressure. However, your temps should be fine anyway with a great setup like that. I love the look of the coolant as well!

I'm using NF-P12's in push/pull on the front radiator and as exhaust for the back. I'm using NF-A14's in push on the top radiator. 

 

Thanks, the dye is Mayhems UV Green. Out of the couple I tried the green seems to give off the best UV effect. 

[Quantum]

Looking great so far .  

[FluffyNuggets]

Looking great so far .  

Thanks, gonna have to clean up the cables and it should look a lot better. After looking at it I'm kinda annoyed with the cables lol! Only good thing about it is the UV lighting up the green sleeve. 

 

I'll get her sorted out and post some updated photos. 

 

I wanted to post this whole thing in order to get some feedback. I knew people weren't going to like the tons of cabling so I kinda expected it!

[lazerphazer21]

I guess the good thing about Noctuas colors is it shows you paid a ton of money for fans. 

 

True poetry right here