The Utterly Imbalanced CaseLabs TX10-D build(s)!

[Lays]

Oh, quick question, PETG or just Acrlyic? PETG is $11 for 12 feet of tubing, acrylic is $43 for 24 feet, I heard PETG bends easier and is a bit more shock resistant? (From that modzoo video)

[Toxiclegend]

Thanks, hopefully that isn't the last such announcement either!

 

Now I just need to decide what type of reservoir and what colors- helices/accent rails, end caps, coolant etc. Side 2 is mostly fixed already but Side 1 depends on the motherboard more or less. If you guys (or anyone in this forum) have questions about these products then just let me know and I will get you the answers. They have a lot more products than just these- CPU blocks, bay reservoirs, coolant and even their own acrylic cases!

 

If I could build nice rigs and get sponsored for each one I'd quit my job right now and build PC's all day.

 

Good luck with the rest of them sponsors too!

 

Cases? That could be good if they are designed for water cooling, hopefully they will have metal ones as well soon. The colours are going to have to compliment the case when you get it sprayed you're either going to have to go with the same sort of darkish colours or use these bits to accent it with brighter colours it depends on what you want to stand out.

[VSG]

This is the link to the case: http://www.frozenqshop.com/liquid-full-tower-x1-build-your-own/

 

As you can see, pretty much anything can be customized. If you don't like the design, you can work with Alex on making a case for yourself. The frame is metallic of course, acrylic doesn't have the strength to support watercooled builds.

 

Oh, quick question, PETG or just Acrlyic? PETG is $11 for 12 feet of tubing, acrylic is $43 for 24 feet, I heard PETG bends easier and is a bit more shock resistant? (From that modzoo video)

 

 

PETG is still too new for me personally. It is way easier to bend- can be cold bent even, but that also means it can bend out of shape easier also. There is still debate over if PETG does indeed absorb coolant (like soft tubing, hence why it stains with time). I would say get PETG at least to try out bending if you haven't done it before. If it seems easy enough, try it out for a few months and see. Just don't run your PC when you are away or sleeping. Read this thread for a summary: http://www.overclock.net/t/1490076/petg-tubing-vs-acrylic-tubing-pros-cons/0_50

[Lays]

q

 

I run my PC 24/7 so that may not be a good idea, bc of my ts3 server.  BUT I could run my server off my mom's PC, although it doesn't have much ram, and occasionally the ram usage of the server gets up there when 20+ people are on.

 

It is like half the price of normal acrylic, so idk, it's interesting to me for that reason.

[VSG]

I run my PC 24/7 so that may not be a good idea, bc of my ts3 server.  BUT I could run my server off my mom's PC, although it doesn't have much ram, and occasionally the ram usage of the server gets up there when 20+ people are on.

 

It may well be safe, but a guy had PETG deform when the pump stopped working and heated up the tube. So that is good in that the deforming likely saved the rest of his system and bad in that it deforms easily. Too early to say if it is safe 24/7 in my opinion.

[Toxiclegend]

This is the link to the case: http://www.frozenqshop.com/liquid-full-tower-x1-build-your-own/

 

As you can see, pretty much anything can be customized. If you don't like the design, you can work with Alex on making a case for yourself. The frame is metallic of course, acrylic doesn't have the strength to support watercooled builds.

 

Wow that's pretty awesome, of course the frame is metal, and I actually really like that huge side panel I've bookmarked that I'll have to look into this more when I get home. Damn you making me want to spend my house pennies on new cases that I don't really need!

[Lays]

It may well be safe, but a guy had PETG deform when the pump stopped working and heated up the tube. So that is good in that the deforming likely saved the rest of his system and bad in that it deforms easily. Too early to say if it is safe 24/7 in my opinion.

 

 

Do you know of anyone else having issues with it? I saw a few youtube videos with people raving about it, how easy it was to bend, and how shock resistant it was. Themodzoo+ some other guy that made a tiny loop and ran it 24/7 to see if any discoloration happened with the tubing, but then again it was only for a couple of days, who knows what happens in 6 months..

[VSG]

Wow that's pretty awesome, of course the frame is metal, and I actually really like that huge side panel I've bookmarked that I'll have to look into this more when I get home. Damn you making me want to spend my house pennies on new cases that I don't really need!

 

lol this hobby is a bottomless pit for your money. If all you want is that huge side panel, work with them on getting a custom one for your existing case. It is pretty amazing what they can do with all the equipment they have.

 

Do you know of anyone else having issues with it? I saw a few youtube videos with people raving about it, how easy it was to bend, and how shock resistant it was. Themodzoo+ some other guy that made a tiny loop and ran it 24/7 to see if any discoloration happened with the tubing, but then again it was only for a couple of days, who knows what happens in 6 months..

 

That's just it- no one I know has run PETG continuously for a long time. One of the guys in that thread I linked may do it, but it won't be happening quick enough for you. If you have a simple loop and make it relatively easy to disassemble, go for it and try it out. But then again, in a small loop you won't need a lot of acrylic either so the cost savings from PETG may not be worth it.

[Maki Role]

As you can see, pretty much anything can be customized. If you don't like the design, you can work with Alex on making a case for yourself. The frame is metallic of course, acrylic doesn't have the strength to support watercooled builds.

That's not quite true on the acrylic front, it all depends on how you work with it. For instance in my own current build I'm using acrylic as the chief structural element, admittedly it's also 20mm thick. However, Parvum makes their cases out of acrylic and have been shown to operate very well and be particularly watercooling friendly. Although their cases are mATX currently, their project Magnus concept showed how it can easily translate to a Caselabs sized monster too. Not to mention the wealth of other modded projects like Glassgween by Cheapskate over on Bit-Tech.

[VSG]

That's not quite true on the acrylic front, it all depends on how you work with it. For instance in my own current build I'm using acrylic as the chief structural element, admittedly it's also 20mm thick. However, Parvum makes their cases out of acrylic and have been shown to operate very well and be particularly watercooling friendly. Although their cases are mATX currently, their project Magnus concept showed how it can easily translate to a Caselabs sized monster too. Not to mention the wealth of other modded projects like Glassgween by Cheapskate over on Bit-Tech.

 

You are right, I should have been more specific with the acrylic thickness that is being used in the case I linked. Thick acrylic of course is strong. I need to check out your build log now- is that the Loramentum one?

[Maki Role]

@VSG Indeedy it is

 

Btw I forgot to mention, great job on the sponsors and the rig so far, looking to end up something undeniably special.

[VSG]

Thanks, will head over to that build log once I have measured out some things for Lays.

 

Now then, I know a lot of people here have seen Linus' overkill watercooling build guide video in the 900D. I have personally learned a lot from it- what to do, what not to do. So here's a small warning on the Phobya reservoirs:

 

 

 

 

Everything other than that reservoir in the loop was top notch stuff and the mess you see was able to be removed in a vinegar bath. These aren't my pictures, but just saying- Alphacool and Phobya products can really mess up your loop if not careful. The going theory here is that the end caps on the reservoirs were the main culprits- they don't look anything like end caps anymore.

 

@LinusTech and @Slick should take a look at what they recommend. Koolance products for example come with a terrible warranty policy that the reps actually do enforce also.

[Kittke]

Still the best thing to do is to chose as many parts from the same brand then there shouldn't be "any" problems.

[Lays]

I found a few people saying they've been using it for months, one guy a year, they said no issues yet. (PETG)

 

But b negative didn't seem to sold on the idea of it, because it's water permeable apparently. (Even though it'd take months to effect anything it seems..)

[VSG]

Still the best thing to do is to chose as many parts from the same brand then there shouldn't be "any" problems.

 

Honestly, if you went with all Alphacool or all Phobya, it would likely be worse. Their tubing leaches plasticizer, their blocks are not the best performers by any means, their rads need an acid bath to get the gunk out, the stop plugs cause things like you see above, their fittings have leaked more than any other brand I have. I can't say about their coolant since I haven't used it, and their best fans are rebranded Noiseblocker eloops. I am not really picking on them since their rads are excellent with low RPM fans (once cleaned) and their new custom PCB waterblock venture is something I really give them props for. But without realizing all this, a person may just get the same parts as in the Linus video and have terrible issues later.

 

I found a few people saying they've been using it for months, one guy a year, they said no issues yet. (PETG)

 

But b negative didn't seem to sold on the idea of it, because it's water permeable apparently. (Even though it'd take months to effect anything it seems..)

 

 

I trust B Neg more than most people, he has corrected me when I was wrong and isn't afraid to argue with company reps when he knows he is right. But he has no experience with this first hand either, at least not that I am aware of. So that's why I said the more people who are willing to try it out, the more info we will have about it. I don't blame you for not wanting to try it out at all.

[Maki Role]

To be honest, it's all about cherry picking parts from each manufacturer as they all have their faults.  The only company I've come across who seem basically clean across the board are Bitspower, but should you need to contact them, good luck, they're basically ghosts.  EK has great blocks that look fantastic, but many of their angled fittings leak like the Titanic's hull.  Alphacool has amazing radiators (just need a wash through like any brand really) and personally I've never had an issue with their fittings, but I know many who have.  Monsoon's hardline fittings have collars that crack and leak everywhere.  Aquacomputer has awful documentation, is very expensive and has had issues with the Aqualis ports at times (too deep set, like with EK's X-Res).  Koolance makes some fantastic CPU blocks, but as you mentioned their warranty work can be shady.  Phobya have some great fans thanks to Noiseblocker (white doesn't fit every build after all) but I wouldn't trust much else from them really, got a lot of work to do there.  Primochill seems to have swung themselves around over the last year and a half, their tubing is great and their fittings are pretty top notch too, there'll be something though.

 

At the end of the day, it's still a bit of a minefield out there.

[Lays]

I trust his experience as well, but some of the reasoning of other people's comparisons, I see for it being water permeable is based on the fact of people comparing it to soda bottles with EXTREMELY thin plastic, compared to much thicker walls of the tubing.

I feel as if it was to let water slowly evaporate, it would take an extremely long time to let a big amount of water out, and by that time it'd probably be time to upgrade parts anyways.

 

 

Another pro I see is that it's much easier to bend apparently, and since I've never done this before with rigid, it may be much easier from a "beginners" stand-point.

 

 

I still have no idea what fittings to choose from, >.>

[VSG]

To be honest, it's all about cherry picking parts from each manufacturer as they all have their faults.  The only company I've come across who seem basically clean across the board are Bitspower, but should you need to contact them, good luck, they're basically ghosts.  EK has great blocks that look fantastic, but many of their angled fittings leak like the Titanic's hull.  Alphacool has amazing radiators (just need a wash through like any brand really) and personally I've never had an issue with their fittings, but I know many who have.  Monsoon's hardline fittings have collars that crack and leak everywhere.  Aquacomputer has awful documentation, is very expensive and has had issues with the Aqualis ports at times (too deep set, like with EK's X-Res).  Koolance makes some fantastic CPU blocks, but as you mentioned their warranty work can be shady.  Phobya have some great fans thanks to Noiseblocker (white doesn't fit every build after all) but I wouldn't trust much else from them really, got a lot of work to do there.  Primochill seems to have swung themselves around over the last year and a half, their tubing is great and their fittings are pretty top notch too, there'll be something though.

 

At the end of the day, it's still a bit of a minefield out there.

 

If I could rep that post, I would. A "like" will have to suffice

 

The alphacool rad cleaning depends on the coolant you use. Mick's Pastel and Aurora range for example are pH sensitive and the gunk in the alphacool rads can seriously F things up as I have seen multiple times. 

 

 

I trust his experience as well, but some of the reasoning of other people's comparisons, I see for it being water permeable is based on the fact of people comparing it to soda bottles with EXTREMELY thin plastic, compared to much thicker walls of the tubing.

I feel as if it was to let water slowly evaporate, it would take an extremely long time to let a big amount of water out, and by that time it'd probably be time to upgrade parts anyways.

 

 

Another pro I see is that it's much easier to bend apparently, and since I've never done this before with rigid, it may be much easier from a "beginners" stand-point.

 

 

I still have no idea what fittings to choose from, >.>

 

 

Primochill tubing = primochill fittings. I really wouldn't go anywhere else since Primochill has a bit of QC issues with tube diameters and thickness, especially if they are making these themselves. I love the Bitspower enhanced hardline fittings but they are in metric and expensive. Like Maki mentioned above, Monsoon fittings can break if not careful and even sometimes if careful.

[Maki Role]

Personally I've never had issues with them, and I've been using pastel white for years in one of my loops (along with an XT45).  In fact when I first started watercooling, nobody told me I had to clean the rads out first!  I'm amazed I didn't completely lock up my blocks to be honest.  Thing is, if Alphacool don't get the gunk problems sorted they'll fall behind in the rad business, considering everybody else has upped their game (XSPC really took a leap with the AX series, as did EK recently).  Can't deny their practicality though, so many ports on the ends plus screw protectors, why nobody else used those at the time is beyond me, would have saved many rads from being punctured accidentally.

[Kittke]

Jayztwocents is really into alphacool and he is very happy with their products

(Could be just sponsoring)

[Ralphington]

Jayztwocents is really into alphacool and he is very happy with their products

(Could be just sponsoring)

I think its both as hes said in the past he only accepts sponsorship if the company does a good enough job that he'd be willing to promote them.

[VSG]

Personally I've never had issues with them, and I've been using pastel white for years in one of my loops (along with an XT45).  In fact when I first started watercooling, nobody told me I had to clean the rads out first!  I'm amazed I didn't completely lock up my blocks to be honest.  Thing is, if Alphacool don't get the gunk problems sorted they'll fall behind in the rad business, considering everybody else has upped their game (XSPC really took a leap with the AX series, as did EK recently).  Can't deny their practicality though, so many ports on the ends plus screw protectors, why nobody else used those at the time is beyond me, would have saved many rads from being punctured accidentally.

 

Jayztwocents is really into alphacool and he is very happy with their products

(Could be just sponsoring)

 

So speaking of Jay, this is how the coolant was when his 900D build with Mayhems Pastel was relatively new:

 

 

and this is what it looked like when he started building his Red Mist (poor customer has no idea what's about to hit him soon):

 

 

 

and finally what it got to in a couple of months later when he did the transfer to the new Caselabs case:

 

 

That's just what I found from a quick search on google, I know I have seen the final version look even worse in one of his videos. Based on my conversations with him on YouTube and Twitter, he isn't an idiot. But he either doesn't have the time or chooses to not research his components enough. Alphacool is also a sponsor so that's there. Wait and see how his new Skunkworks build changes color really soon- he has even more alphacool rads in there!

 

 

I think its both as hes said in the past he only accepts sponsorship if the company does a good enough job that he'd be willing to promote them.

 

 

I am willing to give him the benefit of doubt and say he is simply not aware of what the rads did. He would have to be crazy to not have noticed the color change in a few months, so I am hoping he pins it down to the rads soon. Sponsorship is a 2-faced sword. In my case, I will definitely critique products I get but first in private by letting them know in case they are aware and are making a correction or, if unaware, it was a genuine error. I hate the guys who take free stuff and then put them down or praise them lavishly without doing a thorough job.

[Lays]

I really like these: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/25039/ex-tub-3305/Monsoon_Hardline_Economy_Compression_Fitting_-_38ID_x_12OD_-_6_Pack_Matte_Black_EFH-3812-6-MB.html?tl=g30c703s2231

 

I like these too, but they're so plain, and more expensive http://www.frozencpu.com/products/20539/ex-tub-1887/PrimoChilll_12_OD_Rigid_Ghost_Compression_Fittings_-_4_Pack_-_Anodized_Black.html?tl=g30c703s2021

 

 

@VSG I think he said he added things to the coolant to make it match his mobo, since it was a darker gold color. (mentioned it in one of his VLOGS about the skunkworks new build I think)

[VSG]

I really like these: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/25039/ex-tub-3305/Monsoon_Hardline_Economy_Compression_Fitting_-_38ID_x_12OD_-_6_Pack_Matte_Black_EFH-3812-6-MB.html?tl=g30c703s2231

 

I like these too, but they're so plain, and more expensive http://www.frozencpu.com/products/20539/ex-tub-1887/PrimoChilll_12_OD_Rigid_Ghost_Compression_Fittings_-_4_Pack_-_Anodized_Black.html?tl=g30c703s2021

 

 

@VSG I think he said he added things to the coolant to make it match his mobo, since it was a darker gold color. (mentioned it in one of his VLOGS about the skunkworks new build I think)

 

Those are the basic ones, at least in case of the primochill version the barb goes in the compression ring so much that it is extremely hard to get them out even with the provided tool. So I can't recommend those. They came out with a newer ghost revolver knurled ring fitting that looks easier to work with.

 

I don't buy that second part, you can see it getting progressively worse and the same color change has happened with a lot of guys on OCN who used Mayhems yellow with alphacool rads. Also, where is the darker gold in that motherboard?

[Lays]

Yeah I agree, here's a picture, he was talking about changing the color of the coolant+ rings or something, because of the mobo being more of a "goldenrod color" than a yellow one. I think it's in part 2 of his vlog