Lambda Core

[ExpendableCustoms]

Hi guys,

It's been over 2 months since i finished last build, so it's time to start something new! After mITX Project FrostyBoy and 'normal size' Project Impossible and All or Nothing this time we're going balls to the wall with heavy moddifed monstrous Parvum L1.0 .

The real beginnings of new project go back to end of 2016 when i bought Parvum L1.0 case. Few major delays didn't allow me to start this project till now. One of the biggest problems was cost of all parts - i simply couldn't afford all desirable parts on my own. External support in meaningful way was necessary if the project was to be executed in way i designed it.



I would like to thank aquatuning.de and Alphacool for providing all water cooling suff, without this support this project wolud be impossible to realize. Also big thanks to Noiseblocker for providing best fans i can dream of .

The new project means new approach to planning and modding - I decided to design everything before I start the real work. The effect in the form of a 3d model is shown below - I tried to make it as accurately as possible.















All mods i designed myself, and they were executed by Parvum to ensure best possible quality. Few mods were unsuccessful but finally i own case with even greater LC capabilities than before. Downside of all this unsuccessful mods is numer of 'spare' panels i have - with them i'm able to build 2nd and piece od 3rd L1.0 .



















Only three panels from original L1.0 i've bought last year are present in current case - both sides, and baseplate (but not for long). Relative to the original L1.0 can now hold 2 x 480mm radiators in basement (instead of 2x360mm), and 420mm at the top (instead of 360mm). Front radiator mounting capability was droped due to problem with heating interior of the case by such radiator. Midplate was moddified to accomodate Aquaero and special plate for mounting two pumps was designed.

[userzero]

I'm just here to give you props for having good taste in the name. I'm kinda obsessed with all things HL since 1998... 

[ExpendableCustoms]

@userzero I love Half-Life universe. I've started my adventure with HL2 right after relese, but as soon as possible got back to HL1 with all expansions. Currently i'm wainting fox Xen episodes for Black Mesa and after all this years still beleving in HL3

 

@Abyssal Radon Thank you, I promise to do my best to meet expectations

[userzero]

I'm yet to find something to top the HL franchise. Totally honest. I had the HL1 demo before it was even released and was hooked within 30 seconds.

[ExpendableCustoms]

It's time to present LC parts that will be used in the project. One more time big thank to Aquatining.de and Alphacool for providing all LC parts. I never seen such a pile of water cooling quipment.



Main element of the LC loops - two 480mm XT45 radiators and one 420mm XT45





In previous project i was using DDC combo with acetal top. This time i choose plexi top, and i'm glad fot this decision - it looks great! Oryginal reservoir tube (105mm) wil be changed to bigger - 150mm.







It's my first contact with RAM blocks, i know that they are not necessary, because DDR4 heat output is negligible, but they simply looks good.





I will paint GPU blocks yellow.



CPU block with clear plexi top looks great - maybe event better than frosted one that i used in Project FrostyBoy.



88 fittings - all will be used in project.






 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

Such a radiator surface requires proper air flow - big thanks to Noiseblocker for providing heap of best fans, no only for this project, but also to the next one, but more on this subject later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This kind of project need extraordinary level of monitoring:

 

 

From this pile of goodies i will use 2 flowmeters, Farbwerk and only one Aquaero thanks to firmware update, that allows to use Aquabus low to connect second flowmeter. Without this update I would have been forced to use 5LT as slave Aquaero to 6Pro

[ExpendableCustoms]

It's time for the last part of buylog - starting from tomorrow i will post pictures from real work.

 

 

Parvum L1.0 is really big case, but it disappear in this pile of goodies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought really long about what CPU to choose. I was even decided to order i7 7820X or pay extra to i9 7900X but finally i set my sight on Threadripper. For me this is middle finger to Intel for holding back CPU development for last few years, and giving us only ~ +5% per year. Now, when there is real alternative i will take opportunity to choose it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choosing the motherboard was much easier, because there were only two models that counts - Zenith Extreme and Strix-E from Asus. I didn't like design of features of MSi, Gigabyte or Asrock boards. Finally i choose Strix-E becasue it's much rarer motherboard that Zenith and there was no point in paying extra for Zenith features that i wouldn't use.

 

 

 

I've also changed PSU - my old HX1000i was sold to my friend and i bought new HX1200i for really good price (it was on sale).

 

 

As for disk space - 250GB Samsung 960Evo for system and all programs, and 1TB Crucial MX200 for storage.

 

 

Last but not least - GPUs. When it comes to watercooling there is only one brand that i trust - EVGA. There was no piont in paying extra for 2x 1080 Ti's, because the cards will be the first thing to swap.

[ExpendableCustoms]

Fast assembly of everything, to check if component works as they should. Due to incompatibility of my NH-U14S with TR4 socket i was forced to assembly loop based of soft tubing for the CPU.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the curious - liquid that i use is Aquacomputer DP Ultra Yellow - as you can see it has nothing to do with yellow. I've bought this liquid for FrostyBoy project but i thrown it to the wardrobe , now there is use scenario for it.

[ExpendableCustoms]

Fast overclocking using Ryzen Master, i will do proper OC when project is ready. I was able to push CPU to 4.0GHz @ 1.33V (CPU-Z show 1.35V), but i didn't fine tune the voltage.

 

 

using stock settings CPU i pulling 75-85W less. After OC CPU is getting really hot, but Eisblock XPX can handle this. For me 420/480mm radiator is must have if you want to keep fan RPM relative low, 360mm is bear minium for Threadripper after OC and 240mm is just suicidal.

Motherboard handles this kind of load very well - VRM temp never exeded 84 degree, so nothing is burning like on X299 platform - no sight of VRM throttling - but ther is another problem. Check RPMs of COV_FAN - this is tiny fan attached to VRM heatsink near I/O banks. At idle it doesn't spin at all - same with 'normal' load, but during torture test after OC this little bastard is screaming 7500 RPM which is not very pleasant. I've tried to reduce this RPM by blasting air from one of the eLoop fans directly at VRM heatsink - this reduced temerature to 65 degree, and COV_FAN droped it's RPM to "only" 5000.

Few more test:

CPU @ stock:

 

CPU @ 4.0GHz:

 

 

Both GPUs stock, and CPU at stock:

 

 

Both GPUs overclocked, and CPU at stock:

 

 

Inner card is running much hotter than outer one - diffrerence is between 12 to 15 degree. After OC, even when i set fan to 100% (4000 RPM), inner card was hitting over 80 degree, and started to throttle - LC is must have when running such configuration.

When cards operate below 60 degree both of them are hitting around 2050-2080MHz at core, fully stable.

[userzero]

Fantastic pictures and information. Clearly presented and gorgeous to look at.

[ExpendableCustoms]

@userzero Thank you for kind words

 

It's time to move on with work. Firstly i have removed original heatsink from RAM modules and installed Alphacool blocks.

To dismantle the modules i used plasti tool and heater with adjustable temperature - i set it to 90 degree. I've heated the module and gently pry on it.

 

 

RAM that i'm using is single sided.

 

 

Second side sticked much harder and i have to used more force to remove it. I've hooked the end of plastic tool to the radiator and pull it upwards.

 

 

 

 

It's time to install Alphacool radiators on modules. Firstly i cleaned everything with isopropyle alcohol, then i took off protective film from one side of thermopad, put the thermopad on the radiator and squeeze all air from beneath it. Then i've removed second protective film and placed RAM module on the thermopad.

 

 

 

Same thing with the other side - take off protective film from one side, put it on the radiator, squeeze all air, take off protective film from second side and screw everything together.

 

 

 

 

 

After 'delidding' i've tested RAM using memtest to be sure, that everything is working as it should. Last thing i want is broken RAM beneath water blocks with hard line tubing.

 

 

It's time to mount RAM blocks on to the RAM modules.

 

 

 

 

[Tom Cat]

Yo this thing looks DOPE 

[ExpendableCustoms]

@Douglas The Duck Thank you

 

It's time to prepare GPU blocks for painting.

 

 

Taking apart Alphacool blocks is really easy, you just have to remove 5 screws to separate actual GPU block from aluminium radiator.

 

Whole underside of GPU block was covered in thermal paste to increase heat transfer between aluminium radiator and actual block module, but the contact was very poor due to screws sticking out of the block, and killing all contact. In my opinion thin thermal pad, instead of thermal paste, would be much better solution.

 

 

Thermal paste was really hard to remove, it sticked in to the metal surface, and even after 15 minute bath in isopropyl alcohol and scrubbing with brush not all of it was removed.

 

 

All threads are protected so it's time to take blocks to the paintshop.

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

Aquaero got mounted on its place. For a moment I was bit afraid about the fit, but everything is perfect.

 

 

 

Mounting is really simple - two screws to the Parvum cube. Aquaero front plate lean against midplate, so there is no risk of any shifts.

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

The paint shop has a delay so i decided to throw everything in the case and start work with cables, because they will take quite a while to make.

 

 

 

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

I'm still fighting with cables, but GPU blocks just got back from paint shop - both painted to RAL 1023 Traffic Yellow.

 

 

 

 

it's time to reassemble both blocks

 

 

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

 

I sincerely thank Mayhems for providing liquids for both loops. One of the first water cooled system I saw was Jay's Skunk Works which used Mayhems Yellow Pastel and I immediately knew that someday I will use this fluid. Few projects and years later, and I finally have opportunity to use Yellow Pastel .

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

I've encountered small problem when trying to mount 480mm radiators in basement. Alphacool radiators have 7 ports - two each side, two at the top and one at the bottom. I will be using only two ports at one side, so I screwed plugs into unused ports. Main problem is that plugs protrude above the radiator housing, so i can't mount radiator to bracket in basement.

 

 

Even if i use low profile caps they will still protrude 1.7mm above the radiator housing. Alphacool plugs from photo above protrude even more.

Solution - design and cut out the spacer panels.

 

 

Now everything fits as it should.

 

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

Main cables are ready. I made all the cables on the MDPC-X sleeve, which I worked with for the first time, and I have to admit, that the work was really pleasing. Wire and sleeve have the same color, so there is no chance of shine through.

 

Parvum L1.0 is really big case, but because PSU is located behind the mobo tray, and HX1200i, which I'm using, is real beast, the lenght of the cables is almost the same as in project FrostyBoy, which was based on mITX case (Parvum X2.0).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AperumDesign]

Looking super clean. Can't go wrong with MDPC-X. Keep it up

[ExpendableCustoms]

Thank you :). I've just order black MDPC sleeve to make fan splitters and extensions.

[ExpendableCustoms]

It's after Christmas and New Year's Eve, so it's time to get to work.

 

Both pumps are mounted to the cover... sort of, because one of the plexi tops, which holds in place the reservoirs, is being modified to allow filling from the top.

 

 

The interior filled nicely after mounting pumps.

 

 

 

 

By the way I sleeved cables from both pumps.

 

 

The panel to which the pumps were attached received a pass through which will be connected to upper radiator.

 

 

Behind mobo tray landed Farbwerk and PowerAdjust 3. I'm glad that I didn't sell PA3, because I will need it's connectors.

 

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

Today, further work on the cables. First of all, I connected the power supply to the pumps. I found that there is no point in making Molex cable from PSU, which will have 10 cm. It is better to connect both pumps directly to the power supply, so there is fewer plugs and less work :). PA3 and FB got their cables, and one of the pumps is already plugged in to PA3 to read the RPM.

 

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

Blocks on cards

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also M3x40mm button head black screw arrived. I've encountered problems with sourcing such screws in my country, so I had to order them internationally.

 

 

[ExpendableCustoms]

I've assembled another test loop.

 

 

 

 

 

It went without any major problems.

 

I'm surprised by the efficiency of the radiator. When I've tested externally 480mm radiator was getting really hot, now 420mm radiator is just barely warm when CPU is full stressed. I think 480mm have just not enough clearance to the table. This time I plugged the temperature sensor into the loop - when CPU is full stressed temperature of the liquid barely hits 32 degree.