[Build Log] h2O Blü ice (Lian Li Pc-a71f) First timer. (Completed 05.29.14)

[Kyaku]

The story:

 

The addiction of building computers has brought me to the next phase, water-cooling. Looking at everyones  build, creativity, beauty inspired me to do one of my very own. I could probably first track my spark from Linus's personal rig when he pulled out the Frozen Q helix Res. I thought to myself wow, that's gonna look so bad ass, then he started to powder coat his case, i thought to myself why would he do that, after 1000's of youtube videos, and browsing forums, i understood why. I started to follow people on youtube such as linus, bill owens, singularitycomputers and such, and i just couldnt sit and watch any longer, i found a 7970 locally for $200 CAD and he tossed in the GPU block and backplate, this is where it turned for the worse. At this point i started to make a list of parts i wanted to get for my loop. Being the noob i am, i had to go back to square one and start to watch/read more information on actually putting together a custom loop, the do's and don'ts. I didnt want to waste time or money screwing things up. Locally i found an HX1000 for $25, then found a 7990 for $350, i ended up selling it for $850 (this would fund my build), from the same person i sold it to, he is mining coins and such and has multiple cards in his case, so he said he was going to buy a 1000 watt psu, i looked in his case and saw he had an AX860i, so i told him id trade him since i dont need the 1000W. Lucky for me i have access to a fair amount of tools i would need for this project and a roll of aluminum that is laying around from the shed my family built a few years ago. As i finish posting this topic my first journey will start on custom loops, and case modding.

 

The plan:

 

Cut hole at top of the case to fit a 360 rad

Cut a window on side panel (unsure of what i decide to make the window look like)

Make shroud/panel to cover PSU and pump

Either get rid of the hard drive bays, or make a shroud to cover it completely.

Plasti-Dip the case white.(using plastidip cause the brushed aluminum finish looks bad ass still and id like to salvage it if i dont like the white anymore)

Sleeve the cables using paracord (i will be making my own paracord threader since lutro0 and Frozencpu are sold out)

 

The parts:

 

Cpu: i7 3770k

Mobo: Asus P8z77-v 

ram: 16 gb 4x4 Kingston Hyper X 1600

SSD: Samsung Evo 250gb (OS, Video/Photo Editting)

Secondary SSD: Intel 520 120gb (gaming)

Storage: 2x 1tb WD black raid 1

         1x 1.5 tb Seagate barracuda 7200 rpm

PSU: Corsair AX860i

GPU: XFX HD 7970 Black edition (reference)

Cooling: Corsair H80

Case: Lian li PC-a71f

 

Watercooling:

 

H2o Cooling:

Ek 7970 block + back plate  Received

Monsoon chain gun compressions Received

Ek Cpu block acetal  Ordered

pump swiftech 655 Ordered

120mm Frozen Q double helix res Ordered

Alphacool NexXxoS UT60 Full Copper Triple 120mm Radiator - Custom Painted White undecided

primochill tubing undecided

lutroO paracord for sleeving (waiting on atx pin remover and paracord treader to be in stock) Pending

 

Colour Scheme Blue, White.

 

Anyone have any input (negative/positive, preferably constructive) before i start cutting holes and ordering the rad, sleeves, tubing, colour scheme, sleeving color scheme let me know please. 

I have room in the front for a 240 rad, but i don't think i want to intake hot air from the rad, thoughts?

 

[Shrubpig]

Wouldn't it be easier to get a new case that already supports watercooling?

[ilikemacandpc]

dis gon b gud

 

[Kyaku]

Wouldn't it be easier to get a new case that already supports watercooling?

Wheres the fun in that?

[ltguy]

They dont make Lian Li's like they used to so you couldnt really get a better case. Perfect to mod!

[Kyaku]

They dont make Lian Li's like they used to so you couldnt really get a better case. Perfect to mod!

Exactly, all aluminium, fully modular, tooless, a couple tweaks here and there and it'll be like pie.

[Kyaku]

Heres some work done so far, still need to cut the top of the case then paint it all.

Heres the colour scheme i went with for the sleeving.

 

 

Still working on our studio, so i have little time. Should be able to upload pics of case finally done and painted with shroud. And then the actual build itself.

[Kyaku]

Heres a small update, some pics of the rad hole i cut at the top, pictures of the shroud being made, and most of the parts arrived, This week i'll be painting while waiting for the final parts which are the pump top, fans, tubing. Hopefully ill be completely done at the end of the week. Excuse the watermark at the right corner, i forgot to change that in lightroom.

 

 

 

Top of the case after filing

 

Working on the shroud, bending aluminum is a bitch

 

Half the Sleeving Done

 

Just finished cutting the top.

 

 

Most of the parts for the cooling loop

 

Closer look

 

The new v3, hopefully its awesome

 

The res

 

The shroud almost complete

 

The outside of the case getting ready to be painted.

 

[Anthony10]

dis is awesome

[Kyaku]

unfortunately my girlfriend accidentally formatted the CF card with all my painting Log, so i only have the post painting photos now, im 90% done now, just waiting for a last shipment from LutroO Customs for some sleeving i ended up running out on. It'll be in this week. So i do have some photos of the motherboard shield i painted, the case and back plate etc... And some leak testing, i bought used fans which turned out not to work  :angry:. So i ended up buying some sickleflows instead, the whole fan process was a pain because after installing them, i found out they were 35mm fans ( the muffin Dc's) so had to buy 6-32 2 inches, cause they didnt make 1.75 inches, and bought a bunch of washers to fill the extra gap, after i started to leak test the system, i found out the fans werent working, so i hard to drain it, and redo it all....Lucky thing is i sprung a leak while leak testing, found out these res have to a certain way, so i HAVE to have the inlet and outlet at the bottom and the fillport top, so i had to flip it around, cause it was causing a whirlpool effect, also it sprung a leak at the bottom  cap, after flipping it around, it stopped leaking, but i cant fill the res to the top or it will leak from the fill port side cap, so much headaches.  Heres the photos of the progress.

 

Heres the mobo i upgraded to, my old mobo was having problems.

 

 

This is with the old fans

 

Mounted old res position

 

Gpu mounted, you can see the backplate painted in this photo

 

Running the tubing in this photo

 

installing the homemade shroud

 

With the window installed

 

Leak testing with new fans and new res position

 

 

Ill have completed project later this week, when i get my sleeving in, Sorry for the long wait.

[Guest]

Wowowowowowwowo, this is AWESOME!

[Kyaku]

Wowowowowowwowo, this is AWESOME!

i cant tell if youre being sarcastic.... but thanks either way.

[austin541]

the plastic dip goes nice with the white EK backplate.

[Gilbert]

the front cover looks like it's just super wet and isn't done properly. Could just be me.

[Kyaku]

the front cover looks like it's just super wet and isn't done properly. Could just be me.

what do you mean front cover? Do you mean the front door part with the air slots? yeah its not done properly, I have to re paint it, its raining outside, so im waiting for a dryer day to do it on.

 

the plastic dip goes nice with the white EK backplate.

yeah i agree, i didnt imagine it turning out so nicely

[Guest]

i cant tell if youre being sarcastic.... but thanks either way.

Why should i be sarcastic?

[Kyaku]

Why should i be sarcastic?

Sorry, I haven't gotten much feedback from anywhere, I didn't expect such a positive reaction, it caught me off guard, I'm grateful thanks :-)

[Guest]

Sorry, I haven't gotten much feedback from anywhere, I didn't expect such a positive reaction, it caught me off guard, I'm grateful thanks :-)

Ah, i just like the way the case looks after you've modded it I'm probably getting a r9 280x soon

[Kyaku]

Ah, i just like the way the case looks after you've modded it I'm probably getting a r9 280x soon

I actually got an amazing deal on a 290x for $250 usd yesterday, I ended up letting my friend buy it, it's too much fire power playing league of legends lol. plus I don't feel like draining the loop again to install the new card lol.

[Guest]

I actually got an amazing deal on a 290x for $250 usd yesterday, I ended up letting my friend buy it, it's too much fire power playing league of legends lol. plus I don't feel like draining the loop again to install the new card lol.

Where did you get the deal?

[Kyaku]

Where did you get the deal?

a local Craigslist site called kijiji.com there guy sold us 2 290's and 2 290x's for 1150$

[Kyaku]

Ive been super lazy to post these photos, i apologize.

 

Here they are!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aw27]

Ive been super lazy to post these photos, i apologize.

 

Here they are!

 

 

Really nice build, I love the cables and the whole colour scheme!

[Kyaku]

Really nice build, I love the cables and the whole colour scheme!

Thanks I really wished the 24 pin would of turned out better, I imagined it was easier in my head. I think paracord is harder to control opposed to pet.