[Project Log] {SAS}TB : Project CaseSwap

[{SAS}TB]

{SAS}TB : Project CaseSwap

Introduction
So I've had my Coolermaster Stacker 832 for some time now, it's been hacked and chopped about bits stripped off and stuck on and although served me very well, I felt it was time for a new case.

I loved the Corsair 800D when it first came out and very almost bought one, but two things put me off, the first was the hot swap bays at the front - apart from being of no real use to me (I can count the times I used the IcyDock on one hand, twice ) I read reports of the door being quite flimsy, but I also thought it spoilt the sleek look of the front of the case.

The second thing I didn't really like was the side window. In particular I don't like the way that it extends below the PSU shelf, showing off the PSU bay, PSU, cables etc. I did toy with getting a solid side panel from the corsair shop and getting a custom side panel, but that would still leave the hot swap door! So when the 700D was released it made the choice a lot easier, the hot swap door has gone and a solid side panel to mod

The idea was a straight swap of my kit from the old CM into the new, modded, 700D with a few "odds and sods" including swapping the stock fans out to match in with the colour scheme.

The Kit
Case: Coolermaster Stacker 832 outgoing, Modded Corsair 700D incoming
PSU: Corsair HX1000
Mobo: Gigabyte UD5
CPU: i7D0@4.2GHz
RAM: 6x2048 Patriot Viper@1600
GPUs: 2xATI 5870
HDDs: Crucial 128GB SSD, 2xWD Raptor 74GB in RAID0, 300GB WD Storage and a new 1TB Hitatchi external backup
Cooling: Custom Water Setup - Laing 18W pump, Thermochill PA120.3 with XSPC Top/Res, Apogee GTZ with Bitspower and Koolance fittings and accessories. NZXT Fans.
Other: Dell Ultrasharp 2407, Razer Lachesis, G15, Windows7Prox64

The Log

The Existing Case


Side Shot

Internal Shot

Night Shot (No UV or LEDs - that's purely the Mobo LEDs on the Res)

The New Case
I always thought the CM was a big case, which it is, but the 700D is "slightly" bigger (Sorry for the poor pic quality )

700D / CM 832
And the new case, side off, gagging to be filled

As I said, the case has been modded, not heavily, but to a great standard and Quality by Chilled PC (thanks Tom, your a star ), The two mods are the cutting out of the top grilles and replaced with a custom ("old" spacing) Anodised 120.3 Rad Grill (25mm spacing) and the aforementioned custom side panel. Nice and simple, nothing OTT but a fantastic job, as always .
The new side panel cut sits just on the line of the PSU shelf (thus hiding the PSU bay) and has a clear acrylic window and finished with blow hole trim.

The Mods! Rad Grille and Window

The next step was to strip the old rig down and, in the process, turn the study into a complete and utter sty (still needs tiding now )



Mess!

Luckily I had an old Thermaltake Shark lurking about which became an old fan store


Fans, fans and more fans.

The Install
So, as I said I was adding a few "odds and sods", I took the opportunity to install all new hosing (XSPC 7/16" ID - 5/8" OD), some NZXT pre-braided cables for the ATX, Mobo 8-pin and the GPU PCIe and new fans for the rad (NZXT 120MM 9 Blade Rifle Bearing Fan 47CFM FN-120RB) and swapping the existing case fans for NZXT 140MM 9 Blade Rifle Bearing Fan 62CFM FN-140RB and a a2g few black fan grilles and s few unplanned items, which ill come onto later .....

Some fans

[{SAS}TB]

Fan Details

Before and after the rear extract fan

Once all the case fans (three 140mm) were swapped out I started to build the loop. Initially I was intending to have three fans in "pull" sandwiched between the rad and the top of the case, but as I had inadvertently ordered six 120mm fans (must have been fate) I decided (once id tested to make sure it fit) go with a six fan "push/pull" arrangement.

First problem was that the screws (both for the fans to rad and the through case and fans to rad) were all a tad (c4mm) too long. A quick snip with the pliers to 24 screws and we were good to go.

Rad, fans and screws!

Got all the fans mounted on the rad and once the tubing went on moved into position. I was a tad concerned with the tightness of the tubing just pushed on the 1/2" barbs . They have been fine for the past few years without issue, but the rad has always in the bottom of the case (barbs up) - With the rad in the top (Barbs down) I didn't want to take any chances and so looked at the options and decided to go with some Koolance tube clamp/springs - the first of the unplanned purchases !



Screws (before and after), fans on the rad and fan detail


Hose clamps and rad in place


Fans from the top, fan to the PSU shelf and the HDD Bay Fan release screw

Next decision was where to best mount the pump / res and went for a similar solution to the old CM case, which required one new hole and an existing hole drilled out. The mounting plate (salvaged from the CM) went in nice enough and gave a would give a nice tight hose length to the rad and a rather tidy overall loop.

Pump / res mounting pate (various angles)

Mobo in

Once the pump /res was sat in place to ensure I had enough space to work and get the loop in without any slack or tight bends I suddenly realised I was going to need a T Line / Drain off point. On the last set up I could just undo the fill cap on the res, pop a tube in and siphon the fluid, or use the screw on the rad. With the rad now in the roof the screw was not an option and gravity would prevent me from attempting the siphon option - Cue unplanned purchases two and three - a stop end (with screw in stopper) and a junction piece. I settled on Koolance fittings for both.


Koolance Fittings

So, the idea would be to have the "T" close to the pump outlet with the bottom fitting going 90 degrees "back" and through the grommet and looped up in the rear void to give sufficient length to both fill and drain the fluid. I think it worked out well !


Rear panel off

So in with the drives. I do like the quick release / tool-less drive mounts, but the y aren't great for SSDs.

[{SAS}TB]

Drives and rad grille fixing detail

Start of cabling


A few more shots mid install


Nice towel

Once I had done the first pass of cable install and management I thought id pop the side panel on - Oh dear, gonna have to look at that again as the panel would close, but with a large bulge!


Oops

Once that was sorted it was pretty plain sailing to get the rest of the kit back in the box and reboot.

[{SAS}TB]

Heres a few shots of the "finished" article - I still want to look at the cable management to the rear a bit more (the side panel closes flush now ) but all in all im pretty pleased with it:





 


Thanks for taking the time to read and look through - Cheers

[GeneralClev]

looks good mate! nice set up.

I seriously want to back into sorting mine out but with the boy turning one all my money is going on him!

I think my next step will be to start using water cooling

[{SAS}TB]

Cheers

I have a two (almost three) year old and a siz month old, they do drain money - but worth it

Thanks again

TB

[Lloyd_mcse]

Looking very slick mate
How are you finding that Gigabyte mobo?

[{SAS}TB]

Yeah I like it mate (was a bit of an Asus Fanboi) but yeah, liking it

Cheers

TB

[Ya Mother]

Wouldn't mind seeing the pictures?

[{SAS}TB]

Bloody photobucket - ive swapped them to imageshack and from png to jpg so should be no bandwidth issues or slow loading now

[Ya Mother]

Excellent job Tb, looks really good.

How is the res/pump mounted?....looks like it's just hanging there?

[{SAS}TB]

Cheers Yamo

There is a mounting shelf mate



Look Towards the end (7th pic?) of the second post

[Ya Mother]

Ah......very clever m8...10/10 for modding skills....you even lined it with what looks like foam rubber to absorb the vibrations giving off from zee pump..... Fancy a bum?

[{SAS}TB]

:P not after last time, im still sore :P

Cheers mate

The mount is from Chilled and I stuck a piece of old Razer mousemat (the huge ones) that I kept for sound / vibration deadening

[{SAS}TB]

Well, small update; I "stealthed" the CF bridge and have also done the GFX (ill get pics of the GFX later) - im also gonna swap the rear fan to intake with a dust filter, just to see if it makes any difference

[Lloyd_mcse]

nice mate

[{SAS}TB]

Well, swapped the rear fan over and it does appear to be working, definitely cooler air being dragged through the rads and about a degree or so (hard to tell as the ambiants are back up again) - but im happy with it

So heres the GFX "stealthed" as well, sorry for the poor pics





I also stealthed the DVD drive with a matching brushed black aluminium bezel



Definitely looks better than the original DVD drive

[Ya Mother]

Just need to stealth the pump/res.

[Lloyd_mcse]

Cool what did you do to the gfx cards? Paint?

[Ya Mother]

Originally Posted by Lloyd_mcse

Cool what did you do to the gfx cards? Paint?

I hope not....wouldn't want to sell them on if he has......i have some satin black vinyl if you need any...just peels off.