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Project: Full WC in Lian Li A05

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4od

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Location
Westchester, NY
The plan is to do a fully internal WC setup, complete with a 120.3 radiator, inside a very small case (The Lian-Li A05)
Parts Already Owned:
Computer system - except for video card, my 7900GS just died
Swiftech Apogee Classic
DangerDen Maze4
IC Diamond 7 Carat Thermal Compound - Courtesy of JoeC

Parts Ordered:

Newegg:
Lian-Li A05B
Swiftech MCW30

Sidewinder:
Swiftech MCR320
Swiftech MCP655
Swiftech MCRES
Tygon Black 7/16ID 9/16OD
Akasa sound dampening (neoprene)
3x Gold 120mm Grills!

Xoxide:
Lian-Li CD/DVD Cover
Lian-Li Floppy Cover
Yate Loon 120mm medium speed x3


The MCR320 will be mounted on the top of the case, from the top 5.25" bay to the expansion slots. I'm not sure if I am going to have to move the USB/Audio jacks on top to fit the radiator. I am also not sure about where the reservoir will go yet, and the pump will be in the center bottom of the case

The Yate Loons will blow in, giving the video card (3850 512 hopefully) and my SCSI controller some much needed fresh air.

All the blocks, as well as my recently-out-of-warranty CPU, are getting a full lap job up to 2500 grit

Also, I'm going to paint the interior and back of the case matte black.

Pics when i get my stuff!
 
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You know, i bet you could fit a BIX120.3 on the bottom without too much trouble, but you'd probably have to add feet to the case to get decent airflow
 
I was doing some sound testing with isolated components, and I realized my PSU was making a pretty annoying rattling sound, so i busted her open.

Heres my PSU - this mod is based roughly on it
DSCF4302.jpg

Heres the culprit - a wire guard despite the fact there is no wire that would enter there
DSCF4307.jpg

Heres another shot of the guard, removed
DSCF4309.jpg

Did testing again, PSU is whisper silent - Success!
 
I have that exact case, and I really like it. I'm into watercooling myself, but if I do decide to water cool with the A05 I'm going to build a small external box for the pump and rads. I'm interested to see what you can come up with here.
 
I'm pretty sure that's a shroud to deflect air to certain areas of the PSU, not a wire guard.
 
The fan is directly above the two sinks, but i do get what your saying. I still doubt it will overheat from removing the air director/wire guard
 
Ordered a BFG 8800 G92 GTS OC for 310 shipped - I'm planning to use sinks from my old dead 865PE as well as the ones i have on my 7900GS right now.

Everything should arrive Thursday (except the card), at which point I'll actually begin working

Pics of sinks tommorow
 
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Received the case, the fans, and the cd and floppy bezels

The case
DSCF4323.jpg

The bezel
DSCF4325.jpg

Size comparison with my full tower x710
DSCF4326.jpg

Stripped clean
DSCF4334.jpg
DSCF4333.jpg

I'll derivet and remove the top and do the painting over the weekend

Sidewinder order comes tommorow
 
Got some serious work done today!

I primed the case and other assorted bits - the case will be black, everything else will be gold
DSCF4341.jpg
DSCF4342.jpg

My SCSI cable is/was bright red so i primed that as well, not sure how spray paint will look on it. Covering the connectors was tough.
DSCF4349.jpg

I did some cutting on the top USB/Firewire/Audio ports so the radiator would fit
DSCF4343.jpg
DSCF4346.jpg

I cleaned the mineral buildup from two years of bong use out of my Apogee
DSCF4335.jpg

Planned out the placement of the window and traced it
DSCF4350.jpg

I lapped my E6400, my Apogee, and my Maze4, but forgot to take pics

I installed my Apogee and MCW30 w/ Innovation Cooling Diamond 7

I ordered another gold grill for the inner side of the back 120mm


All in all, I feel like I got a lot done.

Tomorrows is the real work - painting and cutting.

I think I may also go down to RadioShack and get a high-wattage rheostat for fan control

As for lighting, I think I'm going to go for plain white - do you think I should I use LEDs or CFLs?

This is what the top will look like
DSCF4348.jpg


Sorry about the crappy picture, but i just cant justify buying a nice camera to take project log pictures :shrug:
 
This is pretty much what I was hoping to do with the a05b I have just purchased. Is there any room to put a fill port on top next to the radiators, or is it way too cramped up there? It looks like there should be room, but I don't know how the supports line up with the top.

You know, i bet you could fit a BIX120.3 on the bottom without too much trouble, but you'd probably have to add feet to the case to get decent airflow
Fitting a 120.3 on the bottom would require finding alternate mounting for the PSU
Example: J-J-J-Jam it in(XS)

*Edit: Didn't notice the radiator mounting comment was related to the stacker*
 
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Yeah, it will be tight, and you will have to remove the front/top audio/USB ports, but you could do it.

I just cut the window, pics tonight or tommorow
 
how did you manage to prime every nook and cranny of the case? seems like a darn good job you did there with priming. is this normal aerosol spray can primer you are using or professional airgun?

OFF TOPIC - but how is the IC diamond thermal compound compared to artic silver? read their website. it says the compound is quite thick. i once read somewhere on ocforums that the reason why artic silver the the job better than other thermal compounds was because its thin enough to fit in all the little valleys - long time ago though.

EDIT: i just read that link you posted. seems like IC7 is pretty decent.
 
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Priming was done with one can of white Rust-Oleum primer. Took maybe 20 minutes on the first round, 10 on the second, and 5 on the third.

Heres the window - I kind of want to paint the edge instead of using window molding, but I'm not sure how it will come out.
DSCF4352.jpg
 
Really happy right now, after an hour of really annoying measuring and stuff i have the radiator template in (hopefully) the exact right spot. Its pretty late, so i think i may save the cutting till tomorrow.

I couldn't find a MCR320 template, so i made a crayon rubbing of my MCR320. I feel so smart :bday:
DSCF4354.jpg

Template attached to top - lots and lots and lots of careful measurement
DSCF4356.jpg

I put the sound dampening on the back panel to see how hard it is to get it perfect. Its pretty hard.
DSCF4355.jpg
 
Forgot to take picture of the paint work i did

The gold stuff - doesn't match the grills perfectly, but its damn close, better than expected. The screws are the ones that will hold the radiator on.
DSCF4358.jpg

Case - fortunately, it looks much better in person
DSCF4359.jpg

The SCSI cable - if the paint doesn't come out well, I'll cut off the rubber gaurd and put the left over black tygon tubing on instead
DSCF4360.jpg
 
Got bored and couldn't resist. The cutting was very tough (this is only the second time I've used a dremel for cutting metal, the first was for the window), but I'm quite happy with how it came out. I still need to drill the screw holes.

Heres the top.
DSCF4361.jpg

Heres the cutout on top of the radiator to show how perfect the cuts are ;)
DSCF4362.jpg
 
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