NZXT Zero bench rig

[Neuromancer]

Well since I can not run open right now, had to install in a case.

NZXT Zero is the coolest running case I have ever used. The antec 900 is a sweat box comparitvely :)

I am not much on aesthetics. More of a ghetto modder. This case however needed no modifications for airflow. Only thing I did was remove some aluminum behind the HDD cage for wire management and reran the case wires under the cage.


Added the tuniq tower with HS yate in the center, strapped a panaflo as exhaust to it (was using it for push before but the Pi ram sits too high, and my soon to be here Blades also will be too tall)

Dropped a mem sink on the speed controller, as per recommendation in the M4A79 thread over at XS, and also checked hte singks on the mobo. Only had 2 boards in recent history that ever had problems with heat.. real common, but took my AS5 syringe and carefully, dabbed a bit on the center of the chips (and very very very carefully did so on the fets)

MY 2 tubes of MX2 arrived today just 12 hours after pieceing this back together lol ahh well.


The Victim

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/Overclockaholics/victim.jpg

In case anyone else has this board and notices it runs warm... this is the speed control chip. Better safe than sorry, cleaned it up and used a piece of seiksui thermal tape.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/Overclockaholics/speedcontrol.jpg

AM2/+/3 uses a clip to hold on the heatsink. Does a decent job, but with a 4 pound heatsink... not so much...

Took a 1U aluminum heatsink chopped it down to fit inside the tuniq, had to drill a hole in the center to hold the tuniq on hte tiny "pin" that keeps it centered

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/Overclockaholics/boltthrough.jpg


Yah as I said... ghetto mods

Panaflo 120x38mm held on with Baling Wire (I forgot to put the grill on it first so it does not rub the heatsink oops!, it does not need on in the push config, if you do not mind bloody knuckles when you do the touch test on components in the vicinty lol)

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/Overclockaholics/ghettocooling2.jpg

and

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/Overclockaholics/ghetoocooling.jpg



Fully installed with the 150GB raptor new XP OS drive the 500GB WD Black series storage "pagefile" drive.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/Overclockaholics/install1.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u153/cyber42punk/Overclockaholics/install2.jpg


It aint purdy. But it was pretty inexpensive. Pretty is for desktop/websurfing boxen IMHO, not balls out, weekly overhauled machines.


Well that is my opinion anyway.

[DrNip]

Good to go ace!!!

[Buckeye]

Pretty darn nice !!!

But I saw the "Speed Control Chip" man I need a few of those !!!!

[Jeffro64]

Hmmmm.... My M4A79T Deluxe Seems to have heat problems too. I wonder if these type of mods would help with that?

[Neuromancer]

A lot of guys are usign the bolt through for the heatsinks on it, just like the days of old :)

Some remove the "thermal tape" that looks like a piece of rubber on the mosfets, others like the idea of "coushin" (sp?)

I was not having temp problems so I left it alone just "painted" a little AS 5 on the very center of each fet very very carefully. Little more liberal on the chipset and south bridge though.

The speed control chip (I forget the technical name.. PLL comes to mind, but its also called something else...) seems to be pretty common at runnig hot... so I sinked it without even checking to see if it needed it :)



I just removed the bottom card. The HIS card with Battle Axe cooler clocks so much better tha nthe sapphire, I am punishing my self by running the two together. (although I did play around with differnet clock speeds I did not notice much of a differnce).

Temps are pretty good so next step is replacing those 92mm fans with a high pressure 120mm and volt modding it :)

[rickss69]

I'm with you Neuromancer...don't have the patience for the pretty stuff. It's all about the performance for me anymore. I won't even consider a case since switching to torture racks lol.

I too agree those push pin mounts ought to be banned from the universe. ;)

[Neuromancer]

I really wish I could run without a case :(

Have a boy in the house that will be 3 next week. I have to use the power switch on the PSU to shut my machine off when I am not home (on the rig in the dining room) other wise he turns it on and plays with the fan controller!! Caseless would result in blood all over my (albeit inexpensive) precious computer parts!!! lol

[Chuchnit]

Looks good Neuromancer! I have built one clean nice build. That was way too much work since I like to jerk crap out all the time. So now I just worry about it functioning. I use a bench table too though.

[Neuromancer]

Yah, if I am staying here much longer, I am building a "shed" off of the back of the house.

Of course by shed, I mean block foundation, insulation and power supplied by at least 2 breakers :)

Going to look through some stuff and see if say.. a dryer vent would work well for cold air chilling in the winter, and have ready to go for those late night mid winter air cooling bench sessions :) Won't be able to compete with the Canucks but I will try :)

I actually considered building something like an air conditioner box before to hang the PC out the window in winter but I am too lazy I guess

[Neuromancer]

Update: the 3 year old managed to destroy the door on the front he loved the glowing lights of the fan controller) . I could not salvage the mobo tray (did save the HDD cage for a little while, but thats gone now too I think.

It was my nephew, not my son, so no spankin' followed by an explanation of what the thing is, which despite having 3 children can't seem to speak normally to a child, so the eyes glaze over and he would be so bored would never want to touch it again, cuz it would make him think about my lecture on electricity and voltage controls (vice PWM control) and he would find something to break instead that was not explained to him. My son is a demolition expert too, but I took the time to raise him right and he understands PCs now, especially the fragility of cases you get on ebay for $50 shipped :)

(In truth I do not spank, not after 2 years old. The threat of it is enough, talking does the job, only when I have to repeat myself do I use corporeal punishment)

[Kal-EL]

lol

Well, with all the brat misfits I deal with everyday who have figured out that there is no reprocutions as a juvenile either at home or in the court system, I promote corporal punishment. I see these kids yelling profanitys at their mothers and fathers right in front of me and the boiler kicks in. Next words from my mouth tend to frighten the shit outa the kids, "Mr. and Mrs. DOE, are you aware that spankings on the buttocks of your child may be legally administered for the behavior he/she is displaying right now? Further, if you're child does not comply, I may arrest your child for being "Out of Parental Control"". That usually shuts the brat up pretty fast, especially when the mother asks me if I could do her the favor of hadning out the asshurt.

[Neuromancer]

LMAO

My kids know. Only back talk I get is logical (son) or emotional (2 girls, one goes straight crying when she done wrong the other tries to explain, making sure to throw in Crying and screaming). I just have to look now and they KNOW.

Funny that their Mom is a CO and I am the one that has control.

[Rogue210]

Love that Kal....I bet just one look and the kids break down...Not so tough now LMAO :taunt: