Operation: Thousand Grapes

maddcore · 30th March 2005, 12:45 AM

I have to clean up the inside of my box, and why not post some pics that everyone except me will find boring and accompany them with some :1337: sounding, condescending ramblings.

Well, not really. I have a Thermaltake CPU cooler in the mail, along with 4 fans and a fan controller.

I already have a fan controller, which I built myself using a 5.25" drivebay faceplate and some simple toggle switches from Dick Smith, and soldering them in between the power and the fans.

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However, the toggle-switch fan controller is being replaced, because toggles only allow on/off, and I would like RPM control etc. So what do I do with it? CCFL switches

I hate having the PCIs at teh back clogged up with switches. Stay tuned for that.

Below is the case internals. As you can see, while the cable management isn't terrible it definitely needs to be cleaned up. I have a bunch of black heatshrink here ready to rock, and I'm tracking down a black 2-connector IDE for the dvd drive, to tidy up that 3-connection ribbon cable.

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The blue fan in bottom left is just lying there, it usually attaches to the window. I just removed the panel for a better shot. When I was soldering the switch into that fan, I arsed up the CCFL power supply somehow as well, so that needs to be fixed.

Also as far as cable efficiency goes, you can see the grey SATA cable sitting in there in a zip-tied bundle. I am thinking of cutting it down to 10cm so its basically a shortest possible route straight line of cable, but am PARANOID as all hell of wiring it wrongly and corrupting the 200GB SATA attached to it.

Goth · 30th March 2005, 9:17 AM

My experience with miswiring SATA data cables (only once) is that the drive is simply not detected. No corruption.

maddcore · 30th March 2005, 9:53 AM

Sounds good, I have 6 or 7 SATA cables in my box'o'bits here.....

Did you get your rewired cable working eventually?

HeXa · 30th March 2005, 9:59 AM

Where are the grapes???

... or plan to be pissed on cheap plonk while doing this?

- HeXa

maddcore · 30th March 2005, 10:41 AM

There weren't any rain clouds in Operation Desert Storm either.......

infiltraitor · 30th March 2005, 11:12 AM

yeah.. but in desert storm american was the storm.. does that mean you are going to be the fruit?

HeXa · 30th March 2005, 11:22 AM

.. or he has hemorrhoids

oh.. ever heard the phrase "storm the fort" ??

- HeXa

maddcore · 30th March 2005, 1:24 PM

I was making a joke.

Quick update, I have to get some larger heatshrink. I bought stuff that would fit over the cables, but you have to get over the connectors as well when sleeving the upper parts of the cables.

Also need an ATX tool, god damn those ATX plugs are hardcore little beasts. You can remove the regular molexes with a small flathead screwdriver, but bloody hell... those ATXs are $#%(ing retarded.

I got up to this stage before I realised I needed 2mm bigger heatshrink and the ATX tool.

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$%^#!!1!

And just a mildly amusing picture for laughs, thats my warranty-void sticker.

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maddcore · 7th April 2005, 11:42 AM

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I got 4 new fans and an adjustable-RPM fan controller, and installed that today. As you can see, after adding power + voltage regulation to 4 fans, the cables are all over the damn shop.

Click to view full-sized image!
Hosted by UGBox Image Store

So I tucked everything up in behind the drivebays, or behind the motherboard mounting-wall, as you can see. Zip ties are a damn great invention.

Click to view full-sized image!
Hosted by UGBox Image Store

The results above. Pretty good management, there are only two ways I can see that it could possibly be better is if the grey SATA cable going to the HDD was not zip-tied in loops, but instead was only about 10cm long. I have a few SATA cables here, so I might try rewiring one. Could be a tricky mission, but as far as I can see there are only 7 wires in a SATA cable, and if I can find a sharper tip for my soldering iron I could probably make it happen.

The other thing needed further is sleeving all the cables. I'm making an order from PC Case Gear in about 2 weeks, so that'll come together nicely.

maddcore · 7th April 2005, 12:11 PM

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This is going on this afternoon. Thermaltake Polo735, all copper with a beast-ass fan

Added: The 4 new fans are 50cfm gale-force, the 4 old fans are 37cfm sick-mans-dying-breath force.

maddcore · 7th April 2005, 5:14 PM

Ok so the cooler went on, towering over the piss-ant northbridge heatsink.

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Now its in the box, I'm amazed my motherboard can support its gargantuan 615g all-copper heatsink.

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The top knob controls CPU fan RPM. At lowest RPM and idling, ie downloading overnight or just playing movies, I get 31degC. Full F@H load, full RPM, I get 39degC. Works pretty well

I'll get overclocking in the next week or so.

The other four knobs control RPMs of 4 80mm fans. 2 front intake, 2 rear exhaust.

maddcore · 17th December 2005, 11:21 PM

Wow, forgot this thread existed.

I guess I could document some changes which have occurred:

- PCI Raid card
- 2 x 300GB
- 2 x 36GB raptor Raid 0
- rounded IDE cable w/ red EL wiring wrap

Waiting to be installed:
- new DFI mobo
- 7800GTX (to replace 9800XT)
- 2x 30cm cold cathode
- 80mm ring cold cathode

Pics coming

squaredcorp · 18th December 2005, 11:16 AM

looking good man....can't wait for some new pic with the new gear inside!

GG!

maddcore · 20th December 2005, 5:14 PM

Ok pics of what it is now, before the mobo, graphics card, cabling swap and extra lighting

Front three quarter shot with side on. It's neat, with everything tucked away where you can't see it.

Two shots of the current lighting, here and here.

With theside off you can see all the crap that you can't see when its on. I switched all the fans from mis-matched (some black, some LED) ones you can see in the first posts to all matching good flow very quiet ones, which are running at a low RPM for noise-sake. Vantec UV Blue slot protectors as well.

Semi-dodgy cable management also here. Three of the SATA cables are managed, the other one is from a fourth drive added later that I didn't bother joining up. There's a whole lot of shit hidden in drivebays. Here is a shot of the birds nest I hide between the back wall and the back case side, with the side off.

More when I do the swap.

xinzhitan14 · 21st December 2005, 8:37 PM

nice to know you voided the warranty on the psu ahaha..

mm you seem to love your TT fans hehe..

nice work.

30th March 2005, 12:45 AM	#1
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	Operation: Thousand Grapes I have to clean up the inside of my box, and why not post some pics that everyone except me will find boring and accompany them with some :1337: sounding, condescending ramblings. Well, not really. I have a Thermaltake CPU cooler in the mail, along with 4 fans and a fan controller. I already have a fan controller, which I built myself using a 5.25" drivebay faceplate and some simple toggle switches from Dick Smith, and soldering them in between the power and the fans. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store However, the toggle-switch fan controller is being replaced, because toggles only allow on/off, and I would like RPM control etc. So what do I do with it? CCFL switches I hate having the PCIs at teh back clogged up with switches. Stay tuned for that. Below is the case internals. As you can see, while the cable management isn't terrible it definitely needs to be cleaned up. I have a bunch of black heatshrink here ready to rock, and I'm tracking down a black 2-connector IDE for the dvd drive, to tidy up that 3-connection ribbon cable. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store The blue fan in bottom left is just lying there, it usually attaches to the window. I just removed the panel for a better shot. When I was soldering the switch into that fan, I arsed up the CCFL power supply somehow as well, so that needs to be fixed. Also as far as cable efficiency goes, you can see the grey SATA cable sitting in there in a zip-tied bundle. I am thinking of cutting it down to 10cm so its basically a shortest possible route straight line of cable, but am PARANOID as all hell of wiring it wrongly and corrupting the 200GB SATA attached to it. Last edited by maddcore; 7th April 2005 at 12:13 PM.

30th March 2005, 11:12 AM	#6
infiltraitor Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: melbourne Donated:$133.70 Posts: 3,799	yeah.. but in desert storm american was the storm.. does that mean you are going to be the fruit? __________________ a look at my desk TYAN Owners Club #007 Enigmatic Enterprises One More Frag - Gaming LAN

30th March 2005, 1:24 PM	#8
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	I was making a joke. Quick update, I have to get some larger heatshrink. I bought stuff that would fit over the cables, but you have to get over the connectors as well when sleeving the upper parts of the cables. Also need an ATX tool, god damn those ATX plugs are hardcore little beasts. You can remove the regular molexes with a small flathead screwdriver, but bloody hell... those ATXs are $#%(ing retarded. I got up to this stage before I realised I needed 2mm bigger heatshrink and the ATX tool. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store $%^#!!1! And just a mildly amusing picture for laughs, thats my warranty-void sticker. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store Last edited by maddcore; 30th March 2005 at 1:34 PM.

7th April 2005, 11:42 AM	#9
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store I got 4 new fans and an adjustable-RPM fan controller, and installed that today. As you can see, after adding power + voltage regulation to 4 fans, the cables are all over the damn shop. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store So I tucked everything up in behind the drivebays, or behind the motherboard mounting-wall, as you can see. Zip ties are a damn great invention. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store The results above. Pretty good management, there are only two ways I can see that it could possibly be better is if the grey SATA cable going to the HDD was not zip-tied in loops, but instead was only about 10cm long. I have a few SATA cables here, so I might try rewiring one. Could be a tricky mission, but as far as I can see there are only 7 wires in a SATA cable, and if I can find a sharper tip for my soldering iron I could probably make it happen. The other thing needed further is sleeving all the cables. I'm making an order from PC Case Gear in about 2 weeks, so that'll come together nicely. Last edited by maddcore; 7th April 2005 at 11:59 AM.

7th April 2005, 12:11 PM	#10
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store This is going on this afternoon. Thermaltake Polo735, all copper with a beast-ass fan Added: The 4 new fans are 50cfm gale-force, the 4 old fans are 37cfm sick-mans-dying-breath force. Last edited by maddcore; 7th April 2005 at 12:15 PM.

30th March 2005, 9:17 AM	#2
Goth Grumpy Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: /dev/null Posts: 9,303	My experience with miswiring SATA data cables (only once) is that the drive is simply not detected. No corruption.

30th March 2005, 9:53 AM	#3
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	Sounds good, I have 6 or 7 SATA cables in my box'o'bits here..... Did you get your rewired cable working eventually?

30th March 2005, 9:59 AM	#4
HeXa Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Canberra, ACT Posts: 7,839	Where are the grapes??? ... or plan to be pissed on cheap plonk while doing this? - HeXa

30th March 2005, 10:41 AM	#5
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	There weren't any rain clouds in Operation Desert Storm either.......

30th March 2005, 11:22 AM	#7
HeXa Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Canberra, ACT Posts: 7,839	.. or he has hemorrhoids oh.. ever heard the phrase "storm the fort" ?? - HeXa

7th April 2005, 5:14 PM	#11
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	Ok so the cooler went on, towering over the piss-ant northbridge heatsink. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store Now its in the box, I'm amazed my motherboard can support its gargantuan 615g all-copper heatsink. Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store The top knob controls CPU fan RPM. At lowest RPM and idling, ie downloading overnight or just playing movies, I get 31degC. Full F@H load, full RPM, I get 39degC. Works pretty well I'll get overclocking in the next week or so. The other four knobs control RPMs of 4 80mm fans. 2 front intake, 2 rear exhaust.

17th December 2005, 11:21 PM	#12
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	Wow, forgot this thread existed. I guess I could document some changes which have occurred: - PCI Raid card - 2 x 300GB - 2 x 36GB raptor Raid 0 - rounded IDE cable w/ red EL wiring wrap Waiting to be installed: - new DFI mobo - 7800GTX (to replace 9800XT) - 2x 30cm cold cathode - 80mm ring cold cathode Pics coming

18th December 2005, 11:16 AM	#13
squaredcorp Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SquaredCorpHQ Sydney 2035 Posts: 470	looking good man....can't wait for some new pic with the new gear inside! GG! __________________ Squared Corporation HTPC Australia CEO Creators of the Diva and Tenor Home Media Centers OCAU Home Thearter Wiki - what can YOU add? Trades: 22 The Treasure Chest MOD

20th December 2005, 5:14 PM	#14
maddcore Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bris 4069 Posts: 2,688	Ok pics of what it is now, before the mobo, graphics card, cabling swap and extra lighting Front three quarter shot with side on. It's neat, with everything tucked away where you can't see it. Two shots of the current lighting, here and here. With theside off you can see all the crap that you can't see when its on. I switched all the fans from mis-matched (some black, some LED) ones you can see in the first posts to all matching good flow very quiet ones, which are running at a low RPM for noise-sake. Vantec UV Blue slot protectors as well. Semi-dodgy cable management also here. Three of the SATA cables are managed, the other one is from a fourth drive added later that I didn't bother joining up. There's a whole lot of shit hidden in drivebays. Here is a shot of the birds nest I hide between the back wall and the back case side, with the side off. More when I do the swap. Last edited by maddcore; 20th December 2005 at 5:21 PM.

21st December 2005, 8:37 PM	#15
xinzhitan14 Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: +9:30GMT Posts: 2,361	nice to know you voided the warranty on the psu ahaha.. mm you seem to love your TT fans hehe.. nice work. __________________ Digital Art by xinzhitan14