Rig Rebuild..False bottom

[ebfd11]

Well I posted this in the pigs forum, so I thought I would share it here. I was looking at the OC website at the case mods and I spotted one that I liked, False Bottom.

This is what I started out with...


Wires everywhere and looking a little sad

Well here comes the stripdown

I left the power supply in it to get a good feel for what I needed to do.

I was trying to think of how to make the False bottom, I was originally going to use some type of wood but couldn't figure how I was going to assemble it. My woodworking skills suck. So I happen to find an old E-Machine case and saw it was just what the doctor ordered so I grabbed the trusty little Dremmel tool and whacked some off.



Doing a test fit... Yes the PSU is in there.


Here I did a test fit with the MB in place. I also removed the large HD bay and used the smaller one. I also figured I would move the pump for my water cooling, to a more hidden location.


Well break down again and here comes the PAINT!!!


close up you can see the sparklies I put in the before the clear was put on.


More to come...

[ebfd11]

Well here is everything I needed to have paint put on it..bad part is ...I ran short on paint


The following day I made a trip to the hardware store and bought some more and finished it up.

REBUILD TIME

I finally got all the paint on it and started putting it back together.


OK put back together and running a leak test on it...(so far so good) All unnecessary wires are neatly stored under the "False Bottom' instead of behind the MB.


Lit up


I did this all on a 35 dollar budget, and it was split between paint and cutting tools for the dremmel.

I am happy with it for now... I just want to get some white tygon tubing and I will be finished till I get paid by Uncle Sam.

LawnDart

[MaSonZ]

and now I want to paint the inside of my case... that blue you used looks like the blue I used on mine  .

blue shell, blue lights and 5 green lights in a row on my board inside I don't have any idea what color I would do...

and the false bottome over the PSU and moving the small HDD cage adds a nice touch. how did you hold down the false bottom though? unless you mount some sort of restraint on the case or the false bottom I feel it would be moving around inside when you move the case to do work on it.

and painting the inside would give me an excuse to really re-work my wires. Fan controller died on me recently (i actually shorted out the 4 pin molex on it  ) so my wires are running off my board hookups.

speaking of fan controllers. Anyone know of a reliable fan controller that would fit in the 5.5" bay? room isnt much of an issue, I have space for 4 CD/DVD/Blue ray's.

[guncrasher]

and now I want to paint the inside of my case... that blue yoData Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????›÷p›÷p       275838875MltCpy2.10 FILL FILLed Sector; ST500DM002-9YN14 (CC4H) S1D5GMZYData Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs?????????????? the inside would give me an excuse to really re-work my wires. Fan controller died on me recently (i actually shorted out the 4 pin molex on it  ) so my wires are running off my board hookups.

speaking of fan controllers. Anyone know of a reliable fan controller that would fit in the 5.5" bay? room isnt much of an issue, I have space for 4 CD/DVD/Blue ray's.

this is what i have. had it for about 2 years no problems.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811992005

this one is nice too

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811992004

semp

[MaSonZ]

this is what i have. had it for about 2 years no problems.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811992005

this one is nice too

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811992004

semp

how many fans does the Sentry 2 control? and how much of a PITA is to install?

[guncrasher]

it controls 5.  and if you get a y splitter, more than 5.   it's not hard to connect, but if I was you I would remove the molex connections and just use the 4/3 pin connectors or just electrical tape.  just make sure you dont cut the wire from the ps to the controller.

use lots of zip ties to hide the wires .


semp

[MaSonZ]

it controls 5.  and if you get a y splitter, more than 5.   it's not hard to connect, but if I was you I would remove the molex connections and just use the 4/3 pin connectors or just electrical tape.  just make sure you dont cut the wire from the ps to the controller.

use lots of zip ties to hide the wires .


semp

zip ties are easy to get between school and the dollar store 

[Masherbrum]

There is no ventilation for the PSU.    Even if there was a fan in front of the PSU, it is rendered null and void by the excess wiring.

[Getback]

There is no ventilation for the PSU.    Even if there was a fan in front of the PSU, it is rendered null and void by the excess wiring.

Was my concern as well.

[mechanic]

it looks like the PSU fan points downward and the case has holes cut in the bottom for ventilation

[Getback]

it looks like the PSU fan points downward and the case has holes cut in the bottom for ventilation

For air flow there needs to be some holes cut in the false bottom as well. Then I wonder how much heat will build in the wiring itself.

[Masherbrum]

it looks like the PSU fan points downward and the case has holes cut in the bottom for ventilation

Heat buildup is the last thing you want with a PSU, regardless of a fan on the bottom.  That is only trapping heat in a smaller area. 

Also, a modular PSU would have been more of what the Doctor ordered and you could have removed the reservoir from the outside.   You'd merely hide the 5-6 wires on the back of the Motherboard tray.   

[ebfd11]

I thought of all the scenarios. I cut the bottom so there would be no restrictions to air flow, here you can see the holes in the side of the MB tray to allow air flow in they are not covered up with the piece I cut.


Also not all the wires are stuffed in there, I neatly packaged them and I think there is maybe 4 total I did not use in there.. Lot of space still and plenty of airflow.

it looks like the PSU fan points downward and the case has holes cut in the bottom for ventilation

That is true and it has been setup like this for the whole time I had it installed, no problems for a year that it was installed.

As soon as my camera recharges I will be posting a close up pic so you can see what I am talking about.

This is the PSU I have..
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/08/10/pc_power_cooling_silencer_mkii_950w_psu_review


LawnDart

[Masherbrum]

But there is still nowhere for the heat to go.  I know that the PSU has a fan up top.   But you are restricting airflow to the PSU which just doesn't seem to be a good solution. 

[ebfd11]

My power supply is inverted, it pulls air from the bottom where there is a good 3/4" between the PSU and the case and below there is a vent made specifically, with 3/4 inch more. Then the air flow is diverted out the back. That is one of the features of this PSU and combined with this case it works great.

Here is a pic of what i am talking about


LawnDart