a couple nifty mods i did...

test_tube_tonytest_tube_tony Dallas TX Member
edited December 2005 in Hardware
The last computer I built was a real challenge. My friend gave me 3 grand to sink into it, and lucky for him I didn’t charge for labor. Its a 4800+ x2 on a dfi lanparty nf4 sli-dr. I moded the case (antec p180) with a window and water-cooling. That was all a super pain. 1 gig of ocz gold pc3200. Speed at ddr440 and timings at 1.5-2-2-5. 2 wd raptors in raid, 7800gtx, and a 680-watt supply (barely adequate). But on to the mods...

The first mod was a fan speed controller that uses the mobo's fan voltage as a vREF. Just a simple power transistor and a resistor. I didn’t want the 2 120mm radiator fans spinning at full all the time, and the mobo couldn’t supply the power to run em on its own off the cpu fan connector. Also, the front fan I added was a bit noisy so I wanted to control that based on the pwm area temp. These transistors get hot so I bolted them to a heat sink from an old psu, which got bolted to a strip of circuit board as an insulator, which I attached to the case with standoffs. Anyhow here are some pics of that mod and a pic of the case during the build.

Comments

  • test_tube_tonytest_tube_tony Dallas TX Member
    edited December 2005
    The next mod was a clip on memory cooler made from a 60mm fan, a framing spring thing, a rivet, and a paper clip clampish thing. I first drilled 3 holes in the spring strip, one hole in the top of the clip, and riveted em together. Then the strip got attached to the fan with those hefty fan screws (overkill). And there we go, a fan that can be clipped on to a memory stick that’s big enough to cool all the memory. Note that the fan was a bit loud and I decided to hook it to the fan controller above on the pwmic side with the front fan. Again note that I removed the metal pieces that actually allow you to open the clamp after it was attached to the memory. Here are some lame pics of that...
    (I wish u could show u what it looks like on the board, but there’s too much tubing in the way to get a good pic)
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited December 2005
    I think your SHIFT key is broken, dude...

    Hell. Copy and paste that into Word and I bet your comp would explode. :D
  • lemonlimelemonlime Canada Member
    edited December 2005
    Nice work Tony.. I especially like the clip on memory cooler.. very creative :D

    That looks like a killer system you built for your friend! he is a lucky guy :thumbup
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    Creative modding methods, Tony. I like it.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    I dont understand what you mean by (barely adequate) I have a 500watt Antec PSU power allot more than that with no issues! how is your 600+ not powering it all?

    I have these things oin 500Watts and it makes it just fine.
    AMD Athlon FX-55
    2 x 7800GT 256
    4 x 250GB Maxtor Diamond drives SATA
    2 - DVD drives
    1 - Floppy drive
    4 x 80MM Fans "antec with speed contollers"
    2 x 120MM fans
    1 - Zalman 7700CU Cpu cooler
    and a few added lights!
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    It could mean that his friend chose a crappy brand of PSU.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    True!
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited December 2005
    Nah. Tony's just cheap as hell. ;D

    Actually I think the PSU is fine and it's all in his head.
  • test_tube_tonytest_tube_tony Dallas TX Member
    edited December 2005
    when i run a stress test program which runs all the hardware at once, the 12, 5, and 3.3 volt rails drop by about .3 volts on average. keep in mind that a 7800gtx can pull from 350 to 400 watts. also the water pump has alot of draw. something like 35watts. the psu is an antec i think. supposed to be a good one. it also runs pretty hot which is a sign that its being stressed. ive heard stories of 500 watt psus burning out on systems like these.

    edit: i should also add that i read somewhere that the 4800+ x2 pulls up to 120 watts under load.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    you know if you put a speed regualtor on the Antec PCU's they seem to keep cooler, if you notice there stock spin speed is like 500! it is very slow!
  • rykoryko new york
    edited December 2005
    antec doesn't make a 680w that i am aware of....

    only ones i find on the egg are these 2, and i personally wouldn't really trust either of them...

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153021

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817148020
  • test_tube_tonytest_tube_tony Dallas TX Member
    edited December 2005
    ryko wrote:
    antec doesn't make a 680w that i am aware of....

    only ones i find on the egg are these 2, and i personally wouldn't really trust either of them...

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153021

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817148020

    yep. its that blue aspire. thanks for correcting me on that.

    edit: it just dawned on me that this psu might be messing up my oc. itl work fine for a while, get unstable, and ill unplug it and replug it, and itl be fine for a while again. also, the video signal keeps cutting in and out when the oc messes up. like the card is resetting. might be a dirty power thing. works fine at stock tho as far as i can tell.

    edit again: ordered a pc power and cooling psu for it. 500sumthin watts. hopefully it works better.
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited December 2005
    pc power and cooling makes nice psu, only brand i would buy before them is antec.
  • JimboraeJimborae Newbury, Berks, UK New
    edited December 2005
    The Seasonic 600w psu is also very good, very efficient & silent, as is the FSP 600w. Both are cheaper than PC P&C and alot quieter.

    Some Antec psu designs eg the Antec 550w True control are getting too long in the tooth to compete with todays modern psu's.

    Nice mods by the way. :thumbsup:
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