The Mini-ITX build begins.

[Lazzer408]

New fans!

 

[p_o_s_pc]

i want to see this running

 

[Chicken Patty]

like how the HDD looks in there, everything fits just perfect. New fan looks good too! i really wanna see this done already as well

 

[Lazzer408]

It's taking so long because I can't decide on if I should just use the one 300w psu and use the extra space for it's heatsink or if I should use the space to add the extra 12v 150w auxiliary psu. Tonight I was fitting the 150w in there but I'll have to custom make 2 small heatsinks for it.

Pros and cons of adding the 150w.

Pros:
-gfx load removed from main psu
-main psu runs cooler

Cons:
-additional labor required to make the heatsinks for the aux psu. (it's a pain)
-main psu's heatsink will need to be reduced ~50-75%
-smaller fan for the main psu
-case fan not very effective in cooling the aux psu.

Here's the heatsink I would be using if I went with a single psu. I would cut out the center so the fan sits flush with the top of the fins. A hole would be cut in the bottom of the case. Doing it this way the main psu gets very good cooling but again, the aux psu is eliminated.

One great thing about doing it this way is that the case fan on the left front of the case would blow outwards and take the psu heat right out.

 

[Geofrancis]

what about an external dc power brick like i plan to use they are easily tucked away behind the computer.

 

[Chicken Patty]

It's taking so long because I can't decide on if I should just use the one 300w psu and use the extra space for it's heatsink or if I should use the space to add the extra 12v 150w auxiliary psu. Tonight I was fitting the 150w in there but I'll have to custom make 2 small heatsinks for it.

Pros and cons of adding the 150w.

Pros:
-gfx load removed from main psu
-main psu runs cooler

Cons:
-additional labor required to make the heatsinks for the aux psu. (it's a pain)
-main psu's heatsink will need to be reduced ~50-75%
-smaller fan for the main psu
-case fan not very effective in cooling the aux psu.

meh, I think I would stick with single PSU man. Seems to have twice as much cons than pros. what do you think?

 

[Lazzer408]

what about an external dc power brick like i plan to use they are easily tucked away behind the computer.

I thought about it but I wanted an all in one system. It's sort of a PC gaming console if you think about it. The fewer wires the better.

meh, I think I would stick with single PSU man. Seems to have twice as much cons than pros. what do you think?

I'm really leaning that way. It'll be a workout for a mATX supply (300w typically) but I can make a very effective cooling system for it as shown in the last pic I just posted. The extra 60mm fan plus the clear path right out of the case through the channel under the optical bay make for great cooling and keeping it ouf of the rest of the system. The main psu has it's own fan controller and under testing the fan never spun up unless it was under graphics intense load. CPU at 100% and the fan was slow. CPU+GPU at 100% and it speeds up. So it's quiet unless your gaming.

 

[[Ion]]

I thought about it but I wanted an all in one system. It's sort of a PC gaming console if you think about it. The fewer wires the better.



I'm really leaning that way. It'll be a workout for a mATX supply (300w typically) but I can make a very effective cooling system for it as shown in the last pic I just posted. The extra 60mm fan plus the clear path right out of the case through the channel under the optical bay make for great cooling and keeping it ouf of the rest of the system. The main psu has it's own fan controller and under testing the fan never spun up unless it was under graphics intense load. CPU at 100% and the fan was slow. CPU+GPU at 100% and it speeds up. So it's quiet unless your gaming.

As long as it's a quality power supply, I wouldn't worry about it. The 300W PSU (FSP) that came in my Silverstone case has been verified by several people over at [H] to power a quad (Q9550) and a GTX 260 simultaneously (both loaded), so a quality 300W PSU would be plenty for an HD4850 and dual core

 

[Chicken Patty]

I thought about it but I wanted an all in one system. It's sort of a PC gaming console if you think about it. The fewer wires the better.



I'm really leaning that way. It'll be a workout for a mATX supply (300w typically) but I can make a very effective cooling system for it as shown in the last pic I just posted. The extra 60mm fan plus the clear path right out of the case through the channel under the optical bay make for great cooling and keeping it ouf of the rest of the system. The main psu has it's own fan controller and under testing the fan never spun up unless it was under graphics intense load. CPU at 100% and the fan was slow. CPU+GPU at 100% and it speeds up. So it's quiet unless your gaming.

Yeah, I was checking out the HS you had made for it. I think you'll be fine and it'll be much less of a hassle.

 

[Lazzer408]

Here's the pic of option #2. You can see how small the fan and heatsink would have to be to make room for the 12v aux psu. Not to mention it's trapped in the middle with poor heat evacuation from the case. The heat just dumps into the middle of everything. I think the larger fan/heatsink will tremendously help keep all the case temps down due to how the side fan sucks it right out. I'll get the fan hole drilled tonight, fan mounted, and tomorrow I'll finish up the aluminum plate that attaches to it. The heatsink will just sort of lay hovering over the fan with a rubber bumper between the tips of the fins and the bottom of the case.

The second pic is the factory heatsinks. Granted it had a fan blowing right on it, it's definitly weaksauce compaired to what I'm doing.

 

[Lazzer408]

What do you guys know about this one? 19a on the 12v.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270463822507&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Power Specifications:
+3.3V, 21A
+5V, 23A
+12V, 19A
-12V, 0.6A
+5Vsb, 2A

EDIT - And here's the new psu fan. I need a holesaw that DOESNT WOBBLE! >:O (I'll repaint this case when I'm done, you know, bondo a few holes )

 

[Lazzer408]

This morning I finished wiring up the psu. I added the 90 deg sata power connector and one molex for the optical drive. I also notched the heatsink in the bandsaw. Damn was that loud. Here's some pics of the heatsink. Like a glove. Now I just need to attach it to the psu and that should be it.

 

[[Ion]]

Looks good!

 

[p_o_s_pc]

Looks good!

+1
@OP
but lets see this running

regarding the PSU (the A-power) i wouldn't recommend it. It seems to be lacking in quality judging by the cheap price and no name company.Also if you look at the specs (amps) they seem to be alittle low for the wattage
by that i mean my 350w puts out 25a(10a+15a) on the 12v rails while that one only puts out 19a.

 

[pantherx12]

Just have to say i've been reading this thread for a while, looking great man.

If anything I would of thought a heatsink that size would eb over kill for a psu that size, its bigger then the heatsinks in my 750w!

 

[p_o_s_pc]

Just have to say i've been reading this thread for a while, looking great man.

If anything I would of thought a heatsink that size would eb over kill for a psu that size, its bigger then the heatsinks in my 750w!

there is no such thing as overkill when it comes to cooling in the PC world.(if there was would people be using LN2?)

 

[Lazzer408]

Just have to say i've been reading this thread for a while, looking great man.

If anything I would of thought a heatsink that size would eb over kill for a psu that size, its bigger then the heatsinks in my 750w!

Thanks for the props. Your 750w probably has a 120mm fan moving alot of cfm. To move that amount of air with a 60mm fan it would be high rpm and very noisy. Using this heatsink I hope to have enough surface area to get rid of the heat without making so much noise. Passivly it was able to effectively cool the psu with only the computer as a load. With the psu in the case plus adding the gpu only makes it hotter but the 60mm fan pulling in outside air should be enough to make up for the extra heat. Remember this computer should be "livingroom quiet" except when gaming ofcorse.

 

[BrooksyX]

looking good. like the progress so far.

 

[Error 404]

Lazzer88, brilliant build so far, I'm really impressed!
It reminds me of something me and my friend made in '08, basically a "free" computer in a shoebox.
I managed to find the thread it was in, I'm still surprised how good that thing looked...
It was basically just a PIII Celeron 733MHz, 256MB RAM, 10GB HDD, 120W mATX PSU, full size DVD drive, all crammed into a shoebox with a 40mm fan in the side for airflow (along with PSU fan).
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=887594&postcount=8
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=890814&postcount=19

 

[p_o_s_pc]

it does look sweet hope you get things worked out

 

[Chicken Patty]

The heat sink looks great man, you did a heck of a job

inspires me to do a small build, I've wanted to. They seem soo much fun

 

[pantherx12]

there is no such thing as overkill when it comes to cooling in the PC world.(if there was would people be using LN2?)

True enough, I have freaken huge heatsinks on my graphics cards

 

[p_o_s_pc]

True enough, I have freaken huge heatsinks on my graphics cards

what heatsinks you got? I know mine are huge also.(Xigmatek battle axe)

 

[pantherx12]

On my 3850 I have a Artic Cooling Acelero Twin turbo ( quite big)

On my 3870 I have a HR-03 GT, I have my 3870 overclocked to 885 mhz and underload it doesn't go over 45, that's passive other then the True Ex sitting above it and my 80mm side fan.

It's a beast, I want another for the 3850 ( eventually upgrading two 5770s)

 

[p_o_s_pc]

On my 3850 I have a Artic Cooling Acelero Twin turbo ( quite big)

On my 3870 I have a HR-03 GT, I have my 3870 overclocked to 885 mhz and underload it doesn't go over 45, that's passive other then the True Ex sitting above it and my 80mm side fan.

It's a beast, I want another for the 3850 ( eventually upgrading two 5770s)

I have my 3870 overclocked@900 and voltmoded runs about 60c under full load