Show Us Your Rig

[twdawson]

The noise off my case fans was making too much noise and driving me nuts, especially the 200mm one on top of the case so I decided to alter the pins by using a mod I found on the link below.
What a difference in the noise of the system, which is now almost silent and it has not affected the temps of the system at all.

techPowerUp! :: Easy 7V Mod for Fans

 

[Lordbob75]

It is REALLY hard to see because of the lights, but here are some I took:
View attachment 76616
View attachment 76617
View attachment 76618

In order from left to right: Fan controller knob, Fan LED (will be removed), Cathode Switch (on and off), Key Switch.

~Lordbob

Nice work mate! looks pretty damn awesome, I'll bet the funcionality is pretty good too

Thanks. I just ordered my new potentiometers and knobs yesterday, and today I am heading to school to CNC my plate.

The noise off my case fans was making too much noise and driving me nuts, especially the 200mm one on top of the case so I decided to alter the pins by using a mod I found on the link below.
What a difference in the noise of the system, which is now almost silent and it has not affected the temps of the system at all.

techPowerUp! :: Easy 7V Mod for Fans

If you want to know more about fan mods, I am currently adding variable resistors to my fans so that I can control the fan speed at the turn of a knob. The idea is to vary them from 12V down to about 5V. For me, the noise is nothing, but this might be helpful to you.
Here is the basic tutorial for now:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87295-fan-speed-controller-build-your-own.html

~Lordbob

 

[twdawson]

It is REALLY hard to see because of the lights, but here are some I took:
View attachment 76616
View attachment 76617
View attachment 76618

In order from left to right: Fan controller knob, Fan LED (will be removed), Cathode Switch (on and off), Key Switch.

~Lordbob

Nice work mate! looks pretty damn awesome, I'll bet the funcionality is pretty good too

Thanks. I just ordered my new potentiometers and knobs yesterday, and today I am heading to school to CNC my plate.

The noise off my case fans was making too much noise and driving me nuts, especially the 200mm one on top of the case so I decided to alter the pins by using a mod I found on the link below.
What a difference in the noise of the system, which is now almost silent and it has not affected the temps of the system at all.

techPowerUp! :: Easy 7V Mod for Fans

If you want to know more about fan mods, I am currently adding variable resistors to my fans so that I can control the fan speed at the turn of a knob. The idea is to vary them from 12V down to about 5V. For me, the noise is nothing, but this might be helpful to you.
Here is the basic tutorial for now:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87295-fan-speed-controller-build-your-own.html

~Lordbob

Interesting read thanks I have bookmarked it for later.

 

[Lordbob75]

Interesting read thanks I have bookmarked it for later.

No problem. If you want anymore information on it, let me know. When I actually start putting my fans into the new potentiometers, I will have it documented on here in more detail than now.

I can also show you how to add an LED (which doesn't dim unfortunately), or even a switch to turn it on or off.

~Lordbob

 

[ZaLiTH]

If you want to know more about fan mods, I am currently adding variable resistors to my fans so that I can control the fan speed at the turn of a knob. The idea is to vary them from 12V down to about 5V. For me, the noise is nothing, but this might be helpful to you.
Here is the basic tutorial for now:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87295-fan-speed-controller-build-your-own.html

~Lordbob

Awesome tutorial, thanks! I check the tuts from time to time, but I missed this one the other day when I was browsing through them.. I was actually thinking of trying to either mod my existing fan controller, or making a new one from scratch.. Either way, the info there will be very helpful.

Anyway, I logged on tonight to share the first few pictures of my case mod project.. I was working on the side panel today, turned out pretty well actually.

First things first, the original side panel (used to be a blue LED 80mm fan in the middle):

Next I cut the new perspex panel to size, and laid it on the side panel with the fans to see how it should look when I was finished, nothing was fixed on as yet:

Then I mounted the perspex (8 small screws around the edged of the side panel), and mounted the fans (decided to go with the standard silver self-tapping fan screws):

Thereafter, I needed to cut out air holes for the fans, so everything needed to be taken off yet again. My narrow jigsaw blades made easy work of getting a smooth curve here:

With everything in place and the holes cut, it was time to remove the protective covering from the perspex panel:

Here we have the panel back on my case... As you can guess, cable management is next on my list of things to do, I'm just waiting for my MNPCtech cable sleeving kit to arrive:

And here we have the semi-finished product, I really hate my phone camera, I just couldn't get a clear photo here... This was about the best of the 4 I took:

I want to either try make my own fan speed controller, or mod my existing one to also have green LEDs and small enough to fit in the 2.5" drive bay below my DVD-RW drive... I don't use or need the LCD display for fan speed and temps (the temperature sensors are crappy on this controller anyway), but I'll have to do that later.

When my sleeving kit arrives, two 12x12" mesh panels will be in the same package, so at that point I'm going to do three things: replace the smoked-perspex cover for the front fan, make protective covers for the side fans, and make a complete mesh side panel as well. That way, if i feel like having a mesh panel instead of perspex, i just need to switch panels and move the fans. I'll put up some pics when I finish that part too..

The awesome part of this whole thing, with the fans at half speed (about 1400 to 1500 rpm), my GPU and CPU are running about 5 to 10 degrees cooler under load than they were. I think it's working as intended hey... Hehe...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello ZaLiTH, looks good mate.



When I added a fan to the side panel I got the same results.

 

[Dave76]

Excellent job ZaLiTH, looks really nice.

Waiting to see the mesh side panel and, ahum, the wiring sleeving kit installed

 

[Snakeyeskm]

Great project. Exceptional jigsaw work.

 

[smarteyeball]

Nice work there Zalith.

 

[CarlTR6]

If you want to know more about fan mods, I am currently adding variable resistors to my fans so that I can control the fan speed at the turn of a knob. The idea is to vary them from 12V down to about 5V. For me, the noise is nothing, but this might be helpful to you.
Here is the basic tutorial for now:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87295-fan-speed-controller-build-your-own.html

~Lordbob

Awesome tutorial, thanks! I check the tuts from time to time, but I missed this one the other day when I was browsing through them.. I was actually thinking of trying to either mod my existing fan controller, or making a new one from scratch.. Either way, the info there will be very helpful.

Anyway, I logged on tonight to share the first few pictures of my case mod project.. I was working on the side panel today, turned out pretty well actually.

First things first, the original side panel (used to be a blue LED 80mm fan in the middle):

Next I cut the new perspex panel to size, and laid it on the side panel with the fans to see how it should look when I was finished, nothing was fixed on as yet:

Then I mounted the perspex (8 small screws around the edged of the side panel), and mounted the fans (decided to go with the standard silver self-tapping fan screws):

Thereafter, I needed to cut out air holes for the fans, so everything needed to be taken off yet again. My narrow jigsaw blades made easy work of getting a smooth curve here:

With everything in place and the holes cut, it was time to remove the protective covering from the perspex panel:

Here we have the panel back on my case... As you can guess, cable management is next on my list of things to do, I'm just waiting for my MNPCtech cable sleeving kit to arrive:

And here we have the semi-finished product, I really hate my phone camera, I just couldn't get a clear photo here... This was about the best of the 4 I took:

I want to either try make my own fan speed controller, or mod my existing one to also have green LEDs and small enough to fit in the 2.5" drive bay below my DVD-RW drive... I don't use or need the LCD display for fan speed and temps (the temperature sensors are crappy on this controller anyway), but I'll have to do that later.

When my sleeving kit arrives, two 12x12" mesh panels will be in the same package, so at that point I'm going to do three things: replace the smoked-perspex cover for the front fan, make protective covers for the side fans, and make a complete mesh side panel as well. That way, if i feel like having a mesh panel instead of perspex, i just need to switch panels and move the fans. I'll put up some pics when I finish that part too..

The awesome part of this whole thing, with the fans at half speed (about 1400 to 1500 rpm), my GPU and CPU are running about 5 to 10 degrees cooler under load than they were. I think it's working as intended hey... Hehe...

Very nice work.

 

[Lordbob75]

Looks good Zalith!

Here is my update:



I just need to drill the mounting holes and paint it, and it should be good to go!

~Lordbob

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Looks good Zalith!

Here is my update:
View attachment 77058
View attachment 77059

I just need to drill the mounting holes and paint it, and it should be good to go!

~Lordbob

So far so good, LB!

 

[Lordbob75]

Looks good Zalith!

Here is my update:
View attachment 77058
View attachment 77059

I just need to drill the mounting holes and paint it, and it should be good to go!

~Lordbob

So far so good, LB!

Well... not so much.

Turns out it is less than 5mm too large..... I don't think I can fix that, so I will have to..... I don't know.

~Lordbob

 

[ZaLiTH]

Thanks for the comments guys...

Can't wait for the rest of the parts to arrive, it's going slowly, but at least it's getting there..

Oh, by the way, everything I have done and will do to this case (hopefully the sleeving as well, but we'll see) is being modded 'single-handed'; as in only using my right hand... Lol. It's an interesting challenge, but since I can't actually use my left arm (anybody that read my post in the 'show us your ride' thread will remember my bike accident), I set myself a personal challenge to see if I can still do it. So far, so good.

Well... not so much.

Turns out it is less than 5mm too large..... I don't think I can fix that, so I will have to..... I don't know.

~Lordbob

Hmmm... Were the 5mm holes for the mounting holes by any chance? If so, couldn't you use a washer to work around it..?

 

[Lordbob75]

Hmmm... Were the 5mm holes for the mounting holes by any chance? If so, couldn't you use a washer to work around it..?

No, I mean that the plate is 154mm wide, and the bays are 150mm wide.

So.... I don't think I can fix it, I will have to make a new plate. My 4th one.
I am sick of that...

Any ideas?

~Lordbob

 

[ZaLiTH]

Hmmm... Were the 5mm holes for the mounting holes by any chance? If so, couldn't you use a washer to work around it..?

No, I mean that the plate is 154mm wide, and the bays are 150mm wide.

So.... I don't think I can fix it, I will have to make a new plate. My 4th one.
I am sick of that...

Any ideas?

~Lordbob

Oh, sorry... I completely misread your post there.

It is a Monday after all... Lol.

Depending on whether or not the pop-rivets are just for show or if they're holding the sides in place, I do have one suggestion. Instead of remaking the whole plate again, looking at this pic here as a base:

Drill out the rivets on the right hand side (since that has a marginally larger area of metal next to the holes) and remove that side first. However, if the pop-rivets aren't the only thing holding this on, you may need to cut it off.

After that, I'd suggest to mark off a 5mm to 6mm section on the right hand side of the face plate and grind it back a bit. If you aim to make the panel about 148mm wide, it allows for some extra space and it should fit quite nicely in the 150mm space.. This is exspecially important if you plan to spot-weld the panels together; spot welding tends to build up the surface, making it at least 1mm to 2mm thinker.

This way you only end up replacing one side, not the whole thing.

 

[xXSevenXx]

Here:

 

[derekimo]

Here:

I like that, looks like a shrine.

 

[CarlTR6]

Here:

That is cool!

 

[DocBrown]

Really some nice work & pics here recently. You all keep up the good work