Got a New Case!

madcratebuilder said:

Pics or it didn't happen!...

Conversely (or is that perversely? ), until something does happen, there will be no pics (I'm still in the planning and parts acquisition stage). The only actual work I've done so far is to remove unneeded parts (such as the fans) and parts I will be modding (such as the drive cages and the front panel connector assembly).

madcratebuilder said:

...Take a look at these filters.

Already have. In fact, I contacted them yesterday to see if the would sell just the filter material only (they won't ). The 650D already has two easily accessed filters, one for the PSU and one for the front fan, that only need a finer filter mesh, such as the one used in the DEMCiflex Filters. Installing new filter mesh on the stock filters is fairly easy. The PSU filter just needs the new mesh stretched over the filter frame on top of the original filter mesh and brush nail glue on the perimeter and the cross pieces. The front filter frame would have to have the metal mesh temporarily removed first (I will take pictures when I actually do it), then the new mesh glued over the old mesh, same as with the PSU filter.

I don't like the appearance of the magnetic filters (looks a bit too Mickey Mouse for my tastes) so I'm going to use a couple of filters like this one, only 140mm instead of 120mm, on the left side panel.



They are almost as easy to remove and easier to replace than the magnetic filters and, I feel, look a lot better and can't be easily dislodged. However, they use a foam filter that stops a lot of dust from getting through but some really fine dust still gets through. I'm going to lose the foam and glue in the DEMCiflex Filter mesh, same as on the two stock filters. Since DEMCiflex Filters won't sell just the mesh only, I'll have to buy some complete filters and cannibalize the mesh from them.

Lady Fitzgerald said:

...I found a way to seal the two large round holes on the back of the case that currently have the rubber grommets in them. I just found and ordered some flat polyethylene plugs at McMaster-Carr online that are a perfect fit for those plugs. Had to order a hundred of them (mutter, mutter) but they aren't all that expensive and they are a sanitary way to deal with those holes. And I will never run out of plugs! ...

Well, it just dawned on me what I can do with one of the 98 extra plugs I'm going to have. I can enlarge that stupid square hole in the upper left corner of the back to the same size and shape as the two round holes and pop in another round plug. It seems silly to make a hole larger to hide it but, whatever works, not to mention I'm too cheap to buy another 100 plugs.


Well, I lied. I stumbled on a little square rubber plug that should just pop right into that little square hole. Even though I had to buy 50 of them, I caved and ordered them anyway.

Well, the first of the goodies I ordered for the case just came in. The first mod I did was to get rid of the stupid USB 3.0 front panel pass-through connectors.

Here is the stock 650D front panel connector assembly:



Note how ridiculously long the USB 3.0 cables are and how they end in a pair of male Type A plugs.

This is the front panel connector assembly from a Corsair 350D front panel connector assembly:

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Note the more reasonable length of the USB 3.0 cables and that they lead to a USB 3.0 header connector.

This is the 350D front panel connector assembly opened up showing how the USB 3.0 sockets come out.



This shot shows the 650D's front panel connector assembly opened up and the original USB 3.0 sockets and cables being removed.

Lady Fitzgerald said:

Well, the first of the goodies I ordered for the case just came in. The first mod I did was to get rid of the stupid USB 3.0 front panel pass-through connectors.

Here is the stock 650D front panel connector assembly:

Attachment 315293

Note how ridiculously long the USB 3.0 cables are and how they end in a pair of male Type A plugs.

This is the front panel connector assembly from a Corsair 350D front panel connector assembly:

Attachment 315294

Note the more reasonable length of the USB 3.0 cables and that they lead to a USB 3.0 header connector.

This is the 350D front panel connector assembly opened up showing how the USB 3.0 sockets come out.

Attachment 315295

This shot shows the 650D's front panel connector assembly opened up and the original USB 3.0 sockets and cables being removed.

Attachment 315296

This shows the 650D front panel connector assembly put back together with the USB cables from the 250D panel.

Attachment 315297

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Golden said:

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That's what I did but something went wonky. I'm fixing it now.

These shots are of the finished mod. I'm hanging on to the 350D assembly in case a switch or other connector on the 650D assembly goes south.

I originally had planned on using the fan switch for the 200mm front fan I'm going to put in because I didn't know how much current it drew, the MOBO fan header has a 1A limit, and I wasn't sure if I could control a non-PWM fan from a PWM fan header. I've since found out the fan draws way less than 1A and the fan header can control fan speed. Also, many people have had problems with the fan switch burning up, including the new version which was supposed to fix the problem. It probably would have been OK but I preferred using the MOBO fan header so I decided to get rid of the switch. I couldn't just remove the switch would leave a hole dust could use to get in. Leaving the switch in and cutting off the wires would fill the hole but leave a non-functional switch (which would bother this anal old broad) and was a little too redneck for my tastes. Instead, I decided to remove the switch innards.

These shots show where the switch housing is inside the case (upside down) and the switch inside the hot swap bay.





This is the switch assembly removed from the case:



And after the innards have been removed (I'm hanging onto them in case I ever change my mind):

There was still the small issue of the tiny hole left by the switch slider itself. I filled that in with a small piece of foam cut from the top of a Mexican food takeout box. Even though it was a snug fit, I used a tiny bit of brush-on nail glue to make sure it stayed put. I should still be able to get it out if I ever need to restore the switch.





The next two shots show the empty switch assembly installed back in the case.

This is for future information as you have already got your new USB 3 cables.

Amazon.com: 2-Port USB 3.0 A Female to 20 PIN Adapter: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Silverstone Tek 19 Pin USB3.0 Adapter Cable - External to Internal (CP09): Computers & Accessories

I have a 400R and really like it. No problems with the Front USB headers but Corsair left out the short fan screws with the fat head to fit the rubber mounts and it took a few weeks for them to ship new ones.

Also those DEMCiflex Filters reduce airflow by 15%. I have them on my systems and they do keep it clean.

Jim

Here are the plugs I got to seal the leaky rear panel grommets. I will have to trim a small bit of the side of one of the plugs to clear the little panel I'm going to use to cover the slots on the back of the case (I should get them and some black blind rivets I ordered on Monday). I wonder what I'll do with the remaining 98 plugs I had to buy just to get the two?