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March 13th, 2021 14:00
Aurora R11, graphics card slot question
Hi all,
I have an R11 in production, due in a week or two. It is an i9 10900K model with the 3080 graphics card. I understand that both PCI 16x slots in the Alienware chasis run at 8x speed, so I just wanted to ask if anyone else had moved their graphics card to the lower slot, and if so whether that would have any impact at all on bus through-put.
I appreciate that moving the card down, given the nature of the 3080 design in this small case, would likely block the fan intakes somewhat. However, I am asking this question as I am contemplating a liquid cooled solution to the 3080 as a potential future mod, and having the card in the lower slot would allow for a much simpler routing of an open single loop solution that can also connect to the CPU.
Here is what I am thinking:
- External radiator/pump/reservoir solution as used by others on this board successfully (as per image below):
- Remove all heatsink and fans from the 3080
- Mount a water block on the 3080 with top intakes that are dual sided
- Water pipes enter and exit using a PCI slot between the two 16x slots of the type shown below:
- Intake plugs into the water block, using the entry port on the top side (nearest CPU)
- Water pipe then comes out of the top towards the CPU, with plenty space to gently curve under the power supply
- New CPU cooler (comes with the external radiator as part of a kit) will be connected with 90 degree intake to ensure plenty of space above to power supply and for air movement
- Water pipe exits, again using a 90 degree outlet pointed back towards same way the intake came from
- Exit through the same PCI slot shown above
I don't have permissions to insert my own images, but I have a diagram of the pipe flow, and it looks simple with gentle turns, no interference with key components (as long as I use a short NVME PCI adapter in slot 1, or just stick that in slot 3.
Total cost would be about 500 GBP, which feels a bit crazy, but just contemplating it at the moment, than actually committing for sure. First thing to understand is whether the graphics card move to the bottom PCI slot would work, or whether that would cause lots of issues or reduced speeds. If that is all good, then this approach avoids the really tricky work of routing the pipes around the ram, down past the front intake fan, although given the water block makes the graphics card shorter, there is actually space that way as well.
This would then open up the ability to remove the top radiator, and replace that with a single silent fan to vent air.
Thoughts and feedback are very welcome!
Hewligan
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March 26th, 2021 15:00
Bad illustration:
The purple block is the res-pump combo. Could go left or right, but just gives you an idea of that setup. With careful fitting selection it could be made to fit. That would give a system with 2x240mm, all internal.
my earlier post was not clear on push-pull: it is really push on both sides, but only pull on one side, with the other side only holding the res-pump.
Hewligan
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March 27th, 2021 00:00
Ordered final items today. I believe I have everything I need now on the way to my house. Full list:
6 items in the loop (top radiator, CPU block, GPU block, reservoir, pump, bottom radiator) requires 12 connectors.
The pump selection was the toughest. In the end I decided to sacrifice some radiator capacity for a better lay-out and less metal removal. Heck, last night I was thinking about removing the PSU swing arm and using the front panel area to house a 240mm radiator, but at some point you haven't really retained the core system with its cool features, so I backed away from that, and moved back to the 360mm total radiator concession.
The D5 Next pump is SATA powered and can sit atop the SSD bay, so I can use the existing spare connector. In addition, it is all controllable from a small OLED screen. With that screen I can set the pump speed (just like a vario D5, but dynamically at a button press), but I can also use the pump as a controller for Aqua Computer RGB strips, and as a fan hub.
I am actually missing one or two items, but nothing that will stop me doing the build over Easter. I need a Y-splitter, but before I buy one I thought I would see how a dry-fit looks as it it is too cramped I will swap the front fan to a Noctua 15mm fan and that comes with a splitter in the pack. I can temporarily run my bottom fans at full power.
I am also 1 radiator fan short. I have 5 and need 6 if I want to run push-pull on both radiators. That shouldn't stop me getting things up and running.
Last item missing that I know about for now is screws that are long enough for push-pull. I saw someone post what type you need on another thread, so I am sure I can grab those for cheap.
So the money has been spent. Next steps are:
1) Draw a complete diagram of the planned routing
2) Dremel a new top-fan intake into the top case
3) Dremel a new lower-back fan intak into the foot, exiting to rear
4) When I am off work (so in a week) I will strip the entire system down, drill mounts for the reservoir in the top bay, drill additional air intakes into the bottom panel where the fan will be pulling from, do major surgery to the top of the case to fit the 240mm radiator
5) Build it
markburv
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March 27th, 2021 05:00
@Hewligan it it is too cramped I will swap the front fan to a Noctua 15mm fan and that comes with a splitter in the pack
Make sure you get the right one and not presume all Noctuas 15mm come with Y cable, the chromax black swap does not come with a Y cable.
Looking forward to seeing your diy and build results
markburv
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569 Posts
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March 27th, 2021 05:00
30mm 6-32
Hewligan
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March 27th, 2021 23:00
Last steps before I start. Ordered a Noctua 15mm front fan. Currently have 2 setups I will try. Almost certainly going to have to go for the 120mm bottom radiator option. These images are to scale, except CPU block which I didn't bother measuring, but they exclude the top push-pull fans simply because I didn't have space in PowerPoint given the 2 to 1 scale I was using to draw this. Just assume the top radiator has fans below and above (and thus that radiator actually sits a bit higher):
Option 1: 2x240mm
Option 2: 1 x 240mm, 1 x 120mm
Decision on which will come down to 2 items:
1) Can my pump clear the graphics card if it sits atop a 26mm radiator?
2) Can I fit a 280mm long radiator (which is how long the 26mm deep radiator is given the G1/4 ports) into the bottom case without removing the quick release metal tab I showed in an earlier post?
If the answer to either is "no" then I go with option 2. But I have all three radiators on order (the 26mm deep EKWB Coolstream SE was an eBay £27 purchase, the Corsair ones are brand new from OcUK).
Going to do some practice dremel work on plastic today to see how hard it will be to replicate the slotted fan intake design. Obviously going to do that practice work on some spare thick plastic - not the case yet!
Chchyork
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July 12th, 2021 12:00
Any more updates to this post? I just ordered an R10 with the 3080. Looking to see how this turned out.