# Time to show off my new case...check it out



## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Okay, so I went ahead and bought myself one of those Thermaltake Armor Series cases. Installation went extremely well...except for when I tried to install my Cooler Master Aquagate system. The 5.25" rails are individual and have little tabs that prevent the installation of anything that takes up 2 or more slots. I took a hacksaw and a pair of pliers to the thing and after about an hour of twisting and hacking I finally got the tabs off. Now it's just perfect. I also went ahead and painted the front of my Aquagate system, it was originally silver but...yeah...my case is black. It looks a lot better now I think. 

I didn't bother with wire management since I have a Mushkin 580 watt PSU in the mail right now, and I'd just have to re-do it all anyway. I'll post more pics once the wires are *managed* 
























(the case ontop of it is a Mid-Tower that I put a window in. It's not a very small mid-tower either d^_^b)


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## ParityError (Feb 23, 2007)

Very Cool!!

I gotta try my had at building a custom box somedayray: 

--PE:beerchug:


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

thanks!  I thought about building my own but...eh this was relatively cheap so...yah


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Those are nice cases, huh. I like the blue lighting, I have also always liked the look of those cases with a Zalman 9500 or 7700 with a blue LED HSF. Did you get one of the mid towers, or full towers?


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

That's the Full Tower. I absoLUTELY love it. I can't wait for my Mushkin psu and other hardware to get here, then my computer will be all but complete


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## Rashiki (Sep 29, 2005)

How do you like the aquagate system? I'm turned off by the radiator exhausting hot air into the box.. kinda defeats the purpose in my mind... do you notice any bad juju from that setup?


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Rashiki said:


> How do you like the aquagate system? I'm turned off by the radiator exhausting hot air into the box.. kinda defeats the purpose in my mind... do you notice any bad juju from that setup?


NONE whatsoever. My CPU (hella-hot Pentium D 805) stays at or below 30°C even under extreme conditions. It idles at about 20-22°C. My motherboard (according to the Winbond sensor) stays at about 30-34°C. AND...the "true ambient" case temperature, according to a digital thermometer whose probe is dangling in the case [right near the exhaust on the aquagate system], the ambient temps never go over 25°C. The air (I have an additional 60mm fan pulling air out the back of the aquagate) coming out of the back of the unit is not warm at all.

And that's how it should/would be if you install it correctly in the front of your case. Now...Cooler Master was kind enough to give you multiple mounting options. You can also reverse the unit and put it in place of a PSU in your case. That would exhaust the air right out of the back of the PC, but unless the room where you keep your computer is like 90 friggen degrees, I really don't see that that would be necessary. You also can mount the unit on the top of your case, if you just HAVE to get it out of your case.


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## carsey (Aug 19, 2006)

VEry nice. You got a good finish on it :smile:


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## Rashiki (Sep 29, 2005)

Ok, i didn't know how much heat those really dissipated. Sounds like a plan! I want to step up a little to water cooling and that's something i'm pondering


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

You will not regret it. Even with the [TINY] radiator that the unit comes with, the one that's inside it, my CPU stayed super cool. You might want to add an additionaly 120mm radiator to the loop though. 

Look at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835103006

Less than half the original price with the mail-in rebate! That's crazy...this thing is easily worth 100 dollars...

I added the Thermaltake radiator to the loop and it took an additional 3 degrees off my already chilly temps. You will not be disappointed


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

carsey said:


> VEry nice. You got a good finish on it :smile:


 Thanks!


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## Rebellion88 (Dec 15, 2006)

Very nice and congratulations on your new systems looks very flashy.


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

that is a phat lookin rig those cases are cool.how long have you had that vantec fan controller i got one just like it :grin:


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Rebellion88 said:


> Very nice and congratulations on your new systems looks very flashy.


Hehe thanks!  My camera is teh suck...really when you look at it in person, it doesn't have that blinding blue light. It's more subtle and calm...more like a blue fluorescent light. Thanks Vantec! <3



pharoah said:


> that is a phat lookin rig those cases are cool.how long have you had that vantec fan controller i got one just like it :grin:


And thank you too  Ahhh well let's see...I've had the fan controller 6 days now. I've tried it on a bunch of different fans. If you read the reviews on Newegg, people say there are only like 3-4 actual settings, and it's true. It's like this: low, medium, medium-high, full blast. And of course, off, which gives you a total of 5 total settings for each fan. Not that bad, really. 12 bucks and they throw in those nice nice cold cathodes. I've got one of those 92mm Tornado fans from them and that fan pulls more than an amp of power. This controller worked just fine on it. I don't think you'd burn it up UNLESS you plug more than one fan into the same controller port. THAT -will- burn it up. No doubt about it. Just be careful not to do that...I capped the ends on all my fan connectors so that I wouldn't slip up and connect two fans to one port.

I know it says not to, but you CAN use it on a CPU fan. They just put that there as a disclaimer. Anybody who monitors their CPU temps will be fine. It's not like CPU fans are any different from any other fan, unless they're those auto-controlled ones, then they might be. But still, so long as you are careful with that thing, you'll be good to go. Just don't connect it to your CPU fan and forget about it.


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

nah i got mine hooked to 3 case fans,and the fourth case fan runs wide open.ive had mine a bit longer than 6 days,and so far no probs.it seems to be a nice unit on the cheap.


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

aaahh okay...cool  One thing I don't understand is why the 3.5" drive bay unit is more than twice the price...it's the exact same thing with the same components and accessories...why does it cost twice as much? Just because it's smaller and painted black? Eh oh well...


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

Awesome rig, yo. I really like the way you got the cooling controls located on the front panel. If that cooling system is as good as you say I might end up getting one for my 4600+ X2 setup. Well done!


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

ebackhus said:


> Awesome rig, yo. I really like the way you got the cooling controls located on the front panel. If that cooling system is as good as you say I might end up getting one for my 4600+ X2 setup. Well done!


Thank you very much! 

Yes, I had never installed water cooling before the aquagate system. To me, it was crystal clear what needed to go where and I never even had to open the manual. It's that easy! People on Newegg.com who were saying that it doesn't do better than Air Cooling are idiots. They either don't know what Arctic Silver is or they effed up the install because this IS better than ANY aircooling I've tried.

Here is the C&P from Newegg site of my review:

Pros: This cooling system is...without a doubt...one of the best made computer components I have ever bought. The pictures don't really do it justice as some say, this is a really beautiful piece of equipment when you are looking at it firsthand. I bought this as a last effort to cool my Pentium D 805 at stock speeds. While playing games and doing anything other than idling, temps hit 50+°C (Threshold is 62°C) with aftermarket air coolers. To me, that is TOTALLY unacceptable, especially when case temps are less than 25°C. Now, with this installed, my CPU Temp has not broken 29°C. I am very, very, VERY pleased with this product. Let's you know when your levels are low and high, beeps with an annoying (for a good reason) tone that you can NOT ignore.

Cons: Lots of cables and can make a small case a bit cramped if installed internally. One of the hoseclamps (plastic) was broken when I got it. Didn't care though, used a heavy-duty zip/cable tie. Also, the lines are EXTREMELY stiff when new, might have to break them in before installing the unit completely. The way the temperature sensor attaches to the CPU is extremely undesireable. Just leave the probe in the case, it's not worth busting it between the CPU and block and then having that annoying "BEEP BEEP BEEP".

Other Thoughts: This is my first watercooled PC and I have to say that I am still trying to get over how wicked-cool it is!(no pun intended). I have, in the mail, a Thermaltake Big 12CM radiator and I will be adding it to the loop as well, for even further cooling. Make no mistake, this cooler will cool even the hottest of CPU's if installed properly.


I wasn't able to name names in the review but I had tried that cylindrical Zalman cooler, the Scythe 120mm, the stock, and some other generic crap. Even with Arctic Silver equivalent, my CPU was hitting 55 on a good day and nearly 60 on a bad day!!! That's rediculous. I know I was installing the coolers right...and I mean...unless I just got a whole bunch of bad coolers in a row...I don't know what to make of it. But yes, I do not hesitate to tell you that this Aquagate system is one of the best purchases I have ever made and that it would serve you well.


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## willpete99 (Mar 13, 2007)

Awesome job. I wish the computer makers would start thinking along these lines!


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Thank you very much. I am going to be doing a huge overhaul on my system in the next few days. New should be MUUUCH more appealing. I've got a Gigabyte DS3 I still need to install and two brand new radiators from Danger Den and some other nice stuff


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## -d- (Jun 18, 2006)

MMM..Armour!

Lots o' cables, but nice


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## [email protected] (Mar 22, 2007)

Man, that is an awesome machine, as a new user, dudes like you inspire me. Could you shoot me some site where i might find case modding stuff like that. Thanks man


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

That rig right there is on the backburner for now. I smoked my Gigabyte DS3 motherboard and I have to RMA it, no telling how long that will take. However, I have upgraded a lot of things and the new "revision" should be muuuuuuuuch better. I am now using a Swiftech Apogee GT waterblock and 7/16 ID, 5/8" OD Masterkleer tubing (ultra thick and rubbery, muuuch nicer than this old stiff stuff I was using)

mickmannix -

It depends on where you live, if inside the continental US, here's the best place to go: www.newegg.com - they have great stuff. My advice to you is if you're going to go the light route, go for a Vantec "Nexus" fan & light controller. It's a damn nice piece of equipment for such a little amount of money and comes with 2 VERY bright Cold Cathodes. I suggest the 3.5" Drive Bay controller (black). Look at it here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813999902

That should get you started on the lighting. I think www.tigerdirect.com ships to other places...but really I hope you're in the US cause Newegg.com is like THE BEST for computer parts. Maybe not water cooling, but they carry just enough to keep anyone that's only moderately into it, happy.


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Also, thanks for the comments, I'll really blow people away with my finish build. It'll be NICE  Gigabyte still has my faith, I hope Gigabyte will come through for me!


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