FERMI 2 - CUSTOM Dual Stacker 832 - sli GTX480's
 



latest state of the build



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Hi All 
this is my first post to any forum, and 3rd attemp on here, stupid thing keeps deleting my post, ugh, bang head, bang head!!! 

well im going to start off by saying this is a post for the build log of my new custome case/system which im calling FERMI 2

It was supposed to be called FERMI 3 but i sold off my FTW 480 today (money constaints). 

the case is made out of 2 coolermaster stacker 832 cases :) which i think you guys will like:) 

I have went through many revisions of this case and now have finally found one i like and that works well which is REV 4 right now :) 

WHY I CHOSE TO CALL MY SYSTEM/CASE FERMI 2
Fermi is the name of a Nuclear power plant. I live in Windsor, Ontario Canada which is located across from Detroit, Michigan. Now there is an actually power plant near windsor and detroit (10-20 miles away) called FERMI 2. Its a nuclear power plant :)
 
since each gtx 480 is from the Fermi Family, I decided to call it FERMI 2. Ill be using 2 corsair 850w power supplies (2 generators), so Ill be putting 1700W or 1.7kW Capacity on the case :) maybe with red leds behind an engraved acrylic panel :)

Now if i decide to buy a 3rd GTX 480 (just sold my third one:( ... ) than ill be naming it FERMI 3.
 
Now there are 2 Fermi Cards (reactors), 2 cooling towers (2 radiators), 2 dump tanks (used for emergencies) (2 reservoirs), the the whole theme goes well with the case.
 
Let me know what you think.....
 
so
 

the system consists of the following: 

Hardware: 
Core i7 930 
EVGA X58 4 way sli Mobo 
Corsair Dominator GT 2000c7 
2 - EVGA GTX 480's Super Clocked editions 
1 - Corsair HX850w power supply 
1 - Corsair AX850w power supply (will get it in 2 weeks as i sold one of my two hx850's that was with my HD5970 build) 

Watercooling: 
Feser 420 Monsta Radiator 
Feser 360 Xchanger Radiator 
2 - Swiftech MCP-655 Pumps
2 - EK MCP-655 X-TOP Ver. 2  
2 - Koolance 120mm Reservoirs 
EK Supreme HF cpu block (black + nickel) 
EK Classified 4 way Full Motherboard Block 
MIPS computer Corsair 6 Ram Block 
2 - Ek Nickel/POM GTX 480 Blocks 
2 - EK GF200 LINKs 
EK Triple Link Parallel  
1/2" Promochill white tubing 
1/2ID 3/4" OD Black Bitspower compression fittings (diff types and sizes) 
Koolance TMS 200 and 200 expansion board 
2 - Koolance Flow sensors INS-FM17  
3 - Noise blocker PK-3 140mm Fans (1700rpm) 
9 - Xigmatek 140mm fans 1000rpm (3 for pulling air, 6 used as shrouds) 
4 - Antec 200mm Fans 
9 - Coolermaster 120mm R4 Fans 

Case: 
2 - Coolermaster Stacker 832 Cases 
Custom waterjetted, bent and welded aluminum parts :) ( i will provide the CAD drawings for anyones use) 

So thats the parts list for now, I am thinking of some editions with regards to sound card, low power vid card, usb 3.0 cards as well but I will post about those at a later date when the time is right :) 

stay tuned, and i would appreciate your comments and insight 

cheers 

Can someone give me some insight on how to post pictures?
 
Thanks

You can use something like photobucket.com. You need to host the pictures somewhere, basically.
 
Once you have them hosted you can post them in your forum post by using [ img]inserttheurloftheimagehere[ /url]
 
Take the spaces out of the [] though

 
 

forgive me for ignorance,
 
do i use the insert/edit image icon in the tools menu?
 
I tried using image shack, and it gives you the forum codes, i tried copying that and didnt seem to work... can you be more specific plz.
 
thanks

Use the [img][/img] tags.  I fixed the one above.  

heres a pic of the stacker 832
im testing my first image post :) bare with me

enjoy

thanks :)

Almost all my hardware :)
 
tons of stuff :)
 

Where did you find that black Stacker? I thought I had the last one. Mine has the full mesh front though. You will love that case. You can do anything with them.......
 
 
H.

Time to put the radiators together.
 
I'm taping the Monsta 420 rad with 8-32 threads so that i can get long enough screws to tighten the fan and shroud assembly.


Drilling the monsta so i can tap 8-32 threads, notice the 1/8" aluminum sheet underneath to protect the fins and tubes from the bit.
 

 
Taping the 8-3 threads, all 24 of them (12 on each side).
 

First set of holes done :) turned out well, did a test with a 8-32 bolt and all works well with no biting.
 

the monsta 420 by feser all fully tapped out :) and ready for fan mounting.
 

 
heres a xigmatek 140mm clear fan with white LEDs with the fan cut out. Going to use these as my shrouds. 6 total.
Not sure if you can see, but the holes had to be drilled out bigger to accommodate the bigger 8-32 bolts.
 

 

 
Ill be using 6 xigmatek fans (which are queit at 1000rpm) as shrounds, 3 xigmatek fans as pull fans, and 3 noiseblocker PK-3 140mm 1700rpm fans as push fans.
 
 

 
Here are a pair of the NB PK-3's. I also had to drill the holes out bigger for the 8-32 bolts.
 

 
heres a shot of two xigmatek fans, 1 cut out, 1 fully intact.

Mounting Pics coming soon :)

more pics :)
 

 
Monsta radiator with 3 fan shrouds.
 

 
Test fit for the fans :) everything lines up ready to mount the shrounds and water jetted aluminum base plate.
 

 
Top fans mounted, bottom fans next.
 

 
the carbon fiber side peice is shiny :) wish i had a better camera
 

 
Monsta radiator with all fans mounted, Mistake from before, i meant to say only 3 shrouds for the top, bottom doesn't have fan shrouds.
 

 

 
shot of the bottom plate i had water jetted all mounted to the radiator :)  this will go into the right side stacker 832. I have the CAD dawings avail for this peice if anyone wants it for  fan spacing and such.
 

 
heres the feser xchanger 360 radiator which will be for my cpu, board, memory loop. The monsta is strictly for cooling the dual 480s.
 

 

 
the two gaskets for the Monsta 420 radiator :)
 
 

I can't wait to see the final pics..:D
 
Do you have a estimated date on when this rig will be done?

Lotta fans on that rad :O

Here is a very basic drawing done in paint of how this case is going to look.
 

looks neat cant wait to see it

Time to take apart the board and put the Ek block on :)
 
heres the EVGA 4 way classified board that has 2 NF 200 chips on it for 4 slots running at x16 :)
Slots 1 and 2 are related - NF200 1 - Channel A
slots 3 and 4 are related - NF200 1 - Channel B
slots 5 and 6 are related - NF200 2 - Channel A
and slot 7 is a lone slot. -  NF200 2 - Channel B
 
If slot 1 is occupied and slot 2 is empty - slot 1 runs at x16 (if slot 2 is occupied than slot 1 and 2 are x8/x8)
(remember a x1 pcie card may and may not affect the speed of the x16 slot, it shouldn't)
 
If slot 3 is occupied and slot 4 is empty - slot 3 runs at x16 (if slot 4 is occupied than slot 3 and 4 are x8/x8)
(remember a x1 pcie card may and may not affect the speed of the x16 slot, it shouldn't)
 
If slot 5 is occupied and slot 6 is empty - slot 5 runs at x16 (if slot 6 is occupied than slot 5 and 6 are x8/x8)
(remember a x1 pcie card may and may not affect the speed of the x16 slot, it shouldn't)
 
Slot 7 always runs at x16, as it is not split or sharing with another slot.
 
My plan is -  Graphics in Slot 5 and 7,  Sound card in slot 1, Low powered video card in slot 3, and USB 3.0 card in slot 4.

heres a BMP of my CAD Drawing of the XL-ATX stand off spacing for the EVGA x58 4 WAY SLI BOARD.
 
I got the specs of the ATX standoff spacing from an official ATX SPEC PDF spec sheet. I than measured the rest with a micrometer, The size of the board is also on this image too :)


 
 
 

 
Board with the stock heat sink on
 

 
heatsink taken off, 3 pieces.
 

 
Naked 4 way sli board - notice the two NF200 chips.
 

 
Another naked shot but now with all the thermal pads installed on the board so now time to mount the block :)
 

 
This block was such a pain in the butt to get. I had one sent to me that was leaking, the second one was the wrong revision. Notice how on top of the south bridge the block seems to be grooved or machined down compared to the rest of the block. That is so the cards will seat properly.
 

 
Another shot of the board with block installed.
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Heres a pic of the OLDER revision 4 Way block by EK. This will not allow the graphics cards to seat properly.
 
theres also a pic of the new block too
 

 
OLD revision, NO GROOVES
 
 
 
 

 
NEW revision WITH GROOVES of the 4 way sli block by EK.
 
The guys at Sidewindercomputers were awesome, he replaced the block twice (leaking and wrong revision) and than spoke to EK and they replaced it free of charge. I still have the old revision block, ANY TAKERS????

Looks interesting - Will definately be watching this one :)

Check back in 2 hours, you will see the pic of the case :)

blkhackr


looks neat cant wait to see it

Well here are the cards :)
 
all 3 of them. I sold the FTW yesterday, needed the cash :( I do miss is very much, having second thoughts of selling but oh well :)
 

 

 

 

 
Heres the EK GTX 480 POM/Nickel Block :)
 
and now for the Bottom
 

 

 

 

 
Pads almost all on, and thermal paste applied - MX-2 :) Got that at a local shop called PCOUTFITTERS for 10 bucks, haha USED 3 tubes already :)
 

 
Block fully mounted on the GTX480 :)
 
now for some of the AIR COOLED card pics and tear down
 

 

 

 

 

 
all the thermal pads removed and pasted taken off and gpu cleaned with rubbing alcohol.

I have 3 of them
 
1 was my Nvidia edition stacker 830
 
second was a brand new one i bought from INFONEC.com
 
and the third i got USED off kijiji.ca :)
 
i bought them the first 2 last year, and the 3rd, 8 months ago.
 
cheers

SGTHACK


Where did you find that black Stacker? I thought I had the last one. Mine has the full mesh front though. You will love that case. You can do anything with them.......


H.

hething


I can't wait to see the final pics..:D

Do you have a estimated date on when this rig will be done?

It could be done in a week, due to money :) END OF OCTOBER :P fingers crossed.

TIME TO SHOW THE STEPS IN BUILDING THE CASE !!!!!!!!!
 
here is the bottom of the right stacker 832. Originally i cut this in my 3rd revision of the case which you will bellow. The case was supposed to be 2.75 stackers high (50") but i found there to be too many challenges and it just wasn't stable at all.
 
so here are the pics of the 3rd revision, FERMI 2 - is 4th REVSION
 

 

 

 

 
notice thats the OLD revision of the 4 way sli block. I had paper towels under it so it would be easier to detect leaks :)

Now here is the bottom piece of the RIGHT stacker 832
 

 

 
 

 
Theres the bottom of the 832 stacker. It has the Mounting plate for the MONSTA 420 radiator being test fitted in :)
 
Notice the 1/16 x 1.75"wide piece of aluminum on the left as a support column/brace, just too thin, i was going to bend it, but than i wouldnt have been able to fit a 200mm fan on the back, so it was just a big giant pain.

Ok here are the two side stackers.
 
The one with the cutout bottom is the RIGHT where the tfc feser xchanger 360 will go. Originally the hole was cut out for the 420 monsta radiator but i scraped rev 3 of the case.
 
here we go :)
 

 
theres the cutout, kinda sloppy, i will clean it up one day, ive gone too far to mess with it now, i will once i either powder coat or paint the inside :)
 

 
right 832 stacker from the back
 

 
here is the LEFT 832 stacker, its all stock, all my peripherals will be in here, DVD, bluray, HD's, i can even put a low powered system in here :) and maybe have it control the main rig via wireless device (using android, win 7, win ce 6) thats for later so :)
 

 
There are the two together :)
 
up next :) the custom middle part :) youre going to like this :)

Wowza. +100000.

TIME TO SHOW OFF THE MIDDLE CUSTOM PART
 
this part was cut using a water jet. The guys at FCF Customs in Windsor, Ontario did the cutting for me on their water jet machine.
 
Youll be suprised, its pretty cheap to get things cut. www.fcfcustoms.com  contact Mike Heidt, 519-737-7347, great guy. Fred is the owner, mike is the water jet/cad guy :) make sure you ask for Mike Heidt as there are two Mikes there.

Material used is 1/8" aluminum sheeting which i purchased at  METALSUPERMARKET. You can call DAN hes a really awesome guy and they have awesome prices for metal.
Phone is 519-945-1995
 
ok now for the pics
 

 
AS you can see the window up front, 4 holes- 2 for each reservoir, and a bunch of different cutouts up top for wiring and such.
 

 
another shot of the middle top piece from the underside of it. window for the monsta rad is on the left
 

 
Here is the front of the MIDDLE TOP piece. Its about 593mm wide (23" and some inches dont remember) and 18.5" high.
 

 
Here is the top of the same piece (MIDDLE TOP). As you can see i have all the standoffs screwed in :), you can also see the holes for the wires. The holes for the wires have to be individually drilled which i havent done yet. There are 104 holes in total so i can run each single braded wire from my PSU up to the board and Graphics cards.
 

 
I have a little more than half the holes drilled here using a #36 bit so i can tap 6-32 threads in there for the standoffs.
 

 
Theres my rotary tool with the dremel plunge router attachment :) that thing works great, and got it for 25 bucks :) brand new, I LOVE SALES :P
I spent an hour at Canadian Tire looking at diff tools and stuff :) candy shop
 

 
The big oval hole is for the sata cables, and the other 48 holes are for the graphics card wires :)
 

 
a closer look at the rotary tool. On a side note, you do have to cut the drill bit down so that it doesnt hit the base of the attachment and I did sand it a little so that it would fit a little better into the Collet of the rotary tool / dremel.
 

 
 
drilling away :)
 

 

 
The big holes were already cut out by the water jet.
 

 
There are the holes for the 2 - 8PIN EPS cables that will feed the CPU. (16 in total)
 
 
 
 
 

OK here are some pics of the MIDDLE BOTTOM.
 
This is where the pumps and 420 monsta radiator will be :)
 

 

 
Heres a tease pic
 
You can see in this picture that the cut out is on the left side, it will change in a couple of pictures :) as i changed my mind and put it on the right :)
 

 
heres the middle bottom piece. the braces i made are OK, but im going to redo them. I will be welding 1x1x1/16 aluminum square tubes accross from one end to the other, that will insure the the structure is more rigid, and that the top does not sag at all and possibly bend the board. You will see what i mean later, but total sag is about 1/16" with the cards put on but without the rear panel put on which will add support :) still I will make it better with the square tubing.
 
That is a shot of the side, You can see the 3 holes where it will be bolted to each stacker 832. the 1/8 x 1/2" wide strip you there is to make sure the carriage bolts do not bend the side piece of the stacker 832. just look to the left, you will see the long oval holes, thats where the carriage bolts will be, 1/4" carriage bolts fit perfect :) you will see in later pics.
 

 
Middle bottom piece almost ready to be mounted to the cases.
 

 
Heres a look at the top of hte middle :)  I will be taping 8-32 threads into the braces, 1 on each side of each brace, so 6 taps total.
 

 
heres a cutout thats the same as the side of the stacker 832. See how the olds like up, the carriage bolt will go into there and be held, and the strip will prevent the piece from bending outwards to the right and causing the bolt to strip and being unable to tighten.
 
 
 

Time to assemble
 

 
heres a cutout of the side of the front of the 832 stacker, you can see the carriage bolt fits in there nicely.
 

 
heres another angle, u can see the square part fits in snug
 

 
the bolt hooked up to the left 832 stacker :) ready to be bolted to the MIDDLE BOTTOM piece. But first i have to bolt the 90° angle iron on so that i can secure the MIDDLE TOP piece with 8-32 bolts, using snap covers to give it a nice clean look and cover the screws/bolts on the front and top of the case.
 
6 bolts on the front, 6 bolts on top (3 on each side; LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT TOP, RIGHT TOP) 12 total.
 

 
 

 

 
you can see i put it together here :) u can see right through all 3 parts of the case (right stacker, middle, left stacker), haha my school books from previous semesters and some paper along the wall :)
 

 
here are the holes on the middle bottom part of the case. these will bolt together with the carriage bolts. The 90° angle iron will bolt to that as well using the same carriage bolt.
 

 
as you can see the angle iron, im using all nylon lock nuts on the carriage bolts so this thing dont come loose.
 

 
just a random top view
 

 
another random
 

 
Ok so i moved all that paper and books off the wall and used it as weight to weigh down the middle top, so that way i can drill the holes so i can tap into the braces. Look at the bottom right of the MIDDLE of the case, you will see a hole just under the tape. I drew a crosshair to mark the spot to drill into the TOP MIDDLE through the braces.
 

 
theres the hold i drilled, and markings for the brace
 

 
another shot, kinda crappy
 

 
theres the dremel with the plunge router attachment drill the holes using a #29 bit, and than i will be taping the braces with an 8-32 tap.
 

 
you can see the tap on the bottom right
 

 
Close up of taping, the file is used to file the hole from the top because it was all bulged out from drilling, so i filed down so its flat.
 

 

 
you can see the taped hole, and the nuts down below, i have to tighten the last one :)
 

 
NOw i attached the MIDDLE TOP and screwed it in, you can see the screws on the left side of hte middle part of the case. You can also see the window for the monsta 420 radiator.
 

 
now some shots with the frame of the case assembled and ready to go. Check out the screws up top. I used snap caps, what they are are plastic washer like pieces that you put the bolt threw and screw through the case, than this black cap goes on top to cover the screw for a nice clean look :) they can be removed in the future for disassembly.
 

 

 

 

 
 
OK up next is all the stacker parts that make it look like a stacker :), TOP, SIDE DOORS, FRONT DOORS, MESH SLOTS, REAR DOOR.
 
BUT first i have to change the GREEN MESH on my Nvidia Stacker 830 to a black one which is from the use STACKER i bought. I did not use the top of the used stacker as it has a huge scratch, so im simple swapping the green mesh for the black mesh, so both sides match.