Project: Thermaltake Element S
 

Hello everyone, decided to have some fun with my TT Element S case which I've had for a while. I've been wanting to do a red/black themed case and why not go on with this one. I was going to go with way different plans. Water cooling, etc. This time, I'm going to keep it more simple. Rig is running, pics below are of it finished in it's current state. In the next few weeks, i'll be ordering a few things and adding the final touches to it. Hope you guys enjoy :toast:. Might not be half of what you see here on XS, but at least I tried :D



Components:
Case: Thermaltake Element S
CPU: Intel Core i7 920
Board: EVGA X3 SLI (132-BL-E758)
RAM: Nanya DDR3 1066 3x2GB
HDD: Raid 0 Seagate Barracudas 1 TB each (RAID still to be done, but both drives are in)
GPU: PNY 9800GX2
PSU: PCP&C 860W Turbo Cool

What I am probably going to change as far as components is maybe the GPU, try to get something red/black to go with theme. If I get new RAM, I'm aiming for something within the theme (Thinks Corsair Dominator GT's) :rolleyes:. Or if I keep this RAM, I'll just get some spreaders to go with the theme as well.

here are the pics:

Mobo in the case with Mega Shadow :)
http://img.techpowerup.org/091111/PB104301resized.jpg
Same as above, different angle
http://img.techpowerup.org/091111/PB104302resized.jpg
HDD's installed
http://img.techpowerup.org/091111/PB104303resized.jpg
PSU in da house! :rockout: messy :( 24 PIN ROUTED
http://img.techpowerup.org/091111/PB104304resized.jpg


...and here is the final result for phase 1 of the project. This is just to have rig running meanwhile I figure the rest out. Next step will be cable management as I am not happy with the one at the moment. I am going to see if I can make a plate or something that goes in front of the PSU from the back of the case towards the HDD rack so that I can hide all the PSU wires there and it won't be visible like now. Sleeving will be happening next as well :) For now this is it, hope you like, if not, well you didn't. What can I do? :(

http://img.techpowerup.org/091111/PB114305resized.jpg

put your glasses on :crazytongue:


Components:
Case: Thermaltake Element S
CPU: Intel Core i7 920
Board: EVGA X3 SLI (132-BL-E758)
RAM: Nanya DDR3 1066
HDD: Raid 0 Seagate Barracudas 1 TB each (RAID still to be done, but both drives are in)
GPU: PNY 9800GSX
PSU: PCP&C 860W Turbo Cool

Here is what I meant by making a plate to go in front of the PSU. In the pic i put a anti static bag from a GPU in the area I want to the plate to be in. Of course I'll get it powdercoated black as well.

http://img.techpowerup.org/091111/PB114306RESIZED.jpg

I love TECH!! :hug:

hah hah Nice.

I almost bought a GX2 the other night, you would think I was copying off of you then:Hi:

I love tech too Kal :)


Neuromancer, its ok bro. Amazing how kick ass those cards still are man :)

Haha whats up with the aluminum around the PSU? Looks like you have your own balloon by project going on! Sexy case.

I was just showing the area that i wanna cover up with a plate or something. So you can't see the PSU wires :) thats all I had at the moment to do a mock up with :(

Thanks :)

LOL Be thankful you dont have a corsair HX unit in there.

The wad of wires would completely fill that space and probably push the side panels off :p

Not if you have the one with the detachable cables :)

I meant the TX :facepalm:

Woopsy I had a poopsy :laugh:

Well guys,

I have ordered some black powder coated HEX mesh. This will be used to cover the HDD area. Also on the way is a piece of some sort of steel that a member from another forum recommended me which is also powder coated black I believe. This will be used for the PSU area in the lower portion of the case. Once I get that out the way I'll move on to some wire management and sleeving :)

I just got my Hex style Mesh. powder coated black. Next step, cover the PSU area then start with the sleeving woot woot!

What do you think? I'm having mixed feelings about it, maybe when I cover the PSU area it'll all come together. Right now It just looks kinda odd. I think what I need to do is finish off the edges a bit better, or should I say mold it better to the cage so it looks cleaner. What do you'll think?

http://img.techpowerup.org/091118/photo.jpg

Anyhow, here is another attemp. Much cleaner looking don't you think?

http://img.techpowerup.org/091118/photo(2).jpg

Lookin' good! You going to do the same to the psu area?

Thanks :)

For the PSU area I want to use something like a aluminum plate or something. Not mesh because it's see through. I'll admit it from now. The reason why I want to cover it is because that's gonna be the nasty side of this build :laugh: Imma hide the wires, my lunch, everything in there :D

How about some smoked acrylic , it will look good around the psu area, maybe have a design with a cold cathode behind it

How hard is it to bend Acrylic or shape it? Not easy heh?

How is airflow happening in that area if it'll be sealed from view?
Maybe some filter w/mess so it'll breath a little but still be out of view?

All the airflow is behind the mesh through the HDD's. Airflow would not really be affected by covering up the front of the HDD cages :)

Too much time spent modding not enough time spent benching:owned:

Well here is what I had planned. When I get paid again Im going to try and cover the PSU area. When I do that I'll be taking all components out again and stripping down the case. Then its bench time again :)

Once I have the case stripped I want to cut out all the fan holes, meaning remove the mesh grill they have, just leave the open hole and probably figure out a way to route some wires :)

Heh heh just kidding. I have put off building my new case and am jealous ;)

Setting up a new multiOS bench setup now. Hopefully will get time to work on the case over the weekend :)

good luck bro.

For some reason I like the look of a fanless heatsink a lot. So I loaded defaults, dropped the voltage and here it is. THe rig looks a lot cleaner. I already have the plate to cover the PSU area, just need to cut it and bolt it on :toast:

http://img.techpowerup.org/091126/PB264307edited.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/091126/PB264314edited.jpg

Looking good cpu, but i would but a Thin fan on the heatsink

like one of those Sharkoon fans

Naw, no need to bro. check out the temps. Not only does it look cleaner, but I want to have my crunchers at stock bro. I don't want these rigs to take a shit anytime soon. Not only is one of them a QX which is discontinued and if you find one they are still very expensive, but this particular i7 of mine is a very good clocker so I would love to conserve it a bit :)

Thanks to the great fan clips provided by Prolimatech, strapping on a fan or two and cranking this puppy up is just a matter of a minute. Then on to the benching :)

Well folks, it's been a while. Had many issues with the rig. Ended up being my PSU. So I jumped on the BFG 1000W Modular. I must say I don't know if I'll do the plate to cover the PSU. I gotta see. Now my biggest concern is hiding the wires that show behind the HDD. Next up is sleeving :)

Here is the new PSU and end result of no extra wires that are not used :D

The PSU
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044344resized.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044345resized.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044346resized.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044347resized.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044348resized.jpg

Scythe 110 CFM'ers, hooked up to fan controller :) New PSU also in place

http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044349resized.jpg

Finished rig, gotta love modular, no more left over cables and wires :D
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044351resized.jpg

Before and after

Before
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PB284329edited.jpg

After
http://img.techpowerup.org/091205/PC044351resized.jpg

Slick PSU :thumbsup:

Looks great & nice job man :)

Thanks guys, Modular sure helps with cables. Can't believe I didn't get a modular one any sooner.

Wow man very clean looking. I must learn some of these skills.

Thanks bro. Give the credit to the PSU :D

Well, as some may know already I am going to finish this build with an AMD rig instead of an intel. The i7 will be a strict cruncher/bencher I have the system out of the case and back on a tech station. For now I am trying 4850's on it and see what's up. But the cards will stay with the AMD rig. I am seeking ideas to mod the case while it's empty. Any ideas?


http://img.techpowerup.org/091213/PC134353resized.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/091213/PC134355resized.jpg

Those are ASUS TOP cards? They look my sapphire cards.

Yessir, ASUS TOP. I had a Sapphire 4850 and the cooler is almost identical, that's why it looks alike.

Dont expect any good mem clocks on it

:( dammit! :laugh: