Space / Cooling problems...

[minihack]

Thanks for your comments.

Yes, I have been adding too much stuff. I will try putting the GPU the other way around, so the fan will face inwards, and it will not be too close to the metal casing.

In regards to the handle; I agree that it has got to go. Thing is, I'm not very much of a "craftsman" so I'm trying to finish this project without messing with the acrylic or metal casing. If anyone has a good idea of how to keep the inner part in the housing without messing with the outer housing, that would be great. I was thinking of having a transparent acrylic "ring" made that fits exactly in the cube, so the inner parts will be placed on the ring, and I just shove the housing over it.

I don't think water cooling is much of an option, since a) I don't know anything about it and b) this "project" has cost me €1200,- already, and I don't think it's worth it to spend anymore on it, since I'm so close of having it work.

I hope ditching the handle and perhaps rearranging the parts will be sufficient to have it run relatively cool.

Nope, mine doesn't go to sleep in either Windows 10 (x64) or El Capitan GM. It will go to sleep, but wakes up after a few minutes and stays on.

I also have had an issue with the seller, in regard that I think that only 1 power brick is actually drawing power. Also, my PC wouldn't even boot with the external GPU connected, while GPU-power was connected to the power socket on the opposite side of the board from the other connections.

I figured out myself, that if I connected the power on the same side as the other connections, it would work, but sometimes when doing graphically intense tasks (games like Crysis 3, modded with all mods enabled on Ultra) the PC would just shut off.
The blue light on the main Dell-brick is turned off then. I then have to disconnect the VIN1 (main) power brick from my wall socket, leave it for a minute, and then it will work again. It's definitely a piece of crap in terms of stability...

Anyone got any good ideas on how to keep the inner parts in the housing without messing with the housing?

Best regards,

Bart

For keeping the parts together without having the handle I already gave one solution that works well and involves not messing with the housing.....

A pair of M4 screws (nice socket head ones) to replace the captive nuts on the top of the case and then on your 'inner' core fix a new pair of captive nuts so you can from the top surface screw it all together/take it apart just by turning the 2 screws.

The new captive M4 nuts for the inner core can be 'rivet nuts' or you could take a pair of small 5mm pieces of acrylic and put a threaded insert into them and fix them in place inside your inner core top plate.

I am not around my own Cube kit parts right now but can upload a picture later if you need to see what I am talking about.

Advantage of this is that you can also choose to either hang it in there inside the original metal case or try it 'naked' which also can save you a few degrees.

As for the PSU, I have not tried to push it hard but for sure it is definitely one brick for the motherboard and one brick for the GPU. So you don't ever get an actual 500W but instead are limited by either the power given to the GPU or to the CPU and board/drives etc.

I know sleep does work with this PSU with 'some' motherboards (seemed okay with my Z77 ITX from Zotac) but it really does not like the Asus Max Impact, possibly something to do with the separate daughter board on the MOBO for the regulation maybe? But for sure this PSU is not quite the great product that I hoped it would be and needs the PicoBox company to spend some more time and money on getting it right.

 

[burdie]

Hello again!

Thanks for your comments.

In regard to the M4 screws/nuts; great idea, I'll go with that. Question: how do you "attach" the nuts on the inner cube?
JB-Weld them to the metal "lid" of the inner cube?

In regard to the cooling/space issue; I think I've solved it.
I've removed the latch-system, rearranged the parts and added 2 coolers (on the bottom side and 1 on the top side),
so I now have a "tunnel" with the parts on the side, so air can flow to the middle. The cooler on the bottom is slightly turned
inwards, so it "injects" outside air in the cpu-cooler. It keeps sort of perfectly cool right now; 75C while on Intel Burntest and 42C idle.

I realised I have to take desperate measures to keep the GPU cool. By removing the latch, I can turn the inner cube over, so the GPU resides on the back of the cube (i.e. on the opposite side of the glass Apple-logo). I will go to a "plexi-professional" who will make a round 8cm hole in the acrylic and metal casing, right over the GPU-fan. If necessary, I will attach an extra 92mm fan to the back of the plexi, that will inject cold air directly into the GPU-fan.

Unfortunately, because of assembling and disassembling the cube multiple times, I've fried my (original, modded, perfectly working) touch sensor, So I will order an Edison sensor first...

Is it me or is it a whole bunch of work to get this tiny thing working properly? :-D

Best regards!

 

[burdie]

Update:

Following your advise, the latch has been removed, the parts rearranged, 2 extra coolers added, and a
hole for outside air for the GTX 970 has been made.

I will start a new buildlog for everyone to enjoy.

Thanks for your input!

Best regards,

Bart