Antec 1200 Review and Mods by CyberDruid

I just rob them off Molex to SATA adapters that often ship with motherboards. Try Performance PCs

Here's a vid of the completed HDD flip mod

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7azyfK3-hx0

I could stuff a PA120.3 in the top but then the first three optical bay spaces are taken. I have some pics I took of different arrangements I might post up. At anyrate ANtec makes a rad just for this case that mates to the 200mm fan. So it is entirely possible to make it all work out.

I have a lot ahead of me. First order of business is to get the shop cleaned and back into shape. Then I need to start on the reservoir.

I decided to make the res a little different than I usually do. Rather than cut or bend the tabs on the A 1200 Optical Bay I will laminate 3 1.5" strips of .22 acrylic to each side. This will actually make a couple of things a bit easier because I can drill and tap the strips and not the res body...one less worry. What would be super cool is if there wasenough room to put a DD Delrin Filport right over top of the res...but with the res up top there is no room. I've found that filports into T fittings don't work well at all...surface resistance of the water inhibits the process...with air coming up and fluid going down you need a straight shot.

Lamptron will be sending me some LED lighting for the case so I don't have to fuss with the lighting. a Ring Puk LED light module sitting on top of the optical drive will illuminate the hell out of the res. a 48" long flexible strip of LED lights will get tucked into the flange around the perimeter to offer some optional interior lighting effects. Simple and effective.

Got my shop clean enough to do the acrylic work and got my numbers together for the cut list and now it's time to make some plastic snow.

Time to show some work

Well I've been making good progress and here's some shots of the work.


The hardest part of making something like a bay res is getting all the parts cut to the exact dimensions required. Here I am just checking to make sure I did not have a brainfart at the tablesaw.






This is directly after glue up...still need to doll it up a bit buit it's done...a 3-bay reservoir with a two level waterfall effect.

Now to change out the Blue LEDs on the Big Boy fan











Glad I did not screw that up..those fans are not cheap to replace.


One of my signature touches..the Squid


Sheathing...I can do this in my sleep...sometimes I think I am...

Lamptron is sending me lights but I needed to get something together now. All I had in stock was a 6 LED UV module...so it was time to change out some more LEDs...to Red.
















Now to see how that looks under the reservoir




Just a quick test. I still have a few more things to do for the lighting effect to be just right.

More in the nest post. This one is getting full

More mods

Well I needed to control the rad fans and no where can I find the Rheostat I used to use all the time. Swiftech was the supplier and now they don't even have them. No worries I had something even better in mind. One of my favorite controllers for stealth mode is from Silverstone and the Egg had it in my hands this AM



You get two sets of controllers and a remote module...more fun


I filed the opening in one of the A1200 PCI Plates to accept a rocker switch for case lighting.


A little more file work got the 3 pots to fit.



This is the paint to use...anything else is just doomed to failure. Self etching and self leveling a matte black that matches the A1200.


Painted the pots too since they are visible through the window.


Here's the module prepped to paint


Stealthed for mounting right below the factory fan and light control panel on the back.


Ready to stick


Stuck


Contoller leads fish up the blindside


These will get sheathed...soon.


And that's what you see...


Popped a hole in the back under the factory control panel for the rad fan leads


All the stuff back together.

Then I got the pump mount ready for paint.


Bracket gets drilled and tapped the chassis gets grommeted




Okay time for paint


Next?

Well I shortened the pump lead and got that sheathed and now I am going to fill the reservoir and look for leaks. If all is well I'll start on the loop.

I'll take a vid of the waterfall in action so stay tuned

kyle2020 said:

Pictures #9, #10 and #11 - is that some form of molex powered multi 3 pin adapter box thing?

Click to expand...

mlee49 said:

Cyber, where did you get that PCI Fan controller? I want one w/4 fan controls!!!

Click to expand...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999046

They only have three channels. What I have done in the past is but as many as I need then mount the pots wherever I want...it doesn't matter. You got 7 fans? Buy three controllers and have two extgra channels for whatever. You can control lights with these too.

Just don't overload one channel or it will get really frigging hot. Hence me using one channel per fan although it would be ideal to have all three rad fans on a single knob. I know better...and don't want to burn out the controller doing that.

Well I put in a 14 hour day and got the job pretty much done to the point where I can put it in a box and ship it tomorrow. Unfortunately I am having an internet malfunction and cannot wow you with videos and pictures as I'd like. Maybe tomorrow. I blame it on the new router I had to get...it's the obvious suspect.

The reservoir kicks ass. The cabling is all done and lashed down so I am feeling at ease...not only met my Friday deadline...I beat it.

Finally got some pics and vics uploaded

Antec 1200 Mod Update1

Have many pics uploading so I will be adding them soon

And it's gotta be a dysfunction between my Edimax Wireless G USB adapter on the SHop rig and the new Belkin Wireless N Router.

The PCI Edimax Wireless G Adapter works fine (in the i7 rig) and uploads at about normal speed.

I am a little bummed since now I will have to get yet another Wireless router or replace the perfectly good USB adapter with another in the hopes it'll work with the router...This is the part of PC stuff that I have NO enthusiasm for...stuff I don't have a clue how to fix...

Imagine being a "FireDog" or whatever and trying to resolve this issue without selling the customer another router/adapter it wouldn't happen./

Anyhoo I'll be posting up more in a bit.

Mod Updates

Got everything done. Now I just need to get it packed up.

Have a look at what all went down...


Leads from the fan pots squidoo-ed


I checked with a straight edge off the stand offs to make sure the mobo will fit over these cables


The pot leads come out right next to the module up top


Wires? What wires?


Oh those wires...


Another "signature" cable management technique: foam tape the molex stack.


Each Molex to 3-pin adapter connection is Heatshrinked together...no chance of a short or loose wire.



After a final massage


What does this switch do?


It controls any case lighting you care to add...the switch terminates in a molex connections..plug and play...just stack the connectors onto the switch and control as many LED lights as you like.

Next up the loop!

To dah Loop


I set up the loop without rad or gfx card just to test the res.


Suggested method for filling. I left enough length on the tube from pump to res to accomodate this much extension on the res. When cutting your tube to length to fit the GFX card I suggest you have the res in this postion.

Everybody got absorbent material handy? I can't be held responsible for you shorting out your keyboard....

















And now with flash to capture that effect






Much Hydraulic Energy since there is only the HeatKiller Waterblock resisting the flow. The Variable speed on the pump allows for a full range of emotion from Placid Brook to Category 5 Rapids