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WC TT Armor Jr. with mods


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Looks good. I've never seen a T-line configured that way but it makes sense and seems to work great for your particular situation.

 

I'm interested in the ram cooler you have there. Any change you can take some more pics of it and explain it's construction a little more? Mostly curious how you mounted it...

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Looks good. I've never seen a T-line configured that way but it makes sense and seems to work great for your particular situation.

 

Yeah the T-line was a bit if a mystery for a while. Actually not that pleased with the barb configuration of that pump, as it required some creative hose routing, and the T-line you saw to make everything fit smoothly. It seems to do the job, and filling and purging the fluid is pretty easy so I guess its a keeper. Looks kinda different though:cool:

 

I'm interested in the ram cooler you have there. Any change you can take some more pics of it and explain it's construction a little more? Mostly curious how you mounted it...

 

Here is how I put together the ram cooler. Basically I started with (2) 60mm fans I pulled off the heat sinks I got with my AMD cpu's. I think you could use just about any 60mm fan as long as it has a decent flow of air. I used 5min epoxy to glue the two fans together, making sure the wires are facing the right way so that they can reach the power plugs, and clear any other stuff. Here is what it looks like glued together from the back.

 

ramcooler005qh0.th.jpg

 

Next I looped 2 fairly strong rubber bands accross the middle of the seam on the front, where the 2 fans are joined together. I used a small block of wood underneath to hold the rubber band tight, while I fabricated 2 U shaped clips out of some wire I had, and drilled 4 holes (2 for each clip) on each side of the rubber band. The holes will need to be the same size or slightly smaller than the wire you use. Next I pushed each U clip into the holes to hold the rubber bands in place. In the event a rubber band breaks or fails, I can just remove the clips, replace the band, and reinstall it on the sticks.

 

ramcooler004gl6.th.jpg

 

Installing the ram cooler on the memory you basically stretch the rubber band at each end, underneath the end of each memory stick. I mocked this up with some old sticks I had, to give you a sense for how this works. I also might glue a small piece of foam to the bottom of the fan, the same width of the memory sticks, as it might make the whole thing a bit more rigid. Its stays put though with the rubber bands pretty good.

 

ramcooler002tk5.th.jpg

 

Hopefully that helps a bit, and possibly give you a few ideas for your own rig.

 

Cheers!

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  • 2 months later...
Guest LithoTech

Great choice for the case! I think there is a lot of configuration options for this case, it's very reasonably priced and very high quality manufacture in it's range.

 

Got a few questions and pics, but first some background...

 

I picked one up in the beginning of the summer for my kid's machine which is running my old socket A system, with an XP3000 Barton in it. This CPU was absolutely cooking in the old case, and nothing I did would help take some temp off. It was idling in the high 50s, and loading around 64C. It wasn't even mid summer and hot in the basement yet!

 

I was looking at some socket A coolers, and one that I wanted, a Zalman CNPS7000B, wouldn't fit because the clearance from the top of the mobo to the bottom of the PSU was too tight. It was a standard clearance, but with the socket in this mobo being way at the top, the circumference of the cooler would spill outside of the mobo and the psu would block it. I looked at other coolers, and didn't see anything else that I felt would be worth the money per degree of temp they would take off.

 

So I started looking at cases. I didn't much like the old case anyway, and could use it for some other systems I was putting together that wouldn't run so hot. I looked at a lot of cases, and the A. Jr. was one of the few that had extra clearance from the top of the mobo to the psu. It was the only one that did and wasn't a huge tower or over $200. Nice!

 

If you think it's funny that I'd buy a case just to be able to fit a HSF. You find it even funnier that I never did buy the HSF! :cool: But that's what happened! :rolleyes: The temps I got from simply moving into this case were so much better that the new cooler wasn't necessary. The load temps were now in the mid 50s -- an almost 10 degree drop. Max I recorded through the whole summer was 55C under 24/7 folding at home. This is amazing, because in the old case, with the side panel off, and tons of extra fans pointed at everything, I was still getting way over 60C load.

 

Also, something I've always noted as a great case cooling property, taking the side panel off the Jr. actually increases temperatures. I've found that this is a sign that when the case is all sealed up, it is perfectly efficient. Otherwise, there would or should always be a drop in temp when the side panel comes off.

 

I really (and so does my kid) like the Optical mounted in the bottom of the case where you put your rad. Not an option for you, but any others out there that haven't tried this I highly suggest you do, you won't go back.

 

The only thing I don't like about this case is the wings on the front. The Agulia version has a different front, and while I don't exactly like it either, I may try that in the future if I ever pass this Jr on to someone else.

 

 

************************

 

 

On to the questions...

 

One thing I really wanted to do was mount the HD on the side where it's visible through the window. Yet I had major problems getting one ordered. I tried my supplier, they said go direct to Thermaltake. I tried contacting them through their website and got no reply, so screw them if they don't want to sell their ..

 

We've lived without it for now. I've considered maybe using the front panel module with the hard drive mounted in that, and then hopefully that module will fit into the side slot somehow. I've yet to try and dry fit it.

 

Now I see you have something mounted in there, and it doesn't look like the stock piece that they make, unless it's in backwards? Another pic shows a drive in place there, and this does look like the stock piece. So my question is multiple:

 

  1. What is that in the first picture?
     
  2. Where and how did you get the stock piece ordered? Or is this custom?
     
  3. If it is stock, do you mind if I ask how much it was?

 

radmounting001lf2.jpg

 

loopinstalled001am0.jpg

 

 

 

Next question:

 

icageinstallation002se9.jpg

 

  1. I'm wondering why you went with an iCage, when the drive bay that fits in the bottom area turns 90 degrees and works exactly the same? It actually allows for the grill to stay in place! Did you not get one with yours?

 

Here's a shot of my kid's, you can see the rail guides snap right in.

 

gfopenfrontht7.th.jpg

 

Maybe a better angle here, you can see how far it is recessed by comparing it to the floppy.

 

gfopenbeautycgm7.jpg

 

 

Not to highjack your thread at all, just contributing to your sweet build with a few crappy extras, hoping they are helpful to someone.

 

I've got a DFI UT RDX200 CF-DR for the kid's xmas gift, going into this case through the holidays. Can't wait to get my hands back inside it! Great job Burnt, inspires me!

 

More pics...

 

Here's a shot of how much clearance there is from the CPU to the PSU.

 

gfclose1sna0.jpg

 

I think I only needed half an inch, and there is a solid inch clearance here, or maybe three quarters... don't make me get a ruler out! :tooth:

 

gfsidesct7.jpg

 

Nice and open... wide open space = why this case is so much cooler than the old one it had. Huge inflow, and plenty of exhaust. Below is a good overview. And yup, that's a spare dfi rounded cable that I don't use in my main rig.

 

gfcloseos3.jpg

 

.

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Great choice for the case! I think there is a lot of configuration options for this case, it's very reasonably priced and very high quality manufacture in it's range.

 

Got a few questions and pics, but first some background...

 

LithoTech, nice to see some other fans of this case. Its not exactly hardcore but if you are into mid towers, slightly more compact, Armor Jr. offers quite a lot at a resonable price <$100.

 

I saw you post/pics a few days ago but just no time to properly respond as I have been away on a bus trip (yuck). No time to work on my puter, play games or anything, how boring. Back home tomorrow so I can get back to normal. Missed 2 days of the forum as well:(

 

On to the questions...

 

One thing I really wanted to do was mount the HD on the side where it's visible through the window. Yet I had major problems getting one ordered. I tried my supplier, they said go direct to Thermaltake. I tried contacting them through their website and got no reply, so screw them if they don't want to sell their ..

 

We've lived without it for now. I've considered maybe using the front panel module with the hard drive mounted in that, and then hopefully that module will fit into the side slot somehow. I've yet to try and dry fit it.

 

Now I see you have something mounted in there, and it doesn't look like the stock piece that they make, unless it's in backwards? Another pic shows a drive in place there, and this does look like the stock piece. So my question is multiple:

 

  1. What is that in the first picture?
     
  2. Where and how did you get the stock piece ordered? Or is this custom?
     
  3. If it is stock, do you mind if I ask how much it was?

 

Mounting the hard drive in the side bay you will need a 5.25" to 3.25" drive bay adapter. A number of manufacturers make them. The one I had was easily modded with the addition of some slide on rails. The drive bay adapter I had also had to be slightly modded to allow the drive to be mounted so it was visible, by cutting off a metal edge at the back of the bay that interfered with the drive. You may not need to do this. Try the following links which will help you find one, where you buy your parts.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16841101025

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...11119&CatId=965

 

Next question:

 

  1. I'm wondering why you went with an iCage, when the drive bay that fits in the bottom area turns 90 degrees and works exactly the same? It actually allows for the grill to stay in place! Did you not get one with yours?

 

You know I was so intent on getting my WC and everything else on this sorted, I completely missed this. I must be loosing it :confused: When I get a chance I'll update the post to show this. Its obvious that is what I should have done. Nice find, Cheers!

 

 

Not to highjack your thread at all, just contributing to your sweet build with a few crappy extras, hoping they are helpful to someone.

 

I've got a DFI UT RDX200 CF-DR for the kid's xmas gift, going into this case through the holidays. Can't wait to get my hands back inside it! Great job Burnt, inspires me!

 

Hey no worries, maybe this will become the unofficial Armor Jr. thread LOL. BTW thanks for the kudos its always nice to know that you helped someone with their rig ;) Thats going to be some xmas gift!

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Whats the problem your having with the Karajan audio module?

 

I'll try a post some pics for you, but the problem with the Karajan module is that it interferes with the exhast fan. You will have to cut a big notch out of the side of the fan with a dremel, or hack saw, so that the fan will fit. The other option would be to use a smaller fan, or a PCI audio card.

 

My dremel works real nice, and I like cutting :nod: so I just modded the fan.

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