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Threadripper Upgrade

My DDR4 Bdie started dying after ~6 months @ 1.56v even under watercooling. I wanted ECC RAM so I wouldn't encounter this issue again (rare random memory errors blowing everything up). Unbuffered ECC is faster in theory on paper, but in reality stresses the memory controller more so you're limited on both capacity and speed. plus its rare as hell so you won't see any nice expensive binned speed stuff. So here we are.

At time of writing, TR5 is good for one more generation after 9000 series. Using Asus Sage TRX50 (old one) cause its the narrowest TRX50 board, and its Asus. Still had to modify case to fit the CEB board profile. Upgraded PSU to 1200w to save on cable adapters (12VHPWR, multiple CPU8's etc.) and because CPU + GPU alone is 800w+. Going with 6000CL30 to not stress FCLK while maintaining latency.

Ram Heatsinks

The RAM heatsinks had to be modified like "usual" with pocketing (see Dreanought project). I went for double sided pocketing here because the caps on the backsides of these new sticks I have get uncomfortably close with 0.5mm pads (which alphacool seems to know, since the heatsinks came with a single spare thicker pad strip). Again because of time. I went with this instead of something nicer like solid copper heatsinks machined from scratch (which I have a clever design for). I used PTM7950 to interface the fins to the spines of the heatsinks and not grease because its a lot less messy and I had a bunch of scraps.

UPDATE: I THINK I might have been cooking the PMIC's. Being in an aluminum pocket coffin might get them too hot, so I filled the pockets with TG Pro thermal putty. I also replaced the PTM7950 fin filler with putty. 2 of my kits died and this third one is going strong.

Post Code Mod

I like the TRX50 Sage, I don't like the postcode location. I noticed the pin spacing on the 7 segment display looked like the dupont spec, and it turns out I was right. A "5x4" dupont connector (glued 5x2 connectors) works perfectly here. I used a mini file to thin the header pins out so they were thin enough to slide into the boards vias.

Watercooling

If this wasn't already hard enough. I was set on watercooling the RAM, and as soon as I noticed the active cooling fans on the motherboard VRM I was set on cooling that as well.

TODO

Was put off like many by the idea of "D Plugs" from Alphacool, also didn't think too much about the shape of my new brazed stuff beforehand. At some point I'm going to replace the hoses to / from the CPU and the GPU with D plugs so I can fully service the PC without yanking on poor G1/4 threads. This will pair nicely with my ball valve and purge method.

CPU

Went with Heatkiller block over Optimus. Forgot Optimus existed, and Heatkiller seems to be keeping things below 82C @ 420w.

Heatkiller block had tactile machining marks on the coldplate, and I scratched it. I chose to hand sand it smooth and polish it. Special technique used where I sanded with paper in my hand to conform to the convexity of the coldplate. I also used a "randomized" approach like machinists do on surfacing operations.

VRM + RAM Loop Integration

Went back to the drawing board while my dead RAM kits underwent RMA.

DISCLAIMER: I didn't originally make a big geometrically clean noodle like this (tube instead of long square rods) because it would be too cumbersome to remove without immense effort.

I realized that the RAM was generating little enough heat and I had lottle enough money to cheat and conduct heat down solid copper with enough cross sectional area to be viable. This would allow me to remove RAM sticks without ever touching the loop.

I have a superior design in mind where you take the original noodle and simply dont braze it to the ram copper plates. instead, thicken these plates, put flat plates on the copper tubing to adapt the surface, and mate the two with the copper loop always running alongside the ram copper plates, never on top, then lash the two together with screws so the ram doesnt get torqued.

I reused my copper blocks from the noodle for some extra oomph on the VRM heatsinks. They're puttied not brazed to the new copper plates because I gain nothing by brazing them and I can't be fucked.

The "tolerances?" for these new mini-noodles is very, very tight. Here's how I brazed these in an evening: slap beads of thick/medium starbond cyanoacrylate around each joint and accelerate to cure, dump glue on the baseplate and stick assembly on. Soaked rags and a size 0 or 1 (yes 1 works) tip aimed carefully and very VERY close to the material and tack braze each joint. After working around you'll find the fully tacked assembly wants to lift off the baseboard because the glue failed, thats fine. it'll still resposition against glue ridges very closely and you should be able to see the imprint of where it was. Tack the assembly to the baseboard, then start working around to each joint and braze them fully. Finally, come back to the baseplate and flambe the shit out of it to get it up to temp for deep flood brazing (you DEFINITELY want a size 1 torch for this step).

The whole trick here is carefully building up more heat tolerant connections such that you don't ruin any positiong and can eventually do the super hot stuff.

They may look dirty and rough in the pictures from the cupric oxide but they are polished so insanely hard they're slicker than snot (will slip around like they're drenched in oil). The undersides of the baseplates were surfaced flat.

GPU

Background

I have a Windforce 4080 Super, which went through one or two PCB revisions post-release and isn't a common die/aftermarket make—finding any compatible block at all was lucky.

The stock block's side-mounted ports needed to be rerouted to the rear to fit behind the radiators.

Fabrication

I cloned the existing block's geometry with calipers and added a new layer of shallow, wide channels. A top cover piece was welded on using IPS Weld 16 to seal them. Two thick port blocks were then welded on to complete the assembly.

Note: Use a plastic cement with gap filler (liquid acrylic or similar polymer). Solvents (welder) alone will leave cracks that leak. Learned this the hard way.

Conventional GPU blocks use the metal cold plate as the channel cover—not an option here since the reroute required a fully acrylic sealed layer.

Tapping G1/4 threads in acrylic sucks.

Threadripper Watercooling Attempt 1 (Old)

Copper Noodle

The board VRM had horrible mini active cooling fans which are against my religion. I figured out a pretty elegant pipe noodle that hits the VRM in 2 spots (where the fans were), as well as both RAM banks. I do not have pictures in the gallery of the finished "version" of the copper noodle.

I brazed the copper with 0% silver phos-copper. I did this over soldering as silver and tin in the solder would release into the water and react with the copper and nickel on the blocks.

Shortcomings of foregoing creating a mounting jig to "save time" and doing everything freehand:

  • general inaccuracies
  • permanent heat warping creating inaccuracies
  • reflow work creating inaccuracies
  • bending out inaccuracies leading to fractures -> reflow work
  • reflow work etc. creating oxidized surfaces + impurities leading to leaks and more reflow work

How I built the noodle freehand:

  • Assemble loop mounted
  • Tack all joints with permatex 84145 (more resistant than superglue)
  • Apply soaked cloth to keep unworked areas cool to not melt adhesive
  • Braze or glue brazing rod or similar to act as scaffolding if needed

Original Case Overhaul

I've had the same cooler master storm scout since the beginning and have modified (gutted) it over the years to accomodate new hardware. Here's a showcase of what it looks like at the moment.

Special features include:

  • Upgraded front panel I/O.
    • Swapped 2x usb 2.0 ports for 3.0 ports
    • changed the eSATA port to a usb 3.2 2x2 type c
    • replaced the power button with a kailh box jade
    • rewired the red led button to a relay for 12v LEDs
  • Pump(s) on/off switch
  • Drain port (tilt case to use)
  • Quick DC side panel
    • Connector pairs are wired out of phase, so you can "short" the two ends together to run the PC without the side panel

Top Panel & Airflow

The top vent was CNC'd out of the inner panel (the top shell is two separate panels). A new grill was CNC'd from Kydex. The outer rear section was hollowed out to support airflow across the full 140mm fan surface area. The internal chassis (essentially a rectangle) was modified with a Dremel to accommodate 2×140mm fans in place of the original 1×120mm mount.

Side Panel Radiator Mounting

Each dual radiator mount uses a single hole. The fans slip in so the plexiglass rests between each side of the fan body. Once mounted to the radiator, their vertical position is fixed—they can't back out. The mounting holes sit on fins protruding from the circular fan shell (visible in the gallery above).

This design allows selectable radiator/fan depth within the side panel. I floored them to the outside, but depth can be adjusted using nuts along the fully-threaded mounting screws.

Reservoir Modifications

Both Heatkiller MP reservoirs were shortened by 25mm (100mm → 75mm). The process is straightforward: drill and tap deeper into one end of each aluminum strut, cut/grind it down (drill + tap screw first!), then trim the borosilicate glass to match. I learned the hard way you have to cut glass wet. The thick silicone O-rings at each end make all this forgiving.

Vibration Dampening

The pump/reservoir assemblies are dampened at three points with sorbothane: 1. Pumps — Sorbothane pucks underneath, compressing against the case floor 2. Reservoir mounts — Sorbothane layer between each mount point and the back panel 3. Back panel — Attached to the chassis at only two edges; the free corner is wedged away using sorbothane and a strut plate

To improve shock isolation, the chassis plate holes were dramatically oversized. Bushings and shoulder washers give the mounting screws oversized heads, allowing the reservoirs to float—stress only pulls them into the sorbothane.

Lower Reservoir Bleed Solution

The lower reservoir is plumbed as an air pocket due to clearance constraints preventing a top fitting. This eliminates waterfall noise regardless of coolant level, but requires opening the case to bleed air during filling.

Solution: Drilled out a fitting, routed 1–2mm silicone tubing through it, and sealed with silicone. The tube runs to a custom valve machined from stainless bar stock and M8 screws.

Misc

  • Cable management: Double-sided silicone tape on the backside creates a tacking surface—cables stay exactly where pushed.
  • LED power switch: Added RCA connectors (only decent connectors on hand).

Revision Archive

Here's what its looked like over the years. The middle picture is when I swapped in a 5900x but the rest of the hardware supported a 5820k for ~6 years. Take the single rad ryzen pic and swap in an x99 deluxe, 4x8gb 2666 vengeance, and a phobya uc-1 extreme block.

The old picture was an fx8150 /w 32GB 1866CL? and 2x7950 @ 1200 core.