P180 Resurrection

[Deton]

Antec P180 was one of the most popular case when it first released. It's famous for the quietness, good air flow and the clean lines. Also well known for pain in the butt with cables management and definitely not watercooling friendly especially for internal installation.

Since the birth of the orginal P180, Antec has released several revisions of P180 series. They've improved on the cable routing paths and increased its size but they are still not 100% watercooling user favourite.

I've put this case in the closet from the day I got involved with watercooling. Now it's time to come out the closet, it's deserve another chance to shine, perhaps another life.





Mod objectives:
Partical and functional with a minimal cost and all modding material will be local (no importing) sources. Improving on cable routing passages, watercooled ready and new aesthetic look. Also try not to use it's original functional designs.

[logan]

that looks like itll be an intense project. you sure you'll have the room to put a 360 rad in there?

looking forward to how it turns out!

[Deton]

It fits a 120.3 rad but you will lose one 5.25" bay.
However, you still have room left to use this bay for a fan controller so you are not totally lost here.

I'll take my time to work on this project, just to be patient to get thing right.

Stay tune!

[Deton]

Case is stripped, ton of rivets was remove and cut some holes for cable routing.

A new opening behind the CPU socket on the mobo tray, it's much easier to access to the block backplate when needed. Now its no need to remove the mobo.

Cut an opening on the case top to install a triple radiator with shroud fan.
You can't really do flush installation because the clearance between the top of mobo to the top of the case only less than 2" so the rad will touch the MOSFET sinks. With the rad shroud (Koolance style) I will be able to use thin or thicker radiator/fans.

Also, cut two holes on top of the back exhaust fan grill for tubing. So this case is now is capable to hold a triple rad, 1 or 2 single rad all internally and plus a dual rad at the back, external installation with a rad box.




Cut some new holes on the midplate for tubing, USB and power switches cable.

[logan]

looks good so far! it's hard to believe that's the case in the OP, with so much open space and room in it.

you going to paint it?

[Deton]

you going to paint it?

Yes, satin black. I forgot the color name. It's not pitch black for sure.

I was thinking to do red & black scheme, red for the chassic and black for exterior but I think red background is too much. So I'm going to do all black and red accent on the hardware.

[Doctor_Death]

Good idea with the color, are you planing a Classified for a motherboard ?

[Deton]

Good idea with the color, are you planing a Classified for a motherboard ?

LOL...no

Like the project title said "Resurrection" I'm going to work with Maximus II Formula & Q9650.
I've put them in the box since I got i7 rig. So EVGA Classified copy Asus color scheme after all but they are not the same color red, Classified has a deeper red than MIIF.

I'll play with the color coordinate when the case is painted and everything assembled together.
So right now I have MOSFET heatsinks are red, I might paint OZC Reaper RAM sinks red like Corsair Dom GT and perhaps couple case fans as well. Those are the ideas floating in my head at the moment, have to wait and see because I might change my mind when I do like the red....who's know?

[bullydog]

Yikes! Deton i'm late!
Hell yeah i am surely keeping a close watch on this project...you've did a pretty darn good job with all that cutting...was that a dremel or a jig saw used to cut the P180 ?

is this the project to replace that HTPC project you abandon sometime ago due to the dead Maximus Mobo?

Better fire up that Maximus II Mobo before you put everything together

[Deton]

Yikes! Deton i'm late!
Hell yeah i am surely keeping a close watch on this project...you've did a pretty darn good job with all that cutting...was that a dremel or a jig saw used to cut the P180 ?

is this the project to replace that HTPC project you abandon sometime ago due to the dead Maximus Mobo?

Better fire up that Maximus II Mobo before you put everything together

Dremel, Jig saw and hole cutter bits (oridinary one) and a lot of filing.

No I didn't abandon the HTPC, that's project is done. It didn't die it just acted weird. It was Maximus the First.
This Max the second, you forgot I have two Max, hopefully Max II behave properly because I put it in the box for last few months.

I'm been thinking to use clear tubes with Feser UV Red coolant or solid black tubes. If I use solid tubes then I don't care about the coolant color, I will be using Swiftech UV green then. The only part you seeing green is the reservoir and it will be tuck away too. I'm probably won't use UV lights either.

Did you use Feser UV Red coolant and how is the color?
Will it look red without a UV light?

[bullydog]

Ah okay so Maximus 1 isnt dead it was just playing up...
Yeah the Feser UV Red is still pretty red without any lightings the coloring is pretty good. I would suggest going with some clear tubes and abandon those solid black ones i would think that it will be more outstanding with a red coolant color theme

Dremel, Jig saw and hole cutter bits (oridinary one) and a lot of filing.

No I didn't abandon the HTPC, that's project is done. It didn't die it just acted weird. It was Maximus the First.
This Max the second, you forgot I have two Max, hopefully Max II behave properly because I put it in the box for last few months.

I'm been thinking to use clear tubes with Feser UV Red coolant or solid black tubes. If I use solid tubes then I don't care about the coolant color, I will be using Swiftech UV green then. The only part you seeing green is the reservoir and it will be tuck away too. I'm probably won't use UV lights either.

Did you use Feser UV Red coolant and how is the color?
Will it look red without a UV light?

[Geralt]

Oooooo! Another project..... wheres my popcorn!!!! *runs off to find popcorn*

*comes back*


and what will you cool there?? CPU and Graphics or the whole lot

Also could you update your first post with all the equipment you will use (hardware , wc ect)???

[Deton]

and what will you cool there?? CPU and Graphics or the whole lot

Also could you update your first post with all the equipment you will use (hardware , wc ect)???

Lol...always want more don't you?
Just like a little kid in front of the candy store

Well, like the title said I'll bring back the MIIF with Q9650. They've been siting in the boxes for the last few months and if you want a list of the hardware and here they are;

MOBO: MIIF
CPU: Q9650
RAM: OZC Reaper
GPU: Palit HD4870
PSU: Corsair 750W

It would be nice to competely watercooled the mobo but I kinda like stock heatpipe. Also it will be costing too much so for now just WC the CPU/NB and maybe the GPU, who's know?
For now I'm just concentrate on modding the case, I'll think of the WC and hardware when I put thing back together.

[Deton]

Since I've cut more holes on the midplate and it doesn't look good with stock holes cover any more. So I'm going to use it....and here is a new midplate fascia, this will cover the unnecessary holes. I used 18gauge steel sheet for this, it will add more sturdy to the midplate since I removed the midle fan frame.

Top left hole is for 1394 and fan cables, the rectangle slot is for USB/Fan & Power Switch cables, the middle hole is for GPU cables and two big Eyes (side by side), of course they are for the tubing to the pump.
Oh..the notched is for the rest of the cables routing behind the mobo tray. This case have very little space between the side panel to the chassic so that notch is a must have.




It's installed with the rivets and the holes have been re-shaped.

[Geralt]

new middle plate looks waaay better. now will u use gromets for edges or will you do a file job??

Lol...always want more don't you?
Just like a little kid in front of the candy store

yah, yah gimme gimme gimme ....... oooooh equipment....ooohh shinyyyy.......*drools*

[Deton]

new middle plate looks waaay better. now will u use gromets for edges or will you do a file job??

yah, yah gimme gimme gimme ....... oooooh equipment....ooohh shinyyyy.......*drools*

Its will be both, definitely grommets for the tubbing holes and I also use edge protector if needed.

Come down boy....if you behave you will get more....lol