## Build

### Prep

Only needs to be done once.

- prep case
-- configure case for 5 slot
-- remove drive cage from lower compartment
-- In order to mount the side rad, Dremel the lower two rivets to the front of the case until completely flush.
--- Strongly advise using heavy duty tape and cardboard (or some other similar surface protection) around the rivets to avoid case damage when the Dremel slips.
-- In order to mount the bottom rad, the lower end of the case rim next to expansion slots needs to be "adjusted" (e.g. bent inward) to allow clearance.
--- Strongly advise using heavy duty tape and cardboard to avoid damage to the case.
--- Be careful! You can easily warp the case.

- prep PSU
-- zip tie the leads for the 24-pin ATX and 12-pin GPU power cables

- prep distro plate
-- install pump cover on distro plate
-- ~~sleeve SATA power and PWM wire from pump?~~ (really not possible because of molded SATA connector: it would have to be cut off and replaced with another connector)

- prep motherboard
-- install CPU block on motherboard
-- install DRAM

- prep radiators
-- install all surface adapters on rads (if used)
-- install offset and HDC fittings on 240 side rad
-- install extensions, 90 deg fittings, and HDC fittings on 360 top and bottom rads. (This is optional: they can be installed later while rear panels are removed.)
-- install fans on top rad as exhaust with wires along left side of rad (interior of case when mounted)
-- install fans on bottom rad as intake with wires on on right side (interior of case when mounted)
-- connect extension cables to fans on top and bottom rads

- prep GPU
-- spray paint backplate metallic gold

### Order

This process is done for each setup and/or teardown.

- Prepare case.
-- Remove all panels and dust filters from the case.

- Install PSU.
-- Connect 8-pin CPU cables. (All other cables are connected at the end during cable management.)
-- Mount PSU.
-- Route 8-pin CPU cable across the top of the PSU through top access slots.

- Install the side radiator.
-- Insert radiator with ports up and screw in place with one short screw at the top and one short screw at the bottom.
-- Temporarily slide the distro plate into position and screw in place with two screws at top and bottom.
-- Loosen rad screws and slide rad up/down to align top rad rad ports with top ports on distro plate.
-- Unscrew and remove distro plate.
-- Lay case on side with front of case towards you. Put a folded towel under the rad for support.
-- Unscrew the bottom and use long screws to install the bottom fan with cable on the inside of the case.
--- I have the fans mounted as an intake so the logo goes down and the back of the fan is visible.
--- _Short fan screws (either included with rads or from the screw pack) are not long enough!_ Must use long fan screws. (EK used aftermarket screws in photos of the reference model.)
--- _The two inner plugs must lay flat right against the case between the fans and the front of the case to allow clearance for the distro plate!_ It is tight but can be done.
-- Remove the short screw at the top of rad holding it in place.
-- Connect the bottom fan cable to the top fan cable and install the second fan with long screws.
-- Connect fan cable extension. (I have the fans as intake so the extension must be routed through the top.)

- Install the distro plate
-- Wrap fan connectors around corners and hold so that the plate will slide between the fans and front case wall.
-- Don't need to use all screws: only need 3 or 4 screws to hold it in place. (It will need to be shifted to install the bottom rad below.)
-- Route RGB wire along bottom front corner of case then through bottom grommet of case. (It is too short to go much further without an RGB extension.).
-- Route power wires towards the rear of the case through bottom access slots.

- Remove all rear panels from the back of the case.
-- This makes it much easier to slide the top and bottom radiators into position.

- Install the bottom radiator.
-- Lay case on its side.
-- Unscrew and slide the distro plate up. It will only slide a couple of millimeters but this is just enough clearance between bottom rad fans and D5 pump cover.
-- Slide rad into case from rear with front end down. Front end of the rad goes into the slot at the bottom of the distro plate.
-- Mount in place with bottom screws.
--- _Must use short screws included with rads!_ Short screws from the screw pack have heads that are too thick to allow the dust filter to slide back in.)
-- Slide the distro plate back into its original position and use all screws to mount it for good.
-- Stand the case back on its feet.
-- Route pump PWM and RGB wires though lower access slots near rear of case.
-- *Suggest installing the short tube connection from side rad to distro plate at this point __before__ installing the top radiator in the next step.*

- Install the top radiator.
-- Pull all wires and cables that will need to connect to the top of the motherboard out through upper access slots (e.g. 8-pin CPU power)
-- Slide rad into case from rear insert front end into the slot at top of the distro plate.
-- Mount in place with top screws. (Large short screws from screw pack are preferable.)
-- Route fan extension through the upper access slot at the rear of the case.

- Replace all rear panels from the back of the case.

- Install motherboard.
-- feed 8-pin CPU power from back of case through access slot above motherboard
-- feed fan and pump connectors, and RGB header (if used) from back of case through top side of motherboard access
-- feed JUSB1, JUSB2, JUSB3 cables, SATA cables (if used), and front panel wire from back of case through right side of motherboard access
--- for the JUSB3 connector, make sure the T end is up and the L end is down.
--- some of these wires may be too big to fit under the motherboard. run these through the upper grommet along with the 24-pin ATX cable.
-- feed front audio header from back of case through bottom left corner of motherboard access (towards rear of case)
-- flatten all wires and cables out of the way to prep for motherboard install
-- lay case on its back
-- feed RGB wire for GPU block through motherboard access
-- cover side fans with towel and set GPU aside
-- feed RGB wire for CPU block through motherboard access and set motherboard on mounts
-- connect 8-pin CPU power, PWM fan and pump, and RGB header (if used)
-- move motherboard into position and secure with screws
-- connect front AUDIO to header at bottom left of motherboard.
--- make sure it will lie flat under the GPU after it is installed.
-- feed 24-pin ATX cable through upper grommet and connect to motherboard
-- connect all USB 2, USB 3, SATA (if any), and front panel wires to headers
-- **Peel film off CPU block!** (if it is still there)
-- **Peel film off motherboard!** (if it is still there)

- install GPU
-- connect 12-pin HPV power cable

- install fittings and plugs
-- rads
-- distro plate
--- drain valve (if used)
--- plug replacements (if used)
-- CPU
-- GPU

- install tubing
-- measure, cut, and bend tubing (if needed)
-- connect all tubing

- cable management
-- Get out the white tape, zip ties (black and white), and twist ties (black and white).
-- Disconnect all cables from PSU (except 8-pin CPU power) if they are plugged in.
-- Move all wires and cables out of the way as possible.

-- Check if top panel cables are tied. If so, add the fan extension wires from the side and top rads.
-- Route bottom PWM pump and fan extension wires (only PWM, not RGB) up through all velcro ties.
-- Connect all fans to splitter.
-- Fold and twist tie all fan extensions and splitters at top of case.
-- Tuck the fan extensions into the top of the case.
-- While holding the fan splitter flat against the case, connect the 12-pin HPV cable to the PSU to hold it in place.
-- Curl the 12-pin HPV cable and wrap it with mid velcro tie.

-- Route JAUD1, JFP1, JUSB3 wires through upper and mid velcro ties.
-- Tape JAUD1 and pump SATA power wires along the bottom of the case.
-- Find a solution for supporting 24-pin ATX and 12-pin HPV cables. May use a zip tie with just enough slack to attach the closest velcro tie.
-- Connect SATA power to the pump.
-- Run both upper fan RGB wires down through all velcro ties.
-- Run GPU and CPU RGB wires down through mid and lower velcro ties (if long enough).
-- Find and connect RGB extension to RGB wire from distro plate.
-- Connect all RGB wires.
-- Mount RGB controller. Bottom of case?

-- Bundle molex and SATA power cables together.
-- Connect molex and SATA
-- Connect molex power for fan splitter and RGB controller.

-- Stow 24-pin ATX cable right next to PSU for now. It will be routed through the upper grommet to the motherboard later.
-- Route 12-pin GPU cable down towards lower access slots. It will be routed through lower grommet to GPU later.
-- Twist tie and stow SATA and molex cables in empty drive cage space

- reassemble case
-- **Peel film off of glass case panels!** (if needed)
-- replace all panels