Installation (Cont’d)
ATX Motherboard
Once the waterblock was mounted, I installed the full size Asus P5N32-SLI motherboard into the chassis without issues. The Kandalf case uses threaded standoffs for mounting points. Like most of the newer universal motherboard trays, the Kandalf LCS comes with three Mylar insulating pieces that should be applied to the tray before installing an ATX motherboard.
Pump/Reservoir
Thermaltake recommends installing the pump/reservoir on the floor of the case right behind the front 5.25′ bays. There are dozens of holes pre-drilled in the floor but try s I might, I couldn’t find four that would line up with the mounting holes in the molded plastic pump base. (I wound up using two of the existing holes and drilling two new ones.)
Connecting the Tubing
Once all the main components are mounted, it’s time to finish plumbing the system. Thermaltake recommends connecting the LCS parts in the following order. Many water-cooling enthusiasts might prefer connecting the pieces in a different order (Pump > Radiator > Waterblock > Reservoir) but in a system like this it makes little difference.
(Courtesy of Thermaltake)
At first you might think that the two black hoses that come pre-attached to the radiator would connect directly to the waterblock and pump, but that is not the case. Each black hose is fitted with a union fitting for attaching a piece of 3/8′ ID tubing, which then connects to the waterblock and reservoir.
Note: Prior to attaching the tubing onto the barb fittings, I recommend soaking the end of the tube in hot water (a cup of water from the microwave 🙂 This makes installation a lot easier.
Filling and Testing the LCS
Once all the connections are made, the reservoir can be filled with coolant and the system tested. It’s always a good idea to run a new liquid cooling system prior to actually starting up the PC. I prefer to use a small external 12 VDC power supply for testing but you can also jumper the PC’s main power supply if you prefer.
Do not run the pump dry. Only run the pump when it has liquid to circulate. It will take about one full bottle of coolant to fill the system. Let it run for at least several hours (preferably more) to insure there are no leaks and to let the air bubbles work there way out of the system.
