G5 ATX Mod using Laser Hive Kit - starter questions

[Ne Frage]

Servus everybody!

 

since the winter is knocking on the doors in germany Iam searching for a project. And here Iam. 

 

What I want to do:

G5 Case (late 2005) Mod to ATX (micro) using The Laser Hive Kit

 

What Iam wondering:

• Am I able to use the frontpanel? All I found in the world wide web is "get a old frontpanel board". Well all I want to use is the Power Button and the LED. Shouldn't be hard to solder 3 cabels on it. Or am I on the wrong way?
• Can I polish the case? Any idea how to get it shiny? My first idea was to use steel wool but i tried it on some spots and it looks like its too rough. Don't want to use a polish machine. Maybe with a ceramic creme?
• I want to put the PSU on the top-right position and due to that fact Iam questioning myself if you have in this lovely case any problems with hot air accumulation. Is it necessary to have fans in the front and back.

 

Iam really happy that I found that Forum and to passed the entry exams I tried to be informed as much as possible before I started to annoy you pros!

Thanks for having me here.

Cheers and greetings from Germany
Ne Frage

[BlackCH]

Hi,

 

You are rigth about the front panel; With 3 wires soldered in the right places you will have power button and led going. Same goes for the rest of the connections, you just need to use a multimeter to see where each contact goes. There was some guide to do this here in the forum; you will have to look for it...

 

I've seen some polished G5 cases like this:

http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2008/10/28/apple-core-duo-by-cyprio/4

He used differen grades of sand paper and a metal polish to finish it up.

 

In my experience, nowadays components (boards, cpu, psu) dont produce as much heat as they did back in 2004-2005. You wont have any heat problems unless you stuff the case with parts; if you make a clean mod you will be fine with to front fans blowing to the back (plus the CPU and PSU fans). You could also have one in-take fan in the front an one out-take in the back, but I prefer the two intake on the front as the blow over the whole board.

 

Cheers

[MiniHack]

Agree with BlackCH.

 

Any questions on the laser hive obviously happy to help!

 

As for front button, middle contact is a common earth and then one side is LED + other is Power Switch + (common earth just connect to either the power switch negative (-)  or the power LED negative (-) side as the motherboard will join the two negatives together internally).

[v3nom]

Hi / Grüße,

 

If you need a early 2005 front panel (which is easier to handle) PM me!

 

Fans should be installed, if you want to use a fast CPU and a fast GPU. IMHO you should install at least one fan in the back!

[Ne Frage]

Thanks guys for the fast answers

@BlackCH

Nice... with that link you put some stupid ideas in my head Looks awesome but all these holes to take care of... puhhh. Lets see how my endurance is after polishing the outer case.

 

@MiniHack

jep there is a question, as far as I saw it on the page there is no standard version with a AC plug at the top or? Well its for sure no problem for you guys to do that but is it connected to extra costs? About the soldering, thats how I thought, but it looked to easy

 

@v3nom

mmmmh.... frontpanels My project gets more and more expensive and better, thanks for offering I write you PN about that stuff.

 

@ALL

Jep Iam also using some fans in my case (big fat Chieftec Tower) to get the stuff cooled. I was wondering if there is a "typical" known accumulation issue about the Mac case. So I guess iam putting a 120mm in the back and in the front 2x 120mm to blow over the board and HDD.

[MiniHack]

Thanks guys for the fast answers

 

@BlackCH

Nice... with that link you put some stupid ideas in my head Looks awesome but all these holes to take care of... puhhh. Lets see how my endurance is after polishing the outer case.

 

@MiniHack

jep there is a question, as far as I saw it on the page there is no standard version with a AC plug at the top or? Well its for sure no problem for you guys to do that but is it connected to extra costs? About the soldering, thats how I thought, but it looked to easy

 

@v3nom

mmmmh.... frontpanels My project gets more and more expensive and better, thanks for offering I write you PN about that stuff.

 

@ALL

Jep Iam also using some fans in my case (big fat Chieftec Tower) to get the stuff cooled. I was wondering if there is a "typical" known accumulation issue about the Mac case. So I guess iam putting a 120mm in the back and in the front 2x 120mm to blow over the board and HDD.

Hey there,

Sure we can make stuff that is special orders and do so all the time.

Our latest one is an integrated full ATX backplate for the Mac Pro complete with a power supply plate at the top and we can do that too for the G5.

The cost would be more than the standard ATX kits though as the plate is somewhat larger, plus we are using more nuts and bolts and have changed the type of bolts so they are (a) longer and (b a socket (hex) head type that is not countersunk - in my view they look better but they are a little more expensive to buy in. 

I have not set a standard price yet, but in USD it is likely to be around the 130 area....

Here is a link to a posting on our facebook page where you can find a couple of pic.s of this new one. https://www.facebook.com/laser.hive