Time to finish the custom light ramps I planned early in this build based on the included 2 LED strips from be quiet! The challenge is I want them to be indirect lights, so it’s crucial they are smooth, but powerful.
First, I drilled some mounting holes to the vertical diffusion lid made out of 3mm acrylic and 3 layers of frosted film. I have also sanded the inside of the acrylic to diffuse it even more. The holes makes it possible to attach the light directly in the motherboard tray.
To ensure proper light I connected my new soldering station and attached two wires to a 9V battery making it possible to test run the be quiet! LED strips.
As I was afraid of. Not even lighting enough and too much classic LED dots. The blue light is just due to my hack-solution with the 9v battery. The final light will be white to match the theme.
The LED behind the backside carbon wall that I plan to light my custom sleeves and the MB looks much better.
I realized I needed to find an alternative solution for the uplight in the bottom. Messed around with flashlights, camera flash and suddenly it hit me. The newly mounted LED strips in my kitchen. EUREKA – reflectors of course!! Did a quick test with grill foil as a reflector. This will work.
Started to cut an inside shelf in 3mm acrylic with my Dremel Moto-Saw. This shelf will serve two purposes. One for adding the reflective tape, but also to make an edge for the diffusion lid to stand on, preventing it to be pushed down in the case.
Added reflective tape to the bottom of the case in the area of my custom uplight.
Trimmed the edge of the reflector shelf, to make it snug in the bottom of the case (small edge in the bottom of the case where its riveted together).
Glued the whole thing on the bottom of my custom carbon floor with super glue.
Perfect fit!
The original be quiet! LED strip is about 40mm to long for the area created by my custom floor. After a quick and very helpful session with be quiets! support I got a confirmation that cutting the LED strip would not ruin it.
Dremel time. Cut 40 mm of the LED strip and it indeed still worked.
Took a small exacto knife and removed the LED pins from the connector and sleeved the whole cable with MDPC-X Carbon-BTI sleeve.
This is a much better light. Don’t mind the red light, will be white, but hard to control colors when running the LEDs from my 9V battery.
