nebula40 (Parts & Assembly)

The nebula40 chassis is ready to be outfitted with standard personal computer components. If the system has already been built, ensure the system is powered off and all cables are unplugged from the motherboard, PCIe cards, power supply, and front I/O before opening the chassis.

The preinstalled velcro strips are left partially unwrapped to aid in removal. When building the system, you can optionally wrap the velcro up the rest of the way.

The nebula40-3 is the third iteration of the nebula40 (formerly nebula36) line of chassis.

• Replacing the front accent strip
• Removing the top case
• Removing the side fan bracket
• Removing the CPU duct
• Unpacking the included accessories
• Installing the motherboard
• Installing the CPU fans
• Installing the GPU
• Installing or replacing the SATA backplane
• Installing 2.5" drives
• Replacing the bottom case fan
• Installing side intake fans
• Installing the power supply
• Wiring the front I/O and power button

Replacing the front accent strip:

nebula40 includes a customizable accent panel on the front of the case, which can be swapped to change the case's look and feel. The instructions for swapping the accent are also available in video form.

• Tools required: None

Steps to replace the front accent strip:

1. Place the nebula40 on the edge of the desk so the front side is hanging off of the desk.
   • The nebula40 can alternatively be lifted or tilted so the front of the computer is hovering above the desk.
2. Slide the accent strip down to unlock it.
   • The accent can be gripped at the bottom edge.
3. Pull the accent strip off of the case, starting with the bottom edge.
4. Place the new accent strip onto the front of the case and slide it up to lock it into place.

Removing the top case:

The top case can be removed to access the internal components.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver (optional)

Steps to remove the top case:

1. Remove the four outer screws holding the top case onto the machine.

2. Slide the top case up and off of the machine.

Removing the side fan bracket:

The side fan bracket provides a mounting point to help keep installed GPUs (or other PCI Express cards) in place while transporting the system. It can also be used to mount up to two extra intake fans (one, a BQ SIW4-12025-MF-PWM, is optional when purchasing the chassis; a second is not included.)

The fan splitter on the side fan bracket is intended for fans mounted on the side fan bracket, and should not be used for the CPU duct fans or the bottom intake fan.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to remove the side fan bracket:

1. Follow the steps above to remove the top case.
2. Unscrew the four screws holding the side fan bracket in place (two on the front of the case, two on the back.)

3. Pull the side fan bracket out of the chassis.

Removing the CPU duct:

The CPU duct supports one or more of the CPU fans and guides airflow from the side of the case through the CPU radiator to the back exhaust vent. The nebula40 CPU duct is custom-designed to work with the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 CPU cooler, which is available as an optional add-on at the time of purchase.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to remove the CPU duct:

1. Follow the steps above to remove the top case.
2. Unscrew the two side screws holding the CPU duct onto the top crossbar.

3. Unscrew the four back screws holding the CPU duct onto the chassis.
   • Hold onto the duct while removing the final screw so it doesn't fall.

4. Pull the CPU duct out of the chassis.
5. When replacing the CPU duct, ensure all fan cables are plugged into one of the fan splitter boards in the top right of the chassis.

Unpacking the included accessories:

nebula40 includes the following components preinstalled:

• 1x nebula_io power button controller board
• 1x MYS7523 top I/O board
• 3x four-pin fan splitter boards
• 1x bottom case fan
  • Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 140mm (BQ SIW4-14025-LF-PWM)
• 2x short loopable velcro straps

In addition, nebula40 ships with the following non-installed accessories:

• 1x Screw and velcro box
  • 22x short loopable velcro straps
  • 1x long System76-branded velcro strap
  • 9x motherboard standoffs
  • 9x M3 (motherboard) screws
  • 4x fan screws
• 1x CPU cooler w/ 2 fans (optional)
  • Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 CPU cooler w/ TL-C12B V2 fans
• 1x Side bracket fan (optional)
  • Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm (BQ SIW4-12025-MF-PWM)

Steps to unpack the included accessories:

1. Follow the steps above to remove the top case, remove the side fan bracket, and remove the CPU duct.
2. Cut the zip ties holding the accessory boxes in place.
   • The image below highlights where the zip ties are joined.
   • The zip ties are white in the image below. The zip ties on your unit may vary in color or size, depending on the accessories you ordered and the date of assembly.
   • You can alternatively use a flathead screwdriver to release the zip tie joints without cutting the zip ties.

3. Remove the accessory boxes from the chassis.

Installing the motherboard:

nebula40 supports the following standard motherboard sizes:

• ATX
• Mini-DTX
• DTX
• MicroATX
• Mini-ITX

Nine standoffs and motherboard screws are included.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to install the motherboard:

1. If they are installed, remove the top case, remove the CPU duct and remove the side fan bracket.
2. Locate the standoffs and M3 screws from the brown screw and velcro box.

3. Insert the standoffs into the appropriate holes for your motherboard size. The standoff screw holes are marked with shapes on the chassis, which correspond to the most common motherboard sizes:

   • Mini-ITX and Mini-DTX: hexagon (4 standoffs)
   • MicroATX: square (9 standoffs)
   • ATX: triangle (9 standoffs)

   The photo below also includes symbols for one additional motherboard size:

   • DTX: star (6 standoffs)

4. Install the motherboard's I/O shield onto the back of the chassis by pressing it into place from the inside.
5. Place the motherboard into the chassis, aligning the motherboard's screw holes with the installed standoffs.
6. Screw the motherboard into the standoffs using the M3 screws.

Installing the CPU fans:

nebula40 optionally ships with a Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 CPU cooler, which includes two TL-C12B V2 fans. It's recommended to install one fan in the center of the CPU cooler's heatsink, and the other fan in the CPU shroud behind the cooler.

The heatsink-mounted fan must be installed after installing the heatsink onto your motherboard.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to install the heatsink-mounted CPU fan (middle):

1. Install the motherboard.
2. Remove the CPU cooler heatsink, one CPU cooler fan, and two metal mounting clips from the CPU cooler box.

3. Install the CPU cooler onto the motherboard.
   • The fan covers the CPU cooler's screw holes, so the CPU cooler must be installed prior to mounting the fan.
4. Place the fan with the stationary cover facing up and orient it so the wire points toward the top left.
5. Insert a metal mounting clip into the top and bottom of the fan.
   • Insert the clips from below the top layer of the fan so the hooks come out the top.

6. Slide the fan into the center of the heatsink and clip the mounting clips onto the top and bottom of the back half of the heatsink.
   • The below photo shows the clips attached to the heatsink in a Thelio Mira, which uses the nebula40 chassis and CPU cooler.
   • The fan's stationary cover should face the back of the chassis, and the fan's wire should point towards the fan splitter board near the upper-right corner of the motherboard.

Steps to install the duct-mounted CPU fan (back):

1. Remove the top case and the CPU duct.
2. Remove one CPU cooler fan from the CPU cooler box.

3. Remove the fan screws from the brown screw and velcro box.

4. Remove the back fan bracket from the CPU duct by unscrewing the four screws (highlighted yellow below) and pulling it out of the CPU duct.

5. Place the spinning side of the fan down and the stationary cover up, then orient the fan so the wire points towards the top left.
6. Place the fan bracket over the fan so the thinnest side (without the 90-degree flange) is on the right.
7. Screw in the four fan screws.
   • It may take some force to thread the fan screws into the fan's plastic frame.

8. Place the CPU duct fan and bracket into the CPU duct, with the thinnest side of the bracket (without the 90-degree flange) pointed into the duct.
   • The spinning side of the fan should face the front of the chassis, while the stationary cover should face the back of the chassis.
9. Replace the screws holding the fan bracket onto the CPU duct.

Installing the GPU:

nebula40 supports GPUs up to 357mm long. For optimal cooling and ease of installation, GPUs longer than 348mm are not recommended.

These instructions also apply to other PCI Express cards, such as add-in sound cards or networking cards.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to install the GPU:

1. If not already installed, install the motherboard.
   • If the motherboard is already installed and the system is assembled, then remove the top case and remove the side fan bracket.
   • If you're utilizing the top PCIe slot, you may also need to remove the CPU duct, depending on which set of screw holes it's mounted with.
2. Unscrew the two screws holding the PCIe bracket onto the chassis, then remove the bracket.

3. Remove a PCIe slot cover for each slot the new GPU will take up.
   • Additional slot covers may fall off after removing the PCIe brakcet; set them back and hold them in place when replacing the bracket.
4. Install the GPU into the motherboard.
5. Replace the PCIe bracket, which will hold the end of the GPU in place.

Installing or replacing the SATA backplane:

nebula40 is designed to work with an optional SATA backplane to allow for easy hot-swapping of 2.5" storage drives. The SATA backplane can be seen below.

If you ordered the SATA backplane with your nebula40, it will come preinstalled in the chassis. The below instructions can be used to replace a damaged or defective backplane, or to install a backplane later if you didn't initially order it.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to install/replace the SATA backplane:

1. Remove the top case.
2. Unscrew and remove the 2.5" drive cage's cover.

3. Unscrew and remove the 2.5" drive cage.

4. If you're installing a new SATA backplane and its screw holes are covered by a translucent film, remove the film.
5. If a SATA backplane is already installed, unscrew the four screws holding it into the drive cage from the outside.

6. Remove the old SATA backplane (if necessary) and place the new SATA backplane into the drive cage.
   • The backplane should be oriented so the power plug will be at the top of the board after installing the drive cage back into the chassis.
7. Screw the backplane into the drive cage from the outside (as shown in the photo above).
8. Screw the drive cage back onto the chassis.
9. Connect the POWER0 header on the back of the SATA backplane to the power supply, and the DATA0 and DATA1 ports to two of the motherboard's SATA ports.
   • The POWER0 header uses a four-pin Berg connector, also known as a floppy drive power connector.

10. Install any 2.5" SATA drives and replace the drive cage cover, side fan bracket (if necessary), and top case.

Installing 2.5" drives:

The drive cage can hold two 2.5" drives. Drives of 7.5mm, 9mm, or 15mm are supported. Airflow will decrease below recommended levels with drives larger than 15mm.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to install 2.5" drives:

1. Remove the top case.
2. Unscrew and remove the 2.5" drive cage's cover.

3. Remove the plastic ring from the top crossbar and slide out four screws for each drive being installed.

4. Insert two screws into each side of the 2.5" drive, then slide the drive into the drive cage, aligning the rubber mounts on the screws around the metal of the drive cage.
   • The larger portion of the SATA connector (the power section) should be at the top, while the smaller portion (the data section) should be at the bottom.
5. If the optional SATA backplane is not present, connect the SATA data and power cables from the back of the drive cage.
   • A cutout in the chassis allows easy access to the back of the drive cage.

Replacing the bottom case fan:

The 140mm bottom case fan (BQ SIW4-14025-LF-PWM) is preinstalled, but can be replaced if it becomes defective. The fan can also be removed to clean its dust filter.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to replace the bottom case fan:

1. Remove the top case.
   • The side fan bracket can optionally be removed to make working with the fan easier.
2. If the system is already assembled, unplug the fan from the fan splitter board or motherboard.
3. Set the machine down on its side and unscrew the four fan screws.

4. When reinstalling the fan, place the dust filter between the fan and the chassis with the shiny side facing the chassis.

Installing side intake fans:

nebula40 supports up to two 120mm side intake fans mounted to the side fan bracket. One 120mm fan (BQ SIW4-12025-MF-PWM) is sold as an optional add-on at the time of purchase.

Steps to install the side intake fans:

1. Remove the top case.
2. Unpack the fan and rubber mounting pins from the fan box.
   • The plastic rings included with the rubber mounting pins are not needed.

3. Place the fan in the center of the side fan bracket.
   • The spinning side of the fan should face outward, while the stationary label should face inward.
   • The preinstalled pinholes on the fan will line up with the long holes in the side fan bracket (the fan must be held against the top of the bracket for the pinholes to align).
4. From the back (inside of the machine), insert the rubber mounting pins through the pinholes at each corner of the fan.
   • The side fan bracket can optionally be removed to make working with the rubber mounting pins easier.

5. Plug the side fan into one of the headers on the side fan bracket's fan splitter board. The nearby velcro strap can be used to hold the fan's cable.

Installing the power supply:

The system supports standard ATX power supplies. nebula40 includes a dust filter installed over the power supply's fan vent.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to install the power supply:

1. Remove the top case.
   • The side fan bracket can optionally be removed to make working with the power supply easier.
2. Place the power supply into the chassis with the fan facing down.
3. Set the power supply on top of the rubber mounting post, then screw in the four power supply screws through the back of the chassis.
   • Power supply screws are typically included with the power supply, and are not included with nebula40.
   • You may need to hold the power supply up to the back of the chassis while screwing it in.

Steps to replace the power supply dust filter:

1. Remove the top case and remove the power supply.
2. Unscrew the screw securing the rubber mounting post from the bottom of the chassis, then remove the rubber mounting post.

3. Unscrew the four screws holding the dust filter onto the chassis.

4. Remove, clean, and replace the dust filter.

Wiring the front I/O and power button:

nebula40 comes standard with two front daughterboards:

• The nebula-io_2.2 power button controller.
• The MYS7523 Rev. 2.0 front I/O board.

The Nebula Io board can be used to power the system on when the top case is removed.

Both daughterboards can be removed and replaced if necessary. The external power button attached to the top case can also be replaced.

• Tools required: Cross-head (Phillips) screwdriver

Steps to wire the front I/O and power button:

1. Remove the top case.
2. Refer to the below diagram for powering the machine on or removing and replacing either daughterboard:
   • The front I/O board screws are highlighted in green.
   • The power button controller board screws are highlighted in red.
   • The internal power button is highlighted in cyan.

3. Refer to the below diagram for wiring the front I/O and power button (the CPU duct and top crossbar have been removed for easier visibility):
   • The USB Type-C port cable (highlighted green) connects to the motherboard's USB 3.1 header.
   • The audio cable (highlighted yellow) connects to the motherboard's analog audio header.
   • The USB Type-A port cable (highlighted cyan) connects to the motherboard's USB 3.0 header.
   • The Nebula Io PMB1 header (highlighted red) connects to the motherboard's power button header.
   • The Nebula Io PFP1 header (highlighted pink) connects to the power button receptacle.
   • The power button receptacle header (highlighted orange) connects to the Nebula Io board.

Steps to replace the power button:

1. Remove the top case.
2. Follow the instructions in the Replace the Thelio Power Button support article.