7970/50 Arctic Accelero Users

[LtMatt]

About to buy a 7950 boost. Not sure if I should throw one of these acceleros in the basket or not. The glue is really putting me off it and I was considering watercooling the gpu but obviously this would be cheaper. Decisions decisions

Water cooling is a better option, but more expensive. However if you follow my advice and do it right you can still overclock your card nicely.

 

[LtMatt]

I'm not too concerned with big overclocks, just want to keep my silent pc silent. The 7950 is reference with single center fan so definitely going to need to replace it.

Well the accelero will be perfect for you. Its silent up to around 75%. Even at 100% it can barely be heard. Its a quiet air moving noise as well, not an annoying hum like a reference blower.

EDIT

If you run your card at stock or even with a mild overclock it will stay incredibly cool. I can clock mine up to 1125/1575 from 925/1375 and see almost no difference in temps. Its only once i start adding lots of voltage and bumping my core up and beyond 1200 that things get warmer.

 

[LtMatt]

I keep hearing that if done right, the VRMs should be cool. What does "doing it right" mean. I mixed my glue for 5 minutes, i placed all the heatsinks on the VRMS, applied pressure, and I let it sit for 2 full days. I did this same process on 2 different cards. Both cards reach about 90c on the VRMs during load. What else can I do?

If you use this stuff you get a much better hold on the heatsink which helps temps. It could still be better though. Did you use G1? As i found my temps to be worse with that.

Cheers Matt, I have enough fans in the case so I can move them around if need be. Im guessing this is your final setup for the cooler? I'm sure I read that you took it apart again and redid all the fins.

Yeah that was my final setup using the permanent adhesive. I used G1 on the vram slots and permanent thermal adhesive on the vrms. (left and right) If i did it again id probably use the adhesive on the vram slots as well as it should be possible to get them off without ripping them off. Just don't use much but you can use a nice amount on the vrm's safely as they won't pull off so easily.

 

[LtMatt]

Muhahahahaahahahahaha!

Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 Graphics Card Cooler on its way!

Muhahahahaahahahahaha!

PS Thank you for a wonderfully entertaining thread, cheered me right up while wearing my Spock dressing gown fighting man flu!

And will be cheaper than switching to a three fan GTX 680 (as the wife would most likely kill me in my sleep)

Regards.

C.

Welcome to the club. All your evil laughing has me thinking you could be some sort of evil dictator. However on behalf of my accelero brothers i welcome our new overlord.

 

[LtMatt]

Yes, I used G1 (mixed grey and white packet). What is the glue you pictured and where can I purchase in the states?

What temps are you guys getting under load and for which games? Comparing will help me identify an issue with my install or not.

You can actually order the permanent thermal adhesive from Arctic themselves and they will ship it to you from Hong Kong. Took about a week to get here. Just create an account and order the spares.

http://www.arctic.ac/en/

http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/accessories/587/thermal-adhesive.html

 

[LtMatt]

A couple of hours playing farcry 3 ultra preset HDAO, vsync on with my accelero. This game seems to heat my gpu up more than all my other games, not including sleeping dogs which is brutal on the vrms. Playing bf3 vrm temps are mid 70's at these overclocks.

Cpu at 5.0ghz
7970 @1250/1700 @1.225v - default voltage 1.112v.

 

[LtMatt]

I will do some gaming tonight and compare. Tomb raider REALLY cooks my VRM temps, it took about 15 minutes to get my VRM temps in the 90's. When it shows VRM temp 1 and temp 2, what is this referring to? I ask because one of my VRM temps is always more hot than the other. Is VRM temp 1 the top portion of the VRM row and VRM 2 the bottom row of the VRM?

Vrm 1 is the main strip of vrms on the right of the card. Vrm 2 is the Vram Vrm on the left as i understand it.

I just offered to buy Uncle Pete's Peter cooler off him, If he will do me a decent second hand price. I already have two Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm fans i can strap onto it. With decent fans it has better vrm cooling than the Accelero. Will see what he says. I know, im a traitor.

 

[LtMatt]

Nice mate! I was the one you were sending G1 to but don't worry i don't need it any more. I sought professional help and likes cigarettes ive been weaned off my addiction.

What cores speeds and voltage are you using for those temps or is that what you've seen as you've just fired it up? Tell us more about the install, heatsinks used, glue used etc. Spill those beans.

 

[LtMatt]

Were bricks **** as you waited to see whether you just turned your expensive gpu in a paper weight? Cos i know i felt that way the first few times i took it apart from fired it up.

 

[LtMatt]

Right, well without quoting everything, it was someone else who wanted the G1 Matt, Bricks were not **** as I kind of didn't care if it worked or not. It was going under water if it didn't work this time! I used gelid for the cooler and sekusi tape for the sinks, had it all done this time in about 15 mins.

Just fired up heaven and max vrm temps were 87c!? But main temp was no higher than 55c.
I copied the sink arrangement from your pic Matt, I don't know why the vrms are so hot!

I'll get crysis on later and report temps again.

Tape just doesn't provide a solid fit on the heat sinks. Use the proper glue if you want decent temps. I've tried all the other methods mate, none of them work as well as the proper glue. Just remember it does come off, just takes patience, lots of gentle wiggling and elbow grease followed by 'right its pretty loose now, time to just pull it off'.

 

[LtMatt]

I see, do you have a link for the glue and what are your temps as of now?
If it's much difference I'll get it apart......... again.

I posted the link above in the thread for some fella called crevice.

 

[LtMatt]

This is a 7950 v2 reference pcb with extra vrm's for 8 pin power. It's used only on a couple of cards such as the 7950 royal king.

This is the pcb my 7950 will have (just not as much vrm's) and it seems to have some issues according to this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17YvSj2cap4

Is the accelero only for 7970 based cards?

Email arctic cooling and ask them and show them a picture of the pcb. It should be ok but check with them first. They are pretty helpful and will reply within a day or so.

 

[LtMatt]

Vrm 1 is the main strip of vrms on the right of the card. Vrm 2 is the Vram Vrm on the left as i understand it.

I feel your pain! Which one is the main VRM?

 

[LtMatt]

Will do, btw here's a picture of the different pcb's

7970 reference http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/AMD-Radeon-7970-3GB-PCB.jpg

7950 v1 reference http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/2.jpg

7950 v2 reference http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/PowerColor-HD7950-PCS-3GB-PCB_40535.jpg

7950/7970 v2 8+6 pin http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/...-royalQueen-3GB-GDDR5-(CGAX-7977F2)_55853.jpg

Handy cheers.

One things for sure, i prefer em black. Pcb's that is.

That's great, thanks Matt. I'll get it ordered tonight.

Nay bother mate, let us know how you get on.

Use a small dab on the heatsinks you put on the vram chips as you don't want too much of a struggle when you try and take them off.

Use a good amount spread on the heatsinks you put on all the vrms as the vrms can take more punishment and you won't have to worry so much about getting the sinks off the vrms.

 

[LtMatt]

if I do get round to mounting mine ill just use the bundled g1 adhesive and see what temps are like,they arnt too bad atm to be honest running 1050/1500

Yeah but once you start adding voltage things will get toasty.

In other news I'm buying Pete's Peter cooler. Expect details, pictures and temps to follow next week...

The fiddler is back and he's got a big itch down stairs that needs scratching!

 

[LtMatt]

I think my card is dead.

Playing dirt 3 and then the system shut down on its own as if it was switched off at the wall. Try a few times to get it back on with no luck, and then unplugged the gpu and it booted. plug it back in, no boot. quick surge of power, lights on for half a second then nothing. card in but no power cables works fine, plugged in..... nope.

How can I tell if the card is dead?

Sounds like a short. Did a heatsink fall off and touch the main sink or something?

After 15 minutes or so of tomb raider at 6100x1080 here are the VRM temps for my cards:



As you can see VRM temp 1 is fine. VRM temp 2 is the problem here. If VRM 2 is actually the vrm circled on this picture, maybe i just need to re-install that heatsink with some of that other adhesive?

Yes you need to use the glue on the vrms and the L shaped heatsinks as they have the most cooling surface area.

 

[LtMatt]

No sinks fell off, the card is packed up ready for rma now. I tried everything and no result. What other 7970 is worth getting?

I wonder what it is that keeps making your cards short.

 

[LtMatt]

I used the G1 on that VRM with the heatsink shown at the bottom. Here is how mine looked once installed:






I am not sure if you were speaking to me, but I haven't posted a pic yet of my cards installed. I do have sekisui thermal tape, not sure if I am better off installing that or not in that spot.

You used the smallest heatsink. I saw much better temps by using the large L shaped heatsink on that vrm.

 

[LtMatt]

Beats me but now I need to find a new card. I was looking at the sapphire hd 7970 oc, Any good?

Not sure mate.

 

[LtMatt]

One Man, One Decision, One Desire!





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