7970/50 Arctic Accelero Users

Crevice · 5 Apr 2013 at 06:02

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?

arc@css · 5 Apr 2013 at 06:06

Look about the same to me.

LtMatt · 5 Apr 2013 at 07:29

l33th3tr33 said:
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?

Crevice said:
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.

tribz · 5 Apr 2013 at 07:39

Those VRM's need special attention for cooling.

When I had a an Accelero, I didn't bother with the thermal glue and just got a thermal adhesive pad from Maplins and cut it to shape. About a tenner and worked great.

Your installed card pic seems to show quite a lot of droop. I'd prop or tie it up if you can so the card is straight in the socket and not drooping to one side.

l33th3tr33 · 5 Apr 2013 at 14:21

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?

LtMatt · 5 Apr 2013 at 14:32

l33th3tr33 said:
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. :confused:

bertybenno · 5 Apr 2013 at 14:50

Think you need to be really careful when fitting the larger vrm sinks these were to close for my liking to the components either side, I would follow the Accelero instructions and just use the Arctic permanent adhesive, that's what I did and mine hover around 72 with Overclock 1175/1600 in crisis 3 & bioshock

Crevice · 5 Apr 2013 at 14:55

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

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

tribz said:
Those VRM's need special attention for cooling.

When I had a an Accelero, I didn't bother with the thermal glue and just got a thermal adhesive pad from Maplins and cut it to shape. About a tenner and worked great.

Your installed card pic seems to show quite a lot of droop. I'd prop or tie it up if you can so the card is straight in the socket and not drooping to one side.

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.

tribz · 5 Apr 2013 at 15:11

Crevice said:
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.

Sorry, I didnt quote. I was referring to l33th3tr33

LtMatt · 5 Apr 2013 at 15:46

Crevice said:
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.

l33th3tr33 · 5 Apr 2013 at 16:16

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

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

LtMatt · 5 Apr 2013 at 17:19

l33th3tr33 said:
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.

Crevice · 5 Apr 2013 at 17:39

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

I can try the other heatsink. I will have to use thermal tape though, because i don't have any more G1.

LtMatt · 6 Apr 2013 at 14:29

One Man, One Decision, One Desire!

Coming Soon to a forum near you

tribz · 6 Apr 2013 at 14:36

Hmm, that post told me more that I wanted to know about you ... pink desktop and muscle men!

Looking forward to seeing how much cooler it gets and noise levels.

LtMatt · 6 Apr 2013 at 14:44

tribz said:
Hmm, that post told me more that I wanted to know about you ... pink desktop and muscle men!

Looking forward to seeing how much cooler it gets and noise levels.

That's not my computer or monitor.

Kotu · 6 Apr 2013 at 14:59

random question, if i am refitting the accelero, should i use pea or spread method for the paste on the core? I usually use pea for CPU, but the core is much bigger on a gpu and i am worried about the edges having no thermal paste with pea method.

BS Dave · 6 Apr 2013 at 15:11

that bicep just ain't right

Also what heatsinks are you using Matt?

tommybhoy · 6 Apr 2013 at 17:04

@Matt, that tissue made me laugh the more than the arnie pic. :eek:

Kotu said:
random question, if i am refitting the accelero, should i use pea or spread method for the paste on the core? I usually use pea for CPU, but the core is much bigger on a gpu and i am worried about the edges having no thermal paste with pea method.

Spread.

BS Dave said:
Also what heatsinks are you using Matt?

Combination of the AC heatsinks(silver) and the Alpenfohn(Black):

1 x Alpenföhn Passive DRAM / VRAM Chip Coolers £11.99

Kotu · 7 Apr 2013 at 00:14

another down vote for the gelid VRM cooler, fitted it to mine and I couldn't get a picture, I thought I had killed my card, but after reusing akasa tape and using the normal accelero heatsinks its back to life again.

Looking at the bottom of the gelid heatsink, it makes good vrm contact with the thermal tape that comes with it (each left a nice imprint, unlike the akasa which just has brown marks where each vrm makes contact), I did have to mount it backwards from the instructions which came with it (so its mounted same way as images of it here), it had enough clearance without having to file anything down either, but it must be shorting something near the vrms even with the none-conducting tape which comes with the accelero.

now im back to having 110C vrm temps :/ but it seems to be stable despite them, I don't think ill bother with another after market cooler unless they come with a properly designed screw down plate like the zalman watercooled one mentioned earlier.