GTX690 using 1 core?? High Temps

[MrPcGamer93]

Hi guys,
Yesterday i finally put together my new build with the GTX690 dual gpu card.
Everything went fine considering its in a Bitfenix prodigy.
I went to play some crysis 3 after i got it all on and running and i was only in there for about 10-20 minutes and the temperature of the 1st gpu sky rocketed to around 80-85 degrees in Precision X.
So i did the smart thing did a few bits of tweaking etc, and i found some good setting that dont make the gpu too hot.
I decided to enable my second screen to keep monitoring software on and as i was playing BF3 and arma 3 Alpha, i noticed that only one of the GPU cores is actually being used and the usage on that core was around 95%.
I was just wondering wether this is normal and if both cores were being used, would it take some of the load of just using the single core and would it drop the temps or make them higher.
Thanks for reading
Nathan
Specs are below:
Case-Bitfenix Prodigy
Mobo-Asrock Z77E-ITX
CPU-Intel Core I7 3770K
GPU-Gigabyte GTX690
PSU-Coller Master 850M
HDD-2 WD Red 2TB drives
SSD-Sandisk Pulse 64GB

Custom watercooling:
Radiators-Hardware Labs Black Ice GT Stealth 240mm
Hardware Labs Black Ice GT Stealth 120mm
Reservoir-EK DDC Reservoir pump Combo
Fans-4 CM Sickleflow Red 120mm

 

[Orcvader]

I'm pretty sure SLi is disabled when you're running multiple monitors in extended mode instead of surround mode.

As for core usage in SLi, it depends on the game, but usually it would use both cores as much as possible, so you may not see a difference in temps.

Have you tried using Precision X to set up a custom fan profile? Could help with the temps if you're that worried.

 

[MrPcGamer93]

ah i see, and as for setting a fan profile. I dont actually have any fans or anything plugged into the gpu because its watercooled so im kinda stumped there :/

 

[Shawy]

I'm pretty sure SLi is disabled when you're running multiple monitors in extended mode instead of surround mode.

Not sure if this applies to the 690 or not, but with normal SLi you can have it enabled with two monitors, using one as the SLi focus screen and the other as auxiliary.

As for the temps, they seem awfully high for watercooling - you might want to check the mount you got on the GPU block and that your pump is working correctly.

 

[eddyr]

If after checking the above and neither are the casue (although the pump is a little on the weaker side for so may also be a factor), from you description of 10-20 mins it may be the raddage if youve also got the 3770k in the loop. That's a lot of heat esp if oc'd to get rid of through effectivly a thin 360 high radiator. It sounds like the water/airtemp delta is having to get pretty big to get the heat out as quick as its getting in to the loop, meaning stabilising at higher core temperatures.
Are those fans turned as high as they will go? Whats the heat kicking out of them like? Do they draw outside air or does one feed the other?
If they can go higher and monitored temps drop that would indicate the loop is saturated.

 

[Michaeljcox24]

When I first installed my 690 that had the waterblock pre fitted by an OcUK technician, the temp on GPU 1 shot up to 80C whilst GPU 2 stayed around 35

I just had to tighten some of the screws on the back of the card, and then temps across both chips were no more than 45 in benches.

In my limited experience with WC, unless you've got 99.9% contact with the block and the chip, the temps are worse than air. It then because a massive headache to strip the whole thing down to investigate the block and re apply paste etc.

I also agree with eddyr. You rad space is on the small size. I'm having to use an RX360 for the card and a 240 for the cpu (and thats on a 2500K)

 

[OliverDavis]

Not sure if this applies to the 690 or not, but with normal SLi you can have it enabled with two monitors, using one as the SLi focus screen and the other as auxiliary.

As for the temps, they seem awfully high for watercooling - you might want to check the mount you got on the GPU block and that your pump is working correctly.

Thats what I do with my 560's Second screen for monitoring, skype etc. First for gaming using SLI.