Guide wanted for changing 4870 cooling to Accelero S2

[Slinkie]

Hi Folks,

I have just built a new gaming pc with a 4870 but am starting to get annoyed at just how loud it is! I have ordered an AC-S2 Accelero S2 Graphics Card Cooler, an ultra quiet 120mm fan and some extra thermal adhesive tape to try and quieten it down (and hopefully cool it down too.

I have never changed a HS on a GPU before so was wondering if some one could post a guide on how to do it with some pointers so I can avoid any silly mistakes. I tried looking for a guide but haven't found anything yet.

The card is a Powercolor ATI Radeon HD 4870.

Thanks

Matt

 

[HeX]

You really should have ordered the S1... the S2 is designed for older cards that don't put out as much heat as the newer ones.

 

[tophee]

I imagine your cooler will come with instructions?

When I changed the fan from my 3850 to a water cooling block, the only tricky bit was persuading the original cooler off.

I (earthed myself first) undid the screws on the back of the card, and wiggled the cooler until it came free. There was a degree of 'gentle' persuasion needed. Remember, remove old thermal material. On my cooler I used the supplied pads for the memory heat sinks, but ac5 on the gpu itself.

As for screwing the cooler down, don't 'over tighten' the screws, (that means screw them tight but don't screw them down really hard) to make sure the cooler is seated firmly. I use the same principle as putting an engine back together - don't tighten up one after the other but diagonally across so even pressure is put upon the components, ad tighten eacj screw up a bit at a time until all nice and tight.

HTH

T

 

[Tooks]

First off, you will definately need the S1 version of the Accelero, not the S2. The S2 is not really up to it I'm afraid, and actually I don't think will fit anyway. The hole spacing on the cooler isn't big enough if I remember correctly.

Second, instructions for fitting the cooler are included with it, so just follow those. The only thing you'll need to do differently is zip tie your 120mm fan onto the fins so it's blowing on to the card.

Taking the old cooler off your 4870 is a piece of cake, just undo the screws on the back and take it gently off.

Lastly, you need to ensure you clean the RAM chips properly with some alcohol rubs or similar to make sure the Accelero RAM chips will stick properly, and also take a look at the VRM cooler to ensure the usually rubbish chewing gum tape they fit as standard is making good contact. Best thing is to remove that and use some decent thermal tape and reseat it.

It's really not as hard as it sounds, but you'll be disappointed with the temps from the S2 I think, and I repeat that I don't think it will fit anyway. It only has 2 heat pipes versus the 4 of the S1 version.

 

[royal]

guide to 4870

First off, you will definately need the S1 version of the Accelero, not the S2. The S2 is not really up to it I'm afraid, and actually I don't think will fit anyway. The hole spacing on the cooler isn't big enough if I remember correctly.

Second, instructions for fitting the cooler are included with it, so just follow those. The only thing you'll need to do differently is zip tie your 120mm fan onto the fins so it's blowing on to the card.

Taking the old cooler off your 4870 is a piece of cake, just undo the screws on the back and take it gently off.

Lastly, you need to ensure you clean the RAM chips properly with some alcohol rubs or similar to make sure the Accelero RAM chips will stick properly, and also take a look at the VRM cooler to ensure the usually rubbish chewing gum tape they fit as standard is making good contact. Best thing is to remove that and use some decent thermal tape and reseat it.

It's really not as hard as it sounds, but you'll be disappointed with the temps from the S2 I think, and I repeat that I don't think it will fit anyway. It only has 2 heat pipes versus the 4 of the S1 version.

Tooks.
i have just bought the s1 rev2 cooler for my 4870.
I also bought some MX-2,can i put that on the ram sinks and VRM plate to stick them down?
couldnt get any thermal tape.
If i can use the MX-2 on the sinks,do you apply it with a credit card,like you do on a cpu heatsink and fan,very thin?
Thanks.

 

[Tooks]

No, MX2 won't stick the RAM Sinks onto the chips I'm afraid, though it will be fine for making contact between the VRM's and the VRM plate, as that's secured by pins.

The RAM sinks will already have some 3M tape applied to them, you just need to make sure that all residue is off the RAM chips or it won't stick very well.

I use the 2nd part of the 2 part ArtiClean process (the surface purifier) but any alcohol based cleaner or Isopropyl swabs will do. Meths won't work very well as it leaves an oily residue, but I understand nail varnish remover does work ok! It just needs to be a volatile liquid that evaporates without any trace. Safest to use the proper stuff I think!

You only use the MX2 on the base of the cooler, although it has some stuff pre-applied so you won't need it for the first application. For subsequent applications, apply the paste to the GPU core as you would on a CPU.

 

[royal]

guide

No, MX2 won't stick the RAM Sinks onto the chips I'm afraid, though it will be fine for making contact between the VRM's and the VRM plate, as that's secured by pins.

The RAM sinks will already have some 3M tape applied to them, you just need to make sure that all residue is off the RAM chips or it won't stick very well.

I use the 2nd part of the 2 part ArtiClean process (the surface purifier) but any alcohol based cleaner or Isopropyl swabs will do. Meths won't work very well as it leaves an oily residue, but I understand nail varnish remover does work ok! It just needs to be a volatile liquid that evaporates without any trace. Safest to use the proper stuff I think!

You only use the MX2 on the base of the cooler, although it has some stuff pre-applied so you won't need it for the first application. For subsequent applications, apply the paste to the GPU core as you would on a CPU.

Tooks.
Thanks for the info.
There are 2 vrm heatsinks,one long one(which has 2 screw holes in it)and one wide one,am i right in saying i should use the wide one?
The wide one has sticking tape on it,is that enough to keep it on,as long as i clean the ramchip properly?

Thanks.

 

[Tooks]

Tooks.
Thanks for the info.
There are 2 vrm heatsinks,one long one(which has 2 screw holes in it)and one wide one,am i right in saying i should use the wide one?
The wide one has sticking tape on it,is that enough to keep it on,as long as i clean the ramchip properly?

Thanks.

I guess you mean the ones that come with the Accelero S1 cooler?

If so, I personally don't use them, I just re-use the VRM coolers already on the Graphics Card.

I just remove them and then re-apply thermal tape and/or thermal compound (depending on the card), or even just leave them well alone?

On my current PCS 4870, I removed the pants stock cooler. Next, I removed the stock RAM sinks from the card, cleaned the chips, and then used the RAM sinks supplied with the S1. For the VRM area, I just removed the stock heatsink, cleaned up the rubbish tape already on there, applied AS5, and then re-attached it using the clips and springs that were on there before.

Once all that was done, I attached the S1.

 

[royal]

guide

I guess you mean the ones that come with the Accelero S1 cooler?

If so, I personally don't use them, I just re-use the VRM coolers already on the Graphics Card.

I just remove them and then re-apply thermal tape and/or thermal compound (depending on the card), or even just leave them well alone?

On my current PCS 4870, I removed the pants stock cooler. Next, I removed the stock RAM sinks from the card, cleaned the chips, and then used the RAM sinks supplied with the S1. For the VRM area, I just removed the stock heatsink, cleaned up the rubbish tape already on there, applied AS5, and then re-attached it using the clips and springs that were on there before.

Once all that was done, I attached the S1.

Tooks.
Thats what i will do then,apply the stock VRM sink seeing it has the clips and springs.
Thanks for your time.

 

[MikeHunt79]

Send the S2 back, get the S1, best GFX cooler there is short of watercooling.

 

[smyth]

I am thinking of reseating the gpu heatsink on the HIS 4870 I just brought.

Am I able to just remove the gpu heatsink and leave the ram heat sinks alone or will I have to remove the whole lot?

I just want to apply some AS5 to the gpu core.

Thanks

 

[rippling]

do you need to remove the original ram sinks on the 4870 to fit the s1 cooler , or can we just fit the cooler and leave the original sinks?

 

[Tooks]

Depends which card you're talking about? Some brands of card have different heatsinks arrangements.

On my PCS 4870, the RAM sinks were just flat pieces of copper and one strip did 4 RAM chips.

If the card already has sinks similar to the Accelero ones attached though, I'd just leave them on as there would seem little point in changing them? Just watch they don't foul the heatpipes on the S1 though, as some do.

 

[rippling]

my card is a power colour 4870 pcs as well

 

[Tooks]

It's up to you, but I found no difference in temps with the stock strips on the RAM so I'd leave them on.

They are quite difficult to remove safely, but I used a plastic bike tyre lever! Just gently kept the pressure on until it started to come off.

As I say though, you should be fine to leave them on, and at least the flat strips will clear the S1's heat pipes.

I'd also re-use the VRM heatsink, but just clean the old chewing gum off and reattach using AS5 or similar.

 

[smyth]

It's up to you, but I found no difference in temps with the stock strips on the RAM so I'd leave them on.

They are quite difficult to remove safely, but I used a plastic bike tyre lever! Just gently kept the pressure on until it started to come off.

As I say though, you should be fine to leave them on, and at least the flat strips will clear the S1's heat pipes.

I'd also re-use the VRM heatsink, but just clean the old chewing gum off and reattach using AS5 or similar.

Hey tooks,

when you remove the stock heat sink, can you leave the ram sinks on and just take off the gpu heat sink.

I just want to stick some AS5 on the gpu core.

Cheers

 

[Tooks]

You can on the PCS4870, but I've never had my hands on any other brand of 4870 I'm afraid.

On my 4850, the RAM sinks were integrated in to the stock cooler, so it might be the same on the 4870.

If that's the case though, there is nothing to stop you carefully removing the stock cooler, clearing off the old core TIM, and re-applying the new stuff. The RAM will most likely be cooled by Thermal pads anyway, and these will usually just sit back where they were.

 

[willhub]

I tried the Accelero 1 and the red base of the stock cooler to cool the VRM's and the RAM, was not very good at all, put the ramsinks back on and reseated the VRM sink with some MX-2.

The VRM sink wont fit properly, you need to use an elastic band to secure it.

 

[smyth]

I tried the Accelero 1 and the red base of the stock .. *snip*

Hey will,

when you removed the stock cooler off your 4870 does the heat sinks for the ram and VRMs come off at the same time?

If they do can you reuse the thermal pads on them?

cheers

 

[Tooks]

I just need to be clear to anybody interested that I am talking only about the Powercolour PCS 4870 card, which doesn't have a stock 4870 cooler, and has seperate RAM heatsinks underneath it.

Willhub's experience is more valid when talking about stock coolers!