my watercooling setup

twist3d0n3 · 9 Sep 2009 at 13:52

hi guys, in the past few months, i built a watercooling setup to cool an e8400 (c0), and 2 4870's.

the loop is in this order: bayres->d5 vario->pa120.3->ek gpu->apogee gtz cpu->ek gpu->bayres.

at idle, both gpu's sit at 34/35oC, whereas the cpu hovers around 45oC. when i play i game the gpu's never really go above 41/42oC, but the cpu shoots up to about 60/65oC depending on the game. (running IBT takes the cpu up to roughly the same temps i was getting using a zalman 9700...)

my question is, shouldn't the cpu temp be a bit lower than this? as in sitting closer to the temps of the gpu's? i've lowered the vcore to the point at which i can't get it stable but the temps are still sitting high...

can anyone recommend anything to get the cpu a tiny bit cooler?

cheers in advance

Admiral Huddy · 9 Sep 2009 at 14:00

The temps are very higher on load for a WC system. Looking at your loop, I would place the CPU staright after the rad. That said, I doubt if this is the problem. It might be the water block isn't seated correctly or you have insufficient TIM. Try re-fitting and see what happens.

bifday2k · 9 Sep 2009 at 14:18

The heat being taken from both the graphics cards will be adding to the overall loop temp, so im not surprised the load temps are that high on ur cpu.

If you not to bothered with the overal cpu temp then the set-up seems fine.

If u want to add more cooling to the cpu it would be best to either have it in a seperate loop, or to add in a 2nd radiator.

twist3d0n3 · 9 Sep 2009 at 14:24

currently i'm away from home, so i'll try reseating it when i'm back, it just suddently sprung to mind! hehe

i'm not necessarily bothered by it, just felt it should be better, considering the rave reviews the cpu block gets. btw i've got artic silver on all blocks, and put a nice blob of it on and spread it around with a credit card. i've done the cpu block to finger-tightness as well, so would've thought that would be ok.

thinking about it now, i was going to add a loop for nb/sb, so would it be best to lump the nb/sb in with the gpu loop and add a 120.1 cpu-only loop or get a 120.2 for cpu, nb/sb?

thanks for the replies guys

bifday2k · 9 Sep 2009 at 14:29

If it was me id have the NB,SB and CPU in one loop with either a 360 or 240 (whichever u can fit really), and the 2 gpu's seperate with the 360 you have.

If u did'nt have the 2 gpu's in that loop you cpu temps would be a hell of a lot better, there will be an awfull lot of heat getting dumped into the loop as it is due to the gpu's.

Im no expert in this feild, but thats how id do it, im sure others that have more experience will post soon.

Admiral Huddy · 9 Sep 2009 at 14:32

or ou could fit another rad between the CPU and GPUs so effectively it's one loop although you will need a more powerfull pump.

twist3d0n3 · 9 Sep 2009 at 17:40

bifday2k said:
If it was me id have the NB,SB and CPU in one loop with either a 360 or 240 (whichever u can fit really), and the 2 gpu's seperate with the 360 you have.

i've got a 120.3 in the top of my case at the moment (lian li pc-a70) and only really have space for a 120.1 on the back (don't really want to have a rad blocking some of the pci cables). this is why i think cpu only would be better?

Admiral Huddy said:
or ou could fit another rad between the CPU and GPUs so effectively it's one loop although you will need a more powerfull pump.

would the d5 vario (on full whack) not be up to this? i could always add another d5 in there to compensate, but unsure as to what point in the loop would be the best place to put it...

JonJ678 · 9 Sep 2009 at 17:58

The D5 would probably cope. It doesn't have a very high pressure head compared to the DDC but it's hardly a weak pump. If adding a second it doesn't matter where in the loop you put it. For that matter, loop order doesn't matter anyway. Res before pump is useful.

Adding a second radiator/more fans+shrouds to the first is the obvious answer.

However, since the cpu is hitting 20 degrees over what the gpus are and given that they're on the same loop, I think you've mounted the cpu block badly. If the loop couldn't cope with the heat dump, the graphics cards would be running very hot as well.

Remount the cpu block.

bifday2k · 9 Sep 2009 at 18:01

I guess getting a decent quality 120 rad for the back and adding that to the loop would help then not having one at all.

To me though the temps on the cpu seem fine, its just higher then u would expect due to the 2 gpus.

Id be able to live with it personally, its a nice set up, and without using a bigger case like the silverstone ones with the bottom compartment, its tricky to install big rads.

twist3d0n3 · 9 Sep 2009 at 18:12

thanks for the replies guys.

i'll give the cpu block another mounting (sounds perverse i know) and see what that does.

if i get no joy from that i think i might try with a new pump/rad in the same loop, and if it's still not at the desired temps would the next logical step be second loop?

one other thing (sorry to be a pain!) is there any point whatsoever in cooling the mobo mosfets? i've found the blocks i would need for my board (on a competitors site) and they don't seem too pricey, but really, is there any point in buying them?

JonJ678 · 9 Sep 2009 at 18:23

If remounting doesnt help, unplug one of the graphics cards but leave it in the loop. This way it wont contribute to heat dump, and if cpu temperatures drop lots then you know you need better fans or more radiator. I don't think cpu temperatures will change.

Turn the pump speed up/down and watch temperatures. If they're much better at high speed, you're pump limited. If they don't change much, then changing pump isn't going to help.

Adding mosfet blocks will decrease flow rate, increase cpu temperatures and decrease overclock. It would be a strange thing to buy in your case.

bifday2k · 9 Sep 2009 at 18:25

if what ur gonna try dos'nt seem to work then yeh, 2 loops would probably be the best bet, as it keeps the gfx's serperate.

Cooling the mosfets really depends on the chipset your mother board uses, for example my P35 mosfets barely get luck warm, but thats with a heat pipe cooler on it.

touch them gently if they are uncovered, or if they have some form of cooling on them touch that, and judge by the heat they give off, is what id suggest. But in most cases its not needed to cool them.

twist3d0n3 · 9 Sep 2009 at 18:35

JonJ678 said:
If remounting doesnt help, unplug one of the graphics cards but leave it in the loop. This way it wont contribute to heat dump, and if cpu temperatures drop lots then you know you need better fans or more radiator. I don't think cpu temperatures will change.

good shout, i'll give that a try when i'm back also.

JonJ678 said:
Turn the pump speed up/down and watch temperatures

one slight problem with that, when i installed the kit, i used a screw driver to turn up the pump speed. i thought it was being a bit stubborn so used a 'bit' too much force and think i've snapped the plastic inside so it isn't turning the potentiometer

do these things come apart easily to see if i can glue it together again?

JonJ678 said:
Adding mosfet blocks will decrease flow rate, increase cpu temperatures and decrease overclock. It would be a strange thing to buy in your case.

if i were to add these, it would definitely be a second loop, but this was purely out of intrigue if anything, just wondered if there was any point to it.

many thanks for the replies guys!

Mekrel · 9 Sep 2009 at 18:44

I don't get your loop layout :confused:

You go to GPU1 -> CPU -> GPU2 at one stage?

Loop layout makes little difference seeing as a closed loop reaches the same temperature throughout, but you should always aim for the loop order which requires the least tubing.

Surely with the GPUs being right next to each other, you would go through both of them before the CPU or visa versa.

twist3d0n3 · 9 Sep 2009 at 19:19

Mekrel said:
I don't get your loop layout

You go to GPU1 -> CPU -> GPU2 at one stage?

Loop layout makes little difference seeing as a closed loop reaches the same temperature throughout, but you should always aim for the loop order which requires the least tubing.

Surely with the GPUs being right next to each other, you would go through both of them before the CPU or visa versa.

only reasons i did it this way were a) i couldn't be bothered with the hassle of 90deg joints and b) it looks cooler

at the end of the day, yes i want it to cool everything well, but i've got a window so want it to look funky!

when i get back to cambridge, i'll post up some pics - trust me, you'll see what i mean

pastymuncher · 9 Sep 2009 at 19:43

Are you sure you have'nt got stuck sensors on the CPU? Every Wolfdale based cpu i have has stuck sensors. E8500 is stuck at 42 degrees, E5200 at 46 degrees and E6300 at 42 Degrees. Once over the temp they are stuck at they move.

twist3d0n3 · 9 Sep 2009 at 19:47

no they're definitely not stuck, on boot they start off at about 25oC, then blam, after about 30/45seconds they're at 45.

i've got some temp probes for my master ace, i'll stick one of them on the cpu block and see the difference (again, this is something that'll have to wait til the weekend!)

is there a possibility that rivatuner is simply reporting the wrong temperature?