P5W DH Chipset Cooling

Griffyn

Griffyn

Griffyn

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17 Jun 2004
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393
It appears that a lot of people have got high northbridge temps, ie the mobo temp.

My mobo is idling at 56C with the stupid aluminium bit taken of the northbridge heatsink to expose the fins. I also have the optional fan installed since my cpu temps are 38C (idle). So there is not a lot else I can do other than try a chipset cooler?

Since ocuk only has the one rubbish one as far as I can see then I assume its okay for people to post links for other sites or at least reviews of chipset coolers?

Gpu idles at 55C which is okay for the x1900 xt-x from what I have read.

As for cooling I have 2x120mm (front intake and rear exhaust), 1x80 side case fan, psu only has 1x120mm fan as I ordered the wrong one :mad: freezer 7 for e6600 and accelero for x1900 xt-x (this won't help as heat goes towards mobo!, stupid design!).

However my HDs with a 120mm fan infront are around 36C which seems quite hot!

What is the best course of action in terms of cooling northbridge? Should I also consider putting in some more fans?

My case is a Themaltake Tsunami.
 
I read somewhere that the temp sensor for MB is under the SB.

Will look for a link but thats what ive been led to believe so maybe your efforts are in vein as your cooling the NB which apparently has no monitor.

Rob
 
Here's my P5W64:

mcx159cu_2.jpg


Not the same board, but same mounting so should give you a good idea. NB cooler is a Swiftech MCX-159-CU.
 
There's a thread over on xtremesystems about removing and cleaning and applying some AS5 to the NB and SB on this board which lowers temps a few degrees apparently.
 
I bolted a couple of Akasa 80mm fans to the NB and SB. (and replaced the TIM)

I can confirm the temp monitor is in/near/under the SB:

If I remove power from fan on SB but keep NB fan running then temp is around 50 Deg C.

If I power SB fan and shutdown NB fan temp drops by 10+ Deg C.

When running both fans the temp stays at the same level as having just the SB fan running.


It must make a difference to the temp of the NB having a fan on it, even though a temp reduction is not visible via the temp probe. I would imagine the fan on the NB is having a similar effect to the fan on the SB. ie reducing NB temps by around 10 Deg. It is just that NB temps are not monitored.

I have read that Intel specs for the 975X chipset have a very high max temp 100 DegC +. Dont take that as gospel, not all that is written is true. But if it is the case, 50-60 Deg chipset temps should not be a problem.

I made the mod because the CPU sits above the NB, and hot air rises. Cooling the NB has taken 2-3 Deg C off the CPU temps.
 
I bunged the Akasa blue led fans on the SB/NB the can just screw on there. But on the SB I stuck them on with the supplied hs/fan temps are 40c now.

Picture004.jpg


sorry for the blurry pic. You can get the fans here at ocuk or a well known electronics store. :) The ones I got have there own heatsink and sticky tim, or you can take the fans of and screw them on to the rather rubbish asus supplied heatsinks.
 
Jimbo your setup looks very similar to mine! I also have the freezer 7 cpu hsf, I also see you have the good old Audigy ZS 2 and a ATI card although I have the accelro, could this also be causing my higher than average mobo temp since the fan blows the air onto the mobo???

So is it worth having the two Akasa blue LED fans? Or should I just worry about the SB?

Jimbo did you just take the ASUS hsf off the NB and SB and then stick these on? Im not entirely sure how you would take the old HSFs off and apply these new ones? Is it also recommened to use AS5 or use the stuff with the Akasa? And how did you remove the thermal compound that ASUS used?

Thanks for the replies!
 
Durzel said:
Here's my P5W64:

mcx159cu_2.jpg


Not the same board, but same mounting so should give you a good idea. NB cooler is a Swiftech MCX-159-CU.
Click to expand...

JTS-0006 chipset cooler? i have been looking for one in the UK for ages, can only find them in the states
 
Gibbs said:
JTS-0006 chipset cooler? i have been looking for one in the UK for ages, can only find them in the states
Click to expand...
That's where I imported mine from :( No one sells them over here at all, and it was pretty much the only option I had for cooling the Southbridge chip and still being able to use Crossfire.
 
I got more heat in the case when I took the stock ati cooler of and used a zalman cooler. It does a better job on the vga card cooling wise and its quieter though.

What i did at first was remove both the nb/sb and i applyed as5, then put them back. didnt make any diif in temps though, as I later found out its the rubbish way they are fixed on the sb with 2 pins. Beacuse there is only 2 pins on the sb it only makes contact where they are, see pic...

noc1.jpg


I would though just get the akasa chipset coolers and they just stick on, using the supplied tim. On the NB just take the fan off the akasa and screw it on asus hs. On the SB just use the akasa hs/fan and bin the asus hs, its crap. That should reduce your temps by a good 10-13c.
 
Okay cheers Jimbo. How did you clean the SB chipset? Did you use tissue paper or something like0 acetone (ie isoproponyl)?

How do you screw the fan onto the NB chip?
 
Durzel said:
That's where I imported mine from :( No one sells them over here at all, and it was pretty much the only option I had for cooling the Southbridge chip and still being able to use Crossfire.
Click to expand...

would it fit the NB chip? seems a bit big, the base that is to be mounted as a NB cooler.

Am picking one up next week from the US, at £21 in P&P, its a steal :D
 
Gibbs said:
would it fit the NB chip? seems a bit big, the base that is to be mounted as a NB cooler.

Am picking one up next week from the US, at £21 in P&P, its a steal :D
Click to expand...
Don't think it will. The installation requires that you screw two "posts" through the motherboard, there doesn't appear to be a way of mounting it using the standard Intel hooks. :(
 
I cleaned everything with some Akasa Tim clean, ocuk sell it...

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Thermal_Materials.html

That and some kitchen paper and cotton buds.

The akasa blue led chip coolers fit fine as you can see in my pics.

Picture002-1.jpg


They come mounted on a heatsink and they stick on the SB chip, so you dont need any pins for that etc. The other one.. NB you can unscrew the fan from the akasa hs and screw it on the asus hs.

Does that make sense to you?
 
I placed the fan over the cooler, made a note of where the screws would go, bent the pins very slightly and then screwed the fan screws straight down into it......holds nicely although you do end up with bent cooler :)
 
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