Small build, high temps, need advice

razor007 · 10 Feb 2020 at 21:20

So initially I finished the loop today. Very tight fit. 6700k and 1080ti.
Intake fans on 240 rad are a bit obstructed, yet they pull decent amount of air from the side vents.
Had issues with CPU temps but when I run aida GPU stability test it peaked at 80 and idle temps were at 20s gpu was hovering around 45 so pretty happy but I had an opened panel.

Now moved it to the desk and aida fpu test throttled after a minute.
Idle at mid 30s, playing witcher 3 and my cpu was between 60-70 and gpu warming up to 56 just after 20 minutes of play.
With those temps the fluid is going to be too hot for my liking, and when I took the panel off you could feel the heat I side.
Without the panel temps got only slightly better.

What can be wrong?
Not overclocked, stock voltage 1.28 on cpu
Is it the airflow?
I am devastated.
Pictures:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yzfaz4y78v5009u/20200210_210442.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7rpwcdrebqhbdjz/20200210_210433.jpg?dl=0

Any help is appreciated

Drumroll · 10 Feb 2020 at 21:39

240mm rad for CPU and GPU seems a bit tight. Unless something like a really thick radiator using push/pull.
If you can feel the hot air building up inside the case, you should find a way to get rid of the hot air, make it move.

Defy Belief · 10 Feb 2020 at 21:43

MrPotato said:
240mm rad for CPU and GPU seems a bit tight. Unless something like a really thick radiator using push/pull.
If you can feel the hot air building up inside the case, you should find a way to get rid of the hot air, make it move.

there is a 120 on the rear too.

Maybe set the front fans to exhaust also? Not sure why you didn't mount them to the case to draw hot air in?

razor007 · 10 Feb 2020 at 21:43

Got 240 on intake and 120. This was the only way to mount fans, rads so I can squeeze the fittings in.
Only way I'm afraid i looked and tested other options. According to Jayztwocents pull or push makes hardly any difference so went ahead

Mcnumpty2323 · 10 Feb 2020 at 21:46

Don't bother with stress tests
Why torture it way beyond
Every day use
Just do what you will
Actually use the pc for to
Test temperatures
Up to 60c coolant temperatures
Is the max far as I know
And the coolant will be well
Below the cpu and gpu temps
I think

razor007 · 10 Feb 2020 at 21:48

Playing either getting 56 on gpu and 70 on cpu after 20 minutes I think is not good

Mcnumpty2323 · 10 Feb 2020 at 21:54

razor007 said:
Playing either getting 56 on gpu and 70 on cpu after 20 minutes I think is not good

Not ideal maybe
I have never done a small case build
So nothing to personally
Compare it to
But if it does not go any
Higher than that it's still quite well within
Tolerable range
Reseating the block would be
An obvious thing to try though

razor007 · 10 Feb 2020 at 22:05

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Not ideal maybe
I have never done a small case build
So nothing to personally
Compare it to
But if it does not go any
Higher than that it's still quite well within
Tolerable range
Reseating the block would be
An obvious thing to try though

Would need to drain and dismount everything. I'll pass for now and look at other case options similar size, nevertheless, i like the way it looks though, definint e10/10 for estetics,
cooling performance not so great though

Alex h · 10 Feb 2020 at 22:43

Are you sure all the air is out of system have you rocked the case to see if any air bubbles show up why would you need to drain to reseat the cpu block

razor007 · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:06

Yes, I had it running for 12h, and been moving the case about, blocks are buble free, can only hope the same for rads.
There is not enough flex in the bottom tube going to 120mm rad to lift the block in order to re-seat.
Worried it would leak if tampered with

Mcnumpty2323 · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:08

as alex h said
dont need to drain to reseat a block normally
though in such a tight build maybe different
i used quick disconnects on my build
so can even replace cpu block
or the gpu with no draining
makes life so much easier

edit was typing same time as op
he explained it as i typed it

razor007 · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:19

With such short tubing I would struggle to fit in quick disconnects

I looked at this option as I liked the idea

Alex h · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:21

Try tilting the case back and forward should move any air in rads

Mcnumpty2323 · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:26

razor007 said:
With such short tubing I would struggle to fit in quick disconnects
I looked at this option as I liked the idea

Yes possibly so
The quick disconnects are
Maybe 3 or 4 inches long when connected together
At a rough guess
And need about an inch of
Movement in the tubing to uncouple
Them

Disco_P · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:31

What is the case?

razor007 · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:40

Disco_P said:
What is the case?

Metalicgear Neo mini itx. Phanteks makes them.
I will open up the bleed valve on the res tomorrow and move it about see if any air come out but the level of liquid was stable.

Disco_P · 10 Feb 2020 at 23:56

razor007 said:
Metalicgear Neo mini itx

There is your problem. Incredibly throttled airflow through that front panel with only tiny vents on either side to allow air in. Is the mesh on the vents removable? I removed them from my H440 and the temps dropped by a couple degrees.

To check for air, whack your pump up to full and give the case a wee wobble. If you can hear sloshing or trickling then there is probably some air in the rads but it's probably not much, and probably isn't causing the high temps.

If I were you I'd be looking at ways to increase airflow and reduce heat output. Improve airflow by setting a more aggressive fan curve and reduce flow impedence, lower heat with undervolting and frame rate caps in games.

razor007 · 11 Feb 2020 at 07:45

Disco_P said:
There is your problem. Incredibly throttled airflow through that front panel with only tiny vents on either side to allow air in. Is the mesh on the vents removable? I removed them from my H440 and the temps dropped by a couple degrees.

To check for air, whack your pump up to full and give the case a wee wobble. If you can hear sloshing or trickling then there is probably some air in the rads but it's probably not much, and probably isn't causing the high temps.

If I were you I'd be looking at ways to increase airflow and reduce heat output. Improve airflow by setting a more aggressive fan curve and reduce flow impedence, lower heat with undervolting and frame rate caps in games.

Thanks, I'll check if I can remove the dust filters after work.
What is the lowest voltage I can run the cpu with? Never messed with cpu voltages

LuckyBenski · 11 Feb 2020 at 08:28

So firstly - it sounds like you only ran CPU stress tests. The graphics card will be producing 2-3x the heat of the CPU so really, a proper test of cooling is loading up CPU and GPU. As you've seen, the Witcher puts a heavy load on both.

I don't want to make you feel bad for learning this the hard way, I know you really wanted that case

So let's look at what can be done to improve it.

Can you remove the case front panel to test impact on temps? If it has a substantial effect consider modding the front panel for some airflow. I expect even a little change will make a big difference - a few holes covered with dust filter for looks.

Do you cap your frame rate? There's little point rendering a game at 90Hz on a 60Hz monitor, or 275Hz on a 120Hz one. The GPU doesn't HAVE to be at 100% all the time.

Do check seating of blocks but honestly I doubt that's the issue.

Lastly don't panic about these temperatures after 20 minutes. Do some controlled stress tests and work out what the actual maximum temperatures are. Where the heat produced matches the cooling ability. Set fans to 100%, start stress testing, watch temperatures. Hopefully they level out before 85-90.

Then you get to spend time balancing how much noise you'll accept (as a maximum under stress) and how much heat you'll accept (as a maximum).

Personally I like testing these worst case scenarios so I know my system won't have issues later on

Edit: Also, if you used PETG tubing, find a way to estimate water temperature. If it approaches 60°C PETG tubing can deform and spring a leak at fittings. Not fun.

razor007 · 11 Feb 2020 at 10:42

Thanks Lucky
You're right more testing required. It us flex tubing so hope more resistant.
I took the front panel off and maxed at 68 playing witcher for 30 minutes, put the panel on and it went to 76 in a few mi utes, also temp on gpu had risen by further 6 degrees with panel on.
Improving air circulation may help