Temps High on Custom Loop

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mk1_salami

mk1_salami

Hi all,

I'm struggling a bit with temps on my custom loop build. During CPU stress tests like Cinebench I'm immediately hitting 90c with fans and pump on full blast. Gaming I'm seeing the GPU hit 68c in something like Warzone 1440p. The specs are:

System:
Ryzen 9 5900x (undervolted PBO curve -20)
Asus 570f- gaming
32gb Tforce CL14 3600mhz RAM
EVGA FTW3 Ultra 3090 with EK waterblock & Backplate (non overclocked).

Cooling Equipment:
1x EK-CoolStream PE 480 Quad Radiator
1x EK-CoolStream CE 280 Dual Radiator
Corsair 180ml Hydro X XD3 Pump / Res combo
EK Quantum Waterblock
EK Pre-mixed fluid

Case:
Fractal Design Define 7 XL

Fans:
Front 480mm rad:Noctua NF-F12 fans.
Top: 140mm EK Vardar Predator F2-140
Airflow: 2 exhaust airflow fans from the case (cant remember the model)

Any idea if this is normal? It seems like the temps are pretty high and they're the largest radiators I can fit in the case. Help! :)


 
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Bad mount on the CPU waterblock?

Failing that have you left the plastic protection film on the waterblock or not used thermal paste?

I can’t work out your tubing route at the bottom/front of the case. You want to go from the res to the pump, the rest of the loop order is irrelevant.

However I would say make sure you’re going in/out of the waterblock in the right direction. I know EK spec an “inlet” and “outlet” on the block but you want to check.

Start with the obvious and work backward.
 
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The gpu block is piped incorrectly. You should have the inlet on one side (usually the left) and the outlet on the other. The way you have it the liquid goes straight from one pipe through to the other without being made to go around the block. That will account for the higher than normal gpu temperature. What is your loop order because if you are going pump to cpu block you are using the cpu block outlet as a inlet. This will significantly worsen cooling performance as you won't be using the jet plate. If however, you are going pump>front rad>gpu>top rad>cpu you have it piped up the correct way and the only thing that could make for poor performance is a bad mount, forgetting to take the protective film off the base of the block or a problem with the pump.
 
Did you do the usual rocking, flipping upside etc, to make sure the radiators are fully bled of trapped air? That is another possible reason for reduced performance. Looks like you would have the best chance of initial bleeding with the case on its side, then rock it about as usual afterwards. I'm guessing you used a temporary flexi line attached to the fill port on top of the pump to do this? That would be how I would go about it with a hard line system like this.
 
Bubo said:
Did you do the usual rocking, flipping upside etc, to make sure the radiators are fully bled of trapped air? That is another possible reason for reduced performance. Looks like you would have the best chance of initial bleeding with the case on its side, then rock it about as usual afterwards. I'm guessing you used a temporary flexi line attached to the fill port on top of the pump to do this? That would be how I would go about it with a hard line system like this.
Click to expand...
I re-did the line yesterday so it now enters the other outlet of the GPU.

For filling the loop, I am just squeezing the fluid into the top of the res using one of these: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-water-blocks-filling-bottle-1000ml-wc-9ej-ek.html

Should I be using a length of soft tubing to it's above the level of everything in the system?
 
Yeah seems too hot
Though that's probably only a ddc pump in the xd3
Just to be clear
Your loop order is going
Pump/res outlet on the left
To radiator
From radiator to gpu
From gpu to top radiator
From top radiator into left port on cpu block
Out right port of cpu block into right port on pump/res

And if you use a long length of soft Tubing to fill
You will end up with coolant in it
Making detaching that bit of Tubing a PITA

I would have used a multi port radiator at the top
And used the extra ports for filling and bleeding the air out

First thing I would check
Are you definitely using in and out ports correctly
The xd3 is right
The gpu block normally doesn't have a set in and out
Though can only speak for the ones I have used
Can't guarantee 100% of gpu blocks are the same
Your cpu block I don't know as don't know exact model number
Some have the inlet on left some on right
 
68 deg on the GPU under full load isn't a worry. 90 deg on the CPU is though. As others have said, do you have the fluid direction such that it flows into the CPU block on the left hand side? That is the inlet.

I'd echo what @Black Noir said: are you sure you took the protective film off the CPU block?

Regarding the filling of the loop, you need (as @Bubo said) to rock the system around to clear any air locks. It doesn't much matter how you fill it, you'll still have air locks that you can clear by tilting the system through various angles.
 
Yes 68c on the gpu certainly won't hurt it at all
But to me it's indicative that something isn't
Quite right
I only have a 2080ti so not a direct comparison
But overclocked to just over 2ghz
And 50c while heavy gaming
3900x cinebench hits about 68c from memory
That's at stock no undervolt either
But all my fans are only at 1000 rpm not max speed
And my pumps at 75%
 
Have you tried re-seating the CPU block? The fact you're only overheating the CPU and not the GPU (even before you sorted the in/out error) suggests to me that it's a bad mount.

Some waterblocks come with different size pegs for AMD/Intel compatibility but regardless, even if you've got the right ones you may have poor contact on the IHS.
 
@Black Noir I would say they are actually overheating the gpu
Just it's not as noticeable with gpus as cpus
Assuming the gpu is still at 68c after they moved it
To the other port
Not that reseating the cpu is a bad idea
Just wouldn't be first thing on my list

@mk1_salami the xd3 has a coolant temperature probe doesn't it?
Knowing what your coolant temp is would be useful

And you have 2 exhaust fans
Does that mean all radiator fans are intake?
Personally I put my top radiator fans as exhaust
 
Mcnumpty2323 said:
And you have 2 exhaust fans
Does that mean all radiator fans are intake?
Personally I put my top radiator fans as exhaus
Click to expand...

If he has 2x exhaust then having all the radiators as intake would actually create positive pressure and be better for temps (and dust!).

You want more intake than exhaust with watercooling as a rule of thumb.

68C under load is high but doesn't suggest an issue with the GPU. That may well be the temp after hammering a synthetic benchmark for 2hrs in which case I'd say it's reasonable. I have that exact card under water and it peaks around 50C using triple 360 rads. Also, if the CPU block isn't mounted correctly then don't forget he's outputting 90C+ heat in to the loop which will be causing the whole loop temp to rise.

Check the CPU as that's the smoking gun here.
 
Yeah to be fair
I have 3 radiators and only 1 exhaust fan at the rear
That's partly why I exhaust my top radiator
Was just thinking that top exhaust he has
May be somewhat disrupting the airflow from the front radiator
Assuming the rad is intake

The airflow probably isn't top of the list either anyway
And checking with the side panel off
May answer airflow

You may be right about the cpu
Might not have mounted the block flat
ie tightened one screw fully down before doing next screw etc
hard to tell if dont know how much experience they have

Guess once the op answers some of the asked questions
We may have more idea what's going on
 
mk1_salami said:
For filling the loop, I am just squeezing the fluid into the top of the res using one of these: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-water-blocks-filling-bottle-1000ml-wc-9ej-ek.html

Should I be using a length of soft tubing to it's above the level of everything in the system?
Click to expand...

The bit of flexible tubing connected to the fill port with a barb or compression fitting will allow you to fill the res while you have it on its side and also rock it about while you hold the end of the tube such that noting is going to come out. It can still be tricky however, as the air coming back to the res from the rads will have to find its way out through the tube, so it can be a slow process, but it will give you the best chance of getting all air out of the system, you'll just have to fill a little bit each time and let the air go up the flexi tube after blipping the pump. Also, don't worry about being left with a quantity of fluid in the tube after you have finished bleeding, as you can simply suck that out with a syringe until the level drops back into the res, then remove the flexi tube. The way you have your rads set up, I would say it will be the top rad which will have the most air left in with your current method, that is the one which will benefit most from rocking the case. As I say. laying it on its side will be your best bet.
 
Sorry, quoted wrong comment.
At first glance I assumed it was a regular block. If that is the case, in and out should be left and right, doesn’t matter if on top, bottom or a mix of this. But should be left and right.
Looking more carefully now, I guess it is an active backplate.
My guess is wrong screws. I’ll look of I find when I reported issues with my 3090 ages ago.
 
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Also remember, CPU blocks generally have in and out. GPU blocks, may or may not. For EK, most new blocks will say either way, but I tend to use the in at the channel that goes straight over the GPU die.
Lately, as I prefer soft tubing when watercooling, I tend to go from pump/reservoir to GPU, GPU to top exhaust, then CPU, and when another rad or two available, to them and back to reservoir.
As I use the PC almost exclusively for gaming, the GPU is the main offender, reason I prioritise exhausting almost all its heat as soon as possible. The other radiators I usually have as intake, as heat from the CPU usually won’t be as bad as the GPU, and won’t affect much internal temperature.
For hard tubing is a different story. Even more complicated when using a distro plate.
In your case, you have good rad area.
Checking closely, I assume you’re using the active backplate?
If that is correct, then it is correct, both to the same side. But you may have the same issue I had when they first release the block and I used the wrong screws.
If I remember well, they send long, medium and short screws. The correct ones were the medium sized ones. The long ones won’t give the correct pressure.
 

EK active backplate short screws, be aware

Took delivery of the active backplate Saturday. Went to install today. Replaces the Alphacool waterblock with the EK one. Breeze. But the backplate... 2 hours taking apart and putting all together again... The issue, which is being reported around, is that the provided screws, M2.5*8mm, are...
forums.overclockers.co.uk forums.overclockers.co.uk
Here. It was in fact too short.
Unable to fit the waterblock properly.
 
The 4 front fans are intake, and the rest are exhaust (2x 120mm case fans) and 2x Static Pressure 140mm radiator fans.

Since fixing the inlet / outlet on the 3090 I'm seeing max GPU temps around 64c with 3dmark on loop. The CPU still hits 90c almost immediately on Cinebench r23 but the boost speeds are strong (4.55ghz) and a multi-core score of 22500, which seems about right. I'm using PBO with -15 curve.

I guess I could drain the loop (COMPLETE PAIN IN THE ARSE) and re-seat the CPU block. Might even be worth checking contact on the GPU too. I just hate draining this loop and re-filling.
 
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