Where are my vrms?

HankScorpio · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:27

Hello I'm just installing my new vga cooler and can't seem to locate my vrms to stick the heat spreader on.

Can someone show me where they are? Are they those capacitors or should I remove this silver heat spreader strip thingy?

http://imgur.com/7byQt,M3CTN#0

Jokester · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:28

The vrms are under the silver heatsink.

HankScorpio · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:30

Ah thanks, Should I remove this and apply the one that came with the cooler?

Jokester · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:32

Probably not worth the bother if it fits on with the original.

HankScorpio · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:34

ok cheers. I think there's some vrms left of the capacitors, so I'll use it on those exposed instead?

Jokester · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:35

Nah, they're not anything to worry about.

HankScorpio · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:38

ok cheers

Uncle Petey · 6 Oct 2012 at 14:53

Which 7970 is that mate? I thought they had red/pink capacitors next to the vrm's and the 7950's had blue ones.
What cooler did you go for btw?

pgi947 · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:01

Uncle Petey said:
Which 7970 is that mate? I thought they had red/pink capacitors next to the vrm's and the 7950's had blue ones.
What cooler did you go for btw?

I think:

Standard ref 7970 PCB (1 blank VRM bank) = Red/pink caps
'OC' ref 7970 PCB (all VRM banks full) = blue caps.

HankScorpio · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:06

VTX edition X mate.

can I just ask about applying the thermal paste to the gpu. Do I spread it all over the heatsink or apply a pea/line like on cpus? It is PK3 stuff

pgi947 · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:09

Just put a thin line down the middle of the chip or a blob in the middle.

mmj_uk · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:16

Just FYI the stock heatsink cools the following components as well:

http://i.imgur.com/4ulOS.jpg

They are the same sort of components as the VRM's under the heatsink but I don't know exactly what they are.

Jokester · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:18

Possibly the vrms for the RAM at a guess.

romper76 · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:22

what cooler are you going to use? i have vtx 7970 also and i was wondering if the stock vrm heat sink would fit under the Arctic Accelero Xtreme heatsink. please post your temps after fitting!

HankScorpio · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:24

meh I've got nothing to cover that. Plus it's all done now

http://imgur.com/HXhUL

tommybhoy · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:38

HankScorpio said:
meh I've got nothing to cover that. Plus it's all done now

http://imgur.com/HXhUL

You need to cover that with a heatsink, or you won't have your gpu long at all.

romper76 · 6 Oct 2012 at 15:50

good god! that heatsink is ****ing huge! as said above the vrms need cooling!!! or your card will die.

Fully star out all swearing in future. Thank you.

tommybhoy · 6 Oct 2012 at 17:21

There are few heatsinks needing covered in the pic below:

HankScorpio · 7 Oct 2012 at 00:45

Ok so first test didn't go so well and I think it's because the fans aren't responding to fancontrol. I put it at 100% and literally cannot hear any noise increase compared to when it's at 20%. Hence temps start off well, currently 29c, so if I overclock and up volts they slowly rise until core is hitting 70c+ and vram1 temp on gpuz is hitting 100c!
(Vram+VRM temps currently 27+29c) 1% load

Also above pic that heatsink on the right side I ran out of individual modules since the vram surrounding the gpu took them all up and don't have anymore to spare, apart from a single strip of vrm heatspreader. only 1 was required when I removed the stock heatsink.

Will do some more testing in the morning, I might have connected the fans wrong, though there are only 2 sockets on the splitter into the gpu...

HankScorpio · 7 Oct 2012 at 01:04

tommybhoy said:
You need to cover that with a heatsink, or you won't have your gpu long at all.

What do you mean? The vrm heatsink? I already did, look to the right-ish side. There are 2 provided but only 1 would fit.

http://imgur.com/2SbC6

On another note I'm mightily relieved this fitted into my case. I made the measurements and assumed I would just have a few mm to spare and boy did I...

Here it is in the case, a CM scout.... looking good!

http://imgur.com/I9kzJ

Eeep... so close!

http://imgur.com/lrWie

Case closed woho! Had to remove the bottom side fan though of course...

http://imgur.com/DGQdf

This card has doubled in weight now though and is quite wide. not sure about xf now. Oh also when I turned it on the clips holding the fans on were hitting the fanblades ratatatatatatatatatatfriiiipppp! I've got them hanging by their hinges atm, so will try and sort out the fan control and these clips tomorrow.

http://imgur.com/0AsQi