Cuplex XT di cooled Q6600 - TOO HOT!

[Mick64]

I would really appreciate some advice before I spend any more money.
I built my rig around a Q6600. Initially it was air cooled with a Titan Amanda and I was able to overclock to 3.6ghz (450x8). I then decided to watercool. I purchased an XSPC Bay Reservoir, DDC pump with Alphacool top, 2x XSPC RS120 rads with Sharkoon eagle 1000 fans, an Aquacomputer Cuplex XT di waterblock, piped with 1/2 inch tubing and I'm using Feser one coolant. After installing the loop, I was disappointed to find that my CPU temperatures were no better than with the Amanda and I was unable to overclock any higher. I decided to modify my loop, which also entailed modifying my case. I purchased an XSPC RS240 rad and 4x Sharkoon eagle 1000 fans. I cut holes on either side of my case to allow air flow from on side to the other. I mounted the RS240 rad vertically between the holes with the 4 Sharkoon fans in a push pull configuration. I thought this must make a difference to my temps. Not a lot! It did bring them down a little when stressed, but idle was more or less the same, but I was able to increase my overclock to 3.7ghz. I then though, perhaps it's the pump, perhaps it's not enough flow? So I purchased a Swiftech MCP655 Pump and swapped it with the DDC. Still next to know difference! Can anybody give me some idea where I'm going wrong? I have some ideas of my own, but I'm still new to this game and need some help. Could it be that the Cuplex waterblock is too restrictive for the type of rads I'm using? Are the Sharkoon eagle fans unsuitable for cooling my rads? Is it because the CPU has a high VID of 1.275 volts and I have to increase the voltage to around 1.5 volts to get it stable? Is it a combination of these or something else? If anyone can throw some light on this matter I would be truly grateful. Please have a look at the pix below and let me know what you think. :shrug:

My original loop:-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/Case01.jpg

With case mods and double rad:-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0137.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0154.jpg

My loop as it now with Swiftech pump:-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0208.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0206.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0196.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0205.jpg

Idle temps after an hour plus:-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/Idle-3704ghz.jpg

Stress temps after an hour :-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/Prime-3704ghz.jpg

[Eddie3dfx]

First let me say that your build is very nice and compact.
I also think you need higher rpm fans or better fans.
I would go for 2 38mm 2000rpm fans and then use a fan controller to adjust for speed/temps/sound.
I am not sure a 38mm would fit your front, as it would probably hit the pad for your pump.

[septim]

temps looks pretty hot in there... have you remounted yet?

also try and change fans, to higher rpm type. sflex-f 1600rpm (medium speed) and fan controller to undervolt them... 1000 rpm constant is rather weak airflow even in push pull... this is why medium speed or higher speed fans then undervolting is recommended...

also is there any air flow from the front of your case to that 2*120 rad? maybe you're exhausting warm air through the rad, as this could also effect your temps somewhat...
you may also want to draw in your case air flow...

[Mick64]

The double rad should have plenty of cool air flow, well at least ambient, as there is another hole in the other side of the case. The single rad probably does have warmer air going through it, as it is venting air from the case, but I have reversed the flow through the top fan to give it a supply of cooler air. I know this fan is normally used as a vent fan, but reversing it did have a positive effect on temps, including the system temp. There is a fan at the front blowing air in over the HD's and Graphics card that is flowing out through the vents at the back. I would have to relocate my new pump or go back to my DDC to mount deeper fans; I would also have to remount my rad. I have tried remounting the processor and I have lapped the heat spreader which seamed to have little effect. Can anyone recommend a suitable 25mm deep fan?

[SoulsCollective]

1.5V is quite a bit, you have to remember, and it is a quad we're talking about here.

For 120*25mm fans I'd recommend Noctua P12s if you're after something quiet but powerful. Noctua make great fans that run extremely quiet. Other recommendations would be Scythe S-Flex "F" models, they're noisier than the P12s but also put out more air for when you need to crank them up. Either of these combined with a fan controller should help your temps.

[cka3o4nuk]

Mick64 rotate the wb 90 deg.

[Giannis86]

personally i believe that you need to get better fans to get some more performance from that rad..you could try a better rad (possibly a mcr) with some decent fans too

you could also try to put your hand close to the rad to feel if the air is warm or not..it could be that there is bad contact of the block with the cpu, maybe a bubble trapped in the block.

[Martinm210]

You need to reverse the direction on the double rad fans, you're cooling it with hot PSU air the way it is there. It's always best to draw air IN from the cool outside.

The same goes for the rear mounted fan on the single radiator, but that one is going to be hard to get cold air regardless because you have the hot PSU exhausting down below in the back.. At least try the double reversed.

[Mick64]

Thanks for the suggestions and comments so far!

There seems to be a lot of talk about the fans, which I didn't thing was that much of a factor. I will defiantly think about changing them, although I would really like to keep the noise to a minimum. Hence the Sharkoon fans...

I would have liked to have used a deeper rad, but space is a little restricted because of my large power supply, and I'm not going to be replacing that just yet. However, it may be possible to squeeze in a deeper rad if I only use two fans, and it may be possible to use the deeper fans as well. This is something a may consider, but only if I'm convinced that my temps will improve.

I don't think I need to reverse the direction of the fans as there is plenty of cool airflow coming in from the front and the side of the case. The PSU has a fan at the rear of the case so the airflow will be going away from the rad. In fact, I designed it this way because I didn't want the hot air from the rad being drawn into the PSU. (See pix below)

I don't think there is a problem with mounting of the waterblock either. The coolant is getting quite warm, up to 33'c under normal use, and the air from the rad is warm also.

cka3o4nuk, why do you think there would be an advantage rotating the waterblock by 90'?

I'm surprised to see that there is no mention of the Cuplex waterblock. I have read elsewhere on this forum that this waterblock is very restrictive. Does anyone think that this could be an issue? Would I be better off with a less restrictive waterblock?

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0215.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/AirFlowDiag.jpg

[nikhsub1]

I don't think I need to reverse the direction of the fans as there is plenty of cool airflow coming in from the front and the side of the case. The PSU has a fan at the rear of the case so the airflow will be going away from the rad. In fact, I designed it this way because I didn't want the hot air from the rad being drawn into the PSU. (See pix below)

I don't think there is a problem with mounting of the waterblock either. The coolant is getting quite warm, up to 33'c under normal use, and the air from the rad is warm also.

cka3o4nuk, why do you think there would be an advantage rotating the waterblock by 90'?

I'm surprised to see that there is no mention of the Cuplex waterblock. I have read elsewhere on this forum that this waterblock is very restrictive. Does anyone think that this could be an issue? Would I be better off with a less restrictive waterblock?


Please don't say you don't think you need to do this or that, we know more than you on the subject... I don't understand getting advice and then saying, "Naw, I don't think so". You never know until you try. Using case air to cool a rad is BAD JUJU. With that said, you do need to reverse the fans... especially the fan on the 120 rad closest to the CPU... that rad is getting hella hot air. Also, check to MAKE SURE you are plumbed right on the DI block, there is a dedicated INLET and outlet, if you have the tubes on wrong your temps will suffer.

[Mick64]

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just thought you hadn't realized that I had cut a hole in the other side panel. I will be taking the advise, thats why I'm here...

Thanks nikhsub1, I believe you are responsible for carrying out the tests on the Cuplex WB, great work! My inlet and outlet are defiantly the right way round and I will try reversing the flow of my fans.

I take it you don't think there is an issue with the Cuplex? I was thinking the flow rate may be too low for my narrow rads. What do you think?

[NaeKuh]

Please don't say you don't think you need to do this or that, we know more than you on the subject... .

:rofl:
:ROTF:
:rofl:

scott what do you think ive been dealing with lately. :up:

[nikhsub1]

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just thought you hadn't realized that I had cut a hole in the other side panel. I will be taking the advise, thats why I'm here...

Thanks nikhsub1, I believe you are responsible for carrying out the tests on the Cuplex WB, great work! My inlet and outlet are defiantly the right way round and I will try reversing the flow of my fans.

I take it you don't think there is an issue with the Cuplex? I was thinking the flow rate may be too low for my narrow rads. What do you think?
No offense taken... takes a LOT to offend me. I don't think it is the block... unless you have a bad mount... the block is very good. I would try to rotate it 90 degrees as suggested before, but try ONE thing at a time so you can nail down the culprit. If you go and change too much at once, you won't know what worked. I would first, switch the fans, ALWAYS have them draw air IN from the outside... the air temp difference will be minimal in terms of 'heating' up the inside of the case. Try to reverse fans without disturbing too much... see how this affects temps. I would then REMOUNT and see. I would next rotate the block 90 degrees... the reason for the rotation is that the block may cool better on a quad depending on the orientation, I have seen big differences in the past so it is worth a shot.

:rofl:
:ROTF:
:rofl:

scott what do you think ive been dealing with lately. :up:
Yeah I know... most of the time I scratch my head and move on without posting, you know the old saying, "if you don't have anything nice to say..."

[Mick64]

It seems like I've put my foot in it? I really want to improve my cooling and I really appreciate any advise you can give me. It was just a missunderstanding...

Can you tell me what you think of the Cuplex waterblock?

[nikhsub1]

It seems like I've put my foot in it? I really want to improve my cooling and I really appreciate any advise you can give me. It was just a missunderstanding...

Can you tell me what you think of the Cuplex waterblock?
I think the DI is the most incredible piece of metal I have seen in a LONG time. Certainly the most impressive WB I have ever seen. It is a museum piece in engineering and machining IMO. It's price and restrictiveness (and lack of a step or a bow) are what keep it from being more popular IMO.

Is your loop newly installed? Reason I ask is that if the block has been in service as while, it could be clogged and/or dirty.

[NaeKuh]

heh.. and im getting mine stepped. :D

so it should be fun.

[BlueAqua]

I love the Cuplex DI, it's a beauty. It's nice to see a few more around here. Your pump is fine for that block so don't worry about that. You could always try a few different mounts and varying amounts of thermal paste to check for inconsistencies.

[Mick64]

It's been in service since the beginning of May, although I have drained and refilled the loop several times. How much effect does stepping or bowing have on temps? I have lapped my CPU heat spreader, but this didn't seem to make much difference. How much work is involved with adding a step or bow to the WB?

[RickCain]

I would rotate the block 90 too as mine was never mounted in the fashion you have right now. You also want to take it apart to ensure nothing is clogged as several people have seen internal problems right out the box.

[eXa]

Can u messure the water temp?

Edit: Btw... u can also move the 120 rad to the front where u had one before. then it can get fresh air and the fans in the back can exhaust the air.

[Mick64]

Thanks a lot for all the great advice! I will defiantly be reversing my fans and then I'll try remounting in various orientations, before I spend another penny!

Will have a problem mounting the rad at the front, because I have no where to put my HD's....

I have a very inacurate way of measuring my water temp, See Pic...;)

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0176.jpg

[NaeKuh]

Thanks allot for all the great advice! I will defiantly be reversing my fans and then I'll try remounting in various orientations, before I spend another penny!

Will have a problem mounting the rad at the front, because I have no where to put my HD's....

I have a very inacurate way of measuring my water temp, See Pic...




ROFLROFLROFL

im sorry i had to laugh at this.

Love the way you tried to bring out the aquarium style. Those dont work on arcylic. It takes the ambient messurement more then the water temp. Thats why it says on glass is recomended. :P

[Mick64]

I know, don't apologize, I just had it laying around. It does give me some idea of temperature increase though.....

I'm really happy that there haven't been any negative comments about the Cuplex di. I think it's a beauty! I was afraid that this was the route of my problems.....

[NaeKuh]

I know, don't apologize, I just had it laying around. It does give me some idea of temperature increase though.....

I'm really happy that there haven't been any negative comments about the Cuplex di. I think it's a beauty! I was afraid that this was the route of my problems.....

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p73/aigomorla/IMG_1097.jpg

Im smiling for ya. :D

Its a wonderful block. Needs some tweeks to it. And martin is doing them for me. :wasntme:

Anyhow, when it comes to toys, i dont think theres many people on this forum that can top me. :rofl:

[Mick64]

Nice one NaeKuh :D How are you getting yours stepped?

[NaeKuh]

Nice one NaeKuh :D How are you getting yours stepped?

Classified.

id have to kill you if you found out. :rofl:

[Mick64]

NaeKuh, or anyone come to that, can you at least give me an idea of what the step should look like? It just so happens that I have access to a machine shop and this is something I may be able to get done if it's going to improve my temps :D

[NaeKuh]

NaeKuh, or anyone come to that, can you at least give me an idea of what the step should look like? It just so happens that I have access to a machine shop and this is something I may be able to get done if it's going to improve my temps :D

best thing to do is wait then.

Martin has 2 cuplex's right now.

one being mine, and he will step mine.

Pm me in a few months after martin has run the test.

Im not gonna post anymore info like this out. Everyone (including some vendors) thinks im a noob, so i'll keep my noob ideas to myself. :D
Also this is really scott's idea (nikhsub1).
And i dont like the fact that no one is getting credit (acknowledgement is what i was looking for) for things we experiement on anymore.


To be honest this will probably be my last cpu block test. Im going phase next year, because the shift on water product has been geared to bling. Not something im happy about.

[Mick64]

OK. Didn't mean to pry, look forward to the results.

I think that anyone who takes the time to test new hardware and post the results for everyones benefit deserves maximum respect, and should get the credit for radical improvements. :up:

[NaeKuh]

credit for radical improvements. :up:

which is why im keeping scott's test a secret.

IF he wants to disclose it, its his call.

However, martin will have the results on his liquidpro website.


I maybe a little childish, but, it gets tiring after the 10th person talks to you like you no nothing and the vendor knows everything.

Sorry, but vendors dont have access to all the parts some of us plays with.

Oh just to note, vendors = manufacters like swiftech, ek, dd, d-tek.

I still have the absolute respect for some of them. And all respect still goes out to retailers.

Alex = irreplaceable!!

[Mick64]

It seems like this thread has digressed slightly. I'm still open to suggestions,comments and advice regarding my loop. I'll try the things out that have already been suggested and post the results here. I'm really hoping that I get the temps down without having to spend any more readies. :D

[Martinm210]

It seems like this thread has digressed slightly. I'm still open to suggestions,comments and advice regarding my loop. I'll try the things out that have already been suggested and post the results here. I'm really hoping that I get the temps down without having to spend any more readies. :D

Try the fan reversal, check to make sure your pump is at setting 5, and make sure the inlet/outlet is correct, pull the block and check the thermal past contact, if all else fails pull the block apart and check for plugging if you're still questioning flow, get a 5 gallon bucket and check the flow rate with a stopwatch...it's really easy...Volume over unit of time.

It's a good block, I tested one on a D5 already so I know it's not too restrictive for that pump to do well.

The only way you can make improvements on any water cooling system is to experiement and try some different things....there are always too many variables for any one thing to be perfect for every setup.

[BlazinTiger]

isnt the cuplex built for low flow?...maybe switch to a high flow block? maybe d-tek fuzion v2 id guess...:shrug:

[BlueAqua]

isnt the cuplex built for low flow?...maybe switch to a high flow block? maybe d-tek fuzion v2 id guess...:shrug:

It will work with low flow, but will work better with higher flow. The more flow the better is a good rule of thumb.

[NaeKuh]

It will work with low flow, but will work better with higher flow. The more flow the better is a good rule of thumb.

lol...

you got your variables mixed up.

It is a low flow block. However its a high pressure block.

You want pressure on those injectors so you get that blasting effect.

The cuplex is an excellent block. The only short coming it has is a flat base vs. bowed base.

So if unbowed vs bowed ApogeeGT can pull almost 5C. The stepped cuplex + RD-30 will stomp my supreme + RD-30.

This is what im guessing by stepping the base.


Rofl if AC does step it, what would they call it? the Cuplex DI XT-S?

[BlueAqua]

Gosh, so quick to jump on someone's statement Naekuh. haha

I don't have my variables mixed up. I bet if you have higher flow through that block the driving force (pressure) has to be higher than a lower flow (lower pressure) pump. It's all relative.

However, I'm not stating that pumps only have a single characteristic of flow, I know pumps have multiple properties that make different pumps desirable in different applications.

You could have a positive displacement pump with an enormous amount of pressure but the flow rate would suck and yield undesirable results.

The thing is, you need both good pressure and flow.

[BlueAqua]

damn I quoted my own post, oops.

[NaeKuh]

damn I quoted my own post, oops.

:rofl:


yeah your right. Usually flow and pressure are contrast. :P

More flow means less pressure. And vice versa.

[Shadowtester]

:rofl:


yeah your right. Usually flow and pressure are contrast. :P

More flow means less pressure. And vice versa.

That is true for centrifugal pumps which most if not all water cooling pumps used in computers are however that does not hold true for a positive displacement pump. Its volume will be constant until max discharge pressure is reached.

[septim]

well instead of posting, i think its time for you to power down the PC, redo what ever you need to redo, and retest your temperature and tell us which steps you did to improved your temps...

1. higher rpm fans re-oriented push and/or pull
2. re-orient cuplex DI top outlet, bottom inlet style
3. bigger pump like an RD30 and it's PSU...

[Mick64]

I was just wondering, can anybody give me some idea of what temps I should expect after I've made the improvements? (Idle & Stress) :rolleyes: Thanks...

[Mick64]

Low to mid 50's across the cores would be good depending on the ambient room temp and the core voltage your running. At least that's what I was getting on my bench. And that's with Coretemp doing the temps with 100c for t-j-max.

andyc

Is that idle or stress? :confused:

[Mick64]

Stage 1 complete! I reversed the fans today. Sadly, no real difference in temps. :shakes: I will try remounting the waterblock next. :yepp:

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0233.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0241.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0232.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0238.jpg

This is 1 hour after a 1 hour Prime stress test. :mad: Note the Max temp of 81'C, this was during the stress test...

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/R-Fans-3704ghz.jpg

[NaeKuh]

are those sharkoon golfballs?

[Mick64]

are those sharkoon golfballs?

Yep!

[eXa]

Did u reverse the fan on the 120.1 rad?

[Mick64]

Yes, and the vent fan at the top....

[RickCain]

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0238.jpg



You are SURE that the barb on the left of this picture is your inlet? I almost get the feeling, based on tracing your tubing, that your incoming water is on the right barb.

[Mick64]

100% load. Let me know what you come up with after your changes. This is when the fun starts, tweaking and tracking down issues for optimal perfomance.

gl,

andyc

Low 50's stressed! :eek: Thats what I'm getting Idle. There must be something drastically wrong with my loop! :(

[Mick64]

You are SURE that the barb on the left of this picture is your inlet? I almost get the feeling, based on tracing your tubing, that your incoming water is on the right barb.

My inlet is on the left in the picture. The sequence of my loop is:-

Reservoir - Pump - Double 120 Rad - Waterblock - Single 120 Rad - Reservoir

[NaeKuh]

backplate and more pressure on the mount.

i cant think of anything else.

[Martinm210]

Just noticed you're using the side inlet on that top...it's not good and will make the pump perform worse than the stock top, I tested that.

Never use the side inlets unless you absolutely have to.

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7251/ddc32sideinletpqcompariyb1.png

[septim]

martin i think he has a d5/mcp655 as pump for now, based on his latest pictures...

i think he has weak fans, that if you graph it, you'd have a straight horizontal line, meaning can't cool no more with just 1000rpm golfballs...

[Waterlogged]

Yeah I know... most of the time I scratch my head and move on without posting, you know the old saying, "if you don't have anything nice to say..."

:yepp: Find myself doing this more and more. This place seems to be quickly becoming X[H]. :rolleyes::shakes:

[Mick64]

Does anybody else agree that the Sharkoon fans are not ideal for cooling my rads? If so, a few more recommendations, with stat's if possible, for alternative fans would be appreciated (preferably 25mm depth and quiet). As I have mentioned previously, I don't won't to spend much more money unless I know I'm going to get some benefit. :up:

[Mick64]

backplate and more pressure on the mount.

i cant think of anything else.

I do happen to have a backplate that I could use, that came with the Amanda.

How much pressure are you talking about?

Whats the best way to increase it?

Would I need different springs?

[cka3o4nuk]

http://lh4.ggpht.com/cka3o4nuk/R4zYvuLhZCI/AAAAAAAAAbc/mwho8mMGu_4/s800/DSC00083.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/cka3o4nuk/Working/photo#5155733987794183202)
mount it only like that the other way is wrong

[Coldon]

i'd recommend the yate loon fans, they push a decent amount of air and are dirt cheap. i think PPCs has them for around $5 a fan. I'm running 3 of the thin ones (25mm) on my radiator at 7v and its keeping my hardware at around 38-40 full load. thats with the 8800 GTX on full load.

maybe try get rid of the single rad and run with just the dual... a dual should more than enough to cool just your cpu. i don't think the extra restriction in your loop is helping.

[Mick64]

Thanks cka3o4nuk, I am defiantly going to remount in that orientation.


maybe try get rid of the single rad and run with just the dual... a dual should more than enough to cool just your cpu. i don't think the extra restriction in your loop is helping.

Thanks Coldon, it won't cost me anything to try running without the single rad. It's defiantly something I will put on my TO DO list...:D

[RickCain]

Thanks cka3o4nuk, I am defiantly going to remount in that orientation.



Thanks Coldon, it won't cost me anything to try running without the single rad. It's defiantly something I will put on my TO DO list...:D

Make sure you have a backplate too so you can really clamp down on the CPU. You will notice that in the different position, the block sprays water between the two cores instead of over 1/2 of each.

[Mick64]

I was just wondering if this throws any light on the matter. When I first boot my PC, the temperature reads around 40'C straight away, this is with cold/ambient water. I have a feeling that there is almost definitely a problem with the mount. Any comments? Can anyone give me some start-up temps for comparison? :confused:

[nikhsub1]

You haven't remounted yet?

[Mick64]

And what happensd afterwards? Do the temps slowly creep up higher and higher? If so, that's a rad or cooling capacity issue. not mounting issue. Usually comes from not enough rad capacity or fans spinning to slow to extract the heat from the rad. Or ambient temps climbing in the case and building apon one another.

andyc

The temps slowly creep up to around 48-52'C if left to idle. :down: When you say 'not enough rad capacity' I take it you mean a bigger rad or more rads. It has been suggested that I should try removing my small rad as the double 120 rad should be enough to cool my CPU. Any comments? You also say that it could be my fans spinning too slow. It has also been suggested that my Sharkoon fans, spinning at 1000rpm, are not sufficient. I would just like to know if you think replacing the fans, with something like Noctua P12s, will be enough or do suggest I replace the rad as well?:confused:

[Mick64]

You haven't remounted yet?

No, not yet. Haven't got a lot of time at the moment. Will post results as soon as I have....

[Mick64]

I've had a little look at the suggested fans. The Noctua P12s look right up my street, quiet and powerful, but expensive. The Yate Loons are cheap and powerful, but a bit too noisy. Any other suggestions? As I said before, I would like to keep my PC as quiet as possible. :D

[Coldon]

i have 3 yate loons on 7v i can barely hear them, even up close. I'd suggest saving yourself some cash.

Just go back home and remount - easy money says that's your problem! I'm running a wolfdale with high voltage and a 8800gtx on a triple rad with the fans on low and its keeping my temps around 40. so a dual rad will handle a quad perfectly fine.

[Mick64]

OK, thanks for all your input. :up: You can never do enough research!
Don't know when I'll be able to remount, I'm a little busy at the moment. Just grabbing 5 min's here and there to check this thread. Hopefully it shouldn't be too long though. I'm eager to get my temps down! :yepp:

[septim]

yates d120SM medium speed, or scythe sflex-f 1600rpm, and a good fan controller to tone it down to 7-8v...

[Mick64]

Managed to remount yesterday and rotated the WB by 90' but had no time to check the result. Today I put it through its paces. Idle temps were defiantly lower. After about half an hour about ten degrees lower. With this much difference, I thought it would be a good idea to drop the core voltage a little, which should also bring the temps down further. After 1 hour and 17 minutes the temps seem to be stable at 42'C, thats a whopping 13'C lower. :up: I then ran a stress test with Prime95 for about 2 hours, as you can see from the screen-shots below, the max temps never went above 69'C thats 12'C lower than before. :D Well, I'm quite amazed at the difference rotating the waterblock has made. I'm much happier with these temps although I've decided to replace the Sharkoons with some Yate Loons, which should improve things still further. I'm also going to take out the single rad to see what effect this has on temps. :yepp:

Thanks again for all your help, and if there are any further developments I'll post them here. :clap:

Remounted the waterblock :-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0247.jpg

Idle Temps :-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/Idle-3704ghz-RM.jpg

Stress Temps :-

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/Prime-3704ghz-RM02.jpg

[septim]

you may leave that single rad there, just change out the fans. every cooling surface helps... do post more results after changing out fans...

[RickCain]

Nice results!

Not sure if it was the rotation or remount but good news. I would say that pumping 1.5v on a Q6600, your temps are good.

[Coldon]

glad things are working out for you!

i still say swap out the fans, then remove the single rad and see it there is any difference in the temps, i really don't think that extra restriction in your loop is worth it.

[Mick64]

Thanks for the comments. I've ordered the YL,s and I'll let you know the results when I have them fitted. It won't hurt to take out my single rad to see if it makes a difference. I have a feeling it's not helping the cooling very much because of the warm air rising up the back of my case from the PSU, and as Coldon says, I might get some improvement due to less restriction. If it is helping, I'll just put it back... :D

[Mick64]

Received and fitted the YL's the other day and wired them to my fan controller. Even with the fans at full speed there was no difference in idle or load temps. :( Disappointed! Expected to see some improvement. :down: Removed the single rad yesterday and surprisingly, this made no difference to temps either? :confused: As the only change which has made a difference was remounting, I can only assume that the Cuplex di is at the limit of its cooling capacity for the amount of heat that Q6600 is pumping out. I think I'll try a couple more remounts, but I'm eager to see if stepping the WB has positive effect. This is something that I'm sure will improve my temps! :up:

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0250.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0256.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0253.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0255.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0252.jpg

[RickCain]

Have you tried lowering the voltage on your CPU to see what that does? 1.5 is pretty high.

[NaeKuh]

correct me if im wrong tho. But i always understood,

sharkoon golfballs > yates. Only 2 fans are better the golfballs. One being the uber expensive Empapst.

this is what i remember. Why you get rid of your golfballs?

[Mick64]

Have you tried lowering the voltage on your CPU to see what that does? 1.5 is pretty high.

I have actually dropped the voltage to around 1.46 volts. With an OC of 3.7ghz, I can't go any lower without it becoming unstable when stressed. If I can't get my temps any lower, I will probably have to reduce my OC! :down: This would mean that I have spent a large amount of time, effort and cash on watercooling and not gained anything over my original Titan Amanda TEC cooler. NOT HAPPY! :mad:

[Mick64]

correct me if im wrong tho. But i always understood,

sharkoon golfballs > yates. Only 2 fans are better the golfballs. One being the uber expensive Empapst.

this is what i remember. Why you get rid of your golfballs?

Hi NaeKuh, I'm no expert on fans. I was just doing what I was advised. The YL's have made no difference either way, good or bad... :shrug: :shakes:

[septim]

naekuh he had the 1000rpm golfballs on the rad.

now i see you have some 2000rpm golfballs, could you try that with the rads please.

i didn't want to recommend another pump yet.

[Mick64]

naekuh he had the 1000rpm golfballs on the rad.

now i see you have some 2000rpm golfballs, could you try that with the rads please.

i didn't want to recommend another pump yet.

I have only got three 2000rpm golfballs, one of which was on the single 120 rad, the other two are cooling the case. Most of the time I would only have them running at 1000rpm anyway because they are quite noisy above this speed. I'm quite happy with the YL's. Even at full speed they are not as noisy as I expected and I really don't want to be changing them again.

As for the pump, I have no intention of changing it. This is the second pump I have tried and it didn't make a difference to the temps.

I'm sure that my loop should perform better than it is, and I have a feeling that there may be an issue with the Cuplex. Before remounting again, I think I will remove the WB and strip it down to make sure that everything is OK and it isn't clogged.

[Snyxxx]

Mick64,

Sorry for your problem. Seems the only way to really test what is going on is to change your CPU clock. This would tell you if it is the DI or not.

[Martinm210]

I would recommend buying a cheap $10 aquarium thermometer (http://cgi.ebay.com/Aquarium-Digital-Thermometer-Fish-Tank-Water_W0QQitemZ190236265667QQihZ009QQcategoryZ2075 4QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)with temperature probe and measuring your water temperature.
http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/8192012/aview/fishthermo.jpg
You can buy these at many local pet supply stores as well like PETCO, etc.

You can also use this probe to scope out just how "warm" the air might be going into the radiator. Sometimes simple things like where the computer sits can have a huge impact on how well or how poorly cool ambient air from the room is being brought to the radiator or if you're recirculating. You can't feel more than about 5 degrees with touch so thermometers are critical in evaluating that. Also if you put the probe in your reservoir or T-line down in the flow you'll be able to definitively tell how your radiator/fan combination is doing.

I would call high performance is 5C or less above ambient, and average 10C. Or at a minimum simply touch the radiator. If it feels cool it's less than 5C, if it feels warm it's 10C or more. And like McCoffee mentioned earlier, if your temperature seems to climb more than mabye 2 or 3 degrees, chances are that you're running higher temps. A 10C delta can take about 30minutes to stabilize completely, and when you get higher than that it can be a really long time. A high performing radiator/fan setup won't generally keep climbing in temps like that.

If you're seeing no gain from the smaller back of the case mounted radiator, I suspect it's because of hot air circulating through it, because more surface area should always be better, even if it's only 1 degree...it should report something unless your radiator is way oversized which I don't think a double would be.

[septim]

option 1 redo case air flow including that of radiator compartment area, and probably put a picture of your tidy desk, and maybe we could feng shui that air that your cpu breathes...
*no pun intended here, just trying to help*
option 2 use 2000 rpm golfballs for radiator, 1000rpm for case fan.
option 3 remounting cpu block again. i forgot though was your cpu IHS lapped?

alternative option: don't know if he should try the ddc and d5 pump in series, others will know better, martin? naekuh?

generally if i have the same problems, i'd also be pissed, take a breather, relax, eat something good, and attack that problem from another angle, a fresh perspective...

[Martinm210]

option 1 redo case air flow including that of radiator compartment area, and probably put a picture of your tidy desk, and maybe we could feng shui that air that your cpu breathes...
*no pun intended here, just trying to help*
option 2 use 2000 rpm golfballs for radiator, 1000rpm for case fan.
option 3 remounting cpu block again. i forgot though was your cpu IHS lapped?

alternative option: don't know if he should try the ddc and d5 pump in series, others will know better, martin? naekuh?

generally if i have the same problems, i'd also be pissed, take a breather, relax, eat something good, and attack that problem from another angle, a fresh perspective...

The more restrictive blocks per others testings do seem to get some gains from running dual pumps in series, but I've never really heard anyone mention more than a couple of degrees at best, and I think generally those results were with overly sized radiator systems to help offset the extra pump heat dump.

Personally I've never measured anything more than a 2C difference between multiple mounts, so I'm a bit stumpped why he saw such a difference with a simple turn of the block. I would have to see the TIM paste spread after the block is removed to get any understanding of the mount.

One thing I have seen with lapping of an IHS and the stupid retention plate, is you can eventually have contact with the retention plate if the IHS is lapped a whole bunch...did it myself with the E6600, part of why I stopped using the retention plate all together. But that shows up on block removal, it the paste isn't transparent thin over the cores when removed over the core, you've got a bad mount...it's pretty obvious to me now. That or you've got a really concaved IHS and it's "Lap Time"...

The AC DI doesn't have very much bow at all, so a concaved IHS will suffer from that scenario.

Post a picture of the TIM spread after you remove the block...that'll help alot on determining if the mount is good or not.

[Coldon]

yeh, martin's advice is pretty much perfect. I'd personally leave the fans as is, you wont get much difference using the slightly more powerful ones.

As i said earlier I don't think the rad is your problem and I'm glad you removed the single rad, it's made your setup quite neat and as i expected didn't affect your temps too much (or at all in your case).

if your cuplex isn't clogged/uneven then i'd bite the bullet and sell the cuplex and try source a d-tek fuzion v1 or v2, pretty sure one of the guys that posted earlier would be interested in the cuplex.

a bit off topic, but i love how neat your case is! great job!

[Mick64]

I have lapped the IHS, but only by a small amount to ensure that it was flat, so it's unlikely to be the retention plate, but it is possible. When I removed the WB last time and cleaned off the TIM, I did think that the TIM looked uneven, so it is possible that it was a bad mount. This may explain the improved temps after I rotated it. I don't won't to step on anyone's toes, but I am seriously thinking about stepping the base of the Cuplex when I strip it down to clean it. From what I've read in this forum, there should be an improvement and this would eliminate any problem with the retention plate. Any comments?

I am going to try a couple more remounts, when I get time, and I will take some photos of the TIM spread.

What more can anyone tell me about running two pumps in series? If I put my DDC back in the loop, it will have to go before the D5 and I will probably have to use the side inlet which Martin advised against.

[kinghong1970]

correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't mixing 2 different kind of pumps in the same loop a no no?

[Yonzie]

It seems to me that unless something's seriously wrong with your pump or loop in general, more pumping power is not going to do anything. You do have it set on '5', right?
The radiator+fans have already been proven not be be at cause since the removal of the small one or changing the fans did not affect temps. Something could (theoretically) be wrong inside the big radiator to kill the flow, but that's fairly unlikely.
This leaves the waterblock and mount.
I'm new to this watercooling stuff but 70-80C on water? WTF...

[NaeKuh]

Personally I've never measured anything more than a 2C difference between multiple mounts, so I'm a bit stumpped why he saw such a difference with a simple turn of the block. I would have to see the TIM paste spread after the block is removed to get any understanding of the mount.


3 words pal:

Forced nozzle direction. :D

The otherway he was missing the core entirely.

Ive seen this quite a bit of times when you bad mount a block.

[Martinm210]

3 words pal:

Forced nozzle direction. :D

The otherway he was missing the core entirely.

Ive seen this quite a bit of times when you bad mount a block.

I understand the core orientation issue, but 12 degrees is more than I've ever heard anyone note before.

No experience myself though on a quad. I have hooked up the fuzion backwards once though..

The only 90 vs 180 block tested I did was on the XSPC edge acrylic and the difference was less than a degree on the E6600. Have you measured 12 degrees difference in you're own testing?:confused:

[Martinm210]

3 words pal:

Forced nozzle direction. :D

The otherway he was missing the core entirely.

Ive seen this quite a bit of times when you bad mount a block.

I understand the core orientation issue, but 12 degrees is more than I've ever heard anyone note before.

No experience myself though on a quad. I have hooked up the fuzion backwards once though..

The only 90 vs 180 block testing I did was on the XSPC edge acrylic and the difference was less than a degree. Have you measured 12 degrees difference between orientations in you're own testing?:confused:

I wouldn't be suprised by a few degrees, but 12 is a bit extreme...it must be something in addition.

[septim]

stepped based with a lapped procie. i say go for it. its your block. xtreme measures...

[Mick64]

I've noticed that quite a few of you are running Q6600's @ 3.6ghz. Could you give me some examples of your idle and load temps using Prime? I would like to lower my OC to 3.6 and compare my temps to yours. Maybe I'm just looking for too much from my loop? I just don't believe that switching to water has given me very little improvement over my Titan Amanda! I must admit though, even with my disappointments, I have enjoyed the experience and I'm learning a hell of a lot about watercooling! :D

[NaeKuh]

1. no two systems are alike
2. a well planned loop would gobble that armanda.
3. anyone that shows you examples is obviously not reading this post i made, because (refer back to 1)
4. Most likely people who post is going to be showing off temps and it wont be a fair and accurate comparison. :T

<well my temps would probably make you cry, however my loop costs about 3x the normal loop. :rofl:>

[Mick64]

Managed to have another go at remounting the other day and took some pictures of the TIM spread on both the CPU and waterblock base. The thing that concerns me, is it looks as if the best area of contact is across the two processor cores not along. :down: Perhaps I need to have another go at lapping my IHS? I'm a little disappointed by this, as I took great care to ensure I kept an even pressure when I was carrying out the lapping procedure. :shakes: Another thing that concerns me, is that rotating the WB shouldn't have made any difference, in fact it should have made it worse! :confused: Anyway, I remounted the WB and yet again, no change in temperatures! :mad: Is there an easy way to check flatness? I'm wondering if the base of the WB convex? :confused:

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0282.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0280.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0267.jpg

[Mick64]

Not sure how much difference it will make, but that looks like about 4 or 5 times the amount of TIM I use when mounting a block. Did you lap the Cuplex too? Just curious because that's something I never do.

andyc

I must admit, I thought it looked like too much as well. I only put a thin line of TIM along the centre of the cores. :eek:
I used the same method this time, but a thinner, shorter line. Temperatures seem unaffected though. :down:

As for lapping the Cuplex, that's a no. I haven't touched the base, apart from cleaning it with TIM cleaner.
I am planning to have it stepped though. Hopefully in a couple of weeks time. :D

[Mick64]

Just wondering if anyone would like to comment on the TIM spread? Is it worth re-lapping my IHS?
How do YOU check for flatness? How do YOU apply your TIM? What TIM do YOU use?

[Mick64]

I lapped my CPU on top of a 1/2" glass table. What surface did you lap you CPU on?

AC MX-2, for me....

I used a 5mm glass sheet that came with a HSF lapping kit....

I use Arctic Silver 5 BTW...

[Mick64]

What surface did you put your glass on top of ???:shrug:

I just placed it on a kitchen worktop. :confused:

[Mick64]

I'm thinking about replacing my single 120mm rad. I stumbled upon a SilverStone FM121 fan that I forgot that I had, that should work well with the rad. I've heard that this is a pretty good fan. Any opinions?

[Mick64]

Hi! Been busy over the past couple of days, making some more adjustments to my loop. Managed to get my Cuplex stepped by a friend at work the other day, not as good as I would have liked but beggars can't be choosers, Should be OK though! I have lapped the stepped area as well to ensure that it is flat, and re-lapped my Q6600 for good measure.
I've added a back-plate to my motherboard and replaced the original springs that were supplied with the Cuplex with higher compression ones.
I've replaced my single RS120 rad, but this time before the CPU (not that that should make any difference) and this is now cooled by a Silverstone FM121 fan.
I can't check my temps as it's really hot here at the moment, very high ambient, and I haven't got air conditioning! (I'm in the UK remember). Will post results here when the weather gets a bit cooler (shouldn't be too long).

Lapped Q6600 and stepped + lapped Cuplex
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0329.jpg

Replacement spring on the left
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0287.jpg

[BlueAqua]

I have to agree. It looks really nice. I'm interested to see your new results.

[Mick64]

Hi! The temperature in the UK has dropped recently, ambient is around 25'c today, so a good time to test the stepped Cuplex. :up: Over the past couple of days I have been playing with my BIOS settings and have increased my overclock from 3.7GHz @ 1.46 volts (8x463 FSB) to 3.8GHz @ 1.5 volts (9x423FSB). :up: I Can't seem to get much above 3.8GHz without stability problems or excessive temperatures. I think this is probably got something to do with the VID of my Q6600, which is 1.275 volts. :down: This seems quite high compared to other GO's I've seen? :shrug: Anyway, back to the test. Results are good! :D Idle temps are down between 2 & 4'C and Max load temps are down around 6'C and this is with the increased overclock and core voltage! :up: I'm over the moon! I can't see much more I can do to improve things any further with my rig as it is, but who knows what I might build in the future? ;)

Idle temps

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/Idle-3800.jpg

Load Temps

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/Prime-3800-2hr-a.jpg

[nikhsub1]

How big is that step?

[Mick64]

How big is that step?

Hi nikhsub1,

As you can probably see from the pic, the depth is not very accurate. I asked for 0.3mm to be machined off leaving a 25mm square in the centre of the WB. I didn't actually measure it, but I can only assume that it's pretty close to that....:shakes:

[Mick64]

What were your ambient temps exactly before you stepped the base? And did you change anything else in the loop at all? Fans, pumps, etc?

andyc

Hi mcoffey,

The results I posted last time would have been on a day similar to this, a cool day with ambients around 25'C. Sorry I can't more accurate, but these tests are carried out in far from laboratory conditions. The only change to my loop that may have contributed to the reduced temps is the Silverstone FM121 fan which is now cooling the single rad. There is also the addition of the back-plate and the higher compression springs.

[nikhsub1]

Hi nikhsub1,

As you can probably see from the pic, the depth is not very accurate. I asked for 0.3mm to be machined off leaving a 25mm square in the centre of the WB. I didn't actually measure it, but I can only assume that it's pretty close to that....:shakes:
The depth is not all that important... 25mm is a bit big though, 23mm is ideal.

[Mick64]

Thanks and please don't take me wrong. I'm just trying to learn more about the stepped base. In the first quote I see where under load HW Monitor reports a SYSTIN temp of 44C before stepping the base, and a SYSTIN temp of 36C after stepping. I'm not fimilar with that software, so just curious as to what those temps represent. Is it internal case temps?

Either way, great job and much repsect to you for hanging in there and working the system out. You've got a real winner there:up::clap: Your temps have improved drastically, and it all due to your hard work.

andyc

Sorry mcoffey, didn't mean to sound rude, just meant that none of my results are going to be very accurate. The SYSTIN and the CPUTIN temperatures are those measured by the motherboard sensors. From what I've learned, these temperatures are not accurate? The reason that the SYSTIN temp is lower is probably because I have changed the multiplier to 9 and reduced the FSB form 463 to 423. With a lower FSB I would expect the motherboard circuitry to run at a lower temp...

EDIT: BTW thanks for the kind words. :up: Much appreciated. :)

[Mick64]

Hi! I've decided I'm going to take things a little bit further. I have an XSPC triple 120 rad on order which I'm going to mount on top of my case with three of the golfball fans I have just laying around. I'm not really after lower temps this time though, just want to be able to reduce fan speeds and noise! Will remove that single rad again, and route the hose through the holes in the back of the case. You never know, I might get better temps as well! Watch this space....:D

[Mick64]

Received my new XSPC triple rad today and mounted the fans. Just need to make some brackets so I can secure it to the top of my case....:)

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0330.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0333.jpg

[RickCain]

I really like those fans! Are they loud?

[BlueAqua]

That XSPC rad looks really nice. What do you think of it?

[Mick64]

I really like those fans! Are they loud?

These are the Sharkoon Eagle 1000 LED (Golfball) fans. They are quite, but they only rotate at 1000rpm.

[Mick64]

That XSPC rad looks really nice. What do you think of it?

I'm really happy with the looks, but eager to see if I'm as happy with the performance...:yepp:

[Mick64]

I fitted the XSPC rad and removed the single rad a couple of weeks ago. Haven't had time to post any pix because I've been decorating. No difference in temp's, but I expected that as I am only using the 1000rpm Sharkoons, nice and quite though....

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0338.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0337.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0336.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0335.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0340.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0341.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0350.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0351.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0347.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0348.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0346.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0342.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0344.jpg

[BlueAqua]

Good pictures Mick. I kind of surprised that your temps weren't affected at all. I would have expected some drop.

[Mick64]

Good pictures Mick. I kind of surprised that your temps weren't affected at all. I would have expected some drop.

Yeah, I was a little surprised as well. I've been a bit busy of late, but when I get a chance I might try changing the fan configuration to see if that makes any difference.
The only major improvement in temp's was the 90 degree rotation of the waterblock, all the other changes to my loop have had only a minor effect or no change at all. Quite disappointing really, but hey I'm not complaining, 3.8GHz ain't bad....

[WaterFlex]

Anyway, Cuplex XT di is not for quads. It`s the best one for dual core Cpus. For quads the best one is D-Tek FuZion v2.

[BlueAqua]

Anyway, Cuplex XT di is not for quads. It`s the best one for dual core Cpus. For quads the best one is D-Tek FuZion v2.

Actually the Cuplex DI is very much designed for quads. Why else do you think they'd have 2 sets of impingment jets over each half of the cpu?

http://www.vortex-design.co.uk/MyStuff/cuplexdi/di4.JPG

[Mick64]

I tried mounting the fans in push rather than pull today. Still no difference in temps. I'm convinced now, that my Q6600 is just a very hot running processor....

Just as a matter of interest, can anyone give me thier thoughts on what effect it would have if I added a GPU waterblock to my loop?
I think it would increase the temperature of my CPU. Am I right?

[Eddie3dfx]

Mick, what is that plastic shroud around the fans? Please share

[Mick64]

Mick, what is that plastic shroud around the fans? Please share

The shrouds you mention are actually silicone gaskets that were supplied with XSPC R120-T rad....

[Mick64]

I am finding it really difficult to resist the temptation to add a GPU waterblock to my loop. Please help me resist or should I just give in to temptation?

[inCore]

If you don't invest in a GPU block, you'll end up using your money on alcohol and cars. Or something. Obviously not at the same time.

[BlueAqua]

Do it. Gpu blocks are fun and since you have everything else all ready for it.

[Mick64]

If no one is going to advise against adding a GPU WB, then how about some advice on which WB to get? I have a BFG 8800GT....

[septim]

mcw60 or full cover...

mcw60 use it now or just transfer to newer vid card later...
full cover block stays on block, no migrating to newer vid card if ever you have the upgrade itch...

[ShoNuff]

EK is an easy choice and prices should be fairly reasonable. Typically flow is good and should have a minimal impact on temps. When I added a pair of 8800GTX blocks (EK) to my loop my temps went up ~2-3 IIRC.

[Mick64]

Is the XSPC Full Cover Razor any good? Looks very similar to EK but less cash (as most of my kit is XSPC)....

[ShoNuff]

If most of your system is already XSPC adding their gpu block would be a nice addition. Aesthetically they make very nice blocks. Just leak test it before you put it into your loop to be safe.

Just remember to post more pics. :D

[septim]

razor block, leak test is a must, as some blocks do leak, as experience by some others who've bought said block a few weeks back and tried. hopefully by now they've ironed out said leaky issues...

[Mick64]

If most of your system is already XSPC adding their gpu block would be a nice addition. Aesthetically they make very nice blocks. Just leak test it before you put it into your loop to be safe.

Just remember to post more pics. :D


razor block, leak test is a must, as some blocks do leak, as experience by some others who've bought said block a few weeks back and tried. hopefully by now they've ironed out said leaky issues...

Thanks guys. If I do go with the XSPC razor, I,ll make sure to leak test it thoroughly. Great advice, as I wasn't aware of the problem...:up:

[Mick64]

OK, decided to go with the Razor. When it arrived last week the first thing I did was test it for leaks with no problems...:up:

Got it fitted yesterday. Really impressed with the drop in temps on my GPU. Haven't had time to stress test it yet, but idle temp is down from around 50*C to around 36*C. I was also surprised to find that there has been no effect on CPU temp, still between 38 & 40*C...:up:

Managed to take a couple of quick pix when I was bleeding the loop. I will get some better ones when I have a little more time...

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0355.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0358.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0357.jpg

[BlueAqua]

Looking good. I too have a XSPC Razor block and like it too. It doesn't look like your cpu block is tightened down that much. I would tighten up those thumb nuts and really get that block tight.

[Mick64]

Looking good. I too have a XSPC Razor block and like it too. It doesn't look like your cpu block is tightened down that much. I would tighten up those thumb nuts and really get that block tight.

Thanks BlueAqua, it might look as if they're not that tight, but I've used longer and higher compression springs. I think something might break if I tightened them any more!


Man I'll tell you, that build has really come a long way. Great job, and thanks for taking the time to post.

Some really good work you've done there.

andyc

Thanks mcoffey, and no problem. This hobby is addictive, but I think that will be as far I'm going for a while. Little time and little funds! :down:

[ShoNuff]

I'm real curious to see what the net benefit of the stepping was. From the pic it looks like the job turned out very nice. IIRC Gabe (Swiftech) said that he experimented with stepping the Apogee GTZ and decided his best results were with the retail product we have now.

Is there any chance you use Everest? If you do, and have created a log file, you could do a good before and after temp comparison. Nonetheless, congrats to you for such a nice mod to the block! :up:

[Mick64]

I'm real curious to see what the net benefit of the stepping was. From the pic it looks like the job turned out very nice. IIRC Gabe (Swiftech) said that he experimented with stepping the Apogee GTZ and decided his best results were with the retail product we have now.

Is there any chance you use Everest? If you do, and have created a log file, you could do a good before and after temp comparison. Nonetheless, congrats to you for such a nice mod to the block! :up:

Sorry, but I have only got the results I posted before. They show a 4-6*C drop in temp after the block was stepped. However, there were other factors that may have contributed to the drop. When I remounted the stepped block I used a back-plate and longer, higher compression springs so the contact pressure would have been higher. I also mentioned the Silverstone FM121 fan, but I don't think this would have made any difference as I have tried other fan/rad configurations with little difference in temp's. There is also the fact that conditions are not ideal and ambients may have also been a factor. So I apologise again, because all-in-all I'm afraid my results are far from conclusive, although IMO you should get an improvement with a stepped base. :yepp:

[Mick64]

Nothing more to report I'm afraid, just had my PC out today to check for any leaks, some cable tidying that I hadn't finished and some general maintenance. Thought I'd take a few more pictures while I was at it....

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0361.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0364.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0365.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0368.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0370.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0371.jpg

[BlueAqua]

Looks great Mick64. I thought you said you got all the cabling straightened up, what's with that random SATA cable hanging around? :rofl:

[Mick64]

Looks great Mick64. I thought you said you got all the cabling straightened up, what's with that random SATA cable hanging around? :rofl:

Well spotted! :clap: Had the disk drives out so that I could get to the connections on the fan controller when I took that pic....;)

[Mick64]

Been playing with my overclock settings over the past few days, looking for optimum stability without frying my Q6600! Finally settled on 3760GHz @ 1.53 vcore (8 x 470). I've run a few tests and benchmarks for you to look at. See screen-shots and attached Everest file and let me know what you think...:up:

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/2008-09-26-19h11-VCore.png

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/2008-09-26-19h11-SystemTemp.png

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/2008-09-26-19h11-CPUTcase.png

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/2008-09-26-19h11-CPU1.png

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/2008-09-26-19h11-CPU2.png

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/2008-09-26-19h11-CPU3.png

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/2008-09-26-19h11-CPU4.png

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/3760_470x8_02.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/3760_470x8_03.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/SuperPI1M3760.jpg

[Mick64]

Took some more pix today, for those who are interested....:D

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0392.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0393.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0403.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0404.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0394.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0395.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0398.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0401.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0400.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0405.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0407.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0406.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0410.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0411.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0415.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0413.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/mickcox64/IMGP0412.jpg