SLI OC'd 8800Ultra loop W/ Cheap TT Cooling. Wow!

After some discussion in another thread about what it takes to cool SLI ultras, I had the opportunity to test my MSI OC'd 8800Ultras (660/2300) with some lousy water cooling.
I happened to have a TT Symphony Mini that i ordered for a customers HTPC build. Curiosity got the best of me. I opened the Mini, spliced some 3/8 " hose (1/4" out of box),
to my EK full cover blocks w/ koolance 3/8" 90's and cranked her up. Flow was almost non existent. The thermaltake flow indicator barely moves. The Radiator with the 3 120mm fans on it must be taking up the slack.
When grabbing the thin tubing, you could really feel the difference in temps from the In/Out tubes. I was real surprised at how decent the temps were.
I ran a few benchmarks and recorded the temps @ 30 second intervals with Nvidia Monitor. I ran 3dmark 06 default settings and at 2560x1600 4xAA Quality4 and 4xAF.
What do you think about these temps? Are you as surprised as I am? I seem to remember the stock air coolers hitting 70's and 80's. Temps never went over 58c at full load. I'm down to throw any graphic tests at this thing anyone suggests.
I may order me one of these for modding purposes. Change out all tubing to 3/8" or maybe 1/2" if can and yank the 2 lousy pumps. A MCP355 looks like it may fit with room to spare.


http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6733/15010484oe3.jpg

http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/7830/50664078pe3.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3...t3dmarkhv3.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/120/2560ez8.jpg

If you do go ahead with getting one of those for yourself, you might want to consider changing the rad as well. Tt's site still shows the old (inefficient) copper condenser type rad. They've somewhat silently have begun to switch over to a more common style rad in some of their cases but the entire rad is made out of aluminum and they use copper blocks with those same kits.

Awesome! You should go for it! I wanted to do this back in the day a year ago when it first came out and never got the guts to try it. I'm glad to see it worked ok. With some mods, it would make a very nice external kit! :up:

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Originally Posted by Waterlogged

If you do go ahead with getting one of those for yourself, you might want to consider changing the rad as well. Tt's site still shows the old (inefficient) copper condenser type rad. They've somewhat silently have begun to switch over to a more common style rad in some of their cases but the entire rad is made out of aluminum and they use copper blocks with those same kits.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by virtualrain

Awesome! You should go for it! I wanted to do this back in the day a year ago when it first came out and never got the guts to try it. I'm glad to see it worked ok. With some mods, it would make a very nice external kit! :up:

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I think i'll give it a try. $180 bucks isn't too bad of a loss if it doesn't work. I'll try to change the rad out as well.

Please let us know which style they are using in the newer models now.

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Originally Posted by Waterlogged

Please let us know which style they are using in the newer models now.

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Sure thing.
So what do you guys think of those temps as is? are they better than you would have expected?

Hey could you say me how to get all information on desk? like you?
thanks
By the way great rig... it like me very much!

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Originally Posted by BND|MOD

Hey could you say me how to get all information on desk? like you?
thanks
By the way great rig... it like me very much!

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Thank you very much!

Everest Ultimate 4.0 is what i'm using to display info.

Yeah, they're about 5ºC-8ºC better than what I would've expected at least.


Edit: I should note that those are my "best case scenario" numbers. Worst case scenario would be somewhere around 15ºC-20ºC higher.

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Originally Posted by nugzo

Thank you very much!

Everest Ultimate 4.0 is what i'm using to display info.

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Thanks..... i'm doing now... becasuse i like it

Ordered! Will start modding monday.

nice.. may i ask for MSI 8800 Ultra OC what's the default shader clock set to with 660mhz core?

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Originally Posted by eva2000

nice.. may i ask for MSI 8800 Ultra OC what's the default shader clock set to with 660mhz core?

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1512 shader eva.

thanks :)

quick question, how are you getting such freaking low temps with your quad @ that speed? that seems a little mind boggling to me for straight up water and those clocks with that voltage.

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Originally Posted by p8ntslinger676

quick question, how are you getting such freaking low temps with your quad @ that speed? that seems a little mind boggling to me for straight up water and those clocks with that voltage.

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I have 3 G0's that do 3700 at 1.45-1.49v They all run about the same temps. If your talking about the temps shown on the notepad for the cpu, i do not think nvidia monitor is correct. If you are talking about the temps shown on everest, they are pretty much correct. My idle fluctuates 4 cores at 30-38c. Load Small FFT 50-60c. With those ultras in the same loop i was idle 45-55 and load 65-80c fluctuating 4 cores.

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Originally Posted by nugzo

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6733/15010484oe3.jpg

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why do you have two sli connectors? only one is functional. Is it just for looks?

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Originally Posted by gatti-man

why do you have two sli connectors? only one is functional. Is it just for looks?

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:yepp: Just for looks. :yepp:

I don't guess those temps are too bad. With my setup, Thermochill PA120.3, DDC-2 w/ Petras top, Dtek Fuzion (E6420 @3.6 1.46v), MCW60 on the 8800, and my temps are 38 idle/42~45 load.

Looks pretty good to me too. With my SLI GTX's on a loop with NB and SB my load temps never go above 45C.

Nice set up !

Two questions .... What sort of RAM cooler are you using, looks very nice in the photos. Secondly, what is that programme you use to get all the cpu/gpu info on the screen like that ??

Bit of a novice, so these may be very obvious to most people !

:)

If the mods are successfull, I'll add NB and SB to the loop. Sometimes the flow indicator almost stops... it really needs a better pump.

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Originally Posted by gaz_az

Nice set up !

Two questions .... What sort of RAM cooler are you using, looks very nice in the photos. Secondly, what is that programme you use to get all the cpu/gpu info on the screen like that ??

Bit of a novice, so these may be very obvious to most people !

:)

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Thank You. OCZ memory cooler and Everest 4.0 to show sys info on screen.




I removed the 2 thermaltake pumps today and installed a mcp355. Fittings weren't removable so internally i had to use the 1/4" tubing. 3/8" out from the Symphony to the 8800 FC Blocks. Flow indicator spins so fast now you cant see the blades. Before you could look at 1 blade and follow its rotation. Temps Dropped as well. Loaded 3dmark06 2560x1600 4xAA 4xAF highest temp was 54c. highest before was 58c. Idle temps only dropped 1 degree but load dropped 4. I can live with that. So overall after minimal modding this thing cools quite well.

74-78F Room temp. Thanks for the fan advice. I'll add one this week.