Waterblock for 4870 X2?

[Ravynmagi]

I'm gonna get a water block for my 4870 X2 card very soon.

I think I've settled on getting one of the three EK water blocks.

Unfortunately the store I'd like to purchase from, PerformancePC.com doesn't have the nickel water block in stock. So I could settle for the copper one for $165.

Or I could go to Frozen CPU. All their blocks cost about $20 more, but they have the nickel one in stock for $184.

I'm not really sure what the difference would be between the copper and nickel. Is it worth the extra $20 or more?

If I just go with the cheaper copper ones at PerformancePC.com, are there any pros or cons with the see through acrylic cover versus the black cover on the water block?

[JaVa_Az]

copper can tarnish over time as where nickel wont . Acrylic can get get stress cracks in it. I believe this is due to the temps getting to high should be ok if your loop is cooling good

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Acrylic can get get stress cracks in it. I believe this is due to the temps getting to high should be ok if your loop is cooling good

not true, temps don't decide whether the acrylic cracks, I tend to think its mostly about luck and how good the acrylic you got on the block is

[CyberDruid]

It's also about alcohol in the coolant miix. The tops are laser cut. Any alcohol on a previously heated piece of acrylic will destroy it.

I must have gotten the last pair of those Nickel Blocks from PPC...sorry...

They are so nice...let me rub it in




I am going to brace my cards for sure.

[Blkout]

copper can tarnish over time as where nickel wont . Acrylic can get get stress cracks in it. I believe this is due to the temps getting to high should be ok if your loop is cooling good

Tarnish doesn't hurt anything.

[Blkout]

It's also about alcohol in the coolant miix. The tops are laser cut. Any alcohol on a previously heated piece of acrylic will destroy it.

I must have gotten the last pair of those Nickel Blocks from PPC...sorry...

They are so nice...let me rub it in

I am going to brace my cards for sure.

Be careful not to short your card as many others have done with the EK blocks.

[Wolf132]

A google search will get you 10% off at frozencpu. I don't think the coupon ever expired. Ive used it 4 times now heh.

[Lloyd]

I'm still waiting for nikel plated with a Acetal top. The black and chrome would go nicely with my Fuzion or a Supreme
I guess Eddy might have an acetal top for sale on it's own

[Giannis86]

Be careful not to short your card as many others have done with the EK blocks.

i ordered one of the copper-acrylic top version for my 4870x2..
i emailed EK last week regarding what size of washers i needed but they didnt reply..
only thing i know is that i need non-metal M3 washers.maybe this is a stupid question, but what outer diameter and thickness is needed though? can anyone elaborate on this?

[Ghost326267]

I was one of the first ones to find out about the shorting problem and asked eddy to post here. All I did was to use some paper washers left over from previous water blocks, doesn't have to be anything fancy just to stop the metal from touching.
Its been fine since then.

[rockqc]

only thing i know is that i need non-metal M3 washers.maybe this is a stupid question, but what outer diameter and thickness is needed though? can anyone elaborate on this?

Mine were 8mm in diameter and 1 mm thick.

[NaeKuh]

CD i think DD's is made nicer and a bit easier to mount.

:T

[RAID]

does anyone have pics of watercooled crossfire cards? i'd like to see what fittings you're using to connect them and how they look. i know koolance makes a doubleslot fitting that would work but i'm not completely sold on it yet.

[NaeKuh]

RAID avoid koolance for blocks and attachements.

Lets say i dont fully trust them yet.

Heres how they bit me in the ass after giving them a second chance:



The double slot fittings i have been using for a while and absolutely love them:



I ditched Xfire and went single HD4870X2 + ARC-1680ix Controler. Dayam controller is about as long as my HD4870X2

[NaeKuh]

so i thought i should share this with ya guys.

Ambients recorded at 26.5C
Pump DDC-3.2 On EK 250 Res.
Rad: MCR220! <--- YES IT WILL WORK
Load Software: RTHDRIBL

Idle Temps:

[Giannis86]

Not bad temps there naekuh..these cards do produce lots of heat but it seems to me that people are overreacting about how a triple rad is a must...

i have the Sapphire edition of this card..i was just fiddling with rivatuner and im kind of surprised how good the stock cooler is..at stock speeds it sucks basically (idles around 75)..but when i turn it up to 50% speed it now idles at 43C
anyway the sound it makes isnt pleasant for 24/7 though..

my EK block should be on the way in a couple of days (waiting for some parts to come in stock first...)..i will add my results too then

[clee]

So, EK finally releases a "properly built" full-covered block in 4870x2.

I got their co-called nickel-plated FC block for my 4870 about a month ago but has nothing to write home about. It uses a bolt-on alu plate for the VRM cooling and imo it's definitely not adequate.

While I am content with the main block, which keeps my GPU and memory in the low 40s running Furmark, the VRM temp still hovers around 100C thanks to the alu add-on plate.

[RickCain]

So, EK finally releases a "properly built" full-covered block in 4870x2.

I got their co-called nickel-plated FC block for my 4870 about a month ago but has nothing to write home about. It uses a bolt-on alu plate for the VRM cooling and imo it's definitely not adequate.

While I am content with the main block, which keeps my GPU and memory in the low 40s running Furmark, the VRM temp still hovers around 100C thanks to the alu add-on plate.

That is NOT GOOD about the VRM's.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

So, EK finally releases a "properly built" full-covered block in 4870x2.

I got their co-called nickel-plated FC block for my 4870 about a month ago but has nothing to write home about. It uses a bolt-on alu plate for the VRM cooling and imo it's definitely not adequate.

While I am content with the main block, which keeps my GPU and memory in the low 40s running Furmark, the VRM temp still hovers around 100C thanks to the alu add-on plate.

what more are you asking for? the VRMs are designed to run at 125C and it sounds like your temps with the EK 4870 are about 28C LOWER than people having trouble with crashes from VRM overheating....


i just bought 2 of these nickel 4870 blocks today and from you've said it sounds like they are going to perform great

(I dropped $1k on a new case and other parts today you guys are in for a treat come january )

[TedShred]

[IMG] block "tipping" scale [/IMG]
I am going to brace my cards for sure.

I just noticed, and was kinda surprised, that the EK Nickel-plated blocks weigh less than the all copper acrylic or acetal models (970 v. 920 grams.)

The Koolance weighs in at a "trim" 794g; the DD block is 2lbs (907g.).

[cobra_kai]

Not bad temps there naekuh..these cards do produce lots of heat but it seems to me that people are overreacting about how a triple rad is a must...

i have the Sapphire edition of this card..i was just fiddling with rivatuner and im kind of surprised how good the stock cooler is..at stock speeds it sucks basically (idles around 75)..but when i turn it up to 50% speed it now idles at 43C
anyway the sound it makes isnt pleasant for 24/7 though..

my EK block should be on the way in a couple of days (waiting for some parts to come in stock first...)..i will add my results too then

There is a good article on [H]ardOCP on how to adjust the fan on the 4870x2. Anyone looking to get better temps who aren't watercooling should check it out

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl...50aHVzaWFzdA==

[clee]

Contact Eddy if you have a problem...

Nickel plated EK, All The Way ............. FTW

No problem here, it gives great gpu temp and it gives great memory temp. It's not too restrictive and it looks good.

My only qualm is the aluminum add-on piece.

But hey, the block gives me eye candy in my MM case, I just refrain from running Furmark again.

what more are you asking for? the VRMs are designed to run at 125C and it sounds like your temps with the EK 4870 are about 28C LOWER than people having trouble with crashes from VRM overheating....

I bet a DD-4870 or even a Koolence FC could probably lower it by more than 50C.

Dude, I ran the 4870 with the stock cooler for over a month before purchasing this, it's only a few degree better with the EK block when it comes down to VRMs cooling.
But if you like it, that's all good for you , whatever floats your boat.

Don't mean to ditch EK here. But I just don't understand why they opted for an alu add-on piece on a full block. ??


And to the OP. Sorry to hijack your thread. I guess it's got nothing to do with the 4870X2 block. That "all-in-one-piece" block for the X2 should be fine

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

No problem here, it gives great gpu temp and it gives great memory temp. It's not too restrictive and it looks good.

My only qualm is the aluminum add-on piece.

But hey, the block gives me eye candy in my MM case, I just refrain from running Furmark again.







I bet a DD-4870 or even a Koolence FC could probably lower it by more than 50C.

Dude, I ran the 4870 with the stock cooler for over a month before purchasing this, it's only a few degree better with the EK block when it comes down to VRMs cooling.
But if you like it, that's all good for you , whatever floats your boat.

Don't mean to ditch EK here. But I just don't understand why they opted for an alu add-on piece on a full block. ??


And to the OP. Sorry to hijack your thread. I guess it's got nothing to do with the 4870X2 block. That "all-in-one-piece" block for the X2 should be fine

Its not really to ek's credit here, but I can see why they did the ALU plate. they only need to mill a one design copper base for the 48xx series then add the alu plate to make it 4850 or 4870

[NaeKuh]

MCR220 + DDC-3.2 + EK-Xres with silver Ingot (otherwise it would be a koolance res) + DangerDen HD4870X2.
(oh and this is with jab-tech's Orange Low Speed Yates )

Ambients recorded @ 26-27C
Watercoolant temps @ 30-31C under heavy usage
Load Software: RTHDRIBL

My GPU Full Load Temps:


My VRMS are fine.

Ack i posted the pic twice. :\

[SaiNRuB]

MCR220 + DDC-3.2 + EK-Xres with silver Ingot (otherwise it would be a koolance res) + DangerDen HD4870X2.
(oh and this is with jab-tech's Orange Low Speed Yates )

Ambients recorded @ 26-27C
Watercoolant temps @ 30-31C under heavy usage
Load Software: RTHDRIBL

My VRMS are fine.

Those are very impressive temps, that DD block seems like a great option.