Help with blocks and fittings for 4890 CrossfireX

**The-Fox** · 07-12-2009, 03:28 AM

Hey guys,
I am planing of getting a triple 4890 setup for benching.
I want to liquid cool it.

Now, my main issues are:
1. What blocks to get ? looks like the EK are nice, though a bit expensive for 3 cards at 110 a block.
The XSPC are very cheap at PPCS but sold out

Can anyone confirm compatibility of blocks ? I want to get the stock Sapphire design, shouldn't be a problem right ?

2. I am going to set this up on a Foxconn Bloodrage GTI board, and its PCI-E layout is a mess for CFX.
You got the upper 2 PCI-E X16 together, then a PCI and another two PCI-E X16, so 2 cards will have to be used in 0 slot configuration.
I need a proper adapter but couldn't find one yet, they all fit to 1/2/3 slot spacing but I need 0 slot config.

3. Do you think and MCR 320+D5 will cut if for 3 cards overclocked (probably with higher voltage than stock) ?

I have one MCR320 cooling down 4870X2 easily with just 2 fans working, so 3 4890 shouldn't be too hard I figured.

Help is much appreciate, thanks

**~~ILikeCosmosS~~** · 07-12-2009, 05:13 AM

your going to need another rad a 320 wont cool it enough unless its a gpu only loop
Xspc razor blocks are what people have problems with
Ek blocks are nice and if you want anything cheaper just get the mcw60-4870
As for the fittings, i am not sure which ones work but i think these work... http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/sliandcr1vid.html

**The-Fox** · 07-12-2009, 05:24 AM

I am talking about GPU only loop, It is a suicide to run 3x4890 cards with anything else on the same loop.

Regarding the XSPC blocks, what problems are we talking about ?

I had good experience with EK, still got their Nickel Plated 4870X2 block which works flawlessly, my tendency is to stick with them but the price is

Those fittings you showed are exactly what I was talking about, they all fit 1/2/3 slot spacing, and I need 0 spacing.

Take a look at the layout of the Bloodrage board and see what I am talking about:

Thanks man.

**~~ILikeCosmosS~~** · 07-12-2009, 05:31 AM

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/bishsimatoma1.html
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/big14sididug.html
These could work but it will be a tight fit

**The-Fox** · 07-12-2009, 06:48 AM

That looks great, that is exactly what I had in mind, just couldn't find it :/
Thanks for digging that up for me

I'll shoot Gary at SW an email if he can verify that for me.

BTW, any word on the XSPC blocks ? what kind of issues they suffer from ?

Many thanks !

**Razrback16** · 07-12-2009, 07:21 AM

My personal recommendation would be to go with sinks on the mem, and to potentially get a card like the Powercolor PCS which isn't much more expensive than a reference hsf card, but has a nice sink on the VRMs that you can strap a fan on -- and I would get a gpu-only block for the core as far as the cooling. With the rads, if you get gpu-only you'll probably be fine with a triple rad, but if you go full-coverage you'll need more. I have a triple rad cooling my 2x4890s and it just doesn't cool them enough in this summer heat. I had the cards volt-modded doing 1GHz core, but the VRMs get so f*cking hot it would lockup, so make sure you have enough radiator capacity. Not sure what to tell ya on the #2 question. Good luck with your project. I thought about going 3-cards on mine, but from the reviews and benches I've seen, it seems like 3-cards don't gain much over 2.

**The-Fox** · 07-12-2009, 08:15 AM

I want to go with Full Coverage blocks, don't wan to mess with various parts.
In addition, the available versions of the 4890 in my Country is limited, We mostly have the 33 versions by Sapphire, Stock, Vapor-X and Toxic.

Again, this setup is for benching purposes mostly if not exclusively, I will probably be cooling it with 3 Ultra Kaze@2000 RPM and they will probably do the trick

Its just that the definition of 1/2/3 slot is confusing me

Does 1 slot means the cards are 1 slot after the other with no spacing between them, or it means 1 free slot between them and the cards are not adjacent to each other ?

I think I will contact Eddy from EK regarding the fittings issue as he probably has the cards+blocks and can verify that easily.

**EDIT**
This is a "1 slot" configuration with the TFC adapter kit, do you think the cards are installed next to each other or they have 1 card spacing between ?

The measures are as follows:

SLOT/PIPE 1: Space between GPU Waterblocks from 18.8 to 30.2 mm
SLOT/PIPE 2: Space between GPU Waterblocks from 39.1 to 50.5 mm
SLOT/PIPE 3: Space between GPU Waterblocks from 59.4 to 70.8 mm

**Boyu** · 07-12-2009, 09:55 AM

I think that's 1 card spacing slot, AFAIK Ek block are thick and there is now way to direct contact them using slot conector like that, you have to find another way around.

1 slot means 1 free slot between them and the cards are not adjacent to each other.