Vega's Quad-SLI 3GB GTX580 sub-zero liquid cooled build

[antiacid]

I think you should aim for the 8-8-8-20 1000+ timings and push that 990 a bit higher! You must get it to 5ghz+

[Callsign_Vega]

I could do 1.5 - 1.55V to get 5.2Ghz. You guys think the chip could last for a year at that voltage being used 7 hours a day @ 0 deg C, half the time idling at desktop and the other half gaming?

[Callsign_Vega]

Got a few toys in today:





Going to be busy this weekend!

Here is a final version pic of the liquid tank opened up. Everything has been working great so far. CPU has been idling at 4 deg C.


so far. CPU has been idling at 4 deg C.


Win 7 installed in like 4 minutes with Raid 0 Vertex 3's.

Not bad for being stuck on ICH10R:

[Johnny87au]

awesome update mate! cant wait to see those 3gb cards in action!!

[Callsign_Vega]

Installing and setting up four GPU water blocks was a bit more work than I thought!

Those darn stand-offs take a lot of time to install:




Patient:




Had to remove stupid "warranty" sticker covering screw with a heat gun. Stickers are still in perfect shape if needed for later.




Card stripped down:




Stock heat sink. Notice the tiny little thermal tape boxed in red:




Card prepped. The tiny little chips boxed in red match up with the heat tape on the stock air cooler but are not covered by the EK blocks:




Assembly line complete. So purdy:




It looks nice with no hoses:




Damn, hoses everywhere:




To my surprise, first time go no leaks. There are also zero flow issues tubed up as per my original diagram. Iwaki RD-30 pump totally owns even at only 18 volts! All GPUs tested individually with two passes of Heaven 2.5 to seat TIM. I haven't even gone sub-zero yet and GTX 580s idling at 5 C and full load 12 C is pretty sweet!

I do have one concern though with those tiny chips highlighted in the red box. Does anyone know what they are? My understanding is that the much larger chips under the thermal tape (three rows of six) are the main GPU VRMs. The 2+2 chips just offset of those three rows on the PCI-E power connector side are the memory VRMs?

So what do those six tiny chips of interest do? Are they also part of the power regulation? The reason I am worried is the stock air cooler contacts these and the EK block does not. During the Heaven 2.5 runs I put my finger (with a latex glove on) on these little chips to feel how hot they get. It was hot enough that I could not keep my finger on for more than 5 seconds and at stock voltage. Those round purple/silver capacitors at the very end of the card got pretty warm also.

What do you guys think, should I be worried about these little chips not being cooled? The last step now is to insulate the GPU blocks, seal everything up tight with Dragon Skin and put on all the tube insulation.

[tiborrr]

No need to cool those tiny regulators, Vega. They're effectively cooled through the circuit board.
P.S.: It is normal that the VRM part gets very hot on these 200W+ card. With my test system with water @ 40°C the PWM circuit used to get up to 70°C (measured on the backside of the PCB). The packaging of the MOSFETs used on this card is the main limiting factor of cooling since they're designed to mainly dump the heat to the PCB. Capacitors on my test sample we're peaking at 65°C+. Do not worry, PWM can handle up to 120°C at load.

[Callsign_Vega]

Thanks for the info Tiborr!

[Hondacity]

no condensation on the gpu? are they also waterproof?

[Callsign_Vega]

I forgot I had a digital temperature sensor hidden away. I took some readings all over the circuits/boards. I think I over exaggerative how hot the chips were getting. At stock volts/clocks, the PWMs and the PCB around the various VRMs would max out at only around 50 C.

Kicking up the voltage to 1.15V with a core of 1000Mhz and 2200Mhz memory, after two Heaven 2.5 runs the max temps I read were topping out at 66 C. This is only with a 14 C coolant at the moment until I get everything insulated. I'd imagine once I go sub-zero these temps would decrease quite a bit. Just putting a 120mm fan blowing over the end of the cards with zero heat sinks lowered the temps of the chips/capacitors by 20 C!

I cannot believe these chips/capacitors are rated up to 120 C. That is freaking scorching!

[xarot]

How high have you got the 990X stable?

[disturbed13]

how are you going to put everything in the case?

[CryptiK]

You are one crazy dude Will be interesting to see this all cased up, and what kind of numbers it pulls at your final settings. I do hope you don't have condensation issues and that sealant doesn't sweat at sub zero temps.

[Callsign_Vega]

how are you going to put everything in the case?

The bench-top is the "case"


Everything is insulated up. Talk about a lot of work.

Graphics cards:






There is a computer in there somewhere:






Coolant is running about -2 C at the moment. Testing CPU @ 5.5Ghz @ 1.59 vcore. Idling around 0 C and full IBT load around ~28C. Testing Quad-SLI with core @ 1055Mhz @ 1.15v. GPUs idle ~2 C with a 100% load ~12 C. The GPU PCBs get chilled down real low and the VRM temps are silly low! If I try and go any lower on the liquid I will have to start swapping out some of the distilled water + water wetter for some propylene glycol. So far the heat has been kept well under control with -2 C liquid (water wetter adds a very small amount of anti-freeze). Considering water has the best heat transfer capability and adding propylene glycol would reduce heat transfer capability, I might stay at -2 C.

Checking some HWbot stats, I might be able to pull down some of the fastest non-liquid nitrogen / dry ice numbers out there for 24/7 use.

[Hondacity]

whats the temps on the nf200? motherboard vreg heatsinks temps?

[Callsign_Vega]

whats the temps on the nf200? motherboard vreg heatsinks temps?

I'll get some temp numbers at idle and during a benchmark.

[l0ud_sil3nc3]

there is ectoplasm all over your computer

[Dumo]

Awsome build

From all those condensation proof works, did you put dielectric grease on cpu socket?

Sorry didn't read all the posts on this thread, probly you did mention it.

[Hondacity]

there is ectoplasm all over your computer

i like it..like this...

[Callsign_Vega]

Awsome build

From all those condensation proof works, did you put dielectric grease on cpu socket?

Sorry didn't read all the posts on this thread, probly you did mention it.

i like it..like this...

lol, definitely looks like my computer. I literally have like 2 lb of dragon skin on this thing.

[Gunslinger]

pwned by photobucket bandwith limit

[miahallen]

Testing CPU @ 5.5Ghz @ 1.59 vcore. Idling around 0 C and full IBT load around ~28C.

I stand corrected

[tiborrr]

Nice build Vega. I don't like insulation job on the motherboard though, but all in all nice job. Next project you may do a similiar plate HX water chiller like I did (see my sig)

O/T: You're also the DCS A-10C Warthog player? I need a new HOTAS system.

[Callsign_Vega]

Ya, A-10C . That dragon skin stuff is hard to work with as it does not like vertical surfaces! At least it is easy to remove if needed. The blob computer sure isn't going to win any "looks" awards but it is definitely a form following function build!

Kill-A-Watt surprisingly showing I am only using ~1100 watt with the following settings for initial testing:




F1 2010 with ~2900 MB VRAM usage 4x AA just a hair under 60 FPS. Min 49 FPS not too bad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWZqS1wsGTc

[Johnny87au]

killer setup, whats the resolution ?

[Neova]

Resolution is 3x 30" 2560p in surround!

I love your setup! It is my dream setup (monitor wise) but I wish there was an easier method for us mortals with limited space to pack in that kind of power. Great write up and thanks for your sharing!