EK Waterblocks and EVGA n680i

[Malik]

I have question about EK Waterblocks products: Which waterblock adjust for SB of EVGA n680i ? Maybe someone know ?

[SoulsCollective]

Don't bother w/cing your SB. You'll get extraordinarily minimal gains in OC headroom, if you see any improvement at all, and limit your ability to OC the other parts in your loop due to extra heat and resistance.

Just stick with the stock cooler, or use something like an Evercool VC-RE.

[Martinm210]

MCW 30 works (depending on PCI slot usage), but yeah it's a bit of a waste in pressure drop:
http://www.swiftnets.com/products/mcw30.asp

I have a thermalright HR-05 SLI on both of my chipsets now, but getting to replace the NB with the MCW30 to put into my GPU loop. The NB gets warm, the SB is completely cool to the touch.


But even the HR-05 is overkill, alot of people are using the Evercools, doesn't take up space, quiet, and cools pretty well:
http://www.petrastechshop.com/evvcvgcodnf4.html

[ranker]

The EK NF4 1.1 chipset waterblock fits the southbridge perfectly for the majority of the 680i boards on the market. I use both the MCW30 and the EK NF4 1.1

I prefer the EK NF4 block overall, but I prefer the MCW30's mounting mechanism much more (with the hardmount kit).

[Malik]

do you have some pics with this EK block ?

[ranker]

do you have some pics with this EK block ?

I normally post pics of my various rigs for personal reasons, but you're in luck as I'm currently rebuilding my Horizon to reroute some tubing. I stripped out most of the extraneous stuff so you can get a clear picture of it.

[Malik]

Wow thanks

And there are no problems with this block and 88gtx ?

[YugenM]

Someone else used Innovatek Graph-o-Matics on the NB and SB, but the EK solution is much sexier.

[Malik]

Someone else used Innovatek Graph-o-Matics on the NB and SB, but the EK solution is much sexier.

That was me
But now i want to change NB and SB blocks for EK and CPU to D-TEK.

[k00lance]

Ranker: Are those fan gaskets attached to your PA?
What are they?

Thanks.

[kinghong1970]

Ranker: Are those fan gaskets attached to your PA?
What are they?

Thanks.

maybe these or something like em?

[teyber]

http://www.evga.com/products/moreinf...1-01&family=99
i got that, not that i have watercoolign yet but im building a dedicated nb loop.(add sli8800 later?)

@malik awsome rig man! what pump is thta?


@ranker, are yo uusing the EK nb block on your sb?

[ranker]

Wow thanks

And there are no problems with this block and 88gtx ?

There are no problems with this block and the 8800GTX's. This was the only block with a profile small enough to fit directly under an 8800GTX. The MCW30 can also work in an SLI configuration. It doesn't fit "directly" underneath the 8800 but positions itself in a manner that it won't interfere with a WC'd 8800GTX. The EK NF4 1.1 will work with an aircooled 8800GTX unlike the MCW30. This was the deciding reason that had me replace all my MCW30's with the EK blocks (however the MCW30's are just as good).

Ranker: Are those fan gaskets attached to your PA?
What are they?

Thanks.

I use a combination of Vantec 120mm vibration dampening kits for all of my LED yates since they match well with the fan color. On my internal fans (Sharkoon Golfball 2000's), I use the black fan gasket since those fans are black. You can see some of the fan gaskets on top of the cables as I had just removed the fans and the hard drives connected to them prior to taking the picture.

http://www.evga.com/products/moreinf...1-01&family=99
i got that, not that i have watercoolign yet but im building a dedicated nb loop.(add sli8800 later?)

@malik awsome rig man! what pump is thta?


@ranker, are yo uusing the EK nb block on your sb?

That SB fan is utter trash as it's so annoyingly noising. Not in the sense of loudness but like its sound signature. Since iit's so small, it sounds very similar to the D5's whine. I took it off (15$ wasted), and put it on water.

And yes that's an EK evga 680i NB block.

[Cassp0nk]

**** WARNING / IMPORTANT NOTE ****

If you use the NF4 EK block on your SB and don't watercool your gfx card, you will find that you can only use the bottom SLI slot, and it requires mounting the block in the opposite orientation to the picture above.

I'm also not a fan of this block at all. The mounting mechanism is crap as you have to tighten it on from behind the motherboard. This means you have to dismount the whole mobo unless you have a tray with a cutout round the back. VERY painful when prototyping stuff up etc.

One further issue that I'm wrestling with is the fact that as water leaves the hose from this block, it has a stream of airbubbles in it. Not sure its the block, but they don't appear in other sections...

[ranker]

The mounting mechanism is crap as you have to tighten it on from behind the motherboard. This means you have to dismount the whole mobo unless you have a tray with a cutout round the back. VERY painful when prototyping stuff up etc.

That's true. It's the one thing I found very painful about this block is that it requires the board to be dismounted in order to adjust the pressure. Luckily this is the only EK block that is designed in that manner. The NB's and other blocks use top mounted tightening washers so one won't have to dismount the board. In any case, if you tighten both screws down until they're flush with the top as instructed, then you won't have any problems at all. I got lazy and only tightened them half way and then slapped myself for having to take apart the whole thing again as my SB temps were too high.

One further issue that I'm wrestling with is the fact that as water leaves the hose from this block, it has a stream of airbubbles in it. Not sure its the block, but they don't appear in other sections...

I don't have that problem in either my U2-UFO or my Horizon build and both have the EK NF4 1.1 block on the SB. I believe your barbs/tubing are playing a role in that.

[hecktic]

There are no problems with this block and the 8800GTX's. This was the only block with a profile small enough to fit directly under an 8800GTX. The MCW30 can also work in an SLI configuration. It doesn't fit "directly" underneath the 8800 but positions itself in a manner that it won't interfere with a WC'd 8800GTX. The EK NF4 1.1 will work with an aircooled 8800GTX unlike the MCW30. This was the deciding reason that had me replace all my MCW30's with the EK blocks (however the MCW30's are just as good).

What about the mounting issue with that washer making contact with the vreg? or was that only DD 680i ?

I use a combination of Vantec 120mm vibration dampening kits for all of my LED yates since they match well with the fan color. On my internal fans (Sharkoon Golfball 2000's), I use the black fan gasket since those fans are black. You can see some of the fan gaskets on top of the cables as I had just removed the fans and the hard drives connected to them prior to taking the picture.

OoOooOoo please provide some links to these items.... I did not think you could mount 120mm fans to the PA 120.3 with the rubber type gaskets on both back and front... please provide some links to these products and if you are kind enough to also post some close up pictures

And yes that's an EK evga 680i NB block.

Its nice to know someone else did this since I have the DD 680i which I will be using on the NB or MCP and I will be using the EK evga 680i on the SB or SPP. I think this will be SLI compatible on air or water...I hope at least...

EDIT: Ranker, what about the R50s or the MOSFETs ... arent you going to do something about those?

[ranker]

What about the mounting issue with that washer making contact with the vreg? or was that only DD 680i ?

That applies to both the DD 680i and the EK eVGA 680i block. You'll need just an extra 'TT' shapped washer and use that at the bottom of the bottom-right most post.

OoOooOoo please provide some links to these items.... I did not think you could mount 120mm fans to the PA 120.3 with the rubber type gaskets on both back and front... please provide some links to these products and if you are kind enough to also post some close up pictures

I use these Vantec 120mm Vibrational Dampener on all of my Yate Loon LED fans that face outward: http://www.petrastechshop.com/12vavidakit.html

I use these black washers for all of my Sharkoon Golfball 2000 fans since their frames are black: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=20649
You can see some of those lying on top of the PSU cables as I was hastily removing stuff to do my latest rebuild/rearrangement.

EDIT: Ranker, what about the R50s or the MOSFETs ... arent you going to do something about those?

I have MC14 Swiftech heat sinks on those but I removed them since I just purchased some Thermaltach tape to use instead of the craptastic tape that was included. They'll be back on shortly.

[Jedda]

Its nice to know someone else did this since I have the DD 680i which I will be using on the NB or MCP and I will be using the EK evga 680i on the SB or SPP. I think this will be SLI compatible on air or water...I hope at least...

For using the nvidia designations.
For getting them backwards.

Nope, it's not me being a pedantic pain. Correctly designating the "South Bridge" as the 680i MCP and the "North Bridge" as the nForce SPP, is relevant to understanding what's being cooled, why and which temp is displayed in bios.
There seems to be a bit of confusion on this aspect of the 680 boards with so many posters not quite having figured out how their boards are controlled yet.

[Cassp0nk]

With the danger den block what I did was to use long bolts from a model supply shop rather than the threaded bars they supplied. This way you don't have to do a nut up on the bottom of the bar as the bolt has a head. I then didn't bother fastening from above as without the nut underneath needing resistance to torque up against it isn't necessary. Saves putting any dubious loads on top of ICs. Only annoyance is that the new bolts wobble about a bit when you are assembling it since nothing holds them in place until you attach the waterblock. Once its attached though then it is just fine.

[hecktic]

For using the nvidia designations.
For getting them backwards.

Nope, it's not me being a pedantic pain. Correctly designating the "South Bridge" as the 680i MCP and the "North Bridge" as the nForce SPP, is relevant to understanding what's being cooled, why and which temp is displayed in bios.
There seems to be a bit of confusion on this aspect of the 680 boards with so many posters not quite having figured out how their boards are controlled yet.

err thanks I knew I may have mixed up the names..

[Jimmer411]

I have the evercool vrce on my NF4 southbridge, since my stock DFI one died. After 2 months the evercool started making a loud noise like it was rubbing, turned out the fan was sticking some or something when ever the fan would go full speed.

Once I switched to my MCP655 and MCR330 with yates, that damn thing, even when it was running at slower speeds not humming and grunting at me, was still the loudest thing in my system. I have since unplugged it and have a 120mm fan pointed that way.

sadly, MCW30 dont fit DFI NF4 mobos :/

[ranker]

I have the evercool vrce on my NF4 southbridge, since my stock DFI one died. After 2 months the evercool started making a loud noise like it was rubbing, turned out the fan was sticking some or something when ever the fan would go full speed.

Once I switched to my MCP655 and MCR330 with yates, that damn thing, even when it was running at slower speeds not humming and grunting at me, was still the loudest thing in my system. I have since unplugged it and have a 120mm fan pointed that way.

sadly, MCW30 dont fit DFI NF4 mobos :/

Get the Thermalright HR-05. It's a passive solution and works well.

[hecktic]

That applies to both the DD 680i and the EK eVGA 680i block. You'll need just an extra 'TT' shapped washer and use that at the bottom of the bottom-right most post.

TY sir, would you be kind enough to post a link to this TT shaped washer?

I use these Vantec 120mm Vibrational Dampener on all of my Yate Loon LED fans that face outward: http://www.petrastechshop.com/12vavidakit.html

I use these black washers for all of my Sharkoon Golfball 2000 fans since their frames are black: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=20649
You can see some of those lying on top of the PSU cables as I was hastily removing stuff to do my latest rebuild/rearrangement.


I have MC14 Swiftech heat sinks on those but I removed them since I just purchased some Thermaltach tape to use instead of the craptastic tape that was included. They'll be back on shortly.

On any of these things, did you do a comparison of before and after with some data recorded that youd be willing to share?