Official Water Cooling Thread of the Stock Maximus SE ROG NB Club:

[Talonman]

Thanks for the post BulldogPO!!

So far:
ROG Member ----- NB volts -- NB Loaded --------------- CPU ------------------
Renegade5399 ---- 1.65v ------ 34°C ------------ Intel Core2Duo E6850 G0 @ 4GHz
bill d ------------- 1.30v ------ 34°C ----------------------------- Q6600 Stock
ragge86 ---------- 1.65v ------ 36°C ---------------------------- Q6600 @ 3.8GHz
BulldogPO -------- 1.60v ------ 40°C -24/7 QMC crunching clocks - Q6600 @ 3.8GHz
j0nnyr0773n ------ 1.54v ------ 44°C ------------------------- Q6600 GO @ 3.6GHz
Clump ------------ 1.62v ------ 46°C (After 1HR or Prime 95) ----- Q6600 @ 3.6GHz
raju -------------- 1.65v ------ 49°C (Prime95 Torture Temp) ----- ??????
Note: After Raju remounted, max temp went down to 39°C

[Clump]

@Talonman: if I read well, he didn't use the stock cooler (passive), he watercooled his NB and if I read well he reseated it with a 10°C temp gain.

The X38 runs hotter than a P35 and some say hotter than a P965. I doubt any passive cooling will do it at above 1.6v on high FSB and a quad core. 9x400 MHz can be achieved on many P965 chips (except mine ) at 1.45v for the NB.

ASUS and all other brands had their stock thermal compound always low low grade.

Personally, and if I see the Maximus topic, things are presenting bad: Only 2-3 people got a 3.7-3.8 GHz on their Q6600 G0, and none have posted a Prime95 small FFT and Large FFT screen.

What I advice anyone to do: as Raju said: reseat the stock cooling heatsinks with some AS5 or MX-1.

I'm really interested in your great topic though, would be very interesting if people post detailed data like clump did, with all needed info

Personally, once I order my Maximus (yep, I'm tempted as soon as I see some Q6600 G0 stable at 3.8-3.9 GHz above 1.5vcore to verify how the mosfets and X38 manage it at these heavy loads), I'll remove the stock heatsinks, sit my two HR-09U on the mosfets (with 2 x 60mm silent fans), I'll put my HR-05 IFX on the SB, and I'll cut the heatpies from the NB block to watercool it using the stock fusion blockk

Yep, I'm mad to demolish that beauty circuit, but I'm sure, passive cooling will never manage extreme OC.

Hope to see more data soon on the limits of the stock cooling on this Maximus

Again, great topic

Just to clarify:
I'm using the stock block watercooled. I have not reseated the block, but am tempted by the possibility of a 10C drop.

[Talonman]

Thanks for the clarification, chart stands as is!

If any would like to include 1 picture of their system for reference, when reporting their temps, consider it officially incoraged !!

You will notice I haven't been recording the idle temps. Only reason being is that I am already giving the stock ROG NB block on water, full credit for being able to keep a system happy at idle, no matter what processor.

But please, do include any and all stats and temps you would like in your post.

I really am after the failing point, and exactly what, if any, the sexy new block would give us ROG members in real world performance.

I think the voltage, NB temps, processor and it's operating frequency, should hopefully show us a pattern?

I only seek the truth on the performance of the stock Maximus SE water cooled block, and if it's hurting our OC'ing ability.

[Renegade5399]

Hornet, I <3 your setup. Nice work there sir, most excellent indeed!

[jonny_ftm]

My Maximus

If you are on LPDC it is alright, if you are on HPDC, the barbs at a 90°C angle are a real mess
Sorry, this is out of subject anyway

[BulldogPO]

I correct, my NB volts are 1.65V not 1.6V.

[Pete]

Just be carefull in removing the stock cooler, i did it and took my IHS off leaving a naked X38 unlike some which have pulled the full NB, core and waffer off the bord!

[Renegade5399]

Just be carefull in removing the stock cooler, i did it and took my IHS off leaving a naked X38 unlike some which have pulled the full NB, core and waffer off the bord!

Hairdryer + patience + decent flat blade screwdriver = win.

[Talonman]

I correct, my NB volts are 1.65V not 1.6V.

Done, Thanks for the correction buddy!

So far:
ROG Member ----- NB volts -- NB Loaded --------------- CPU ------------------
Renegade5399 ---- 1.65v ------ 34&#176;C ------------ Intel Core2Duo E6850 G0 @ 4GHz
bill d ------------- 1.30v ------ 34&#176;C ----------------------------- Q6600 Stock
ragge86 ---------- 1.65v ------ 36&#176;C ---------------------------- Q6600 @ 3.8GHz
BulldogPO -------- 1.65v ------ 40&#176;C -24/7 QMC crunching clocks - Q6600 @ 3.8GHz
j0nnyr0773n ------ 1.54v ------ 44&#176;C ------------------------- Q6600 GO @ 3.6GHz
Clump ------------ 1.62v ------ 46&#176;C (After 1HR or Prime 95) ----- Q6600 @ 3.6GHz
raju -------------- 1.65v ------ 49&#176;C (Prime95 Torture Temp) ----- ??????
Note: After Raju remounted, max temp went down to 39&#176;C

[hornet]

You put 13 pictures and 1 video of your PC in my thread, and didn't report any temps?

Edit it, just leave 1 picture for referance where we can see the entire loop, and report your stats n temps.

I would say keep the last shot. I like it best myself.

That would be appreachiated. She is a beauty for sure.

This post will be edited to ... Thanks for the post hornet!!

And your data will be added to the chart, and recorded for all time.

My excuses.

It was without any intention.

It is rectified.

[Garrett]

Hornet, your pump has a blue impeller which tells me it's an 18w DDC...
It's just standing there in the case, doesn't it cause a lot of vibration?

[Talonman]

My excuses.

It was without any intention.

It is rectified.

Thanks buddy..

[step]

Hairdryer + patience + decent flat blade screwdriver = win.

I wouldn't exactly be wanting to heat the epoxy in place. Do it cold.

[Talonman]

I am trying to avoid the entire removal thing unless I have to.

If our findings support that we pritty much have to pitch the stock cooling, I will probably be the next one trying to coax my block off of the board.

I truly hope we can make a more informed decission about the ROG's cooling abilities, before I go through heck and back, trying to remove it off of my $300 board.

If anybody has an opinion on what temp our NB begins to get into danger, by all means chirp up about it, because I currently have no idea.

[Budious]

I have this board and need some recommendations on a minimal set of equipment to liquid cool only the NB heatpipe system, keeping the cpu and vga on air. I'm not familiar with liquid cooling and from my research and looking around, most products tend to be oriented towards 1/2" tubing and connections, I assume these work well enough with adapters to 3/8" NB? I like to have the minimalist of noise from pump and a small radiator that fits over an existing 120mm fan exhaust port or can mount to the perforated side panel of my Lian Li PC-V1000 case without taking a dremel to its nice finish. Recommendations appreciated.

[jonny_ftm]

I wouldn't exactly be wanting to heat the epoxy in place. Do it cold.

??? The NB in load wil be so much hotter than you can do with your haidryer. If you spot it on the NB heatsink exactly, no problem. With cold, you'll need to make an effort on the heatsink/chip/motherboard with much traction. Hot air is the only way for effortless removing

I truly hope we can make a more informed decission about the ROG's cooling abilities, before I go through heck and back, trying to remove it off of my $300 board.

It is really an easy thing, you can't go wrong if you're carefull and use a forceless methodology

Just be carefull in removing the stock cooler, i did it and took my IHS off leaving a naked X38 unlike some which have pulled the full NB, core and waffer off the bord!

??? The X38 doesn't have an IHS, the SB doese have. Till now, no NB had an IHS, is the X38 the first or you're confusing your SB?

[Xilikon]

X38 has a IHS indeed and it's the first.

[jonny_ftm]

X38 has a IHS indeed and it's the first.

My shame, I see
So it really must run very hot. Bad news too. The WC directly on the core without an IHS should be much more effective. Intel IHS are bowed and they use cheap compound

Maybe someone can try lapping it too

[Marci]

Intel IHS are bowed and they use cheap compound

Eh? They use Indium solder pads - nothing cheap about it and it beats any thermal compound available in the retail market.

[nikhsub1]

How are you guys that are using 7/16" ID or 1/2" ID getting the tubing to work with the small barbs? My SE will be here tomorrow..

[Renegade5399]

The board comes with a bag of adapters.

[weescott]

NB with 1.74v - 43c load
CPU (Q9550 444x8.5) 1.49v 62c load
Room Temperature 18c
Mix of 3/8" and 7/16th tubing
Fuzion CPU block
Thermochill PA120.1 with a Silenx and YateLoon fan, push pull
DDC 1T Plus with OClabs Top

More volts than it needs from trying to get max overclock.

[jonny_ftm]

Eh? They use Indium solder pads - nothing cheap about it and it beats any thermal compound available in the retail market.

Thought it was crap after all the polemics around C2D series with bad IHS yielding to great temperature improvements after removing the IHS or lapping it. Also, the E4xxx and newer E66xx series had really bad compound, unlike the solid material built in the first C2D chips (my E4300 was an example)

If intel did so bad with their top-line marketting products, why should they enhance it with the chipset.

Well, I don't own a X38, but just suspicious as intel already deceived us

[Talonman]

Thanks for the post weescott!

So far:
ROG Member ----- NB volts -- NB Loaded --------------- CPU ------------------
Renegade5399 ---- 1.65v ------ 34&#176;C ------------ Intel Core2Duo E6850 G0 @ 4GHz
bill d ------------- 1.30v ------ 34&#176;C ----------------------------- Q6600 Stock
ragge86 ---------- 1.65v ------ 36&#176;C ---------------------------- Q6600 @ 3.8GHz
BulldogPO -------- 1.65v ------ 40&#176;C -24/7 QMC crunching clocks - Q6600 @ 3.8GHz
weescott --------- 1.74v ------ 43&#176;C --------(Q9550 444x8.5) 1.49v 62c under load
j0nnyr0773n ------ 1.54v ------ 44&#176;C ------------------------- Q6600 GO @ 3.6GHz
Clump ------------ 1.62v ------ 46&#176;C (After 1HR or Prime 95) ----- Q6600 @ 3.6GHz
raju -------------- 1.65v ------ 49&#176;C (Prime95 Torture Temp) ----- ??????
Note: After Raju remounted, max temp went down to 39&#176;C

[Raja@ASUS]

review is up at anandtech...