Water cooling the Asus Maximus SE X38

[safan80]

you could try the onboard cooler better, but if you want better temps you should go with after market coolers.

[dontgvadamn]

Yes I am just trying to debate if it is worth it. Since this one is different than the formula cooler it might be a bit better at cooling????? I need to get everest so I can see my nb temps.

[zlojack]

Guys , the ones that have a QX9650 can send me a memo with the bios settings for about 4ghz. (I have a buddy that making a new set up but he is not able to pass 3.6 no matter what) cheers

PM Sent

[neo_rtr]

PM Sent

-yes, well noted. thank you

[neo_rtr]

click the link in my sig.

note as well.. thank you

[Nuckin_Futs]

O.K., so now we got just about everything quiet but now my SilverStone Strider and other OCZ GamerXtreme out do every fan left in the system since I cant quiet it down any more next to opening it up and swapping fan.

Any leads on watercooling PSU as of yet? We saw heatpipes, so why not water?

[safan80]

Picture with all the aftermarket blocks and heastsink installed :


I will report back tomorrow with the NB/SB temps so I can add mine in the list

any update on your temps?

[Dangals]

hi all,

must say this is one of the most informative threads which I have just read from page 1!! Big thankyou to all involved and congrats on some beautiful machines.

My situation is that I got the Maximus SE back in Nov 07 and have been running it on air since then. Now this machine has not been running all day and in fact has not been used for the last 2 months or so due to work etc. I have finally decided to try my hand at a water cooled build and was originally going to use the stock cooling but the more I read the more I want to replace the nb with an aftermarket block.

I am however concerned that having been using this board on and off for a few months will make the removal of the stock cooling almost impossible or result in the destruction of the motherboard.

Should I even attempt to remove the stock cooling or should I stick with it?

[dogin]

hi all,
Should I even attempt to remove the stock cooling or should I stick with it?

I used cuircut freeze after heavy gaming use for months on air and the fusion block popped right off. Covered areas around blocks with folds of cloth and just sprayed it until frosty and heard a pop and the whole thing just came right off. It is cold so use a cloth to handle it. acetone cleans the goop off easily.

[zlojack]

I just put mine in the plastic tray from the box and left it in the freezer overnight. In the morning it popped off like nothing.

[Xilikon]

Oh, forgot about that...

Right now, with the cpu at 3.6 GHz, the NB temp hover around 30C and the SB at 33-34C.

[Nuckin_Futs]

Can some of you folks feedback on the changes in their ambient room air temps around desk (for those of us who have cube or tower right next to us on desktop)?

On air, I can keep the box cool, but that heat exhaulsted out the cube is something else. The case ventlazition system does its job so now my office needs more A/C jsut to keep up. Is it like or more then likely the overall room aire can come down in temp when on water, with saem heavy OC. Due to overclock, just about the whole mobo will get weater now, even RAM.

[Dangals]

I just put mine in the plastic tray from the box and left it in the freezer overnight. In the morning it popped off like nothing.

sorry if it is a silly question but is there any issue with condensation on the board? Also had you been using the board previously or was it brand new?

[zlojack]

sorry if it is a silly question but is there any issue with condensation on the board? Also had you been using the board previously or was it brand new?

Yes, I had been using the board for several months.

As far as condensation goes, there wasn't any. Plus, it wasn't hooked up to anything, so any minor condensation that might have formed was long evaporated by the time I hooked it back up.

[dogin]

Can some of you folks feedback on the changes in their ambient room air temps around desk (for those of us who have cube or tower right next to us on desktop)?

On air, I can keep the box cool, but that heat exhaulsted out the cube is something else. The case ventlazition system does its job so now my office needs more A/C jsut to keep up. Is it like or more then likely the overall room aire can come down in temp when on water, with saem heavy OC. Due to overclock, just about the whole mobo will get weater now, even RAM.

Yeah , I noticed the same room heating as on air, but takes longer. The heat coming off the computer is lower, but at a higher volume (You are dissipating the same amount of system heat). So the lower temps of the exhausted air still builds up in the room because of the volume of air coming off the rad). My air coming off the rad fans is around 87F on H20 where the back fan on air was around 98F (exhaust right off the CPU fan) and the vid card exhaust air around 107+F. Wife has never been happy about the heat off this machine and having her hold her hand above the fan to show her a lower temp did nothing to dispell her assessment of the heat generation.

[Nuckin_Futs]

I figured exactly that. I was wonderiong if I could route the main RAD to a higher level or even in the hall, where it would get recycled to central A/C, how long is too long for an average pump? I am at least 3m from my desk to the door upper transome window to the outside hall. Would adding a 2nd pump help to keep the system running efficiently? Or would it be more effective to just route duct work from a inclosed RAD box to the transome window in the hall. This way, I can also duct fresh A/C cold air to desk area as well as RAD intake. I just wanna make my desk area cooler since I like having my cube up front to admire.

I do it outside but it is way too hot out there to be efficient for the summer, and this is when I need it most.

[dc2]

on my maximus formula my NB temps according to everest are 48c at idle
and on prime 95 it gets as high as 56c are those temps high?

[ShArKo]

off topic: well yesterday mi MF die.......I don´t now why :s
I send to RMA this morning. Hope give me another one.
The mb is not booting, and at firs a think its was a problem whith the memory, but i put 1GB in the withe slot and nothing. Clear Cmos and nothing. Sorry for the off topic :p but, i need to talk with some one

[p2501]

on my maximus formula my NB temps according to everest are 48c at idle
and on prime 95 it gets as high as 56c are those temps high?

As noted in this thread everything up to 47°C is considered safe. But this is just adressing the propability that your overclock may be unstable if you're going above these temps. Every board is different, so if you're stable then don't mind the temps. Northbridges are built AFAIK for far higher working temps than CPUs. Then again if you're watercooling your parts as posting in this thread indicates then I would guess you're doing something wrong. Maybe reseating?

Edit: The x38 spec sheet states a Tstorage of 150°C. I don't know why they're calling it so but I guess thats the max... (Tstorage low is -50°C, why would a chip be damaged by cooling it?)

[safan80]

Oh, forgot about that...

Right now, with the cpu at 3.6 GHz, the NB temp hover around 30C and the SB at 33-34C.

What voltages are you using?

[Xilikon]

Forgot about that but that's with a Q6600. Now, I'm running a Q9450 since yesterday so forget about that... I'll come back this week with all the informations because I'm trying to get to 3.6 but the damn FSB wall is there

[Dangals]

Just thought I would drop a note saying that the removal of the sock heatsink was easy after placing it in the freezer fo just over 1 hour. Plus I have been using the board since last Nov. I must admit that when I gave it a twist the "crack" that resulted nearly made me #%$* my pants!!!

Thanks to all who gave advice....will post temps after I receive the last few parts of the new setup.

[Creek Tha Gray]

Two words "Im Full"

[skinnee]

Two words "Im Full"

[WFO]

Nice job CTG!!! I'm in the process of doing cpu,NB,SB and to vid cards. No mosfets so I guess i'll only be 3/4 ful.