My 280 arrives today, and I have the EVGA Hydro Copper 16 Waterblock!

[Anemone]

Looker? That block was good looking with the clear acrylic face. But they don't sell one like that. The Delrin face is like /twirl... I'll wait for EK's work before I consider a block for a 280.

[InputUsername]

Planning on lapping it?

[shachar2]

quick someone call 911, online rubbery is in progress!

[Talonman]

lol...

I took another 1/2 a day vacation. I am at the house waiting again. I hope today is really my day!

Status: In Transit
Rescheduled Delivery: 07/01/2008
Shipped To: SUNBURY, OH, US
Shipped/Billed On: 06/24/2008
Service: GROUND
Weight: 7.00 Lbs

Package Progress
Location Date Local Time Description
OBETZ,
OH, US 07/01/2008 4:56 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY
07/01/2008 4:15 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN

[Talonman]

Planning on lapping it?

No, I havent herd of too many people lapping their GPU block.

Do you think I should?

[Talonman]

The 280 was successfully delivered!!









I figure I better just install her as is, to make sure she works before I go taking it apart for the block instlation...

Install phase GO!

[Talonman]

She installed just fine...



How she looks idle, with stock clock settings, and fan set to 75%.

[Talonman]

Current basement temp is 70.3F.

[Talonman]

15 minutes of some smooth COD4!!

I ran it up to 64C.

[Talonman]

One Vantage run using stock settings, just to see...



Signature updated!

My cover is on the PC, and I have moved my fan up to 100%.
I want to know the best the fan can do before I go water cooled.
I'm trying to give it every advantage, to see how much my block can actually lower my temps.

I ran 3DMark06 at default settings, and kept Precission open taking a GPU temp reading after each test completed.

Temp after Return to Proxycon: 59C

Temp after Firefly Forest: 59C

Temp after CPU1 test: 51C

Temp after CPU test2: 49C

Temp after Canyon Flight 59C

Temp after Deep Freeze: 60c

Not too bad...

1 Hour of UT3, Max detail settings 1920x1200 and V-Sync on 57C.
I do have the UT3 Physx Mod installed too.

62 FPS non-VSync Mode
60 FPS with V-Sync on.

[Section8]

Oh I can't wait to see some results after you get this installed. Yes for those looking at getting a 280 GTX and if you are planning to WC the HC edition really isn't that bad of a deal because the RAM and GPU chips are binned so you know they will OC very well and really the block only runs you $150 because the card sells for $800 which = $650 for card and $150 for waterblock Otherwise the block itself costs $180? Not sure why the price discrepancy?

[Talonman]

This will be my last report on the stock air cooled 280.

For testing I went after the big dog of heat generation, Crysis.

I set it up at 1920x1200, all high except Object Quality was Medium. (4xAA no V-sync)

With the fan set to 100%, and playing from the beginning for 1 hour, 70C was the max I could get GPU temp up to.

I am convinced my card is functioning within normal paramaters. (Time to mod it!)

I am taking it back out, and will be beginning my block install shortly.

I will take some pictures along the way. Time to put this pricey block to some good use!

[Talonman]

OK!!

Install went well:

Removed 2 black DVI bracet screws, 2 black rubber plugs, and 10 screws from the back. You have to pry off the heatsink:

This is what I found underneath.




I cleaned off the memory chips:




We now remove the heatsink, from the GPU.




Cleaned the gunk off:




I put some MX-2 on, and I know, most like to just put a dot...
I can help myself, I had to distribute it on the face of the chips too!!




For the memory chips, and under side of GPU, I used the supplied thermal pads:





Attach the backplate:





Installed the 1/2" barbs:




Added er into the loop!:




How she looks idle, on water:

[Talonman]

Looks like at idle:

CPU Core 1 through 4 all went up 1C. No big deal...

NB had no change...

SB is reding 1C higher... (And not in the loop.)

GPU was 38, now is 34. I lost 4C off my GPU temp at idle...

On to load testing!

[Talonman]

I think I may have my in and out backwards?

Do you think it is incorrect, and is it hurting me?

[berk]

Are you gonna watercool the PWM/mosfets?

[JacobF]

Nice! What kinda load temps do you get?

[dengyong]

I think I may have my in and out backwards?

Do you think it is incorrect, and is it hurting me?

For best performance. http://www.legitreviews.com/article/726/4/

[Talonman]

I am back to thinking I did install the IN and OUT correctly.

The picture in the install guide looks like this:



I was getting the black in the picture confused with the backplate.

I think mine is like the lower right example... correct?

I had to do some things.. and am back at the house again. I will start to load test shortly.

[Talonman]

For best performance.

Does that mean it's incorrect...


I still can't decide... Help!!

[dengyong]

Does that mean it's incorrect...


I still can't decide... Help!!

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/726/4/

[Talonman]

They have theirs both pointing up. I need 1 up and 1 down.

Do you think mine is like the lower right example in the install guide?

I am thinking it is an exact match to my setup if I am looking at it correctly...

[JacobF]

In your loop it goes from the CPU to the card correct? If so you do have it installed correctly.

Honestly it can really go either way, but for the best performance you want to have the inlet on the right hand side of the card, and the outlet on the left.

[dengyong]

It doesn't matter about the up or down part, only the flow direction through the block.

[Talonman]

In your loop it goes from the CPU to the card correct? If so you do have it installed correctly.

Honestly it can really go either way, but for the best performance you want to have the inlet on the right hand side of the card, and the outlet on the left.

Yes, My flow goes CPU block, to NB block, to GPU.
(Out the bottom GPU barb pointing down, and back to the cooler.)

Thanks buddy!!

Keeping it as is...

Load tests comming up...