SOLVED: EK FC on HD4870 X2 no POST

[twwen2]

STOP!

go out to the hardware store and get a pack of nylon washers.

Use Washers and then turn your system on live. Dont mickey mouse the end twwen.

Oh man, that means i have to take it off the block, re-do all the thermal paste etc. FFS why didn't EK include them in the first place!?

[Dangals]

Oh man, that means i have to take it off the block, re-do all the thermal paste etc. FFS why didn't EK include them in the first place!?

I believe that was just with the inital batch that went out as the block I got yesterday came with the washers plus on the instructions it had in bold the sections on the washers plus on how not to tighten the screws too much - but I agree that more could have been done to take care of everyone who bought one from that first batch.

[twwen2]

I believe that was just with the inital batch that went out as the block I got yesterday came with the washers plus on the instructions it had in bold the sections on the washers plus on how not to tighten the screws too much - but I agree that more could have been done to take care of everyone who bought one from that first batch.

Hey Dangals, where would i get washers like that in OZ? Bunnings?

[IanY]

twwen2,

Take some posterboard found in any school supplies store (for presentations) or simply use the cardboard at the back of a notebook or legal pad. Cut out a small strip. Use a mechanical pencil or some other sharp object to perforate small holes. Use the screw to enlarge the holes and cut neatly with scissors. Trim it down to a sensible size.

Its a simple Do-it-Yourself. Don't fret. Its a 10 minute job.

[twwen2]

Hmm, i think i can handle that...

Mechanical pencil!?... You mean like a compass or something?

[Dangals]

Hey Dangals, where would i get washers like that in OZ? Bunnings?

yeah they should have some in their electrical section or most computer shops should have them in their tech department - just ask nicely I am sure they will help you out.

or you can do what IanY said - that seems simple enough

[IanY]

Yeah. Something like that. Compass would be perfect.

My point is that you needn't rush out on the internet in frantic search for some silly paper washers.

[twwen2]

Fair enough. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

This project keeps throwing curve-balls at me. You'll see what i mean when i get the next few updates online...

[IanY]

Idea number two. Lazy way.

Take electrical tape. Poke holes. Fit around screws.

Done!

[twwen2]

Ha the lazy apart appeals to me, but not the ghetto part. Plus i only have yellow electrical tape atm.

[Giannis86]

ROFL..
that makes no sense because the full card block should take brunt heat of the card and move it to your radiator. If your case temps went up, that is confusing. Where does your rad exhaust to?

actually it does make sense the way i configured it now :P
my plan was to have a tripple loop but all that would never fit in my current case. Hell it wont even fit 2 loops properly..So i set it up in another way temporarily.

Before i had the radiator from the cpu intaking fresh air and exhausting in the case. Surely that contributed for high case temps but even when the cpu was idle the case was very hot. With the side panel off i could feel the warmth easily from about half a meter away, which wasnt the case with my previous gpu)..The 4870x2 was running about 70degrees idle.
Anyway i put the radiator of the gpu loop outside the case (about half a meter away), so it doesnt dump heat in my case. (i didnt have much choise anyway. The rad wouldnt fit anywhere).

This actually seemed to reduce my cpu temps by a few degrees too (even if the cpu rad is intaking fresh air..)(Btw i removed the rear exhaust so that i could route the tubing through it (left the side panel open though). So there isnt much airflow in the case atm..As this is a temporary case i dont really care much about al the mess with the cables in it

[emuexport]

STOP!

go out to the hardware store and get a pack of nylon washers.

Use Washers and then turn your system on live. Dont mickey mouse the end twwen.

I went the mickey mouse way and didnt have any problems. I would suggest that you are better off safe than sorry and get the washers. Wouldnt know where to get it in OZ though I searched my local salvage yard (my study) looking for potential washers and come up empty.

If you find out where to get that stuff let us know.

Glad to hear you got it working CD and it looks AWESOME!!

[CyberDruid]

@twwen2

No need to take the blockoff the card. All I did was remove one screw at a time...put on a washer and do the next. No biggy.

[twwen2]

@twwen2

No need to take the blockoff the card. All I did was remove one screw at a time...put on a washer and do the next. No biggy.

Yeah i just realised that before. Won't be as hard as i thought.

[twwen2]

Done. I used a hole-punch to get some nice circles of red cardboard, then a compass to poke the hole for the screw.

During the process i realised that the stock cooler didn't have any washers, so why would we need them? Can someone explain how a card can be shorted by the screws?

But in the end i thought "better safe than sorry"

[NaeKuh]

trust me.

Your better off doing all the lose corners, so you have a higher chance of successful build, then go DOE and post troubled threads and end up pulling your hair out like CD did.

[twwen2]

trust me.

Your better off doing all the lose corners, so you have a higher chance of successful build, then go DOE and post troubled threads and end up pulling your hair out like CD did.

True that. I'm hoping the card still lives

[iboomalot]

Well trouble in little china stock cooler the ram is bad on mine so Iam RMAing it.

No washers with my block but I got it week or two ago


What are the sizes of the screws I want to use nylon

M3x6 is one size for the short ones without the countersunk top ,, i think

[[XC] riptide]

Ya... Anyone just think about using A4 paper strengtheners.. the ones they use when filing into Lever Arch folders? You put around the holes?

[IanY]

Ya... Anyone just think about using A4 paper strengtheners.. the ones they use when filing into Lever Arch folders? You put around the holes?

Not widely used in America lol Yes, I understand what you are referring to.

Don't those have holes that are slightly large? I just checked the perforated holes on an American three-ring binder.

[rockqc]

Hey Dangals, where would i get washers like that in OZ? Bunnings?

Jaycar sell them in packs of 10.

M3 FLAT WHT PK10

[CyberDruid]

RE why does it short out using screws?

Judging from what I've been reading and hearing here and my own musings I think that the stock cooler is sufficiently isolated from the card...it uses spongey TIM pads and the backplate is spaced away from the card. The EK mounts directly..the block is touching a variety of parts that might be somewhat conductive...the PLX IHS for instance. And the screw holes lugs are earthed...so when the screw makes the whole water block earthed it's pretty easy to imagine a fault waiting to happen...Perhaps the reason this is not happening for eveyrone is the way each person cuts and places the TIM pads or tightens the screws...I'dl ike to see a better mounting system than this for sure.

Perhaps some stick on spacers like naked Die CPUS use...

[twwen2]

Jaycar sell them in packs of 10.

M3 FLAT WHT PK10

That's good to know. Thanks

RE why does it short out using screws?

Judging from what I've been reading and hearing here and my own musings I think that the stock cooler is sufficiently isolated from the card...it uses spongey TIM pads and the backplate is spaced away from the card. The EK mounts directly..the block is touching a variety of parts that might be somewhat conductive...the PLX IHS for instance. And the screw holes lugs are earthed...so when the screw makes the whole water block earthed it's pretty easy to imagine a fault waiting to happen...Perhaps the reason this is not happening for eveyrone is the way each person cuts and places the TIM pads or tightens the screws...I'dl ike to see a better mounting system than this for sure.

Perhaps some stick on spacers like naked Die CPUS use...

Thanks for the explanation CD, i agree the blocks should have spacers, a bit like a hard-mount. Then we wouldn't bend the card so much.

[systemviper]

wow, i was just looking at blocks and like the look of EK nickel, then I saw this thread., I'm glad i waited a while before getting to this part of the build,

Thanks for blazing the trail....

see this is what XS is all about, exposing a flaw, finding the solution and giving the maker a blistering/opps, i mean finding the solution,

thanks guyzzz

[CyberDruid]

lol

I have buttloads of EK parts in all my builds...they have nice stuff.