Skinnee Labs - GTX480 Block Round-Up (working thread)

[Russ_64]

If i remember well, only the aqua have a backplate as standard with the block but Ek have one in option. Best choice for me would be the ek backplate and aqua gtx 470 block with the stainless black painted and the copper nickel plated. That would be very nice.

Yeah, you are correct. EK is out-of-stock for 470 and none of the UK stores have them. EK say that "Backplate serves as aesthetics add on", so I guess it is not really needed unless you have a Window case......

[eternal_fantasy]

Skinnee fast! fast! I need juice here. JK ... can do the EK block first ... the rest later.

What's the point of a single test result other then to prove the EK does cool the card sufficiently when you don't have results from other brands to compare it against?

[eternal_fantasy]

Patience

He's only got the BP 100% done (Koolance should be done soon I'd think).

IIRC, he saw over 100C on his VRM probes on the run that tripped his PSU's OCP. Guess the VRMs weren't getting cooled well enough and saw runaway drops in efficiency (leading to runaway increases in power consumed at the wall and power dissipated at the VRMs). So yeah, definitely has some viable data off the VRM temp setup he has going right now

And even at stock, there were major differences in GPU temp and VRM temp between the Koolance and the BP, so it looks like the test setup is done and now it's just to data collection

Yup, BP block thermals are complete and Koolance block is 2/3rds complete but should be done tonight. Danger Den block is next since it was the second block to arrive. I should have the BP install video done tonight as well, I want the Koolance video rendering tonight but that might be high expectations of myself.

The voltage testing on the card was insane, VRM temps were well beyond 100C and watt consumption of the card just kept climbing. I can't wait to see the non-reference designs come out, as the power delivery has a lot of room for improvement. But what came out of all that white knuckle experiementation was as much heat as I could generate, remain stable and my own comfort level that the card would survive the torture of testing 8+ blocks.

But yes, we've now reached the 'grind' portion... Mount Video, Test, Test, unmount/remount, Test, Test, unmount/remount, Test, Test, Mount Video, rinse/repeat. I'm going to get a few more blocks done this weekend and might just provide a sneak peak at some performance data.

If you compare these 2 pictures:




You will see that the screw shown by the orange dot lines up with the corresponding orange dot temperature probe exactly.

From the below picture you can see the screw is not flush against the copper surface:


The machining of these copper blocks are very precise, often overhanging components on the PCB by few hundred micrometers, and I believe the screw placement at that location is so that it misses the chokes when mounted. From your pictures Skinnee the temp sensor seems to be flush with the chokes, so is it possible that because of this conflict the screw+temp probe causing a bad mount and therefore bad VRM contact? Seeing that the Bitspower block have no mechanical fixture point between the block and the PCB on the VRM end side like the Koolance/Aqua-Computers blocks have, it may have caused the PCB to bend away from the block when you tighten down the screws shown by the green and blue dots.

Bad design on Bitspower's end, hopefully you haven't damaged your 480 by a bad/no contact for the VRMs...

[Boulard83]

Good point here Mr. fantasy !

[DarthBeavis]

Bet certain OTHER forums will not detail a design flaw in a BP product if there were one. only flame vendors other than BP when you have their banner ad

[skinnee]

Good sleuthing! Yeah, that screw concerned me but it turned out to be a non-issue.

There were not any contact problems on the Bitspower block, the TIM and Thermal Pad contact looks fine.

[skinnee]

Bitspower Black Freezer Installation - Part 1
Bitspower Black Freezer Installation - Part 2

720p will be available once the videos are done processing by YouTube. Now working on the Koolance and Danger Den install videos.

[DarthBeavis]

So, BP numbers?

[skinnee]

So, BP numbers?

I have them, yes.

[Sgt.McRuff]

Phew, we thought you lost them there for a second. I herd they like to hide in dark corners.

[skinnee]

Koolance VID-NX480 Installation Video

Had some audio problems with this one, getting that corrected for the Danger Den installation video.

[ell]

go skinnee! nice one mate. eagerly await ek testing and final results

[cx-ray]

Koolance VID-NX480 Installation Video

Had some audio problems with this one, getting that corrected for the Danger Den installation video.

Sounds like you hit puberty at 6:30

[Vapor]

Sounds like you hit puberty at 6:30

[skinnee]

Yeah, audio issues.

[DarthBeavis]

Yeah, audio issues.

is that what they call the merwang hitting the impeller now adays?

[skinnee]

is that what they call the merwang hitting the impeller now adays?

I have no idea what that means to begin with.

[Sgt.McRuff]

Sounds like you hit puberty at 6:30

NOT ENOUGH faces

Skinnee you sure james earl jones wasnt around at 6:30?

[skinnee]

I've watched the KL video many times now... probably going to pull it and completely re-do it. Picture is far to yellow, sound it all jacked up and so on.

Danger Den video is rendering now...

[skinnee]

Danger Den Installation Video

trying some different tricks and what not...

[ell]

interesting.. wonder why dd is the only company that insists on TIM instead of thermal pads for the memory chips, guess all will be revealed at the end!

also skinnee are you weighing each block as you go along? the weight of the blocks are quite important to me. each video is getting better and better btw

[eternal_fantasy]

interesting.. wonder why dd is the only company that insists on TIM instead of thermal pads for the memory chips, guess all will be revealed at the end!

also skinnee are you weighing each block as you go along? the weight of the blocks are quite important to me. each video is getting better and better btw

Aqua-Computers also use TIM for memory.

[ell]

well shave my balls and call me susie, that's a melon scratcher. surely thermal pads makes up any micro millimetre difference in machining of the block? whereas TIM i'd imagine you'd have to screw excessively tight to make proper contact, possibly causing pcb bending? then again, i've only ever used EK

[Helloworld_98]

surely thermal pads makes up any micro millimetre difference in machining of the block? whereas TIM i'd imagine you'd have to screw excessively tight to make proper contact, possibly causing pcb bending? then again, i've only ever used EK

other way round unless somehow solids have the same properties as liquids now

[Vapor]

Danger Den Installation Video

trying some different tricks and what not...

Nice ninja swap with the MX-2 tubes

Started with a black near-empty tube and ended with a fresh white tube