Cooling ideas needed

[Heeter]

Hi all,

I got a crossfire setup that is in a very generic case (Specs in sig below). I didn't think that I would run into this, but my vid cards are getting really hot.

They idle at 50C when being used normally. They are at 78C when I finish playing a game.

The monitoring application that I am using is called Hmonitor, but the temps do match the ATI Console app.

All other hardware is running okay, temp wise, according to Hmonitor.

My question is:

The best way to cool this crossfire setup?
Would a move to an Antec 900 II Gaming Case be good enough? That is the one that is appealing to me right now.


Thanks

Heeter

 

[dreamliner77]

78C is not all that hot for for some gfx cards. I'd make sure that your fans are all running at the full and/or correct speed. I'd also remove the heatsink and fan from the gpu and apply some Arctic Silver 5.

 

[Johnny]

Ice ?

 

[LeeJend]

I have not paid much attention to graphics cards for a few years but last time I checked 78 deg C was a good temp for an ATI card. They run hotter than Nvidia GPU's.

If you are running the aero desktop in Windows it uses 3D so idle temps will be high. Turn off Aero and see if the temp drops.

Check the Case and chipset temps at idle and under load to see if your case fans are getting enough air moved through.

Check for cables blocking the airflow through the case and to the video cards.

Make sure the exhausts at the back of the case are not blocked by cables or too close to the wall.

 

[Heeter]

Hi Leejend,

The 78C is actually after gaming. The vid cards idle @ 50C. The ATI temp monitor shows that 78C is in the "red zone" as danger. If 78C is okay, then why would the ATI temp monitor show it as Danger?


Heeter

 

[Aprox]

It probably shows that as danger because 78C is hot. You will burn yourself if you touch the HSF at this temp. I'd not worry about the cards themselves though, most modern GPU's idle in the high 40's - 50's and run under load from 70c - 100c.

 

[LeeJend]

Ok, I FINALLY found some recent temperature data. 78 is getting pretty high.

[Solved] Question about ATi HD 5770 temperatures - Graphics-Cards - Graphic-Displays

Same old procedure - leave off the case side and see how much the temperature drops. If temperature stays high then the problem's with the video card. If the temp. drops you need more airflow through the case.

 

[Heeter]

Thanks Leejend.

I am running so far with the side cover off. Seems to help a bit.

Will continue testing.

Heeter

 

[Aprox]

Honestly unless you are getting artifacts or other strange behavior I'd not worry to much about it. Of course if you have a way to improve your case airflow and bring the temps down it won't hurt, but it's not worth getting too worried about as the temp you are reporting is well within normal.

 

[Heeter]

The gaming is locking up during gameplay, that is why I would like to resolve this issue.


Heeter

 

[Aprox]

Well that sounds like a good reason then!

 

[LeeJend]

If the side cover off improves the lock ups, but does not cure them, the next step is to put a table fan blowing fresh air at the video cards. If that resolves the problem completely you can "live with the mess". Of cut a hole in the side of the case and attache a case fan to blow cool room air directly onto the video cards.

I have never liked the dual card designs for thermal reasons. One of the GPU's is always heat trapped between the two video cards and it's cooling fan has no head room to draw air from. Bad design.

Good luck resolving the issue.

 

[Arniestan1]

I don't think your temps are bad enough to worry about, but I moved a build from a small generic case to an Antec 300 and my CPU temp dropped 10-c.

 

[ericlenhard]

Try to open your PC case, add more fans. And check thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink, replace it if it dried.

 

[meredithswarner]

place aatable fan beside ur cpu to coll it down atleast by few gerees.U can also buy CPU coolants available nowadays....:nervous: