opinions on liquid cooling (AMD 64 FX60)

[InterlinkModule]

Just snagged a Zalman liquid cooler (Reserator 1 Plus). Are these things worth it? I'm planning on using it to cool my AMD Athlon 64 FX60 (dual core). It currently idles at 44C with the stock fan and 48-49C at load (playing Obivlion for several hours). Here is my system stats:

ASUS AN8-SLI Premium w/ fanless heatpipe chipset
geforce 7900 GTX PCI-e w/ 512 megs
150 gig Raptor SATA
300 gig Seagate SATA
(both moutned behind 80mm case fan)

Can this cooler connect to my vid card? It has a VGA cooling block....and if I get my temps down will I have increased performance? Another reason I want to do it is cause of the noise. I have extremely sensitive hearing. Can even tell if one of the fans is spinning faster than usual. I'd remove the rear case fan, CPU fan (obviously) and even the geforce fan (is this recommended? anyone done this before?) I'd love to liquid cool my vid card. That'd leave just two, the fan in front of the hard drives and a side fan to exhaust that and blow right into the cooling tower. opinions wanted please!




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[rvnguy]

It can do both the cpu & video. This is a bulky but silent passive system.

Performance is not adversely affected at your stated 44c temp

Real increase would require an exotic liquid nitrogen or helium setup to 'supercool' the die. Not for normal use.

Here are some excellent links for you to investigate

This is a good article on installation & video

http://www.ocia.net/reviews/res1/page1.shtml

As stated resources have tested the Zalman cpu block

http://www.overclockers.com/articles373/

Hope This Helps

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[paparazi]

InterlinkModule
Excellent product for those wanting a quiet PC!
As far as performance is concerned, the best air cooling will equal or better the Zalmans figures for CPU temps
The Reserator is however particularly good at keeping down graphics card temps.
The point is though!!!! it does all this silently!!!! no mean feat on a high end setup!

I will just add though! don't forget your other components, your hard drives and the fanless motherboard need a certain degree of air movement/replacement to keep their temps in check!

Martin




We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[tf1]

I agree with the others. This unit is excellent for giving you silent operation whilst keeping everything cool. To improve performance, you have to drop the CPU temperature to seriously low temperatures.


Alternatively, you have to overclock your processor or Ram or graphics (or all three) and the Reserator really isn't designed for this task.


Regards: tf1

 

[InterlinkModule]

is it easy to remove the stock video card fan/heatsink? I have a brand new gforce 7900 GTX, takes up two slots. this all just comes off and the VGA cooler fits on? it came with tonnes of attachments and different clips, but I'm not dismantling a $500 vid card unless I know it will work

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[InterlinkModule]

well I really dig silent computers. no need to overclock, my system is WAY fast already.

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[InterlinkModule]

can't afford liquid helium cooling! but gonna go ahead with the Zalman thanks to everyone for all the replies!

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[paparazi]

InterlinkModule
Set yourself a brightly lit area, cover with newspaper, find yourself a lid for all of the screws etc.
There are quite a few spring loaded screws to pull down the heatsink squarely but thats it! just remove all of these to reveal the bare board and ram chips.
Just use caution, take your time, don't slip with your screw driver.
Clean off the grey paste on the GPU and white residue caused by the pads used on the ram, then you are ready to fit the waterblock and ramsinks.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[rvnguy]

InterlinkModule,

Did you read the link I provided?? It covers the install to both cpu & vid card fairly completely. If you did not find this sufficient, you might condiser hooking up with a friend or someone you trust that is experienced with the internals of the PC.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[InterlinkModule]

I did look at the link, however the CPU they showed the water cooler on was a socket 478 and some anicent radeon hehehehe my stuff is top of the line same concept of course so I'm not worried. not gonna install it until I'm moved tho

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[InterlinkModule]

thx for the tips on the vid card fan removal. Should I replace the thermal compound on the GPU? (I say yes) I'll buy a couple, three tubes of Artic Silver.

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[paparazi]

InterlinkModule
Wo

http://wwwwww!

hang on a minute! buy a couple, three tubes of Arctic silver "alarm bells"

One tube of AS should be sufficient for numerous applications.
You only need the smallest amount for each of the devices.

About 2 grains of rice (in volume) for the GPU core and perhaps double this for the larger heat spreader on the FX60 processor, so one tube will be enough for several applications.
Obviously too much could result in this electrically conductive paste getting onto contacts, which is bad news.

The paste is applied only to fill in microscopic voids between the two mating services, it is not meant to be a physical "layer" just a thin film that expells the air pockets and allows metal to metal contact where it can but fills in the gaps where it can't, with something that has high heat conductivity (Arctic Silver)
Martin



We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[InterlinkModule]

hahahhaha so you saying too much of it is bad? OPPS but at least enuf to cover the entire chip's surface right?

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[paparazi]

Bad because:
This stuff is electrically conductive and has been known to short out CPU contacts etc if allowed to spill.

Bad because:
As I said, the paste is not supposed to be a layer but rather a thin film that is applied just to fill in microscopic imperfections between the two mating surfaces.

Follow Arctic Silver's step by step guy to applying this paste:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[rvnguy]

Ditto paparazi's caution;

There should be only a thin film (not layer) of any thermal compound. Double caution with the electrically conductive Artic Silver. As the HS is held under pressure, any excess will be forced out and onto areas of the chip that you do not want it to be.

This should also be as close to clean room environment as possible. Dust, hair, & other foreign matter is to be guarded against.

I use a finger cot, and tap the compound onto a clean glass surface until it is spread into a thin layer and then to
onto both of the surface areas that I want covered. Tap meaning a very small amount pressed onto the area as a thin film. I would suggest that you pratice this method with say latex wall paint on some other test surface first to get the technique down. It is a lithographer's trick to test ink color but works great with artic silver.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all