Next project - cooling improvements

[Skiz]

Now that I may have my SSD problems under control, I'd like to tackle my temperature issues.

I have recently installed a new GPU. I noticed that there was some serious heat coming from the back of the PC so I figured I would do the requisite research. I used a simple tool call System Information for Windows (SIW) and found some pretty high temps, especially for the GPU's. The first pic is with the PC essentially idle. the second is after about 15 minutes of gaming.



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The case is a Cooler Master RC 690 and currently has three fans to circulate air. Top. Side. Rear.

There are several other places for fans if that is a proper solution. Would tossing a couple more fans in there really do the job?

[Detale]

I should probably know this by now bud, but what are your specs again and whats the budget?

What do you want to run cooler? You could always get a good aftermarket CPU cooler and a few GPU coolers as well. More fans usually help a bit sure but placement is key really.

In this pic:


I'm pretty sure you want that fan blowing cool outside air into the case. Intake is just as important as exhaust

Also in this one:


Heat rises as I'm sure you know so you'd want this one blowing out of the case.

You want to try and create a constant flow not just blowing on the components. a general idea is something like this



With the side panel blowing cool air on the GPU's it should have a deff improvement.

[Skiz]

Computer specs are in my profile but here they are again:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (Kentsfield) [G0] 2.40GHz Socket 775
XFX nForce 780i 3-Way SLI
Corsair 8 GB (800MHz Dual DDR2 RAM)
Two nVIDIA e-GeForce 8800 GTS's in SLI
One GeForce 7900GT
60GB SSD - OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2
1.6TB total drive space
2 x 19" Dell LCDs

Budget really isn't a factor.

I'd definitely feel like the GPU's need to be cooler as they are hitting over 80° and I'd like for the cores to be cooler as when playing games I am a full 10° over what Intel recommends as a "safe" temp (they recommend not exceeding 60°). They are breaking 70° when gaming.

EDIT: I messed those airflow pics all up by mislabeling them. I edited my original post. Sorry.

[Detale]

Great then the flow looks better Now like I said if you really want to get that thing cooled down you could get a good aftermarket CPU cooler. I take it you're using the stock Intel one? I'm pretty sure the Prolimatech Megahalems is the top dog of CPU air coolers ATM so I could recommend that one with a decent fan. I'm pretty sure you can go as low as 800 RPM's so it would be pretty quiet.

As far as fans go my personnel favorites are the Scythe S-flex fans, decent price and really quiet. If your concern isn't to get it super super quiet definitely get these yate loons. They're almost as quiet as the scythe but really cheap

TBH I'm not really up on the GPU coolers all that well but a Quick read shows this one gets good ratings.

[Skiz]

I'd like to get the quietest fans I can find.

I think I'm going to start shopping around and fill up all the fan spots with fans. Surely that will get it under control. If not, I may go after something like this.

[tesco]

Filling every spot with a fan running at full speed will make your computer sounds like a hair dryer (and heat the room like one).

First of all make sure the fans are in the arrangement detale suggested. Side and front fans should blow air in, and the rear/top fans suck the hot air out.
If your CPU is hitting 70 then you have a problem. Heatsink full of dust? Mess of wires? Or it could just be from the heat given off by the GPUs (heat rises onto the cpu heatsink).

Next steps would be upgrading the heat sinks, which is something I can't help you with as I'm using a huge fanless heat sink on my GPU and stock on my cpu (I didn't need to go any further than my above suggestions, and I'm actually running all fans at 50% or lower speeds to keep my computer quiet).

[Rart]

Hey Detale:

Do you know what's the difference/what purposes this fan serves compared to the SFlex? I've heard they can be a decent bit quieter.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10...12B1AP-11.html

[clocker]

Skiz, you're making life difficult by limiting yourself to the fan locations that CoolerMaster randomly chose when designing your case.

If you want more cooling for the GPU then get a fan right on that fucker...use any means necessary.
Zip ties, velcro, silicon, whatever, the point being to get as much airflow as possible directly on the heat source.

You needn't be concerned about where this fan(s) will get it's air or where it goes, the case is so full of holes that it'll get what it needs.

You can peruse the CM marketing swill regarding "case airflow"...but only as an exercise in fantasy- the chances of air moving through the case in anything remotely resembling their arrows are about as good as a unicorn winning the Derby.

[Detale]

Out of curiosity Skizo why go with those coolers. There are far superior ones out there.

@Rart. the GT fans are great as well I had the 92mm versions in my tj-07 build. Honestly I cant tell which one is quieter, they're both DAMN good fans though. They are just a different fan blade design.

[Skiz]

Thanks for the replies; lot's of good info there.

I've tried pin-pointing the source of the heat a bit better so I can limit or better arrange the fans I get and currently have.

*The PSU is fine and barely even warm to the touch.
*I put my hand on the hard drives and they are nice and cool.
*RAM is pretty warm.
*GPUs are hot. They are exhausting a lot of heat out the back of the case and making the metal exterior moderately hot as well. About the same as the RAM feels.
*I touched this part by the cooling fan and it was hot. Not like frighteningly hot, but just hot enough that I couldn't keep my finger on it.

Now, I have one stock 1500 RPM fan that is mounted right up against the GPUs. (pic) When the case is closed, it can't be more than an inch away. It is blowing at 100% so I don't know what else to do for the GPU's. I don't know if another fan above the current one would do anything. Maybe a faster fan to replace the current one?

The only other thought is to somehow mount one directly above the other intake fan and tilt it forward at a 45 degree angle so it blows right down onto the GPUs.

Putting a GPU cooler on there is out of the question. With 3 cards sandwiched together, I couldn't stick a greased needle in there.

As for the CPU area, I don't know what else to do other than replace the heat sink.

Out of curiosity Skizo why go with those coolers. There are far superior ones out there.

It was just a general idea of what I was referring to. Not saying that brand or model.