D*mn Temps

[alexonfyre]

So a few days ago I clocked my i7-950 at 3.5GHz, 1.25v. My temps after an hour or so of Prime were 73-75 (fluctuating) with a Noctua D14. I then dropped the voltage to 1.23 which brought me in around 70-72.

Last night I installed 3 exhaust fans (S-Flex 50CFM, 1200 RPM) to the top of my case (800D) and dropped the voltage to 1.21, now my temps (after running prime all night) are 70-73.

Did installing more exhaust actually decrease my cooling efficiency?

Edited January 7, 2011 by alexonfyre

[El_Capitan]

Something's really wrong. What thermal compound are you using, and how are you applying it?

 

You should use only two thin lines | | vertically and spaced evenly, then put the heatsink directly on and tighen it down

 

Also, are you sure you have the fans on the Noctua NF-P12 going in the right direction? The 120mm fan should be near the front so it's pushing air towards the rear of case towards the 140mm fan.

 

The i7-950 can get to 3.8GHz with only 1.1678v (in CPU-Z), in BIOS it'll be something like 1.1725v. Put it at 23 x 166 and adjust your RAM timings to 9-9-9-24-1T and tighten from there (at 1666MHz speeds). I can give you the proper BIOS settings when I get home.

[MandoPatriot]

Sounds like your thermal paste isn't on there correctly. Don't worry, happens from time to time even to the veterans...

[alexonfyre]

Something's really wrong. What thermal compound are you using, and how are you applying it?

 

You should use only two thin lines | | vertically and spaced evenly, then put the heatsink directly on and tighen it down

 

Also, are you sure you have the fans on the Noctua NF-P12 going in the right direction? The 120mm fan should be near the front so it's pushing air towards the rear of case towards the 140mm fan.

 

The i7-950 can get to 3.8GHz with only 1.1678v (in CPU-Z), in BIOS it'll be something like 1.1725v. Put it at 23 x 166 and adjust your RAM timings to 9-9-9-24-1T and tighten from there. I can give you the proper BIOS settings when I get home.

 

I used the Noctua NT-H1 that came with the cooler, I used the small dot application method that was recommended in the manual, 2-3mm in the middle. I pushed down and turned it from side to side a couple of times before fastening it. The cooler is facing the right way.

 

I tried using 1.2v and Windows wouldn't boot. at one step above that I was getting weird visual glitches and programs would start and crash. At one step above that, (1.21v) it was completely stable on prime all night long. My RAM has been at 9-9-9-24-1T throughout.

 

EDIT: I am going out of town this weekend, but next week I will remove the heat sink and reapply the thermal paste.

Edited January 7, 2011 by alexonfyre

[El_Capitan]

I used the Noctua NT-H1 that came with the cooler, I used the small dot application method that was recommended in the manual, 2-3mm in the middle. I pushed down and turned it from side to side a couple of times before fastening it. The cooler is facing the right way.

 

I tried using 1.2v and Windows wouldn't boot. at one step above that I was getting weird visual glitches and programs would start and crash. At one step above that, (1.21v) it was completely stable on prime all night long. My RAM has been at 9-9-9-24-1T throughout.

Try my method. I experimented on my own using the dot method, the even spread method, and the x with dots method, the 1, 2 and 3 vertical lines method, and found that the 2 vertical lines method worked the best for me, especially on the i7 950 and 1090T (need to cover more area, especially in the corners). It could also be the thermal compound, and whether it needs curing time. I heard the Noctual NT-H1 is pretty good: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/noctua_nt_h1/5.htm so that shouldn't be your issue.

[alexonfyre]

Try my method. I experimented on my own using the dot method, the even spread method, and the x with dots method, the 1, 2 and 3 vertical lines method, and found that the 2 vertical lines method worked the best for me, especially on the i7 950 and 1090T (need to cover more area, especially in the corners). It could also be the thermal compound, and whether it needs curing time. I heard the Noctual NT-H1 is pretty good: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/noctua_nt_h1/5.htm so that shouldn't be your issue.

 

Yeah, the NT-H1 doesn't have a curing time, but I have always had issues with thermal paste. When I apply it again I will use the 2 line method, what dimensions, orientation, and locations are the lines?

[El_Capitan]

Something like this:

 

Just a decent line, but a slight bit more at the ends.

 

When you tighten your heatsink, look at the edges of your CPU and Heatsink. The TIM should start coming out slightly. Once you see it coming out near the corners, you have it tight enough. There shouldn't be too much TIM coming out, or you put too much TIM or tightened too tight.

[battery]

for the record i have never wrongly applied TIM. my method is relatively simple and straight forward. i put a very small dot on the processor itself. i then take my finger and spread it evenly across the whole surface. if i applied too much then i just keep wiping my finger and resurfacing until its at an appropriate level. its best to use as little TIM as possibly as its only there to fill in the microscopic valleys/pits and give you the most surface area. hope this helps.

[El_Capitan]

for the record i have never wrongly applied TIM. my method is relatively simple and straight forward. i put a very small dot on the processor itself. i then take my finger and spread it evenly across the whole surface. if i applied too much then i just keep wiping my finger and resurfacing until its at an appropriate level. its best to use as little TIM as possibly as its only there to fill in the microscopic valleys/pits and give you the most surface area. hope this helps.

The dot method never gets the edges, which is important with quad and hexacore CPU's. I think it has to do with the edges getting hot, affecting the temps since the heat from the edges never get transferred to the heatsink. Spreading it evenly used to be my method (especially with Arctic Silver 5), but is tough or near impossible on some thermal compounds I use (OCZ Freeze).

[battery]

how could it possibly not get the edges if i'm spreading it with my fingers???

 

 

 

who uses anything besides as5/ceramique?

 

 

 

by your illustration i can tell that you're using ~3x as much thermal paste as i do. i use about half of one of those lines.

[El_Capitan]

how could it possibly not get the edges if i'm spreading it with my fingers???

 

 

 

who uses anything besides as5/ceramique?

 

 

 

by your illustration i can tell that you're using ~3x as much thermal paste as i do. i use about half of one of those lines.

I said the dot method, not the spread evenly method.

 

Arctic Silver 5 has 200 hours of curing time, and should be re-applied every 6 months. A couple thermal compounds have no curing time, have been known to cool better, and last longer between re-application. As it should be. Arctive Silver 5 has been around longer than half a decade at the top. It's nice to see improvements.

 

Possibly, but I know everything gets pressed down evenly when I see some of it come out from the edges, particularly the corners.

[battery]

i've been using as5 since it came out and i was using as3 before that. i'm still using the same tube i bought ages ago. not only has curing time never effected my temperatures by more than 2 degrees, i have never reapplied it. i have a 2600+ mobile barton sitting in a dfi nf2 ultra b and it holds the same temps as when i bought it.

 

according to this as5 transfers heat better and has a lower viscosity so it fills in those nooks and crannys i was talking about earlier.