First Loop Questions

[tcclaviger]

I have been lurking and reading a lot about LCing solutions for years. I have a good working knowledge of them etc but am looking for some real world opinions/experiences with them for comparison.

My setup:

XSPC RS360 kit
3x Yate Loon 12cm High speeds
3x Gutted 12cm fans as shrouds to smooth air flow
960T unlocked to 5 cores (6th core is bad) Core: 1.55v/4250mhz CPUNB: 1.31v/2800mhz
16GB DDR3 1333 @ 8-8-8-24 (all dimms full)
MSI 6870 reference card (not available anymore) @ 1.2v/1010mhz core/1140mhz ram
Asus M4A88T-V EVO/USB3
2x7200 RPM 200gig hard drives

Case is an older chieftech, it's a design that most of the modern midatx cases are based upon, has 3x80mm Yate Loon high speed intake fans, 1x120mm Yate Loon high speed intake. The Radiator is mounted to the top of the case pulling interior case air outward (up).

The loudest remaining fan is my GPU, I have an MCW60 on the way and am concerned with full load temps.

Full Load (running Moowrapper via BOINC for 11hours cpu and gpu):
Ambient: 27c
MB Temp: 34c
GPU @ 65% fan speed: 90c
CPU: 52c

Idle:
Ambient: 27c
MB Temp: 29c
GPU@ 40% fan: 55c
CPU: 32c

The coolant is water with a small splash of Ethylene Glycol for the pump and small splash of rubbing alcohol (were talking maybe a lid full of each). The Yate Loon high speed rad fans are run at 1850 RPM, no I am not willing to run them faster.


I am concerned about the CPU temps, IBT gets it up to 55c, I am considering the following:

Adding MCW60, Swapping Rasa black to Raystorm block, adding 2x140 Coolgate radiator in parallel with the RS 360, and adding a Danger Den DDCPX1 in series with the 750. The 280 rad would be intake for the case and replace 2 of the 80mm intake fans (time to mod more ).

With the highish temps on the CPU currently, do you think my planned changes will at least maintain if not improve my CPU temps?

Also, how can I find out what my CPU heat output wattage is at the current temps?

Using this formula I come up with 225 watts for my cpu

OC Wattage = TDP x ( OC MHz / Stock MHz) x ( OC Vcore / Stock Vcore )^2

Using this I find that my system is performing at very high efficiency does this seem right to you?
27.3c = 225W x .1215 C/W So in my system, ambient to CPU Delta is 27.3c full load at .1215 C/W on a 225W cpu, in other words, the loop is running very efficiently, its just one seriously hot processor!

 

[semiconductorslave]

Did you account for the extra unlocked core in your wattage calculation? Perhaps find the 6 core TDP and find the average between that and your CPU stock.

I used Prestone Cooling system treatment instead of anti-freeze (10%). It doesn't have ethylene glycol (I don't plan on my PC freezing) but has grafted polymer additives to reduce friction on waterpump and protect seals. I also think it has anti foaming and surfactant additives to help the water cool. I also use silver coils.

Also, there is a the MCW80 (which I have) and MCW82 now that do a better job on the GPU.

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...t_info&cPath=59_971_240_582&products_id=30793

 

[tcclaviger]

Yep, 5 cores accounted for, I have since adjusted some things with great effect:

Replaced coolant with Distilled/splash of alchohol no EG in loop. Upped the NB speeds, Upped the CPU to 4256, upped the voltage a bit, and set fans to auto speed control off the MB, and reduced/reshaped the tubing so there is no stress on the CPU block. Temps are Down oddly enough, I think I got a much better seat with the block stresses removed.

4256Core / 266FSB / 2926CPUNB / 2660 HT
1.55-1.625v / xxxxxxx / 1.35v / 2.2 v

I can finally get it up to 4.5 as a quad now !! Woot!, but Id rather the 5th core @ 4256.

Oddly enough I found that I must have hit the "magic" balance on the NB/FSB/HT speeds, if I adjust even 1mhz either up or down, my benchmark scores suffer!

Also, its IBT on Maximum+Extreme stable something I could never do before at 4125! Temps are controlled at a healthy(ish) 55c running IBT Max+extreme all other tasks stay under 50, even handbrake.