Will a small water cooler help get some heat off the top GPU card?

[DrPop]

OK, I'm trying to ready Cheetah to drop in a third GTX 570 in the future. The top GPU card is already quite a bit hotter than the bottom one. I will get a 166.2 CFM NZXT 200mm side fan tonight, to replace the 110 CFM CoolerMaster 200mm fan I originally bought to blow on the GPUs. This should help - 50% more airflow over the GPUs. Then I will take that 110CFM 200mm fan and put it up top so there will be two exhaust fans on the top instead of just the one that is there now - I hope that will result in some gains as well.

However, I have this giant Dynatron HSF (http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=432&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=6)on the X6 1100T CPU, and I'm afraid that part of the problem is that it's just too darn huge and is very close to the back of the top GPU. I would not have purchased such a monstrosity air cooler for this particular rig, but my brother got it a year ago, and I'm just using parts we had...

My question: Would putting on a small-ish water cooling setup like the Antec Kuhler H2O 620 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209049) help get that heat up and away - like mounting the small radiator to the inside top or back of the case, or perhaps even outside it? Fry's has it onsale for $29.99 so it would be worth the money to me if it would help in getting a thrid GTX 570 in there...

Thanks if anyone has any ideas or opinions on this! I'm off to Fry's in a while and would pick it up along with the more powerful side fan and a couple other odds and ends I need to get. Unfortunately the 7970 is not on the list tonight, although the sale is good. :D heh... ;)

[Fire$torm]

With my Corsair H50 (Which is almost identical to the Kuhler H2O 620) in my Dell case I have noticed one thing. You need a case that exhausts air as well or better then in it pulls air in. This is because the fan on the H50 is limited on the amount of air it can pass through the radiator, per Corsair specs. So unless your case has extra exhaust fan mounts (my Dell does not), it will still retain too much heat. Cases like the HAF 932 and HAF X will not have this problem.

[DrPop]

Hmm...well, the case is this one (http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1467&ID=2048) that I just got right before the Pentathlon. It seems pretty nice, but I will keep that in mind and try to just use the big air cooler if I can, then.


So...don't this beat all? I got that high output NZXT FN-200RB 200mm fan (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835146003) from Frys tonight...all excited...heck, I can live with a little more noise if it gives me 50% more airflow over the GPUs! So I pull the plug, stop crunching, open the case, take the door off, unscrew the current fan, go to put this one in and....#$@#$%!!!@-) What is UP with this crazy world? Too many lawsuits on fans or something? Does EVERYTHING have to be proprietary so someone can patent it? It's a FAN people! This is the first time I've ever seen it - a fan of the same size has different mounting points. Apparently Thermaltake and CoolerMaster are on the same wavelength because their fans both fit the standard mounting holes. But NZXT must be on a different planet. What the heck?
So then I do a little checking online, just to make sure I'm not losing my mind, and sure enough. I'm not the only one who fell for this. Apparently, this fan is actually 190mm and is the only fan that fits NZXT's Vulcan case...yeah. Let's see if I ever buy something from those clowns again.:mad:

Now I've got to return it, and it's not the money, necessarily...it's the time, driving to Fry's, waiting in line, etc...arrrggghhhh....and now I have to order one from Newegg and wait for it to get here if I want something better. :p:rolleyes:

[Fire$torm]

OH lawrdy DP, don't that just take the cake... Sorry man, that's just plain lame of NZXT.

On a different note, your case has more then enough surface area for ventilation. So getting good flow won't be an issue.

[Mike029]

Another option may be a pci-e extender like this http://compare.ebay.com/like/260795554591?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar and Frankenstein the third card. I tried three gpu's in one box. The middle card gets cooked. I had to leave the side cover off and run a box fan into the case.

885

:o

[Beerdrinker]

Move to Denmark...;)

Winter = 0*C -> -15*C
Summer = 10*C -> 25*C (maybe 27*C -> 30*C if REAL hot)

Best part is....Lots of days with rain and wind. So even at summer time the 25*C will feel cooler...

Perfect conditions for making and old-school airduct!!

886

Just put in a filter in front of the duct to prevent rain coming inside. And VOILA!!! Real cold nordic air cooling your pc for free!!!!

[Mike029]

Move to Denmark...;)

Winter = 0*C -> -15*C
Summer = 10*C -> 25*C (maybe 27*C -> 30*C if REAL hot)

Best part is....Lots of days with rain and wind. So even at summer time the 25*C will feel cooler...

Perfect conditions for making and old-school airduct!!

886

Just put in a filter in front of the duct to prevent rain coming inside. And VOILA!!! Real cold nordic air cooling your pc for free!!!!

Brilliant!!

[kmanley57]

I remember reading that about the fans size difference, but it is to bad I did not remember last night to let you know. :o

[DrPop]

Oh well, I'm over it. I just had a moment there - like why they don't put 190mm or "for this case only" on the box, I'll never know.

@Beer - awesome! :)) Yes, when I lived in Alaska and went to University in Fairbanks, guys would do things like that! Fairbanks gets to -40° F in the winter... :p not my favorite place. :D

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