Need some airflow / design help

[DrPop]

Not sure what is going on, but temps are skyrocketing on my 5870.

I recently added a GTX 465 to the DrPop rig, and here's what's happening.

I used to run the 5870 at 60% fan, and get temps ~65 - 70C when at 100% load on DNETC. Now, running MW (which used to drop the temp), I just happened to notice the temp was at 96C this morning! I'm like...what the heck?
Now I just upped the fan to 100% and I'm at 81C under full MW load - that is still way hot for 100% fan in my opinion. Clocks are 900core / 450mem as they have been for 6 months.

So here's what I think is happening. I O/Ced the GTX 465 a little, and raised the fan to 65%. Playing with it here, it seems that as I raise the NVIDIA fan speed, the ATI card gets hotter. Is this normal?

Case is the older USB 2 version of HAF-932, so there is no airflow problems that I can think of. Fans everywhere. PSU is on the bottom of the case, so that shouldn't be much of an issue either.
I have the ASRock Deluxe 4 mobo, and have ATI in 1st pci-e slot, and NVIDIA in 2nd pci-e slot - so there are 2 spaces between them. No other cards installed. 1100T X6 CPU w/ this Rosewill HSF installed, and that's it. So lots of room. With that GIANT HAF-932 case side fan on them, this should be plenty of air flow.

It must be the design of the cards...the way the fans are on them.

ATI 5870 card design is this Gigabyte one with dual fan design.

NVIDIA GTX 465 card design is this EVGA SC one with single fan design.

Do you think I should take it apart and try switching the cards - if the ATI will even run in slot 2 w/ NVIDIA in slot 1? I'm scratching my head because there is tons of air flow here, but something isn't right.

[Fire$torm]

Have you cleaned your card of dust bunnies???

You can use a vacuum cleaner w/ hose attachment. Need to be careful not to touch the fan blades or over revving the fan by keeping a small gap between the two. I do this about every three weeks or so. Alternatively can of compressed air will do nicely.

So here's what I think is happening. I O/Ced the GTX 465 a little, and raised the fan to 65%. Playing with it here, it seems that as I raise the NVIDIA fan speed, the ATI card gets hotter. Is this normal?

That is what will happen but 96C seems too high to be accounted for by the nVidia card.

[joker]

I would also check the fans on your 5870. My 5830 did pretty much the same thing. Looked at it one day and it was 95C and the fan was already at 100%. Took the card out and spun the fan with my finger. It hardly moved. Fan was not pushing hardly any air buy Afterburner was telling me it was spinning at full speed. Ended up getting an aftermarket cooler.

[DrPop]

OK, I'll check as soon as I get a chance after work. Would hate to burn up the 5870 - paid like $300 for it back when it was a "good card".

[dan]

Not sure what is going on, but temps are skyrocketing on my 5870.

I recently added a GTX 465 to the DrPop rig, and here's what's happening.

I used to run the 5870 at 60% fan, and get temps ~65 - 70C when at 100% load on DNETC. Now, running MW (which used to drop the temp), I just happened to notice the temp was at 96C this morning! I'm like...what the heck?
Now I just upped the fan to 100% and I'm at 81C under full MW load - that is still way hot for 100% fan in my opinion. Clocks are 900core / 450mem as they have been for 6 months.

So here's what I think is happening. I O/Ced the GTX 465 a little, and raised the fan to 65%. Playing with it here, it seems that as I raise the NVIDIA fan speed, the ATI card gets hotter. Is this normal?

Case is the older USB 2 version of HAF-932, so there is no airflow problems that I can think of. Fans everywhere. PSU is on the bottom of the case, so that shouldn't be much of an issue either.
I have the ASRock Deluxe 4 mobo, and have ATI in 1st pci-e slot, and NVIDIA in 2nd pci-e slot - so there are 2 spaces between them. No other cards installed. 1100T X6 CPU w/ this Rosewill HSF installed, and that's it. So lots of room. With that GIANT HAF-932 case side fan on them, this should be plenty of air flow.

It must be the design of the cards...the way the fans are on them.

ATI 5870 card design is this Gigabyte one with dual fan design.

NVIDIA GTX 465 card design is this EVGA SC one with single fan design.

Do you think I should take it apart and try switching the cards - if the ATI will even run in slot 2 w/ NVIDIA in slot 1? I'm scratching my head because there is tons of air flow here, but something isn't right.

Are the cards on top of each other, like in slots 1 and 3? If so the one on top doesn't get enough airflow.

Fans everywhere doesn't always lead to good air flow. When I set up my 950, my i7 was running 20c hotter than it should have. I took into account the direction the other fans were blowing, changed the direction of the CPU fan in a nonintuitive manner and dropped temps 20c If the fans are fighting each other no cooling happens. Is your side fan an exhaust or intake? If exhaust, it could be pulling hot air towards the GPU.

[Mike029]

I ran into a similar problem in my Herrican 2000 case about 2 weeks ago. Video temps. running high 70's to low 80's on one card and low 70's on the other card. I got a can of compressed air and cleaned out the cards and the case fans. Be careful not to let the fans spin too fast.
I had an old 120mm case fan from an old case. I placed it over the video card that ran a bit hotter than the other. Used a small piece of Velcro to hold the fan in placed and attached it to the video card. It helps keep the air flowing Now the temps are 65 to 68 on the card that used to run in the 80's and 68 to 71 on the other card.
Hope that helps.

[dan]

After Just putting my two 5870s in CF I noticed the top one is running 10C hotter than the bottom. Fortunately, there is an open slot between the two of them or I'm guessing it would be even hotter.

Dan

[Shadow]

After Just putting my two 5870s in CF I noticed the top one is running 10C hotter than the bottom. Fortunately, there is an open slot between the two of them or I'm guessing it would be even hotter.

Dan

It's normal for the top one to run warmer. The lower one is drawing cool air from the bottom of the case, and the top one is drawing in warmer air from the heat generated by the lower one.

[DrPop]

Update:
That GTX 465 was dumping tons of heat. Long story short, I bought a GTX 460, put that in the DrPop rig with the HD5870 and much better temps now.

The GTX 465 will be stand alone in the server I'm building with some parts from BOK - that way heat won't be an issue with it.

[Beerdrinker]

Update:
That GTX 465 was dumping tons of heat. Long story short, I bought a GTX 460, put that in the DrPop rig with the HD5870 and much better temps now.

The GTX 465 will be stand alone in the server I'm building with some parts from BOK - that way heat won't be an issue with it.

HOLY C......P!!!


You are gonna skyrocket!!!

-> Joker: I would consider this a fair warning....DrPop is coming for you....and FAST!