GPU Watercooling confusion

[Snoop Dogg]

Over the next few days, I would like to purchase the H90 (or H what ever) to cool my GPU down. But just before I purchased it, I thought to myself about how the damn thing is supposed to be powered. I may just be having a stupid moment and blown this problem way out of proportion...

 

This bit might be a tad bit confusing, so please excuse me:

 

So, you put your GPU bracket on the Video card, and then you put the H90 on too. Then you have one wire left, the power cable. Where is that power cable supposed to go and therefore how does the Cooler know what temperature the GPU is if its plugged into the chassis fans (or where ever its supposed to be plugged into)?

 

 

Could someone explain (fairly briefly) how the H90 is supposed to know what the GPU's temperature is? 

 

If you don't get it, tell me lol and Ill explain it again .

 

 

Thanks,

 

Harry

 

 

 

[JeffreyEagan]

Well, it can't know what the temperature is. The GPU can tell you what it's temperature is, but all the H90 is going to do is display it's RPM on the pump.

[othertomperson]

Well, it can't know what the temperature is. The GPU can tell you what it's temperature is, but all the H90 is going to do is display it's RPM on the pump.

 

Yeah. What you can do is plug it into a fan header on your motherboard and use SpeedFan to control it based on your GPU temp.

 

The other thing I would ask is is that thin, single-fan rad enough to be worth it on a GPU? If it were me I'd want at a full thickness 280mm rad to consider it at least as good a solution as the cooler that's already on it.

[Snoop Dogg]

Yeah. What you can do is plug it into a fan header on your motherboard and use SpeedFan to control it based on your GPU temp.

 

The other thing I would ask is is that thin, single-fan rad enough to be worth it on a GPU? If it were me I'd want at a full thickness 280mm rad to consider it worth it.

 

Using SpeedFan would mean it would have to be manually set and cannot change RPM if the temperature is increasing or decreasing right? 

 

I'm worried that if I was to get a 280mm rad, it wont reach the top of my case. I do have the R9 290, so do you think I'd need the extra rad space?

[othertomperson]

Using SpeedFan would mean it would have to be manually set and cannot change RPM if the temperature is increasing or decreasing right? 

 

I'm worried that if I was to get a 280mm rad, it wont reach the top of my case. I do have the R9 290, so do you think I'd need the extra rad space?

 

It depends on your motherboard. Some motherboards have voltage control for fans, others can only control PWM fans. But if your motherboard can control whatever fan you're using with that you can set up a temperature/speed curve inside SpeedFan and link it to any temperature sensor you like (including one or more GPUs). I control all of the fans in my PC this way.

 

I don't know what case you have. Do you not have a front intake?

 

Personally I think this is a good solution if you already have a cooler that you wouldn't otherwise be using, but I'm not sure how much sense it makes otherwise.

[Snoop Dogg]

It depends on your motherboard. Some motherboards have voltage control for fans, others can only control PWM fans. But if your motherboard can control whatever fan you're using with that you can set up a temperature/speed curve inside SpeedFan and link it to any temperature sensor you like (including one or more GPUs). I control all of the fans in my PC this way.

 

I don't know what case you have. Do you not have a front intake?

 

Personally I think this is a good solution if you already have a cooler that you wouldn't otherwise be using, but I'm not sure how much sense it makes otherwise.

 

 

I believe I can change every fan in my PC. I have installed SpeedFan and found that theres no set your own curve thing (if you know what I mean) for any fan. I can only raise or lower the fans.

 

I have the Thermaltake A31 with front intake.

[othertomperson]

 

I believe I can change every fan in my PC. I have installed SpeedFan and found that theres no set your own curve thing (if you know what I mean) for any fan. I can only raise or lower the fans.

 

I have the Thermaltake A31 with front intake.

 

 

Yeah it's in configure --> Fan Speeds --> Add

 

Then you can choose which fan header chip you want to set a profile for, which sensors you want to add to the control, and edit the fan curve.

 

And if your case has a front intake, that'll be easier to reach than the top, surely?

 

Edit: oh right you have HD cages in the way. ok.

[Snoop Dogg]

Yeah it's in configure --> Fan Speeds --> Add

 

Then you can choose which fan header chip you want to set a profile for, which sensors you want to add to the control, and edit the fan curve.

 

And if your case has a front intake, that'll be easier to reach than the top, surely?

 

Edit: oh right you have HD cages in the way. ok.

This case has removable HDD cages for longer GPU's so I did that but I was thinking of putting the single Rad at the back?

 

And I have made a curve for the GPU Fan, I'm just trying to work out how you actually apply it lol.

[othertomperson]

This case has removable HDD cages for longer GPU's so I did that but I was thinking of putting the single Rad at the back?

 

And I have made a curve for the GPU Fan, I'm just trying to work out how you actually apply it lol.

 

If you must go single rad then do that. Personally I'd go H110 or H105 (or equivalent from other brands). Or just do a proper custom loop instead of having every component on its own AIO.

 

Applying the curve depends on a few things. Firstly, turning motherboard's fan controls off. Having the two constantly overriding eachother is counter-productive. Then you have to know if your fan is PWM or not. Mine aren't, so I've gone into the Advanced tab, found my fan controller chips and set them to Manual. Then I've gone into the Temperature tabs and set the Warning temperature to 80 for CPU cores and 90 for GPUs. The default is something stupid like 40 Celsius, which means that whenever a component reaches this your fans will be automatically ramped up to 100%. Which is obviously not what you want at such a modest temperature.

[Snoop Dogg]

If you must go single rad then do that. Personally I'd go H110 or H105 (or equivalent from other brands). Or just do a proper custom loop instead of having every component on its own AIO.

 

Applying the curve depends on a few things. Firstly, turning motherboard's fan controls off. Having the two constantly overriding eachother is counter-productive. Then you have to know if your fan is PWM or not. Mine aren't, so I've gone into the Advanced tab, found my fan controller chips and set them to Manual. Then I've gone into the Temperature tabs and set the Warning temperature to 80 for CPU cores and 90 for GPUs. The default is something stupid like 40 Celsius, which means that whenever a component reaches this your fans will be automatically ramped up to 100%. Which is obviously not what you want at such a modest temperature.

Yeah, my GPU fan is ramping upto 100% when ever it goes over 50 C. I went into advanced tab and found no way to change "safety/warning temp".

 

And is this what I would do if I had the H90 plugged in then? because if it is, I might as well buy all that stuff right now.

 

And one more question, do you think if I bought a 280mm Rad, the tubing would allow me to reach from the GPU to the top of my case?

[MeepLikesToBuildPc's]

yeah, u could use speedfan

[othertomperson]

Yeah that part isn't in advanced it's in "temperatures." You need to highlight each sensor (ie each CPU core and each GPU) and at the bottom there'll be a "Warning:" with a temperature next to it. Change this to something more sensible than 50C.

 

I have no experience with your case, I can't really comment onto how it would reach. You could measure it and try and compare this with the length of the tubing. You said you'd removed the HD cages... if this means the front of your case is clear, then I would use that.

 

I mean it can't be that bad. the 295X2 essentially has two 290Xs on one of these rads and keeps them at about 60C, but my gut would say that you want more than a single fan rad ideally.

[Snoop Dogg]

Yeah that part isn't in advanced it's in "temperatures." You need to highlight each sensor (ie each CPU core and each GPU) and at the bottom there'll be a "Warning:" with a temperature next to it. Change this to something more sensible than 50C.

 

I have no experience with your case, I can't really comment onto how it would reach. You could measure it and try and compare this with the length of the tubing. You said you'd removed the HD cages... if this means the front of your case is clear, then I would use that.

 

I mean it can't be that bad. the 295X2 essentially has two 290Xs on one of these rads and keeps them at about 60C, but my gut would say that you want more than a single fan rad ideally.

 

Found it, cheers!

 

I did a quick Google search and found out that H100 tubing is 24cm. And If I'm right, its same for all of them. I think Ill go for the H90, just to stay on the safe side.

 

Ok, I'm going to buy all the shizzle. Thanks for all your help man!!!