EVGA 280 CLC on Ryzen 7 - is it supposed to be easy to wiggle?

Kalm_Traveler · February 24, 2019

This is my first ever AMD build, and I've never used this AIO before so maybe I'm worrying for not reason but I'm a bit surprised at least...

Board is an Asus X470 Prime, Ryzen 7 2700x, and I'm using the EVGA 280mm CLC on it.

Per instructions I'm reusing the stock backplate with the 4 mounting screws that were in the baggie labeled AMD, I tightened them down as much as I could into the backplate by hand.

AM4 mounting bracket is clicked onto the pump (though tbh I'm not sure if it should go with the flat side up or down, or if that would even make a difference).

With the 4 mounting nuts tightened as far as I dare by hand, the pump is somewhat loose and easy to wiggle a bit.

This concerns me since I've never had that on any Intel rig (lga 1151, 2011v3, or 2066) but also never used this CLC before. Moreover, with basically everything just auto in the current BIOS (updated it before setting the rig up), CPU temps seem very high coming from Intel. At idle it is about 42 c, and the voltage is constantly jumping between say 1.35v and 1.5x v which seems super high and unstable from what I am used to with Intel.

Granted the CPU hasn't seemed to reach higher than about 70c under load but this whole loosey-goosey AIO pump and somewhat high temps situation is making me lose sleep.

For reference, I have the old 'home server' sitting next to this Ryzen rig and that core i5 7600 is using a 360mm Thermaltake AIO, it's idling about 26c and maxed at 50c with a few back to back Cinebench runs. Ryzen next to it is still idling ~ 42-45c.

A. is the EVGA CLC supposed to be able to kind of wiggle like this? if not, what could be the problem?

B. Does 42-45c seem really high for a 2700x to be idling at with this?

It's running just fine as far as I can tell but I want to keep it cool properly...

Firewrath9 · February 24, 2019

uh, it didn't wiggle on my 8600k? not sure about am4.

Kalm_Traveler · February 24, 2019

7 minutes ago, Firewrath9 said:

uh, it didn't wiggle on my 8600k? not sure about am4.

thanks, yeah that is good to know. I might try flipping the mounting bracket thing the other way up and see if that makes it clamp down tighter.

Just not sure if this is 'how it fits' AM4 or what have you, plus the temps just seem really high to me coming from Intel but I've always heard that AMD chips run hotter so maybe it's fine?

Firewrath9 · February 24, 2019

15 minutes ago, Kalm_Traveler1 said:

thanks, yeah that is good to know. I might try flipping the mounting bracket thing the other way up and see if that makes it clamp down tighter.

Just not sure if this is 'how it fits' AM4 or what have you, plus the temps just seem really high to me coming from Intel but I've always heard that AMD chips run hotter so maybe it's fine?

mabye go on youtube and find a clc 280 on a am4 chip.

Kalm_Traveler · February 24, 2019

3 hours ago, Firewrath9 said:

mabye go on youtube and find a clc 280 on a am4 chip.

couldn't find what I wanted there but I just noticed on EVGA's website...

The 280mm 'now' includes 2 AMD screws. One bag is labeled AMD (the 4 I used), and another bag is labeled AM4.

D'oh!

brb while I swap the correct mounting screws and pray for lower temps

*EDIT*

well.. I'm stumped. Installed with the AM4 screws it is tight now (no more wiggling) but temps are exactly the same.It's idling around 43-45 c (cleaned off the previous thermal paste of course to eliminate any chance of an air bubble).

voltage while in BIOS is bouncing around between 1.42 and 1.55 so I'm starting to think maybe it's just getting too much voltage. Weird though that with a 'loose' cooler it was running just the same as a snug one.

*EDIT 2*

According to the AMD folks on reddit this is totally normal behavior for the way AMD's auto OC works (kind of similar to GPU Boost on Nvidia graphics cards I guess) - it has temperature and voltage targets so it auto ramps up to fall within predetermined ranges for both.

Kind of weird though that temps are exactly the same with a properly-secured pump block as they were with it slightly loosey goosey but oh well. Long as my house won't burn down in the night and this thing won't roast itself I'm happy.