Condensate Under Waterblocks?

[Peopie]

Thanks, they're pretty cheap, I might just buy one of each and use the one that gives the best contact without being squashed too much.

And yeah, the prodigy might be big for an itx case, but fill it full of radiators and pumps etc, it gets cramped fast

 

Your build is beautiful by the way, I wish I could modify my prodigy like yours.

[airdeano]

you'll wanna make the pad pretty thin as the stack might distance the actual GPU

contact too wide and not be able to transfer the thermals to the block.

 

from the pix, the VRAM is pretty squished, but no pix of the GPU TIM pattern.

[Peopie]

you'll wanna make the pad pretty thin as the stack might distance the actual GPU

contact too wide and not be able to transfer the thermals to the block.

 

from the pix, the VRAM is pretty squished, but no pix of the GPU TIM pattern.

 

These are from when there was only thermal paste on the RAM and GPU.

 

The GPU got a pretty good mount all the times that I tried.

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure if i'm adding these pictures in correctly or not

[airdeano]

the .25mm TIM pads are .009 thick. your TIM applications are .0002 thick.

looking at your VRM and regulator pads the VRM is almost cut through excepting the

middle (clamping force diminishing) your VREG pads look fine. the weak TIM spots

on the VRAM is also from weak clamping. raising the block up with .25mm pads

can help the VRM, but the VREG might suffer. the GPU core will prolly be fine, but

you'll notice the card will concave due to the mis-match in heights.

not to be critical, but that block is not designed properly. compound app points are

for improving surface contact, not as a gap filler.

 

 

red boxes around the VRAM are problematic areas due to insufficient clamping force.

the VRM on the left look great, a bit tight shouldn't "cut" through material. the VREG

in upper right might have be a bit loose or bottomed out but sufficient impression.

[Peopie]

the .25mm TIM pads are .009 thick. your TIM applications are .0002 thick.

looking at your VRM and regulator pads the VRM is almost cut through excepting the

middle (clamping force diminishing) your VREG pads look fine. the weak TIM spots

on the VRAM is also from weak clamping. raising the block up with .25mm pads

can help the VRM, but the VREG might suffer. the GPU core will prolly be fine, but

you'll notice the card will concave due to the mis-match in heights.

not to be critical, but that block is not designed properly. compound app points are

for improving surface contact, not as a gap filler.

 

 

red boxes around the VRAM are problematic areas due to insufficient clamping force.

the VRM on the left look great, a bit tight shouldn't "cut" through material. the VREG

in upper right might have be a bit loose or bottomed out but sufficient impression.

Wow, how could you tell the heights of the paste from just the picture?

 

The red boxes around the RAM are the ones which I placed the thermal pads on first, and they cover about 90% ish of the modules. They don't over hang though. I unfortunately forgot to take pictures of the thermal pad placements, but I used thermal paste on the two on the top right of the block and the one on the top left that each have pretty good spread and contact.

 

The screws on the back aren't really giving much any more. They don't seem to want to tighten anymore. If i try to tighten them further, I fear that it may cause damage to the card. 

Its unfortunate that this block is not very functional. I really like the look from the front.

 

Thanks for your help by the way, and everyone else who helped too!

[Bagmup]

@Peopie I just remembered that the aquacomputer staff are pretty active on OCN, I've PM'd the guys a few times and they've answered fairly promptly.

Might be an idea to ask one of them directly, here's Shoggy's details, I'd message him for advice.

http://www.overclock.net/u/179030/shoggy

[flibberdipper]

You shouldn't really use thermal paste on RAM of any kind...

[Peopie]

So as an update, I think the thermal pads are working!

 

This morning went without any problems. Though I think the contact with the GPU may not be as good as it was before. I am idling about 5 degrees higher than what I saw when there was only paste on the RAM, but It's still around 40C, and nothing is dying on me, so I'll take it.

[fringie]

In all honesty.. I'd return it. All this guess work isn't acceptable and you could have ended up killing your card. Long term I believe this experience hasn't been good for your card and you might have issues again, long term. 

 

What waterblock do you have?