Do I need more radiator space?

[ragedev]

I currently have a relatively thin 35mm 240mm radiator cooling an i7-3930K at 4.7GHz and a GTX 980 at 1500MHz. My temps aren't as low as I had hoped with the CPU reaching 80-85C in GTA V with an ambient temperature of 25C.

 

The GPU fairs better with load temps around the the low-mid 60s however it is still a lot higher than when I first fitted the GPU block at around 50C.

 

Typical load wattage for the CPU is around 150-200W and for the GPU, the typical load wattage is around 270W with a max of 365W.

 

I was thinking of expanding the radiator surface area to around 480mm with another 240mm radiator and was wondering if that would be enough.

[brandishwar]

I think you're basically answering your own question on this. Given you have a 240mm radiator on an overclocked processor plus your GPU, I'd say more radiator space is up your alley. If you have the space for it, go for another 240mm, but at least another 120mm should help bring temperatures down. What fans are you using as well? Your fans are going to play a role here, too, so depending on what you have, you may consider changing those out at the same time.

[ragedev]

I think you're basically answering your own question on this. Given you have a 240mm radiator on an overclocked processor plus your GPU, I'd say more radiator space is up your alley. If you have the space for it, go for another 240mm, but at least another 120mm should help bring temperatures down. What fans are you using as well? Your fans are going to play a role here, too, so depending on what you have, you may consider changing those out at the same time.

I'm using 2 Corsair SP120s in pull. The fans are outside of the case since they don't fit inside

[SonoDanshi]

With those kinds of CPU temps, have you also considered de-lidding it? Cleaning it up and applying some decent thermal compound under the heat spreader might also help bring the temps down. More specifically on topic though, if you have the space for another radiator then it will definitely help with temps.

[ragedev]

With those kinds of CPU temps, have you also considered de-lidding it? Cleaning it up and applying some decent thermal compound under the heat spreader might also help bring the temps down. More specifically on topic though, if you have the space for another radiator then it will definitely help with temps.

Its a soldered IHS. I'm using Coolaboratory's Liquid Ultra as the TIM

[Zyphron]

something about this is not right. 

 

 

I currently have a relatively thin 35mm 240mm radiator cooling an i7-3930K at 4.7GHz and a GTX 980 at 1500MHz. My temps aren't as low as I had hoped with the CPU reaching 80-85C in GTA V with an ambient temperature of 25C.

 

The GPU fairs better with load temps around the the low-mid 60s however it is still a lot higher than when I first fitted the GPU block at around 50C.

 

Typical load wattage for the CPU is around 150-200W and for the GPU, the typical load wattage is around 270W with a max of 365W.

 

I was thinking of expanding the radiator surface area to around 480mm with another 240mm radiator and was wondering if that would be enough.

since your GPU is voltage Locked at 1.25 it should NOT be dumping out 270 wats of heat.. think more like 220 max. also keep in mind there a very few cards rated above 250 watts and most of them have 3x 8 pin connectors. 
 

the CPU OC'ed is prob topping out around 150.. this means you are looking at 270-320. and this is totally in the capability's of your setup

you have thin rad Mind telling us what Brand? what speed are your fans running and whats the FIP. Case size and blowing in the case or out? Pump size and speed its set at 


to me it sounds Like you may not have enough Airflow through the Rad. or your fans are fighting against internal  air pressure. or your Pump is not moving enough water. 

the Radiator, is it Hot or warm?

[ragedev]

something about this is not right. 

 

 

since your GPU is voltage Locked at 1.25 it should NOT be dumping out 270 wats of heat.. think more like 220 max. also keep in mind there a very few cards rated above 250 watts and most of them have 3x 8 pin connectors. 

 

the CPU OC'ed is prob topping out around 150.. this means you are looking at 270-320. and this is totally in the capability's of your setup

you have thin rad Mind telling us what Brand? what speed are your fans running and whats the FIP. Case size and blowing in the case or out? Pump size and speed its set at 

to me it sounds Like you may not have enough Airflow through the Rad. or your fans are fighting against internal  air pressure. or your Pump is not moving enough water. 

the Radiator, is it Hot or warm?

The GPU is voltage unlocked at around 1.3V, although it doesn't seem like that helps with stability, custom BIOS with 100% TDP value set to 365W. During games such as GTA V, the TDP goes betweeen 60-80%.

 

The CPU will do 150W under normal gaming load with intel burn test topping out at around 220-230W.

 

It is an XSPC EX240 radiator, the fans don't run at the highest RPM since they're outside the case facing the case mesh which makes it very audible. The case is a Corsair Carbide 300R, a small case not really designed for more than 120mm watercooling. The radiator fans on the top of the case pull air out whilst the two front intakes bring air in. The rear fan acts as an exhaust. They're all Corsair AF/SP series fans. The pump is an EK D5 Pump res combo with speed setting midway. The radiator does get quite warm during loads but I wouldn't say hot to the touch. 

[Zyphron]

The GPU is voltage unlocked, custom BIOS with 100% TDP value set to 365W. During games such as GTA V, the TDP goes betweeen 60-80%. 

 

The CPU will do 150W under normal gaming load with intel burn test topping out at around 220-230W.

 

It is an XSPC EX240 radiator, the fans don't run at the highest RPM since they're outside the case facing the case mesh which makes it very audible. The case is a Corsair Carbide 300R, a small case not really designed for more than 120mm watercooling. The radiator fans on the top of the case pull air out whilst the two front intakes bring air in. The rear fan acts as an exhaust. They're all Corsair AF/SP series fans. The pump is an EK D5 Pump res combo with speed setting midway. The radiator does get quite warm during loads but I wouldn't say hot to the touch. 

100% TDP is 165W on the card. you would be Boosting it to 200%+ to get that kinda power (actual usage at 100% load is closer to 185W)  

while I wont Doubt that you may have an unlocked voltage modifier the last I recall from OC.net was that the 1.25 was a hard limit on all cards save for some gigabytes that did 1.31

and if the wattage output you are saying is correct you are pushing quite a a Bit of power for the Rad you have: here is why....

the thing is with that XSPC rad is its core thickness, its really only about 15-17MM thick. the rest is Framing. (I think, not 100% on that model) while this is true with other brands as well. The 45MM option might have been better since you don't get any extra framing and instead get a rad that's internally 2x as thick. while only being 15MM larger 

 

you also have Negative Air pressure here since you have 3 Exhaust and 2 intake. while it might not make seam to make sense  Move that Exhaust on the rear to an Intake. your poor rad fans are Gasping for airflow.  to test it, and see if its lack of surface area, Open the case up. Lower fan speed. does the loop Raise in temp? yes? now ramp the Fans. does the system drop lower then before?  if so you need more rad space a thicker or Larger rad is a good option if not then you are looking at an issue with low flow, or a Pump that's not responding to its speed inputs. possibily an obstruction in the Flow path.

Finally. ill always advise its better to get high pressure High RPM airflow fans over slower fans. you can control the faster ones down to silent on idle and they will ramp up slightly when you fully load the system. but you ALWAYS have more juice in the tank should you need it, or if you end up at a LAN in the Australian Outback mid summer inside someones garage. you know overheating is no Problem. 

 

TLDR first swap the Exhaust on the rear to an intake. see if that helps, if not shoot for 45MM thick rad to replace it 

[ragedev]

100% TDP is 165W on the card. you would be Boosting it to 200%+ to get that kinda power (actual usage at 100% load is closer to 185W)  

while I wont Doubt that you may have an unlocked voltage modifier the last I recall from OC.net was that the 1.25 was a hard limit on all cards save for some gigabytes that did 1.31

and if the wattage output you are saying is correct you are pushing quite a a Bit of power for the Rad you have: here is why....

the thing is with that XSPC rad is its core thickness, its really only about 15-17MM thick. the rest is Framing. (I think, not 100% on that model) while this is true with other brands as well. The 45MM option might have been better since you don't get any extra framing and instead get a rad that's internally 2x as thick. while only being 15MM larger 

 

you also have Negative Air pressure here since you have 3 Exhaust and 2 intake. while it might not make seam to make sense  Move that Exhaust on the rear to an Intake. your poor rad fans are Gasping for airflow.  to test it, and see if its lack of surface area, Open the case up. Lower fan speed. does the loop Raise in temp? yes? now ramp the Fans. does the system drop lower then before?  if so you need more rad space a thicker or Larger rad is a good option if not then you are looking at an issue with low flow, or a Pump that's not responding to its speed inputs. possibily an obstruction in the Flow path.

Finally. ill always advise its better to get high pressure High RPM airflow fans over slower fans. you can control the faster ones down to silent on idle and they will ramp up slightly when you fully load the system. but you ALWAYS have more juice in the tank should you need it, or if you end up at a LAN in the Australian Outback mid summer inside someones garage. you know overheating is no Problem. 

 

TLDR first swap the Exhaust on the rear to an intake. see if that helps, if not shoot for 45MM thick rad to replace it 

I will have a look at a rad with a thicker core then. I did a few measurements inside the case and figured out I can get around 40-45mm of radiator in there without hitting anything. As far as the GPU goes, I changed the vBIOS TDP so 350/365W is 100% TDP instead of the stock 165W or as MSI's stock BIOS shows, 196W. I'm sure this is true because it idles at a different percentage to the stock tdp according to GPU-Z which makes sense due to the edited power limits.