6850K plus 1080SLI in water is getting hot
6850K plus 1080SLI in water is getting hot
Hello,
Last week I assembled my new system and here are the specifications:
6850K 1.26V 4.3gHz
Geforce GTX 1080 FE SLI (overclocked +190 to core, +250 memory)
ASUS X99 Strix gaming motherboard
Phanteks Enthoo evolv ATX tempered glass
Full custom EKWB cooling loop with D5 pump running max
The issue is that I have a 240 slim rad up top as exhaust and a PE360 rad as intake in push configuration. With this setup I expected decent temperatures. The system idles around 30°C, but when playing games like Crysis 3 the CPU hits 75°C and the graphics around 70°C. All fans spin at about 1300RPM because I prefer a quiet system. Still I hoped for better temps. I removed the front panel of the case to boost airflow, which helps somewhat but isn’t a permanent fix.
Do I lack enough radiator space? Should I consider a push-pull configuration? Any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you.
At the workplace now, consider reviewing this later today. Just to confirm, are your fans operating at their full capacity? I recall you mentioned aiming for around 1300 rpm to reduce noise, but I’m curious about how much lower the temperature would be if you increased the speed. Personally, adding another 120mm radiator in the rear wouldn’t make much difference. The temperature reduction would be small, and fitting the new components into your loop could become a hassle. Based on what you’re trying to achieve with your cooling setup and available radiator options, I think you have limited possibilities for lowering temperatures. The best approach would likely involve using faster RPM fans, which should help bring down the temps.
Can you provide any pics of your setup, nice parts list BTW
Push/Pull won't change your temps more than a few degrees best case scenario. I believe the problem is elsewhere. Your temps do seem high, but you likely have 400+ Watts to cool from GPU's alone due to OC. Also, Broadwell-E CPUs are known to run hot and draw considerable power when OC'd. I'm running a custom loop myself, and don't have temps that high. In gaming, at highest I've seen my CPU reaches maybe 55C mid-summer and my two 970s low 40C range. I'm not running as much of a GPU load as you, but my CPU should be similar power draw and heat output. I also have my motherboard VRMs in my loop. My radiator fans I have set to run constant at about 1200 RPM as well. My radiators are also setup in a push config only. It's possible you have a restriction somewhere, as both your CPU and GPUs are higher temps, so a bad block mount is unlikely. It could be capacity as you pointed out, plus using the slim 240. I'm using 2 360mm and 1 240mm, all thicker style radiators.
Thank you for your reply, I plan to post some photos. I've noticed others with similar configurations achieving good temperatures (http://pcpartpicker.com/b/zPtJ7P). During stress tests, the CPU never exceeds 60°C. However, when gaming and the 1080s begin heating up, the entire loop gets warmed and the coolant reduces its cooling efficiency for the CPU. I believe this is the issue—should I consider adding more radiator space? I can install a thicker one, but there isn't enough room for another 360, and I'm worried about fitting it properly.
I see what you mean. Based on the temperature data, radiator size seems to be the main factor. I don't believe increasing the thickness to 240 would significantly help lower temperatures. Checking the website confirms a 360 model can fit at the top. Would this be a viable choice? Also, a dual loop setup is an option to consider.
Thank you for the feedback. The pe360 in front makes it difficult to fit a 360 up top. Yesterday I adjusted the 240 in push-pull, which provided some improvement, though it's still not ideal. I might be able to fit a slim 120 rad on the exhaust in the rear, but I'm unsure if that would be effective or if I should skip it.
It seems you want to improve the cooling by directing hot air from your setup through a stacked fan configuration inside the case, aiming for better temperatures.
I also own a Phanteks case, which is the Eclipse model. These units are known for retaining heat unless you ensure strong airflow (I use six fans in my setup).
At the job now, take a closer look later today. Just to confirm, are your fans operating at their full capacity? You mentioned about running at around 1300 rpm for noise, but I'm curious how much lower the temperature would be if you increased the speed. Personally, I wouldn't add the extra 120mm radiator in the rear. The temperature reduction would be small, and it would be an extra hassle trying to fit the new fittings and bends into your loop. Considering what you're trying to cool and the available radiator options, I believe you have limited options for reducing temperatures. The first choice would be faster RPM fans; I used 38mm fans on a 480 Radiator years ago with my dual-gpu HD 6990 card and upgraded the 980X. Temperatures were good, but the noise was excessive. Of course, this undermines one of the main reasons for using a custom loop. My second idea would be a dual-loop configuration, allowing you to separate CPU and GPU heat. That would mean purchasing another pump/res and starting over with tubing and fittings. The third option is adding more radiators? Even though there are many WC-compatible cases, I think most are built for multiple AIO kits. Most users aren't cooling 400W from an OC'd GPU alongside X99 chipset CPUs. Outside these possibilities, a case modification or an external radiator would be the next step, although I wouldn't pursue that personally. Let me know if any of this is useful. I'll do my best to assist you.