Weird temperatures water has cooled to 980 degrees. Please help.
Weird temperatures water has cooled to 980 degrees. Please help.
Hello
🙂
I’ve cooled my 980ti with an EK waterblock. I’m using a 240mm 27mm (slim) 14 FPI radiator. I’m running one Noctua and one NoiseBlocker static pressure fan, both spinning at about 900-1000 rpm max.
The issue is that when I play at high resolution, my GPU hits around 65 degrees C. Even more surprising is that the coolant stays near 53 degrees C (I expected it to be lower). My pump runs slowly, but the loop is small, so I’m confident there’s enough flow.
My question is: 1. Is the GPU temperature at these RPMs and with this radiator normal? Or should I consider a thicker EK rad?
2. Is the coolant temperature okay? I’ve heard about a 10°C difference being typical, but my room is about 25°C, so something seems off.
(Just to be clear, the radiator is mounted at the front of the case and gets fresh air.)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
This setup with a 980Ti and 250w TDP likely contributes to the weak delta performance. Running slower fans combined with a DDC that uses PWM at low speed seems to be the issue.
This setup with a 980Ti and 250w TDP likely contributes to the weak delta performance. Running slower fans combined with a DDC that uses PWM at low speed seems to be the issue.
PWM on watercooling pumps is less effective than PWM on watercooling radiator fans. Which DDC pump are you running? Can you run it at 100% speed? For the record, I've run DDC and D5 pumps for 14 years and have always run them at full speed. There isn't really anything to be gained from a PWM pump or a pump running on low unless you are fighting cavitation. If noise is an issue with D5 or DDC pumps, something is wrong with them or your loop is cavitating. I've owned 3 different DDC pumps and a D5 and all run more silent than 1000 rpm fans. They should be very quiet on full power.
Watercooling is all about delta. If you are not going to increase pump speed (flow rate) or increase fan speed on your radiators, your next option is to increase radiator size/volume.
The easiest and cheapest solution would be to run fans that are a little bit faster (1500-1800) and increase your pump speed as much as possible.
Do you think purchasing an EK-CoolStream XE 240 (60mm thick, 16 FPI) would help improve temperatures? Yes, it would. This model has a 46mm core, a frame thickness of 60mm, and an internal core of 46mm, offering more cooling space than your current setup. The review mentioned it, but I wouldn't recommend mismatched fans. Using the 1850rpm fan range would significantly boost its cooling performance, and the EK-Vardars have the necessary static pressure for this thicker core. I would connect the pump directly from the power supply.
The PWM on watercooling pumps works better than on radiator fans. Which DDC pump are you using? Can you run it at 100% speed? For reference, I've operated DDC and D5 pumps for 14 years and have consistently kept them at full speed. There really isn't much benefit from a PWM pump or running a pump at low speed unless you're dealing with cavitation. If noise is a problem with D5 or DDC pumps, something might be amiss—either the pumps themselves are faulty or your loop is cavitating. I've owned three different DDC pumps and a D5, all of which run more quietly than 1000 rpm fans. They should be very quiet when running at full power.
Watercooling focuses on delta efficiency. If you're not planning to boost pump speed (flow rate) or fan speed for your radiators, the next step could be enlarging the radiator size or volume.
The simplest and most affordable fix would be to switch to fans that spin a bit faster (1500-1800 RPM) and increase your pump speed as much as possible.
It seems like you're using a 3.2 DDC PWM unit. When running it at full speed, it tends to generate a noticeable vortex, which also contributes to the noise. (I'm quite sensitive to sound, but still.) I have a see-through vortex preventer in the res, though it provides minimal help.
I plan to try increasing the speed to 70-80% and perform a stress test to see if it improves. Thanks again.
4Ryan6 :
Do you think purchasing an EK-CoolStream XE 240 (60mm thick and 16 FPI) would help improve temperatures?
Yes, it would definitely make a difference. This model has a 46mm core, a frame thickness of 60mm, but the internal core is only 46mm, providing more cooling space compared to your current setup. However, from the review I just read, I wouldn’t recommend mismatched cooling fans on it. The cooling performance really boosts with the 1850rpm fan range and the EK-Vardars have the necessary static pressure for the thicker core. I’d prefer running the pump directly from the power supply.
Thank you for your response.
🙂
I tend to run fans around 1000 rpm if possible, to avoid too much noise. I was hoping a better radiator would make this feasible.
If I ask, why wouldn’t it be suggested to use two different fans on this radiator?
It's not about having mismatched fans on the radiator—it was mainly about suggesting a more efficient cooling curve. What noise level are you aiming for? The Vardar fans mentioned by 4ryan6 operate very quietly even at high speeds. It seems the main factor is your individual taste.
The challenge lies in delta. To boost your cooling efficiency, you can try these three options:
1. Raise your pump speed (higher flow rate)
2. Boost fan speed over the radiator
3. Expand your radiator size (increase total volume)
It isn't about fans not matching on the radiator—it was mainly suggested to provide a better cooling curve. What noise level are you aiming for? The Vardar fans mentioned by 4ryan6 run very quietly even at full speed, so it seems more about personal preference. The key is delta. To boost cooling performance, you can try one of three options:
1) Raise pump speed (higher flow rate)
2) Boost fan speed over the radiator
3) Expand radiator size (increase total volume)
Understood.
I attempted to speed up the pump, but it had little effect. I’ll likely opt for a bigger radiator instead, avoiding higher fan speeds.
Thanks to everyone for your help.