wc temps??
 

Hello everyone.

I have the following setup:

AbitKT7A MB
T-Bird 1.3 AXIA
Maze-2 Block from Danger Den
EHeim 1048 Pump
Cube Radiator from Danger Den w/ 120mm 100CFM Fan pulling room temp air through
Small Closed Resevoir (maybe 6 ounces)
Distilled water with RedLine Water Wetter
All lines are 3/8" ID Silicone

My idle temps are GREAT! 23C Room Temp, 28C CPU Temp, 28C System Temp.

But, when I run a program like SETI, the CPU Temp will jump to 46C - 47C after like 30 minutes of use.

The water temp does not feel warm at all, but I will check it today with a temp probe.

I am questioning how I mounted the Maze2, though. I used ASII and put it on per instructions on Artic Silvers website.

The block came with some parts not listed in the mounting instructions, but they look like they were added for a reason. It came with the nylon bolts, 12 nuts, 4 springs, PLUS 4 thin washers and 4 thick washers. In combination, these washers seem to be right at the level of the CPU core. I mounted the block and took it off, and it did have the ASII rectangle on it, so I don't think the block is too high, but I may be wrong.

I tightened the nuts over the springs in a diagonal pattern until they were all done. The springs are almost all the way compressed.

My water flow is: Res>Pump>Radiator>Block>Res

The block never seems warm at all, but the CPU temp jump is really bothering me. That's almost a 20C difference from Idle to Full load, and I have heard several say they only get a 5-6C difference.

What could be wrong here??

You have no problems, and the bios you are using with that mobo is enabling register 52. This is software cooling like "Rain" and although AMD does not recommend it it appears to work well. If you get random lock-ups with your system at all maybe try one of the later bios versions which will disable the cooling and the CPU will run near max temp all the time.

I have coolant temp of 14°C atm very stable as it is cooled by the underground temps. I'm using an overclockers hideout copper waterblock which I modified so the base area is less than 1mm thick, (this actually improved max load temps by 6°C), as it was 4.6mm thick. It is a 1 gig AxiaR @ 1596mhz 1.95v 145fsb. It idles always about 2°C above water temp, (16°C), and max load it gets to 36°C. so that's 22°C difference between coolant temp and max CPU load. I'm using Artic Silver II between the CPU and block and the sticker on the underside of the CPU is removed, the thermal diode bent so it contacts the centre of the ceramic also with a dob of Artic silver II on the tip.

I thought there was something wrong originally, but a friend also running similar low coolant temps with a 1.4 @ 1.6 gets a similar 22°C difference. Flow rate is not a problem because slowing the flow doesn't make it any hotter.

Hey Blade I disagree. Low flow should be hurting him. I remember some tests on HardOCP way back that got everyone interested in 1/2 in the first place. They showed a good increase in performance with increased flow.

And he must have lower then average flow. Thats a 160 GPH pump with a cube and 3/8 all round. Thats a worst case scenerio for flow restrictions.

Those temps really aren't that bad considering. 20C over room at full load is still better then aircooling.

Possibly as his isn't as clocked as mine but, I pretty much proved this requirement for massive flow thing doesn't make anywhere near as much difference as some make out, in my set-up at least, and I get a 22ºC max / min difference with same mobo.

I had to disable idling on my friend's Abit KT7E to get the darn thing stable.. Tons of random lockups. Not to mention that nasty 20-30f temp swings. It now idles around 105f and peaks around 115f.. Much better.

OK.. did some extensive (8 hour)testing. Here are the results:

Room Temp: 24C

Water Temp: PC Off, Pump On, No Fan: 29C
PC Idle 8 hours: 27C
PC Load 8 hours: 29C

CPU Temp: PC Idle 8 hours: 28C
PC Load 8 hours: 47C

Well, it doesn's seem like a radiator problem. I am on gettin 2 degrees C diff from idle to full load on my fluid temperature.

It just seems weird that my CPU is 1C above water temp at idle, but 18C above water temp at full load.

Could this be a flow problem? Or is this difference expected? I know some of you said it is OK, but how do some people claim to get a 5C difference in CPU temp from idle to load?

Thanks for all of your help...

Like I said it's because your bios is enabling cooling for the CPU, (reducing the power to it when it's not running full task).

You'll find most people that get only 5ºC difference are not running with this cooling or are running a CPU (like PIII) that doesn't generate anywhere near as much heat.

If you would prefer the temp difference nearer to 5ºC between idle & full load, then use a newer KT7a bios and it will run close to your max load temps all the time, other than active cooling there is no way you will get max load temps on your set-up that are 5ºC above your idle or water temps. As Redleader said with greater flow you MIGHT get better temps but it will be a few degrees at most, not 20ºC

Personally I'd join the flat earth society before I would believe someone has a CPU like mine running with 5ºC difference, between Idle and max when CPU idle instructions are enabled :D