[jaydee]

Originally posted by bigben2k
Ok, I'll take that as "some progress".

Your more optomistic than I am.

So is there any hope for a DIY block maker to measure anything?

I guess it would really depend on how "into it" they are. If they are just making one or they plan to make several prototypes to get a final acceptable version they are happy with.

If they are going to dump the kind of money it takes into making a high performance block then dropping some cash on acceptable testing equipment (or at very least sorting mobo's untill they find a decent one) shouldn't be a big issue.

If they just want to make one water block then why bother. Be happy if the computer runs cooler and/or quieter than whatever they used before eh?

I don't know how [H] conducted their test, which would probably have been more accurate, if they had repeated it three times (at least), no? They should have at least been able to see that there's a problem with their testing, because of the variance, no?

What if it wasn't in the mounting? What if the board they used is the issue? CPU? To many variables....

Ok, so what about using a thermal pad: wouldn't it give more consistent results?

Well you can make about 50 mounts with a small tube of silver compound, or you can make what 5 with the same amount of cash in thermal pads? That will get expensive fast, talking 100's of dollars for a series of prototypes as opposed to 2 tubes of silver compound which can be had for $10. Not to mention pads are harder to clean up then paste. At least the pads I have used in the past. I will use silver compund simply because I know how to apply it. I guess you can try and dumb it down and have them use pads but is that really the right thing to do? Are pads consistant? You would have to use the same brand, make, and model every time.

Otherwise, I can see what's emerging here, in what GTA said. Since the power applied, which is an unknown to a home user, will result in various CPU temps, system to system comparisons aren't valid, and we have to make that clear, and understandable to our new guys.

Ummm, isn't that what we have tried to do and just end up gettng called a flamer? Interesting indeed....

Example: The White Water waterblock was tested (under a specific set of circumstances) to have a C/W rating of 0.19. So if the source power is 50 Watts, the CPU temp will be 0.19 * 50 = 9.5 degrees above ambient.

On someone else's PC, if the power is 60 Watts, either because it's overclocked, or because it's a different CPU alltogether, whatever, then the temp difference would be 0.19 * 60 = 11.4 degrees above ambient.

Unfortunatly we don't know the voltages.

Add to that, the different set of circumstances, which will include the flow rate (most important) and the different cooling solutions, and room temp.

Which will all have to be measured somewhat decently.

The only reason the temps of DIY'er blocks should even be posted is so we have an idea how their design works. But if the temps are way off then whats the use? Doesn't do anyone here any good eh?

Promote proper testing and maybe people will be more inclined properly test and their results maybe more usefull for anyone thinking about making a block.

We should be concentrating more on an advanced DIY test setup that is relatively inexpensive and we can all agree the results will be loosly acceptable IMO. Being this forums is not geared towards the newbs to begine with why should we be catering to them?

What would be the "acceptable" is the question. I am sure we all have different thoughts on this.:shrug: I have been banging my head off the wall for 8 months now trying to find a way I would be happy with by testing my blocks and sharing the results. I am getting close to getting it all together, but still a few months out and it certainly isn't inexpensive. I already have several hundred $'s in it and I have yet to buy the expensive parts. Yes, all this for my own DIY blocks... So like I said, maybe it just depends on how into they are...