TC-4 My First Thoughts

DodgeViper · 06-21-2002, 05:16 PM

Having been using a Gemini High Volume water block, I wanted to make a change as I had felt that the Gemini block was restricting the flow. With its small water channels and small inlet/outlet I thought the Ehiem 1250 was developing backpressure and added heat to the system. So I ordered a D-Tek TC-4 REV 2 block. To my surprise the TC-4 is running 2c delta hotter. The only thing I changed in the entire system was the W/B. I even used the same mounting spring I used on the Gemini. Because the Gemini is thinner. I removed some nylon washers so the pressure applied to the chip was the same on the TC-4.

When I get back from vacation I am going to lap the TC-4 to a mirror finish as I had done to the Gemini. The TC-4 has some small machine marks that everyone claims holds the AS-II in place. My thoughts on this is B/S. The more contact you can place the W/B to the chip the better.

ambient · 06-21-2002, 09:51 PM

Thats to bad. Viper whats your vcore, ambient, idle, load temps? I'm just curious, I was thinking about buying the TC4.

DodgeViper · 06-21-2002, 11:09 PM

Ok made a few changes from what my sig had said, so it shows what my system is running.

After the house cooled off my case temps were 30c while my cpu was 36c idled. While online the CPU temps are 40c and running Prime 95 for 1 hour the CPU temps reached 43c. It seems that the AS-II may have settled in.

Pinkster · 06-22-2002, 01:24 AM

yeah i would be surprised if the tc4 did out perform the gemini.. i really think the gemini is an excellent block...

bigben2k · 06-22-2002, 10:31 AM

I'd hold off lapping the block...

I found an article that tested lapping to mirror, and they found that lapping to 600 or 800 grit paper achieves the best results.

I'll search for it and post the link.

The theory is that the AS needs some space, which isn't provided by the mirror finish, but is by 600 or 800 grit paper lapping. The mirror finish only squeezes it all out.

schoolie · 06-22-2002, 11:33 AM

It would be interesting to test with the turbulators removed from the block.

FRAGN'STIEN · 06-22-2002, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by schoolie
It would be interesting to test with the turbulators removed from the block.

Are the turbulators soldered in or do they free float? I to am interested in the TC-4. It's a very nice looking block. I would like to see how it performs against my Maze-3

schoolie · 06-22-2002, 12:41 PM

I read that they can be removed from the rev-2 TC-4, fitting into a pair grooves in the channels. I could well be wrong about this, however.

GenGoku · 06-24-2002, 11:11 PM

me too. i'd like to see the difference between a DD Maze3 and TC-4 rev2. I'm planning on making my first watercooled system in a few weeks and would like to get the better block. I doubt i can hold off any longer listening to my system roar to wait for a spir@l.

webmedic · 06-24-2002, 11:32 PM

Hey frag what kind of temps are you getting anyway? I'm curious how the maze performs.

FRAGN'STIEN · 06-24-2002, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by webmedic
Hey frag what kind of temps are you getting anyway? I'm curious how the maze performs.

right now I'm getting 40°c CPU 37°c System but it's pretty hot out right now. Anyway I think the thermistor on this MOBO is way off. My LCD temp probes are comming tommorow they should give me a more accurate temp reading. Also I haven't cut the square hole out for the rad in the front of my case yet either so I'm sucking air through tiny little holes in the case hehe I'm so lazy.

DodgeViper · 06-28-2002, 03:49 PM

I had been using the Gemini High Volume water block. With this block I had changed the barbs to 1/2" fittings, but the inlet on the blocks were still 1/8" fittings. This was causing back pressure on the 1250 pump and creating heat.

Now with the D-Tek TC4 the water is flowing through the block without nearly the restrcitions. I had wrote last week that the temps were below the Gemini, but I need to retract that statement because the ASII had not had time to set. My current temps are 2c below what the Gemini was giving me, but I do believe had I had a Eheim 1048 pump that has an output of 10 watts the Gemini would hold its ground.

The TC is going to stay in my system because it matches up with my Eheim 1250 pump.

webmedic · 06-28-2002, 06:19 PM

Want to get rid of the gemini?

DodgeViper · 06-28-2002, 07:12 PM

Nope

Nemes1S · 07-01-2002, 05:40 PM

So you think it's a good block and that it worhts it's price? I'm beetwen Maze3 and TC4 right now and don't know wich one would be better for my system (DTek HeaterCore, Eheim 1048)

Thanx!

RickCain · 07-02-2002, 09:14 AM

Dtek all the way!!! Danny is way cool.

RickCain · 07-02-2002, 09:14 AM

Dtek all the way!!! Danny is way cool.

GenGoku · 07-02-2002, 02:55 PM

cool. let us know how it goes. which part did you order? guessing the TC4

jtroutma · 07-04-2002, 01:12 AM

I just got my TC-4 in the mail yesterday. I will be installing it into my system probably this weekend. I will have results and pictures ASAP!

DodgeViper: Glad to hear that it worked out for yea.... I kinda got worried about what I had ordered

Hallis · 07-04-2002, 03:58 AM

hmm i may have to buy a TC-4 and a Maze-3 and do a side-by-side comparison.. now only if my damn radiators would get here i could get my system together with the OCWC prototype that never got made

. Posted Maze-2 preformance and looks awesome so i figured i'd give it a shot since i already had it laying around thanks to Joe. I did read an article on the Gemini and it looked really nice ESPECIALLY for the size of the block.

06-21-2002, 05:16 PM	#1
DodgeViper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 204	TC-4 My First Thoughts Having been using a Gemini High Volume water block, I wanted to make a change as I had felt that the Gemini block was restricting the flow. With its small water channels and small inlet/outlet I thought the Ehiem 1250 was developing backpressure and added heat to the system. So I ordered a D-Tek TC-4 REV 2 block. To my surprise the TC-4 is running 2c delta hotter. The only thing I changed in the entire system was the W/B. I even used the same mounting spring I used on the Gemini. Because the Gemini is thinner. I removed some nylon washers so the pressure applied to the chip was the same on the TC-4. When I get back from vacation I am going to lap the TC-4 to a mirror finish as I had done to the Gemini. The TC-4 has some small machine marks that everyone claims holds the AS-II in place. My thoughts on this is B/S. The more contact you can place the W/B to the chip the better.

06-21-2002, 09:51 PM	#2
ambient Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 312	Thats to bad. Viper whats your vcore, ambient, idle, load temps? I'm just curious, I was thinking about buying the TC4. __________________ water cooled 1.4 tbird @ 1580 143x11 vcore 1.88 vio 3.55

06-22-2002, 01:24 AM	#4
Pinkster Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: adelaide, australia Posts: 61	yeah i would be surprised if the tc4 did out perform the gemini.. i really think the gemini is an excellent block... __________________ whats a sig?

06-22-2002, 10:31 AM	#5
bigben2k Responsible for 2% of all the posts here. Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas, U.S.A. Posts: 8,302	I'd hold off lapping the block... I found an article that tested lapping to mirror, and they found that lapping to 600 or 800 grit paper achieves the best results. I'll search for it and post the link. The theory is that the AS needs some space, which isn't provided by the mirror finish, but is by 600 or 800 grit paper lapping. The mirror finish only squeezes it all out. __________________ WBTA (Water Block Testing Alliance) Nordic Hardware WC 101

06-22-2002, 11:33 AM	#6
schoolie Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 120	It would be interesting to test with the turbulators removed from the block. Last edited by schoolie; 06-22-2002 at 11:36 AM.

06-21-2002, 11:09 PM	#3
DodgeViper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 204	Ok made a few changes from what my sig had said, so it shows what my system is running. After the house cooled off my case temps were 30c while my cpu was 36c idled. While online the CPU temps are 40c and running Prime 95 for 1 hour the CPU temps reached 43c. It seems that the AS-II may have settled in.

06-22-2002, 12:41 PM	#8
schoolie Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 120	I read that they can be removed from the rev-2 TC-4, fitting into a pair grooves in the channels. I could well be wrong about this, however.

06-24-2002, 11:11 PM	#9
GenGoku Cooling Savant Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 177	me too. i'd like to see the difference between a DD Maze3 and TC-4 rev2. I'm planning on making my first watercooled system in a few weeks and would like to get the better block. I doubt i can hold off any longer listening to my system roar to wait for a spir@l.

06-24-2002, 11:32 PM	#10
webmedic Cooling Savant Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cheney, Wa Posts: 367	Hey frag what kind of temps are you getting anyway? I'm curious how the maze performs. __________________ www.water-cool.com

06-28-2002, 03:49 PM	#12
DodgeViper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 204	I had been using the Gemini High Volume water block. With this block I had changed the barbs to 1/2" fittings, but the inlet on the blocks were still 1/8" fittings. This was causing back pressure on the 1250 pump and creating heat. Now with the D-Tek TC4 the water is flowing through the block without nearly the restrcitions. I had wrote last week that the temps were below the Gemini, but I need to retract that statement because the ASII had not had time to set. My current temps are 2c below what the Gemini was giving me, but I do believe had I had a Eheim 1048 pump that has an output of 10 watts the Gemini would hold its ground. The TC is going to stay in my system because it matches up with my Eheim 1250 pump.

06-28-2002, 06:19 PM	#13
webmedic Cooling Savant Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cheney, Wa Posts: 367	Want to get rid of the gemini? __________________ www.water-cool.com

06-28-2002, 07:12 PM	#14
DodgeViper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 204	Nope

07-01-2002, 05:40 PM	#15
Nemes1S Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 7	So you think it's a good block and that it worhts it's price? I'm beetwen Maze3 and TC4 right now and don't know wich one would be better for my system (DTek HeaterCore, Eheim 1048) Thanx!

07-02-2002, 09:14 AM	#16
RickCain Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 110	Dtek all the way!!! Danny is way cool.

07-02-2002, 09:14 AM	#17
RickCain Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 110	Dtek all the way!!! Danny is way cool. Last edited by RickCain; 07-02-2002 at 04:23 PM.

07-02-2002, 02:55 PM	#18
GenGoku Cooling Savant Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 177	cool. let us know how it goes. which part did you order? guessing the TC4

07-04-2002, 01:12 AM	#19
jtroutma Cooling Savant Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SLO, CA Posts: 837	I just got my TC-4 in the mail yesterday. I will be installing it into my system probably this weekend. I will have results and pictures ASAP! DodgeViper: Glad to hear that it worked out for yea.... I kinda got worried about what I had ordered __________________ Athlon64 X2 4200+ @ 2.5Ghz (250FSB x 10) OCZ VX 1GB 4000 @ 250FSB (6-2-2-2 timmings) DFI LANParty nForce4 Ultra-D SCSI Raid 5 x (3) Cheetah 15K HDDs LSI Express 500 (128MB cache) OCZ PowerStream 520W PSU ATI X850XT PE (Stock) DTEK WhiteWater + DTEK Custom Radiator Eheim 1250

07-04-2002, 03:58 AM	#20
Hallis Cooling Savant Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 469	hmm i may have to buy a TC-4 and a Maze-3 and do a side-by-side comparison.. now only if my damn radiators would get here i could get my system together with the OCWC prototype that never got made . Posted Maze-2 preformance and looks awesome so i figured i'd give it a shot since i already had it laying around thanks to Joe. I did read an article on the Gemini and it looked really nice ESPECIALLY for the size of the block.

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