Barebone cooling system

azraelissime

Hi all,

I've got la Creative slix ( http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?prodid=9483 ) with an ATI9200SE AIW.
The problem I'm facing is the overheating of the system.
I'm currently only using the card as tv out but the heat it gaves makes all the fan spinning at full speed all the time. So the noise is terrible.
An other problem is that when reading a cd on the cdrw installed (old creative one), after an hour, the cdrw has problem to read it. I need to copy the files on the HDD so it can continue fluently.
Even the case is getting hot.

I was thinking of using one of those bay freezer ( http://biz.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_slc.asp?CatId=805) but this will increase the noise. This is not a solution.

Watercooling with external parts isn't a solution as well as I want to keep the ease to move the system.

I've seen the Evercool Water Cooler WC-201 Kit but it has bad reviews. Also the cooling fan would stay in the case. And I don't want to modify the case of the Slix to add an external cooling fan.

I'm running out of ideas.

Does anyone of you has an idea on how to cool the GPU without increasing the noise?

Any help would be apreciated.

TacT

Key to getting good cooling and less noise is positioning so you get cold airflow over your hottest components. The ambient temperature in your case plays a big role so you need to bring that down by getting more cold air in towards the cpu hsf/video hsf and across the main chipsets etc.

can you post any pics of the case to give us an idea what way the air is getting in there or give us a better idea what way you're setup at the moment? You could have 10 fans in there but if you're not getting cold air in to keep ambient temps down it's going to run hot and loud. Have a look at what I did to get my temps down and keep dust at bay in my clear case review thread in hw tweaking/modding here:- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=167226

details at the end of the thread where I put links to the pics - looks ridiculous but gives amazing results -- stuck my fans in flower pots and secured them in place after cutting the base off the flower pots - insert fans and use tape to seal any possible airholes that might impede airflow. It really helped getting cold air where it's needed and it runs much more quietly than when I originally put it together because airflow was not as good without my current additions to the side of the case. It made a huge difference -- first time I've tried anything so strange and I'm well impressed with the results -- overall much cooler and quieter. Unless you have a window on the side of your case then I highly recommend this cheap and impressive solution given the results.

azraelissime

Thanks for replying.

Here is a link with some picture of the same barebone (not mine as I'm not home currently):
http://forum.3dpixelnet.com/showthread.php?t=11670

The is a small fan in the PSU and the fan of the CPU cooling system.
As you can see on the picture of the open case, there is 2 slots. One is taken by an Audigy 2ZS and the AGP by the AIW.

The AIW has its own fan. Seens to me to be the one making a lot of noise.
Also there is not a lot of space between the case an the fan (that's on source of noise that I know) and also the heat has only those tiny hole at the bottom of the case to go out. This is not sufficient.

I even never tried to record and encode a film from the cable as the card would normaly (I think) do more work and so increase again the heat.

hostyle

Originally posted by azraelissime
Here is a link with some picture of the same barebone (not mine as I'm not home currently):
http://forum.3dpixelnet.com/showthread.php?t=11670

Would certainly appear to be an airflow problem.

I even never tried to record and encode a film from the cable as the card would normaly (I think) do more work and so increase again the heat.

Graphics cards are not involved in encoding of films. TV card perhaps, but all the work and heat will be on your CPU and RAM.

Picture isnt great - can't even see the CPU. You could try installing silent gear, ala Zalman, on the CPU, but also creating more airflow. Is modding an option - ie. cutting a hole or two in the case and putting (silent) fans in?

CombatCow

I have owned the exact same style case and it it so cramped inside....so the zalman stuff kinda go's out the window :dunno:

Here the cooling design in the shuttles should be good enough for whatever cpu the case/heatsink recommends i have found.



But what cpu are you using,because as you say the fan speed is temp controlled and that could be a problem aswell,is there thermal paste on the heatsink (sorry to ask such an obvious question)

How bout this...except with better mesh ?



Check this thread for ideas if you do need to mod it.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=169436


Good Luck,
CombatCow

azraelissime

Hi Hostyle,

This is it, an airflow problem. The heat is kept between the card and the case. So the same air is used by the fan of the GPU. This air isgetting hotter and hotter so itcan't cool the card properly.

I was recommanded an AIW because for encoding, the card is doing a lot of the job so the CPU is free for other task.

If I want to keep the case as it is, the only way to add a fan would be internaly, but there is no room even to add an 8mm fan in it.

Combatcow, the cooling system shown is the one in place on the CPU. It's true its doing it's job quite well. The Slix is known to be a "silent" unit (we've got 3 or 4 other in the office not doing such a noise but it's GeForce 2 onboard an only used for office application.

I've got an Intel P4 2.8 with Antec Reference Silver Thermal Compound.
I haven't modified anything so far so not added the thermal paste on the GPU. I know it could help for a better cooling of it but the problem remain as the air will stay inside.

The case modification as shown in this thread isn't a bad idea but isn't it increasing the noise as the fan is "outside"? Would a radiator be sufficient?

TacT

Time to remove your hsf and install it with your AS in that case. That should help a lot.
Short of cutting the case/modding it yourself I don't see much else you can do with it given it's size.