Crossfire overheating

Krieg

Hi

I recently got a second 5870, seems to run fine but noise/temps are a problem.
When playing intensive games like bfbc2/metro2033, the primary (top) gfx card goes nuts. Fan speed reaches around 80% and these cards are very loud once they go over 60% fan speed.

Here is some details



As you can see the primary gfx card runs double fan speed on idle & load.
I did get a bluescreen when shutting down a game and its been a long time since ive seen a bluescreen, so it must have something to do with the added gfx card.

Whats the best way to solve this?


Spec -
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 930 @ 2.80GHz, ~4.0GHz
RAM: 6gb Corasir RAM
GPU: XFX 5870 & HIS 5870
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
MOBO: Asus Rampage III
HDD: 3.5 TB
CASE: Coolermaster Cosmos RC1000 black edition
PSU: corsair 800w

seyeM

How much space is between the 2 cards? Perhaps the lower one could be reducing the air intake of the upper one if they're too close

Krieg

seyeM wrote: »

How much space is between the 2 cards? Perhaps the lower one could be reducing the air intake of the upper one if they're too close

Yes this was the first thing i thought about. There is only a few mm between the cards which is disrupting the air flow of the top card.

Krieg

Ok I found a 10cm crossfire bridge and moved the card down. So my XFX is in slot 3 and the HIS is in slot 1, so there is an inch of space between the cards, temp has only dropped by 7c

Funny thing though, despite moving the XFX to slot 3, the computer is still treating it as the primary card. I was hoping by moving the HIS to slot 1 that it would be made the primary as I suspect its got a better cooler.

seyeM

Perhaps try removing the XFX card and booting up with just the HIS card in slot one, power off, then put the XFX one back.

Could the XFX card be clogged with dust?

stephenmarr

get yourself some aftermarket coolers on them cards
ive fitted scythe musashi gpu coolers to my 5850 crossfire
i
dle temps with MSI afterburner
top card 34 degrees core 157 memory 300
bottom card 32 degrees core 157 memory 300

Load temps
top card 55 degrees core 755 memory 1125
bottom card 48 degrees core 765 memory 1125

fans on these coolers are very quiet even at 100%.

dwighet

stephenmarr wrote: »

get yourself some aftermarket coolers on them cards
ive fitted scythe musashi gpu coolers to my 5850 crossfire
i
dle temps with MSI afterburner
top card 34 degrees core 157 memory 300
bottom card 32 degrees core 157 memory 300

Load temps
top card 55 degrees core 755 memory 1125
bottom card 48 degrees core 765 memory 1125

fans on these coolers are very quiet even at 100%.

I agree 100%
I have a scythe setsugen 2 on my 6970 which was getting just over 100 degrees overclocked running furmark flat out and sounded like a jet taking off...Now its maxing out at 75 degrees(furmark) and quiet as a mouse..

There a good investment indeed..

Overheal

Definitely sounds like you could use some extra cooling. read some Scythe reviews a while back and they are deadly.

I have 1 5770 with a vapor chamber on it in an antec 900 case and get about the same temps as steve though, minus 2-5.

Krieg

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.
I didn't think of air cooled after market coolers, for some reason I thought all the after market coolers were water cooling blocks.

Im assuming ill need to buy some thermal paste?
Ive never replaced a graphics cooler before

stephenmarr

its very easy just take your time removing the orginal screws dont strip the the heads.
should be plenty of info on how to remove stock coolers on the web.

http://www.overclock.net/ati/820697-install-review-scythe-musashi-5850-crossfire.html

http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=890355

http://www.yougamers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122288&page=2

jme2010

dwighet wrote: »

I have a scythe setsugen 2 on my 6970.

Were did you get that cooler mate?

Looking for one for my 6970.

dwighet

jme2010 wrote: »

Were did you get that cooler mate?

Looking for one for my 6970.

I forget:o
Give me a few hours and I will dig it up....

There a bit pricey but well worth it

Found it...Here ya go

Krieg

Just an update

I haven't got an after market cooler yet but I may not need it

I salvaged a 120mm fan from another comp and aimed it between the 2 gfx cards, this reduced temps to 70c on load, which I was nearly willing to accept. Though I did have to use tie wraps to place the fan, there was no other way to accommodate it. Not very professional looking but it works.

A new problem formed when the North and South bridge were overheating resulting in the computer crashing in metro and bfbc2 after 30mins of play. SB was hitting 70c and NB was hitting 80c, Not good! The cards were definitely responsible, when using manual fan control on the gfx cards @ 100% fan speed, the SB and NB temps dropped sharply.

I researched into NB/SB heating issues and read that spot coolers worked well. So I ordered this. Result was very good. I aimed the spot cooler at the NB/back of GPU (Similar pic). SB/NB dont exceed 60c and it dropped my gfx card idle temp from 57c to 36c, very impressed, though I suspect that maybe the GPU temperature probe maybe on the back of the card, before the GPU, meaning the temp isnt accurate.