8800GTS Step by Step w/ Pictures DIY Cooling Mod

[jacky89]

I did a writeup of my mod. My temps dropped almost 10deg C under full load. The following is the link to my detailed step by step guide.

But be warned (8 megapixel pictures)

 

[TheRyuu]

Picture resize FTW?

 

[IlllI]

those pictures are huge!

i cant really make anything out or what you are trying to do b/c i have to scroll left/right/up/down so much.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: wizboy11
Picture resize FTW?

agreed, i cant really tell whats going on. Is it just removing the HSF and applying AS5?

 

[CKXP]

you made my eyes cry ...pics are huge

btw...simple, easy way to reduce temps :thumbsup:

 

[jim1976]

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug

agreed, i cant really tell whats going on. Is it just removing the HSF and applying AS5?

That's what I see as well

 

[MDE]

Cliffs:
Replace stock paste with AS5 and remove\hack up the backplate

 

[Modular]

Putting AS on GDDR3 RAM is a big no no. Time to take the HSF off again and get some regular thermal paste on those RAM chips!

There's an issue with capacitance buildup on the RAM chips at the high frequency they run at.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: Modular
Putting AS on GDDR3 RAM is a big no no. Time to take the HSF off again and get some regular thermal paste on those RAM chips!

There's an issue with capacitance buildup on the RAM chips at the high frequency they run at.

I would love to see a benchmark where Arctic silver is placed over the pins intentionally to see exactly how much it affects performance.

Anyway, use Arctic Silver carefully and do not put too much so that it does not ooze over the pins and you will be fine.

 

[Modular]

My understanding is that it doesn't need to be put on the pins of the RAM chips for the capacitance to build up. It just has to be on the chip. I just did a google search for AS5 and capacitance, and it looks like they may have cleared up the problem...

I don't know if I'd risk it on a $500 video card..

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: Modular
My understanding is that it doesn't need to be put on the pins of the RAM chips for the capacitance to build up. It just has to be on the chip. I just did a google search for AS5 and capacitance, and it looks like they may have cleared up the problem...

I don't know if I'd risk it on a $500 video card..

No, that is not correct.

Any material has some dielectric constant.
http://sol.sci.uop.edu/~jfalward/capaci...ectrics/capacitanceanddielectrics.html
Arctic Silver manufacturer claims that Arctic Silver 5 has a dielectric constant that is higher than free space (Air). That means that if you place it between two conductors that are really close, the capacitance between them increases versus if you just had air between them.

But, the question is how much does capacitance increase! They do not provide any data to answer that.

Even if you put it between the pins, all that it could do is to reduce the operating frequency. There will be no permanent damage. Just clean it up and use something else if you prefer.

Edit:
Another link about capacitors. http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/302l/lectures/node32.html
A table of dielectric constants. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/diel.html#c1

 

[Navid]

The original Arctic Cooling Silencer 5 for the 6800 series used metal pads for the memory. You had to use paste for the GPU as well as the memory. Many customers realized that was not a good design because it was not possible to mate the GPU as well as all the memory chips to a solid sink properly. The total of 9 chips are not lined up and you cannot expect them to be.

So, the later revisions come with pads for the memory as your original cooler on your card does. A pad is not a good conductor of heat. However, it is much better than a chip that contacts to the sink through paste that only touches them both in a corner because of the large gap between them.

What adds to the problem is that the temperature sensor only shows you the temperature of the core not the memory chips. So, if removing the pads and replacing them with paste degrades the cooling of one of the memory chips, you will not know.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

I think I need a new monitor and graphics card just for the pics :Q

 

[nitromullet]

While it's not perfect, it is nice to see a new member contributing to the forums instead of just adding to the usual bickering.

Welcome to AT forums jacky89 and happy holidays.

 

[jacky89]

Originally posted by: nitromullet
While it's not perfect, it is nice to see a new member contributing to the forums instead of just adding to the usual bickering.

Welcome to AT forums jacky89 and happy holidays.

Thanks nitromullet!

I also updated the page with resized pics.

I never knew about the AS5 and capacitance issue. Does anybody have any links to how the AS5 causes issues on memory chips? If so that would be great.

Also, does anybody know how to get the fan to change speed on detection of a 3D app? I use Atitool to o/c on detection of 3D app but they dont yet support fan settings for the 8800 series.

Thanks and Merry Christmas to All!

 

[CKXP]

I also updated the page with resized pics.

http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~douglee/8800GTS/8800GTS.htm

AHHH...much better on the eyes...also i wouldn't worry about the AS5 on memory chips, they'll be fine.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

i would recommend using artic ceramique. since it does not conduct there is a smaller chance of screwing your card if the paster hits the pcb

 

[TheRyuu]

The big pics must have been killing your bandwidth (if you pay for it).

It took you 5 hours to do that?

Also, the ultimate way to cool down the 8800GTS/X is to get watercooling (like me).

I'm so happy.
Hopefully the rest will come tomorrow or Wednesday so I can put it together. (stupid UPS)

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: jacky89
I never knew about the AS5 and capacitance issue. Does anybody have any links to how the AS5 causes issues on memory chips? If so that would be great.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm

Scroll down the page to the heading "Not Electrically Conductive", where you can read:
While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.

 

[jacky89]

Originally posted by: wizboy11
The big pics must have been killing your bandwidth (if you pay for it).

It took you 5 hours to do that?

Also, the ultimate way to cool down the 8800GTS/X is to get watercooling (like me).

I'm so happy.
Hopefully the rest will come tomorrow or Wednesday so I can put it together. (stupid UPS)

Which water cooling kit did you get and how do you know it will be compatible with the 8800 bolt pattern?

 

[TheRyuu]

Originally posted by: jacky89

Originally posted by: wizboy11
The big pics must have been killing your bandwidth (if you pay for it).

It took you 5 hours to do that?

Also, the ultimate way to cool down the 8800GTS/X is to get watercooling (like me).

I'm so happy.
Hopefully the rest will come tomorrow or Wednesday so I can put it together. (stupid UPS)

Which water cooling kit did you get and how do you know it will be compatible with the 8800 bolt pattern?

Kit?
I go custom all the way.

MCW60 has a G80 adapter plate so all is good

 

[Gautama2]

OP are you living in a refrigerator? 11c ambient temps wtf?