Annoyed...New HSF, same high temps!

[Staz]

I have an Opty 148 OC'ed to 2.6Ghz running in a Antec P-160 case. My HSF is a SI-120 with a 120mm Panaflo(high) and the case has two 120mm Panaflo's(low). It's been running solid for the past 6+ months, but always a little on the high temp side for my taste. Off peak, the CPU was mid to upper 50's and the case was low to mid 30's. At full stress, the CPU was low to mid 60's and the case was high 30's to low 40's. While those temps are within specs, they are about 10% higher than I would prefer.

So I posted my problem and asked for recommendations. Someone said try the Scythe Ninja+, so I bought one, but got a better fan for it, an Aero Xtreme Turbine(89 CFM) 120mm fan. I just installed it using the same Artic Silver 5 thermal paste I always use, and am testing my system as I am typing this up. So far, the temps are EXACTLY the same as before. I oriented the fan to blow towards the rear of the case as directed, and even replaced the rear exaust low output Panaflo fan with the high output one. After spending almost $60, the only difference now is that my system is a bit louder than before. Same high temps, thus my annoyance factor.

Any thoughts?

 

[Injury]

It could either be really hot in your room, thus not allowing the thing to cool off like it should or your processor could be damaged, as damaged processors can run really hot.

It could also be that you stink at putting on the heatsink

 

[Staz]

I have installed too many HSF to "stink"...

The CPU has been running that hot since day one, over 6 months ago, so if it was damaged, it came damaged or I did it when I first installed it. However, after 6+ months of perfect running, just hot, I kind of doubt that.

My room can often get up to 85*, but no higher as I usually have the AC on a lot since I live in Phoenix. I have one of those "L" shaped computer desks with a recesed area for the CPU. It only has about 2" on each side, but has a foot in back, about a foot on top, and a lot of room just in front of it, so it's not in a tight spot.

I just ran Prime 95 for 1/2 hour, and got a max CPU temp of 67*, a max SYS temp of 32*, and a max PWM(not quite sure what this is) of 42*. Actually, my SYS has stayed right at 32* this whole time and the PWM started at 39*. Thus the stress mainly raised the CPU temp from a normal 55* to a peak of 67*.

If you had these temps, would they be ok with you, or would you try to lower them, even with an error free system?

 

[Praxis1452]

scythe's are supposed to be quiet. It's useless to use a 89cfm fan. AA 40cfm fan will do. The one that comes with it works perfectly.

 

[rfisher983]

maybe the cpu tempeture reader is off ?

 

[XJustMeX21]

Originally posted by: rfisher983
maybe the cpu tempeture reader is off ?

i second that

 

[natethegreat]

Originally posted by: Staz
My room can often get up to 85*, but no higher as I usually have the AC on a lot since I live in Phoenix. I have one of those "L" shaped computer desks with a recesed area for the CPU. It only has about 2" on each side, but has a foot in back, about a foot on top, and a lot of room just in front of it, so it's not in a tight spot.

I have run a F@H rig in this kind of situation and was having cooling problems also... Have you tried running the computer outside of your desks cubby? My problem was that hot air was being exhausted, but it was hanging around and creating artificially high ambient temps. Moving it out of the cubby improved temps quite a bit... YMMV

 

[IrateLeaf]

I have heard it said and have read it here on these forums that just becuase something is suppose to be better does not mean that for every computer it will be better.
The Si120 has been rated almost exactly the same as the Ninja.
Where the Ninja excels is when it comes to over clocking.

Good Luck with you problem.

 

[VinDSL]

Um... you running an ASUS M/B, by any chance?

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: VinDSL
Um... you running an ASUS M/B, by any chance?

Never thought to ask that... they do usually report temps as being 10 degrees hotter than they are.

I think you should get a thermometer and put it right up next to the heatsink and see what the temp is.

 

[corsa]

What voltage are u running on that core?, open case side and blow desk fan at it, check temps, if still high, its either a mounting issue (which i doubt) or a MB temp reading gone bad.....are you using the latest bios version?

 

[nipplefish]

I'm not very familiar with the ninja heatsink, but I have a Thermalright heatsink (XP-120) and I seriously doubt that the ninja would get you any better temps than an SI-120 (which is just a redesigned XP-120) in the first place.

 

[corsa]

I'm not very familiar with the ninja heatsink, but I have a Thermalright heatsink (XP-120) and I seriously doubt that the ninja would get you any better temps than an SI-120 (which is just a redesigned XP-120) in the first place.

I've posted the this link too many times ...anyways for nipplefish i'll just quote what they had to say
"Which is better, the XP-120 or the Ninja?
CPU ? the Ninja thrashes the XP-120, the worst Ninja cpu temp was in the range of the best XP-120.
PWM ? the XP-120 overall gets much better PWM temps."
.... the heatsink doesnt seem to b the overall issue here if u had read previous posts.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

both of those coolers run almost identical temperatures..

 

[Staz]

Running an Abit AV8.

What is PWM anyway?

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Staz
Running an Abit AV8...

There are different ways of measuring temps -- thermistors -- diodes, et cetera. And, these sensors can be integrated into chips, taken off their pins, blah, blah, blah... It's sort of willy-nilly!

For example: I've never owned an ASUS M/B, but I've heard a LOT of ppl complain about them running 'hot'. My *understanding* is sometimes ASUS uses a thermistor mounted under the CPU socket, to measure the temp, instead of taking a direct reading from the CPU itself. That's why ppl get abnormally high readings; and nothing seems to cure it.

Anyway, it's a standard complaint with many ASUS M/B owners -- whatever the reason... That's why I suspected you owned one!

Maybe Abit's have the same 'problem' -- who knows?

 

[corsa]

what is PWM anyway?
PWM stands for pulse width modulation, and refers to a few small MOSFETs near the CPU socket that control the voltages to the cpu and other circuitry. The Ninja flows across and above the pwm, whereas the SI-120 blows down straight at it...
Now if ur cpu was actually running in the 60's (50's even), & u mounted the cooler nice and tight, the heat pipes on the Ninja should b warm.....so feel it man, if its cool....u aint got no problems.

 

[Dribble]

Ty corsa - interesting links. I am looking for a lowish noise configuration and currently debating between a sythe ninja and thermalright ultra 120 (which looks nothing like the Si or XP 120's).

 

[Thor86]

Originally posted by: Staz
Antec P-160 case, and the case has two 120mm Panaflo's(low).

Here's your problem. Maybe switch out the back exhaust fan with the high-speed one your just bought for your cpu heatsink and see if that helps.

 

[Beiruty]

I will take the Scythe Ninja+ off your hands if this helps...

 

[LukeMan]

the scythe ninja and si-120 are pretty equal. I switched from the ninja to the si-120 since the ninja was too tall for my case (it would push out my side panel a little since my side case fan was located at the same spot as the ninja). My temps maybe changed a degree or 2 going from the ninja to the si-120.