Having Problems With New 4400+ Please Help

[Velk]

Originally posted by: Pooed Unit

Originally posted by: Velk

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
The heatpipe on the A8N-SLI premium doesn't work at all when in an inverted position. A case that requires you to invert the mobo, is a bad idea with the Premium

Why is that ? Surely it has to work if the motherboard is mounted horizontally or vertically, why would inverted vertical make it non operational ? I'm not arguing that it doesn't, I just can't visualise why that is the case.

Heatpipes work by liquid turining into its gaseous form (by boiling) and rising to the top of the enclosure (taking the heat with it) where it cools and converts back into a liquid and falls to the bottom. With the heatpipe inverted (follow this link, click to enlarge the image and picture it upside down http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket939/a8nsli-p/overview.htm#) the liquid doesn't end up over the super hot chip but ends up at the cool end and does nothing.

Ah thanks, that picture does make it very obvious, I'd pictured it as more similar to CPU heatpipe/heatsinks, rather than the really long flat heatpipe with the heatsink only at one end.

 

[doc2345]

Well how 'bout that..... I removed the heatpipe from the chipset and cut the pipe going to the mosfet cooler as I was water cooling the chipset. Didn't see a bit of liquid..... Sometimes ya gotta wonder how so much of this BS gets posted as fact!

 

[Pooed Unit]

Originally posted by: doc2345
Well how 'bout that..... I removed the heatpipe from the chipset and cut the pipe going to the mosfet cooler as I was water cooling the chipset. Didn't see a bit of liquid..... Sometimes ya gotta wonder how so much of this BS gets posted as fact!

There are 7 possible explanations for this.

1. Asus has developed a revolutionary new heatpipe technology that runs contrary to established heatpipe theory and practice and is using air as the heat transfer medium. In this case it would be even more essential that the mobo was placed in the correct orientation as hot air rises. This is unlikely as air is extremely inefficient at transporting heat (try a little experiment to verify this. Heat both an oven and a deepfryer full of fat to 180 degrees C. Place your left hand into the oven for 5 seconds then place your right hand into the deep fryer for the same amount of time. Check to see which hand has necessitated the hospital visit).

2. The ambient temperature during the cutting of the heatpipe was greater than the boiling temperature of the liquid therefore the liquid was in its gaseous state. This is unlikely unless it was performed in the middle of a desert. The inside of a heatpipe is a controlled atmosphere and can even be a vacuum. Since even water boils at lower temperatures under lower pressures this could be possible.

3. The pipe was cut, the liquid was at one end and the person who cut it forgot to shake it out. Possible but unlikely (see 4 and 5)

4. The heatpipe contained a porous metallic substance called a wick whose sole purpose is to absorb the liquid and aid in its transportation (this also negates the effects of gravity). This is likely but noting the performance of this heatpipe when inverted, maybe Asus forgot the concept of the wick.

5. The amount of liquid that a heatpipe uses is extremely small and is fully absorbed by the wick (see 4). This is likely as this is the safest and most efficient way of creating heatpipes for use around electronics. Therefore the liquid would be there but it would not be seen.

6. Due to the low atmospheric pressure within the heatpipe when the integrity of the heatpipe was breached air would rush in rather than water spurting out. Likely (see 4 and 5)

7. More BS was posted as fact. Possible. Why would someone go for a more expensive board if the only thing differentiating it from a cheaper (slightly) option is removed and cut into pieces?

For more information on how heatpipes work go here or to the myriad of other websites by people who create them.