Heat pipe vs gravity + inverted cases

[grit621]

I'm looking at a Lian-Li V-1000 case, which flips the motherboard upsidedown (BTX style). This would put the heat pipe on my motherboard (Asus PW5-DH) with the fins at the low end of gravity.

I understand the wick idea behind heat pipes, but is that enough to overcome being inverted?

 

[VinDSL]

Hrm... Interesting question! I've wondered about this myself...

I think it all depends on the design of the heat tube, and nobody really provides this kind of info, so it's anybody's guess. Most of them use a metal sintered coating on the inside, AFAIK.

Personally, the fact that my Scythe Mine 3 [pronounced me-nay] works on its' side, indicates (to me) that the heat tubes are using some sort of capillary effect to make the condensed fluid return to the 'hot end' of the pipe. Obviously it doesn't work by gravity, so that's what I assume. Otherwise, how could it possibly function?

If that's the case -- it's a capillary design -- I don't *think* it would make any difference what the attitude of the tube -- even upside down, but this is just an educated guess...

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: VinDSL
...Scythe Mine 3 [pronounced me-nay]...

are you serious? or is this a joke.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: avi85

Originally posted by: VinDSL
...Scythe Mine 3 [pronounced me-nay]...

are you serious? or is this a joke.

So what's the joke? :roll:

BTW, Gravity isn't the issue with BTX or ATX style MB position, it's convection (heat rising). The Scythe has heatpipes that go straight out from the MB. Flip it upside down and they still go straight out from the MB.
The heatpipe HS that MIGHT be effected are those that have U-shaped bends from the base.

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: avi85

Originally posted by: VinDSL
...Scythe Mine 3 [pronounced me-nay]...

are you serious? or is this a joke.

So what's the joke? :roll:

I always thought it was pronounced mine as in "this belongs to me, it is mine" or land-mine

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: grit621
I'm looking at a Lian-Li V-1000 case, which flips the motherboard upsidedown (BTX style). This would put the heat pipe on my motherboard (Asus PW5-DH) with the fins at the low end of gravity.

I understand the wick idea behind heat pipes, but is that enough to overcome being inverted?

Only someone that has asked ASUS and recieved an answer would know. So do that for
us please and report back
It is dependent on the quality of the wicking material in the pipes and probably several
other factors, including the fluid type used.

Read this twice: http://www.cheresources.com/htpipes.shtml

Personally, my opinion is...it won't matter in the slightest.


...Galvanized

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: grit621
I'm looking at a Lian-Li V-1000 case, which flips the motherboard upsidedown (BTX style). This would put the heat pipe on my motherboard (Asus PW5-DH) with the fins at the low end of gravity.

I understand the wick idea behind heat pipes, but is that enough to overcome being inverted?

Only someone that has asked ASUS and recieved an answer would know. So do that for
us please and report back
It is dependent on the quality of the wicking material in the pipes and probably several
other factors, including the fluid type used.

Read this twice: http://www.cheresources.com/htpipes.shtml

Personally, my opinion is...it won't matter in the slightest.


...Galvanized

Did you know ASUS is pronounced "ah-soohs"? Weird.

Anyway, I agree with you - IIRC, and if my source was right, heatpipes have only a small amount of liquid, with the rest being gas. If this is true, being inverted wouldn't matter at all.

 

[Blain]

Here's a Thermalright diagram for orientation of one of their heatpipe design HS.

Like I said "Gravity isn't the issue"

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Aflac
Anyway, I agree with you - IIRC, and if my source was right, heatpipes have only a small amount of liquid, with the rest being gas. If this is true, being inverted wouldn't matter at all.

Do some research on capillary action. Then come back and post about the impact wicking can have on the transfer of a gas. *shakes head*


...Galvanized

 

[krotchy]

Heat pipes use wicks to transfer the fluid and gas. They do not rely on gravity to move the fluid. Think about small droplets of water stuck to the inside of a straw. Gravity doesnt have much effect on them.

As far as an actualy experience with a heatpipe motherboard in an inverted system.

I have built 3 Rigs using an A8N32-SLI Deluxe which is a full on heatpipe motherboard. 2 of them are in a Lian-Li PC-101B (identical interior to V1000). The other is in a Lian-Li PC-767 (Inverted ATX/eATX case). All 3 run at pretty good temps (especially for this mobo)

Before the PC-767 build, everything from that comp was in a Coolermaster Centurion 532. I never saw my mobo temps below 42C in the cooler master case, because it was cramped being a mid-tower with just way way to much stuff in it. When it went into the PC-767 (much roomier), I can get my temps as low as 35 degrees at idle, even though the heatpipes are upside down in this build. So in the end proper airflow was much much more important than motherboard orientation.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

this topic has been discussed many times in the past regarding the a8n-32-sli or a8n-sli premium boards, heatpipes DO NOT work upside down, your nvidia sli chipset WILL be hot if you mout it upside down.

 

[krotchy]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
this topic has been discussed many times in the past regarding the a8n-32-sli or a8n-sli premium boards, heatpipes DO NOT work upside down, your nvidia sli chipset WILL be hot if you mout it upside down.

Yeah. Not.

Unless you can explain why my A8n32 is cooler now that its inverted than when it was normal. Cooling layout is alot more important than heatpipe orientation.

 

[Bull Dog]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
this topic has been discussed many times in the past regarding the a8n-32-sli or a8n-sli premium boards, heatpipes sometimes DO NOT work upside down. Some people with inverted mounting have had their nVIDIA SLI chipset run really hot, others have been fine.

Fixed

 

[duragezic]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: Aflac
Anyway, I agree with you - IIRC, and if my source was right, heatpipes have only a small amount of liquid, with the rest being gas. If this is true, being inverted wouldn't matter at all.

Do some research on capillary action. Then come back and post about the impact wicking can have on the transfer of a gas. *shakes head*


...Galvanized

He consistently gives bad advice on things he knows nothing about. Hey I'll jump into every thread and reply with some useless garbage! Good for a laugh though.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: avi85

Originally posted by: VinDSL
...Scythe Mine 3 [pronounced me-nay]...

are you serious? or is this a joke.

Both! Yes, I'm serious... and, yes, it's also an 'inside' joke!

Originally posted by: Howard
I get the idea you're trying to rub that [pronounced me-nay thing] in my face.

I thought it was a cute saying (put it in my profile too), but yeah, I'm pulling your leg. I'll stop, if you want...

Actually, I did a little checking, and the Scythe Mine 3 is named after Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan [pronounced ME-nay]. I *guess* they have some sort of racecar circuit there, or they did. Mazda bought a couple of the tracks and does a lot of car testing in Mine City... kinda like their Daytona, or whatever...

A lot of ppl couldn't figure out why Scythe called that HSF a 'Mine 3', but it's named after a (Japanese) racing circuit, like a Dodge Daytona or Pontiac Bonneville, et cetera...