zalman vf700 performance

[QuantumPion]

I got the vf700 to replace the stock cooler on my evga 6800 gt. My primary reason was for silence, and the video cooler is one of the noisiest components. In that regard I have no complaints, using the low fan speed dongle this thing is utterly quiet. However, my cooling performance is rather poor.

My temps are a bit higher then they were with the stock cooler. I am getting 55 C idle and up to 70 C during prolonged gaming. I followed the directions when attaching the fan, and used a translucent haze coating of arctic silver 5 on the core, so what am I doing wrong here? Other people with this fan say they were able to get large temperature decreases over the stock cooler, yet even when using the higher speed fan setting my temps are still around the same as the old fan.

My theory is that because the video card is mounted with the fan hanging down, the weight of the fan is preventing good contact with the gpu core. Would re-installing the fan with a thicker or thinner coating of AS5 help? Or are my temperatures about what is expected for the vf700 on a 6800 gt?

 

[Bona Fide]

Those temps are good, as far as I know. You won't be able to get your GPU as cool as your CPU, that's a fact. But 70C is a very decent number.

 

[Elcs]

I found installation on my 9800 Pro to be rather easy.

It could be your AS5 layer or improper installation. Getting the tension right scared me, I wasnt sure If I was undertightening or overtightening. Does the heatsink get warm at all?

70C isnt that high for a 6800Gt and seems quite reasonable from what I read on the Video forums daily.

Perhaps your problem lies with the ambient temperature of your room, case airflow or the case temperature.

 

[NatePo717]

It does a sweet job on my card. 55 max under full load for well over 2-3 hours.

 

[QuantumPion]

Originally posted by: Elcs
I found installation on my 9800 Pro to be rather easy.

It could be your AS5 layer or improper installation. Getting the tension right scared me, I wasnt sure If I was undertightening or overtightening. Does the heatsink get warm at all?

70C isnt that high for a 6800Gt and seems quite reasonable from what I read on the Video forums daily.

Perhaps your problem lies with the ambient temperature of your room, case airflow or the case temperature.

The heatsink doesn't seem to get warm, although neither does my 7700 cpu cooler and my cpu temp seems to stay around 38 idle (38 is what my vid card says the ambient temp is!) and 45 max.

Originally posted by: NatePo717
It does a sweet job on my card. 55 max under full load for well over 2-3 hours.

How did you apply thermal compound to your core, and how tightly did you attach the heat sink to the core?

 

[NatePo717]

I just put enough to cover the core. It wasn't a very thin layer and it wasn't a very thick layer. I just put enough on so that if I pulled the hs off there would be some AS5 on the hs.

I screwed the hs on as tight as it could go. They make those screws long enough so that you don't have to worry about breaking anything when screwing it down. I also have an exhaust fan down by the hs so it's pulling the cooler air from the front of my case past the cooler. If I had a case more suited for airflow It could get down to 50C under full load but my case's internal temps around my card go between 27C and 31C even with the exhaust.

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

but you have a 6600gt, not a 6800gt, the temps are way different!

 

[Fistandantilis]

I would do a little investigating, I also hear people boast about how cool they get their cards with those coolers, mine is still on the way.
If the HS is not hot then I wouls think that the heat tranfer from core to HS is not working, allying the thermal paste can be a PITA, look around a bit and try to re-apply the paste and cooler.
also it is very important to make sure that you are making proper contact with the sink and core, and make sure it is tight but not too tight. good luck

 

[QuantumPion]

I think I'll try reinstalling it tonight, it's not like it's very difficult. Just two screws and bam, it's off. This time I'll use a thicker coating of AS5.

by the way, are you supposed to do the procedure where you rub the grease into the heatsink and then rub off the excess, or is that only for the older versions? The directions weren't very clear.

 

[l Xes l]

Originally posted by: QuantumPion
I think I'll try reinstalling it tonight, it's not like it's very difficult. Just two screws and bam, it's off. This time I'll use a thicker coating of AS5.

by the way, are you supposed to do the procedure where you rub the grease into the heatsink and then rub off the excess, or is that only for the older versions? The directions weren't very clear.

i dont really find that necessary.. it was for filling the micro valleys.. but since u r using AS5 already no worry for that... and yea vf700 should lower ur temp.. unless ur stock cooling was kick ass already... =P.. it lowered my temp about 12C on load..

 

[QuantumPion]

Well after reinstalling the cooler I am getting a couple degrees better, although it's still 52/68 idle/load. This is with the low fan speed though so I guess that's about right.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I put the zalman vf7000 cu on both my systems one has the 6600GT the othert has the 6800GT my idle temps are a very consistent and low 42c - 45c!!

Even under load they are rediculously low compared to the temps I was getting with the stock fans!

Zalman Rules!

 

[QuantumPion]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda

I put the zalman vf7000 cu on both my systems one has the 6600GT the othert has the 6800GT my idle temps are a very consistent and low 42c - 45c!!

Even under load they are rediculously low compared to the temps I was getting with the stock fans!

Zalman Rules!

yeah their cpu coolers are terrific, I'm getting 38 idle/45 load on my 4000+ with the 7700 cu cooler, running at the minium speed of 900 rpms. However the video cooler seems to be not quite as effective, although it is nice and quiet.

 

[Munky]

Well, the cooler can only do so much with a low speed fan. I'm running my Zalman vf700 at the high setting for my OC'd x800, and the temps never go above 60C. Even on the high setting it's pretty quiet - I cant hear it inside my case, so give it a try.

 

[QuantumPion]

Well I am trying to make a near silent system. Using the Sonata II case with its fan on low, the 7700 cu on silent, and the quiet psu the case came with, there aren't any other sources of noise really. Turning the vf700 on high really is noticeable since the rest of the case is so quiet.

 

[JEDIYoda]

added one to many zero`s.......vf700 cu....sorry about the vf7000 snafu.....