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Skulltrail air cooling project

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Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:28 PM   4 links from elsewhere to this Post. Click to view. #1
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Skulltrail air cooling project
Most of you will know ive published several skulltrail articles on Driverheaven, ranging from the launch review to the recent SLIx3 280GTX/4870 X2 article. This was watercooled.

I recently decided to see just how far I could clock skulltrail on simple air cooling while making the system have maximum airflow with minimum noise. The task was simple, keep all the fans below 24db (preferably 21db) and try and get the two QX9775 processors to over 4.2ghz. Not a really hard project for watercooling but a little tricky on air, especially if you wanted to run it 24/7.

Getting 2 ES QX9775 processors courtesy of our good friends in Intel I then began the process of testing several air coolers to find the ultimate performing units.

Firstly I acquired a Lian Li Pc-80 Armorsuit which is probably one of the greatest full tower chassis available. KustomPCs.co.uk - Lian Li PC-P80 Armorsuit Gaming Full Tower

It comes with
3x140mm fans on the front as intakes
1x120mm fan on the rear as exhaust
1x140mm fan on top as exhaust

All are controlled by a front mounted variable speed switch, as all these fans are silent it remains cranked at full so its barely audible.

Next I tested Xigmatek HDT-S1283
Zalman 9700
Scythe Ninja CU
Thermalright Ultima 90
Thermalright True Black 120.

After some testing I settled on the True black units as they gave the best results.

Putting two of these on a skulltrail motherboard is no mean feat as they weigh around 800g each without the fans or brackets. Care is needed.

So aiming for maximum airflow.

I attached noiseblocker 120mm fan (1200rpm) to right cpu Thermalright heatsink nearest front intakes in a pull method to force air over heatsink.

80mm Noiseblocker (2000rpm) on other side of heatsink in a pull method.

80mm Noiseblocker (2000rpm) on right side of left cpu Thermalright heatsink to push air over heatsink.

120mm Noiseblocker (1200rpm) on left side of left cpu heatsink to pull hot air to rear of chassis

first problem occured, heat from processor on right was causing slight increases in ambient air flowing right to left, so additional 80 mm Noiseblocker under left side heatsink to force excess hot air up into PSU and top mounted 120mm Fan.

1x92mm fan over northbridge
1x80 fan over FB ram

(bluetak added to help with vibrations)

System comprises:

4 Hard drives (various)
2 QX 9775 processors
Corsair HX1000W PSU
3 x 280 GTX (BFG OCX models)
4x2gb (8 GB) of FB DDR2
Skulltrail 5400 mobo
2x Thermalright true black cooler
3x120mm fans front
1x120mm fan rear
1x120mm fan top
1x200mm fan side (over GFX)
2x120mm Fans (mid position in front of graphics card to force hot air expelled from cards to rear of chassis).





With this system I managed to pump 1.48 volts through both cpus, get the clocks to 4.5ghz 410x11 while keeping the CPUs at around 30c idle (44-47c extended 100%x8 load). Noise was very low (believe it or not)..... quite impressed with these results.
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:33 PM   #2
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Holy hell Z could you possibly fit any more fans in that thing? lol
Damn nice clocks, nice temps too, My E4500 only stays in the region of about 20/28 degrees under load when it's OC'ed to 2.96GHz
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:37 PM   #3
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well I can take half of them out and it runs fine at 4ghz, just a silly little project to see how far I could take it on air without creating something unusuable in regards to noise. Good (expensive!) fans make a hell of a difference.

Its actually really silent from 2 foot. it only gets louder if you crank the 280 fans to 90%+ (which I would do if I was gaming).
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:42 PM   #4
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Yeah, what kinda temps do you get when you're gaming? And what kinda frames do those Tri-Sli 280's put out?
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:43 PM   #5
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Yeah, what kinda temps do you get when you're gaming? And what kinda frames do those Tri-Sli 280's put out?
Much the same as the review i published http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews.php?reviewid=609

Cpu temps under load? 45-48c.
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:54 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zardon View Post
Much the same as the review i published http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews.php?reviewid=609

Cpu temps under load? 45-48c.
Ouch that's some serious power
How many digits are on your electricity bill?
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 01:59 PM   #7
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bloody hell zardon those temps are better than my watercooling !

What the hell kind of power drain is that taking?
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 02:02 PM   #8
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I measured 1060w at full load.
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 02:03 PM   #9
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Comes off as impractical :P
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 02:11 PM   #10
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Comes off as impractical :P
Ok let me put it this way, if you put the side panel on you cant see it

You not want it then? was going to ship it to you.
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 02:27 PM   #11
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I said impractical, not that I wouldn't be more than happy to take it off your hands.
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 02:41 PM   #12
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normally I would say I bet that is very loud, but ive used the noiseblocker fans before and the airflow to noise ratio is hard to beat.

I would run that all the time zardon, very industrial and mean looking. nice clocks too, bet that sucker flies. ive always been impressed by the skulltrail motherboard layout too, everything is perfectly placed on it.
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 02:48 PM   #13
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Not practical ! since when is 30c and 4.5ghz on 8 cores not practical

Nice and amusing thread Z, like the fact the temps are as good as watercooling for those clocks, just shows how bloody amazing those thermalright coolers are.

Personally id put the chassis side panel on and use that sucker at those clocks. 1.45-1.48 volts, is that safe enough 24/7? ive read various thought about core volts on 45nm processors like the 9775's.......
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 02:53 PM   #14
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damn.......... ive seen people on xtremesystems with watercooling and they aren't getting those temps with those volts and clocks.

I think the thermalright true black is a hell of a cooler, always concerns me how much they weigh though, even one, never mind two. Is that motherboard safe enough long term with all that hanging off the top of it ?

I might have to invest in one of those to overclock my 9550, my temps arent great with the Zalman.
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 04:53 PM   #15
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that's a wackload of crammed in thier fans.. it's almost closterphobic...


wtf wood chipper.....

or blender..


will it blend?
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 05:46 PM   #16
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hey Z.....

a humble suggestion...

Ultimate CPU Cooling Solutions! USA

also, how does the Scythe Ninja CU compare to the rest of them?
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 09:31 PM   #17
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WOW, thats one hell of a setup, is it strapped down?? Id be afraid it would try to achieve liftoff LOL
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 11:20 PM   #18
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Z that system makes my X48+Q9650+2x 4870X2s cry
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 11:26 PM   #19
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why dont you get one CMX? its not that expensive if you use Xeons...
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Old Sep 16, 2008, 11:38 PM   #20
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I could buy/build that rig....


but i want to have a new bathroom, furnace, and the entire plumbing done.

aka

I'd like to take a dump, be warm durring the winter, and flush the toilet....

*sigh*


priorities......

Course i think skulltrail would replace the furnace.....
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Old Sep 17, 2008, 04:04 AM   #21
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