I5 2500K+ Silver Arrow Temps

[spastic-nutcase]

Hi Guys,

Finaly built my first gaming rig, specs are as follows:

i5 2500k
Thermalright Silver Arrow + AS5
ASUS P8P67 PRO
Antec 902 V3
Two X MSI GTX 560Ti Twin Frozer
Corsair HX850W
2x4Gb G.Skill Ripjaws 1600 C8

I've installed my cooler 3 times so far.
The first time, i carefully spread a thin even layer of AS5 over the cpu. The cooler fan was less than 5 CM away from the rear exaust fan and pulling in the opposite direction, which restricted airflow out the rear.
I booted into BIOS and CPU temp was 45-46C.

I looked up some methods for removing and re applying and what i thought to be a contradiction in each one?

They all advised to completely remove the TIM with iso alcohol and re apply. But went on later to discribe the 'tinting' method which was to rub the TIM into the surfaces with a plastic card, and then remove with a lint free cloth.

So after removing the cooler, i simply rubbed the existing TIM into the cpu surface with a plastic card, and removed with a lint free cloth (the type for reading glasses). I then used the method described and applied a small pea sized dot in the middle and installed, this time with the fans pointing upward and pushing through the top large exaust fan.

CPU temp = 48C (room temp 24)

The last method i tryed, i got from intel, which descrived the vertical line application method. I did everything the same, but applied 1mm vertical line down the middle of the cpu.

CPU temps today = 43C (room temp around 21)

I plan to OC which would boost temps obviously, and these temps are when just sitting in the BIOS, as my Win7 hasnt arrived yet so im assuming their going to be even higher in windows. I bought this behemoth of a cooler ($90) to avoid these issues.

Can anyone offer some advice please. A little frustrated over here, sorry for the wall of text, i just wanted to get all the details out there.

 

[davcon]

First off AS5 takes ages to cure for proper temps.
Use Coretemp or Realtemp to monitor your cpu temps.
Also the Silver Arrow has 3 possible fan locations all fans should have the arrows pointing in the same direction.
You'll get nowhere with the fans not aligned properly.
Oh btw the supplied Chillfactor III is everybit as good as AS5.

 

[spastic-nutcase]

First off AS5 takes ages to cure for proper temps.
Use Coretemp or Realtemp to monitor your cpu temps.
Also the Silver Arrow has 3 possible fan locations all fans should have the arrows pointing in the same direction.
You'll get nowhere with the fans not aligned properly.
Oh btw the supplied Chillfactor III is better paste then AS5 LOL!

Oops =[ i thought AS5 was considered the best lol, it kept getting recommended when i was getting parts advice before buying. Also i had all fans pointing in the same direction every time.
Could the fact that i am using the CPU temp in the asus bios, be the reason for the high temps?
Also i dont have my OS yet and therefore cant run these programs.

 

[davcon]

"The cooler fan was less than 5 CM away from the rear exaust fan and pulling in the opposite direction"
That statement tells me otherwise the cooler fan should be blowing air in the same direction as your rear exhaust fan.
The 2nd fan fits in the middle of the cooler towers the first one at the front(dimm side).
If your case was huge the SA can mount a 3rd fan.
The fans have arrows on them-you have to look.
Yep! the salesman was doing his job selling you the extra paste!
I would mount the cooler east/west personally.
Whatever works best for you.
I have a 902 and a Thermalright cooler btw.
Thermalright coolers like alot of mounting pressure.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup-1_12.html
Imo the AS5 would have better performance once it cures.

 

[Bigmac80]

are you just looking at your temps from the bios? because in bios it's not in idle it's actually in load...Those temps are fine if your looking at it through bios...Also using the pea size method imo is probably the best way...

When im in bios my temps range from 43c-50c...43c in stock settings and 50c while overclock..But when im in windows running prime 95 torture test my temps are around 50-55c and that's with my cpu overclocked to 4.2ghz at 1.210volts..My idle temps in windows mode not bios mode it's around 30c-34c...You have a really great air cooler if not the best air cooler today...

 

[spastic-nutcase]

"The cooler fan was less than 5 CM away from the rear exaust fan and pulling in the opposite direction"
That statement tells me otherwise the cooler fan should be blowing air in the same direction as your rear exhaust fan.
The 2nd fan fits in the middle of the cooler towers the first one at the front(dimm side).
If your case was huge the SA can mount a 3rd fan.
The fans have arrows on them-you have to look.
Yep! the salesman was doing his job selling you the extra paste!
I would mount the cooler east/west personally.
Whatever works best for you.
I have a 902 and a Thermalright cooler btw.
Thermalright coolers like alot of mounting pressure.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup-1_12.html
Imo the AS5 would have better performance once it cures.

I know it was a long read so yo might not have read it all, but as it is now, the fans are pushing air upwards through the top exaust fan. The setup you mentioned was the 1st attempt.
I've noticed the bottom of the Silver Arrow is far from flat. Using a razor, the gap shows that it is very concave, although smooth.
I've just got back from the hardware store and going to try lapping the cpu and cooler and applying the paste that came with the cooler

 

[spastic-nutcase]

are you just looking at your temps from the bios? because in bios it's not in idle it's actually in load...Those temps are fine if your looking at it through bios...Also using the pea size method imo is probably the best way...

When im in bios my temps range from 43c-50c...43c in stock settings and 50c while overclock..But when im in windows running prime 95 torture test my temps are around 50-55c and that's with my cpu overclocked to 4.2ghz at 1.210volts..My idle temps in windows mode not bios mode it's around 30c-34c...You have a really great air cooler if not the best air cooler today...

Wow, really? I just assumed that sitting in the bios would be completely idled? Well that clears it up alot, thanks!

 

[Leaps-from-Shadows]

Yeah, the CPU can't enter the low-power idle mode until Windows is fully booted up.

Based on the experiments you've done so far, I'd leave it in the North-South orientation it's in now. Your temps should get better as the AS5 gets more towards the end of its 200-hour curing time. That's one of the bad things about AS5, and one of the reasons why a lot of thermal compounds are better nowadays -- they have little to no curing time.

 

[RetiredChief]

From Davcon
"I would mount the cooler east/west personally." I'm quessing pushin air out the back
From Leaps-from-shadows
"I'd leave it in the North-South orientation it's in now" Im quessing pushing air to the top.

Two part question:
Any definative reason for which orientation is best.
Is there enough diff that the oP should leave, or change orientation.

I tried to get a feel for which is best, Googling didn't help may try frostytech forum.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=28&post=302808&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

So far My rational, toward the rear is:
gravitational effect and how heat pipes work. Might indicate blowing toward the rear is best. I'm quessing that basically cpu "hot" so air rises toward the top of the loop this in turn sucks air from the bottom of the loop which has been cooled by the fan. If placed in a horizonal position there really is not a top/bottom for the loop. Sounds good, or grasping at straws????

 

[davcon]

Great question Chief ! and has often been discussed here.
I think the orientation usually has to do with space constraints and ram placement more then anything else.
I have a 902 and can see the merits of using the SA in North/South as Leaps-from-shadows has suggested that 200mm exhaust fan would definitely help exhaust air quick.
I see a dimm issue if you use all 4 in that configuration.I could be wrong though.
You'd never know until you try it.
I suggested the East/West cuz i use all four dimms filled and have 3 front 120mm intake fans in my 902 one is mounted on a hdd cage which helps my gpu temps much better then a side fan does = way less dust.
Can't use the side fan with 160mm tall coolers anyways.
All that being said i would definitely try both ways = too fun not too lol

 

[RetiredChief]

My case has a large top fan (230 mm), so figured the blowing toward top might be the best orientation which is what I used in my I5-750 OCed - HSF= Zalman 9700A. Planning on getting a I5-2500K (waiting for the Z68 MB). Bought a Zalman 9900Max-B (new egg had on sale for $65). So I started looking for reasons. Ran accross a How heat pipes work which has got me wondering if blowing toward rear is the best option.