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Thread: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

  1. #1
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    • Uriel's system
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    CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    Hi All,

    After a failed attempt to create a thermally activated fan controller for my rig, I've got a problem. The CPU temperature no longer returns to an idle reading after loading. I did some swapping of fan connectors and may have knocked the heatsink.

    Using an AC Freezer Pro 64, My X2 BE 5000+ used to do about 55°C under load and 30°C idle. Now it's about 34° initially and gradually gets warmer. I've turned off a few times to avoid it getting over 60°C. The trouble is, it doesn't drop back down to the 30s. It stays at a couple of degrees short of the maximum load temperature until I turn off the rig. The fan works and the heatsink gets rather hot to the touch - not quite finger burning but not far off.

    The attempted mod involved placing a thermistor along the 12v line of the CPU fan header, placed on the lower copper part of the freezer pro below the heatpipes. The fan didn't spin but only twitched a little and something made a whiney noise while it twitched. I let it run for a while, expecting it to spin up as the CPU got warmer but it didn't.

    Does this sound like I've just reduced the CPU heatsink contact to you or something worse? Motherboard voltage regulators? PSU? Going to try re-seating the heatsink tonight.

  2. #2
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    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    You didn't say, but I assume you have removed the mod, and the heatsink fan is operating correctly? If so, you may have moved the heatsink - although the fact that it is getting hot - almost too hot to touch, implies that the airflow isn't all it should be. If you operated the CPU without any cooling for any length of time, there is the risk that you may have damaged the CPU.

    Its a long time since I klooked at NTC devices (thermistors) but you can't put them ditrectly in series with a load like a fan - apart from anything else, there is a risk of self heating. Usually they form part of a control circuit which then controls the load. At its simplest, it would control the bias on a power transistor, at its most complex, it would control the pulse width of a PWM power supply that operates the fan. Usually configuarations wouyuld be as part of a bridge circuit (again minimizing the current flow through the device - and the self heating effect.
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  3. #3
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    • Uriel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3
      • CPU:
      • Athlon X2 5200+ 45nm 2.3GHz @ Phenom FX-5200 3.3GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB (4x2GB) Geil RAM
      • Storage:
      • 480GB Sandisk SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Galax GTX970 4GB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec SLK3000B
      • Operating System:
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      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407wfp A04

    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    Yep. The mod is removed and the fan's working. Nothing has changed airflow wise.

    Was a daft thing to do really. I didn't research it properly before I tried it out.

    Edit: By 'used to' I mean the day before yesterday. The mod was only in place for a couple of minutes and removed as soon as I realised the fan wasn't going to spin up. I kept an eye on CPU temps too. Never got above 60° as far as I can tell.

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    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    Re seating the cooler (although a pain) won't do any harm - and you may find it all gets back to normal. Good luck!
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  5. #5
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    • Uriel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3
      • CPU:
      • Athlon X2 5200+ 45nm 2.3GHz @ Phenom FX-5200 3.3GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB (4x2GB) Geil RAM
      • Storage:
      • 480GB Sandisk SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Galax GTX970 4GB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec SLK3000B
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407wfp A04

    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    Think I'm sorted. When I added the mod to the CPU fan I used my Zalman Fanmate 2 on an Antec Tricool case fan. Turns out it didn't like it. It's been the Fanmate causing the problem all along. Not sure if it was low RPM or if it was causing problems with the motherboards

    Reseated fan and got slightly improved temps while I was trying to figure out what was wrong.

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    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    So it was airflow related! Anyway - glad you got it sorted (and with an improvement!)
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  7. #7
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    • Uriel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3
      • CPU:
      • Athlon X2 5200+ 45nm 2.3GHz @ Phenom FX-5200 3.3GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB (4x2GB) Geil RAM
      • Storage:
      • 480GB Sandisk SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Galax GTX970 4GB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec SLK3000B
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407wfp A04

    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    How long does Arctic Silver 5 take to settle down? I seem to be running about 3-4°C cooler idle today than the last couple of days. Load temperature's down too, but not by as much. Fairly sure the ambient temperature hasn't dropped than much.

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    • -iceblade^'s system
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    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    I don't know, but if that's the same stuff on the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 PRO, it said something like 200 hours of normal operational use in my manual...

  9. #9
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    • Uriel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3
      • CPU:
      • Athlon X2 5200+ 45nm 2.3GHz @ Phenom FX-5200 3.3GHz
      • Memory:
      • 8GB (4x2GB) Geil RAM
      • Storage:
      • 480GB Sandisk SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Galax GTX970 4GB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec SLK3000B
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407wfp A04

    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    Nope, different thermal compound. I used the default stuff on an A64 4600 939 when I first got the cooler and it seemed to be pretty good stuff.

  10. #10
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    Re: CPU cooler needs re-seating or worse?

    The Arctic website may tell you. It does bed down after a few hours use - but as the temps are going in the right direction (down) I wouldn't worry about it!
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