Do I need Active Memory Cooling at 3.3 Volts?

[Nibzit]

Hi all.
May seem like a noobie question, but just not sure whether I need to actively cool the RAM I intend to buy. Basically I'm thinking about picking up some OCZ PC4000VX for my rig. Basically a AMD64 3200+ Venice and DFI Ultra-D motherboard. I'm fairly aware that the PC4000VX require a fair amount of juice to be effective but hear the modules can get pretty toasty. I intend to overclock my system, so 3.3volts on the modules will most likely be necessary. So would these modules (or really any module) require active cooling at this voltage? The question I'm asking is because I really don't have space for active cooling as my XP-90 is blocking the RAM slots.

If its necessary to apply active cooling, then I'll probabaly skip the PC4000VX modules and look for something else that doesn't require too much juice. If so, could anyone recommend me a good combination for my motherboard as currently my Corsairs DDR500's aren't luved by my board ATM.

Cheers!

[electrorcamd]

Yes, you will need to have good airflow so that you can keep it cool.
The fan on the XP-90 might cool them well enough, if you get a strong enough one, but I can't say for sure, as I don't have an XP-90 nor have I run RAM at 3.3V. You might be able to attach a fan next to the XP-90 so that it is blowing over the RAM.

[SteveOCZ]

Yes! :)

[RedDragonXXX]

Anything above 3V on Vdimm should be active cooled not only for security reasons but for better stability/performance as well.

[jpersinger]

I have more than 300 cfm flowing over the mobo...needless to say even at 3.5 V the mem. heat spreaders don't stray to far from ambient. So as previously stated, yes.

[Eldonko]

I active cool RAM at any voltage :)

[Janus67]

I would recommend active cooling it. For instance, the way I did mine, I took a 80mm fan, used paper clips through the mounting holes and hooked them onto the blowhole fan on the top of my P180, works like a charm

[Moto7451]

I bought some TT Ram Heatsinks for my UTT & put a fan over the ram. Using the heatsinks (not heat spreaders but real heatsinks). In that setup my CH5 die UTT scaled to 260MHz at 3.4v with more headroom left to go at that voltage (I did some base stability tests at 265MHz but I didn't get a chance to do my usual 20-30 passes in memtest86). I just need o figure out how to get my second DIMM installed though since the DDR booster & the heatsinks take up the adjacent slot if they are put in slots 2 or 3. It'll probably involve modding my wonderful DDR booster so it just connects to the pins on the back of the mobo ;)

[HousERaT]

I also actively cool my ram regardless of voltage. It can only help and never hurt...... btw.....
:welcome: to the forums!

[Nibzit]

Cheers guys for the clarifications, and thanks Houserat for the welcoming!
I had a feeling I would need active cooling for my RAM, well looks like I'm just gonna have to reposition my XP-90. Currently blocking the RAM slots as we speak.

But just to sum it up. Everybody think the PC4000VX modules are a decent for my configuration and overclock? If someone else has a better suggestion please feel free to post up an opinion!

[HousERaT]

Cheers guys for the clarifications, and thanks Houserat for the welcoming!
I had a feeling I would need active cooling for my RAM, well looks like I'm just gonna have to reposition my XP-90. Currently blocking the RAM slots as we speak.

But just to sum it up. Everybody think the PC4000VX modules are a decent for my configuration and overclock? If someone else has a better suggestion please feel free to post up an opinion!

If you're talking about the OCZ VX then yes, those are solid ram. Mushkin Redlines and also the OCZ Gold (Bh-die) are all good matches for the DFI Ultra-D.

[Janus67]

the ram you picked out should be fine, and how do you have your XP-90 positioned? I have mine with the pipes facing downward and a sligh overhang over the first module, but the second is fine. I then just positioned the fan to blow directly above the xp-90 fan and it works fine.

[Nibzit]

If you're talking about the OCZ VX then yes, those are solid ram. Mushkin Redlines and also the OCZ Gold (Bh-die) are all good matches for the DFI Ultra-D.

Ok cheers. The Mushkin Redline were also a possible choice but I can pick up the VX for a better price so I'll probabaly go with OCZ. Cheers for the help.

the ram you picked out should be fine, and how do you have your XP-90 positioned? I have mine with the pipes facing downward and a sligh overhang over the first module, but the second is fine. I then just positioned the fan to blow directly above the xp-90 fan and it works fine.

Yes I have my XP-90 positioned the same way. The second module isn't blocked only the first module. Sorry but just for clarification, are you saying the fan used for the heatsink is sufficient enough to cool the memory modules as well, or did you use an additional fan? Just asking as "electrorcamd" (2nd post) mentioned the strength of the XP-90 fan could be enough to cool the modules. If the XP-90 fan is enough, I will probabaly just go out and buy a stronger fan.

[Janus67]

I actually added another fan, the Antec P180 has a blowhole fan pretty much directly above where the XP-90 is (about 3 or 4 inches above). So I took one of my old 80mm fans from my old case, and used paper clips to hang it from the fan above (through the screw holes, but the fan is only mounted through the top2 so they were open) then connecting the fan to the fan on my heatsink to make sure it is parallel with the motherboard and blowing directly onto the memory modules.

Very poor ascii picture:


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[spydeymon]

Can any show me some pics of what most of your systems look like
with the stuff in my sig i find it dificult to get a fan over the ram slots the xp-90 goes directly over the ram

[Vulcan]

Hi all.
May seem like a noobie question, but just not sure whether I need to actively cool the RAM I intend to buy. Basically I'm thinking about picking up some OCZ PC4000VX for my rig. Basically a AMD64 3200+ Venice and DFI Ultra-D motherboard. I'm fairly aware that the PC4000VX require a fair amount of juice to be effective but hear the modules can get pretty toasty. I intend to overclock my system, so 3.3volts on the modules will most likely be necessary. So would these modules (or really any module) require active cooling at this voltage? The question I'm asking is because I really don't have space for active cooling as my XP-90 is blocking the RAM slots.

If its necessary to apply active cooling, then I'll probabaly skip the PC4000VX modules and look for something else that doesn't require too much juice. If so, could anyone recommend me a good combination for my motherboard as currently my Corsairs DDR500's aren't luved by my board ATM.

Cheers!


Why don't you just get something that is TCCD based? OCZ 3200 Platinum Rev2 would work fine and it doesn't need high voltage.

[Nibzit]

I actually added another fan, the Antec P180 has a blowhole fan pretty much directly above where the XP-90 is (about 3 or 4 inches above). So I took one of my old 80mm fans from my old case, and used paper clips to hang it from the fan above (through the screw holes, but the fan is only mounted through the top2 so they were open) then connecting the fan to the fan on my heatsink to make sure it is parallel with the motherboard and blowing directly onto the memory modules.

Very poor ascii picture:


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Cheers I see what you mean. My Lian-Li V1100 (upsidedown design) will make things a little different, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to sort something out. Cheers :)

Why don't you just get something that is TCCD based? OCZ 3200 Platinum Rev2 would work fine and it doesn't need high voltage.

Sweet. I'll look into some reviews :)

[Nibzit]

Can any show me some pics of what most of your systems look like
with the stuff in my sig i find it dificult to get a fan over the ram slots the xp-90 goes directly over the ram

Yeah I'll second that. Anyone got any pics! :)

[spydeymon]

ne-one?