Thermal Diode Positioning

A friend of mine purchased a Biostar NF4UL-A9 motherboard with a Athlon 64 3500+ cpu, and a 6600GT, all cooled by a Zalman Reserator 1+.

The issue is that he can't configure SpeedFan to display the temperatures correctly, so he decided to get a Logisys Thermal Controller (This one). Although we've hit another brick wall, trying to figure out where to mount the thermal diode.

So, I'm wondering if anyone uses a external thermal probe or diode with a water cooling system, and where you've placed the diode to get a accurate reading.

Thanks.

I give you the lurker award! Over a year with only 7 posts!

Try different spots. Sad to say you will NEVER get accurate temps. However, you will get closest on the side of the processor pressed against the IHS between the CPU and the Waterblock.

JT

Actually, just put tape the diode against the back of the motherboard where the CPU is. I trust that reading more than the one from the onboard monitor. It is +/- 1C IMHO.

Lol JTanczos, is that a good or bad thing? I don't like asking redundant questions and getting the "use the search" statement from others. I guess we'll tinker around with the diode until we get the hottest reading, or just skip the trouble and tape it against the back of the motherboard (I'm assuming in the middle, but this is a socket 939, pins all over). Thanks for the suggestions.

Actually, I put it a little off center, because if you look at the chip there is a gap in the middle where nothing comes in contact with the motherboard. So I just tape the thermistor to where the pins would be, with the thought that the heat would be transfered from the chip, through the pins, onto the mobo and then onto the thermistor. I also put a piece of foam on the outside of the thermistor so that it is not as greatly affected by ambient temps. I've been using this method for the last two years and found it to be very accurate across three boards.

I wouldn't recommend sticking it between the waterblock and the CPU, you'd screw up your layer of TIM.

Maviryk said:

I wouldn't recommend sticking it between the waterblock and the CPU, you'd screw up your layer of TIM.

Click to expand...

And possibly crush the core...

I never meant sticking it between the block and IHS! That would crush the thermistor. You would have to play with it after the WB was mounted. I did it on my brothers in such a way that the probe is ziptied to the heatsink. Try all different spots and give us the best results.

JT

On a heatsink, its rather easy, just attach it to the center fin of the heatsink and you'll get very good readings, water cooling is such a different animal though

Another possibility, since the video card cpu and NB are all connected to the same heat dispersion source, is it safe to assume that the nVidia reading will be the same temp for all the other devices too?

I had a similar issue yesterday, when I found a temperature sensor. The best place I found for it on a P4 Prescott was to attach it to the top of the metal clamp that holds the CPU down. Measures fairly well but seems to be slightly unreactive (takes a while for it to heat up and cool down, more than I expected). I would guess that it would measure better connected to the heatsink but couldn't fin a way to connect it.

I was initially wondering whether it would be accurate enough but the temperature measured the ambient temperature fairly accurately once the computer had been of for a few hours.