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Sub Zero Insulation

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Don't take this the wrong way Witchy.
After looking at your pictures on prepping a video card for sub-zero cooling, I had a question.
^ The 3rd card has a piece of wood under the TEK-9 Fat. That answered my question on how to keep all that weight from breaking the card or damaging the PCIe slot :thup:
 
Ive never used anything underneath like that... so long as there is a backplane to mount the card to, it shouldn't need it.
 
yep, I just use a piece of ply wood to mount my board to so no back plane for me :cry:

yes sir, that is there to keep the weight of the pot from stressing the PCIe slot
 
^ Thank You ^
That is how I have mine setup right now. Still working on getting a benching table :)
 
Man we really need to redo this thread with working pics, etc, etc. Will take a bunch next time I prep.

I basically follow kingpin's guide (linked in the OP) but do some things a little differently. In more or less the order I do them...

1) Cover full board front and back with a THICK layer of LET. Going forward, I'll do the same except will use dragon skin instead of LET. I don't use any nail polish.
01-socket.jpg

2) Open the holdown assembly, mount the cpu in the socket then tape it in place. I use electrical tape but masking or painters tape are also fine.
02-tape1.jpg
03-tape2.jpg

3) Put a little eraser all the way around the socket gently pressing it in toward the cpu socket / tape (I cover the bottom/outer edge of the tape all the way around). DON'T use too much eraser!!! Gently close the cover (gently using a little up/down rocking motion). Until you get the hang of it, give the setup a quick test just to make sure you can still post. If it doesn't, it means you used too much eraser inside the socket. Take care of that and test again until you're sure you can at least get to the bios. For quick tests, I usually just sit the pot on top of the cpu. Try to move quickly and keep an eye on the temp!
04-eraser1.jpg
05-testfit.jpg

4) Put a little TIM on the end of a k-type probe wire and place it on top of the tape so when you close the holdown, from bottom to top it'll be the edge of the cpu's IHS then the electrical tape then the probe end and finally (when you close the holdown) the edge of the holdown. This can be critical because if your pot's at -160C but your cpu is at -10C, you really want to know before letting things rip on the voltage and stress side of things.
s1920x1080_rampage iv black edition-heatsink-kprobe.jpg
06-probemount.jpg

5) Eraser from the cpu outward, over the holdown and out to the edges/borders of the slots, heatsinks, vrm section, etc. Eraser all around any caps, behind the vrm section, etc. When you pull the eraser up some of the LET will come with it. Don't worry about it, you'll end up erasering those now bare sections anyway.
07-eraser2.jpg
08-eraser3-backing.jpg

6) Cover the entire bottom of the board with painters tape. Other than not peeling off the LET it seems to help from an insulating, cold-prep perspective. Since I'd already created the backing, the photos above and below show the tape with the single layer of frost king already on it.

7) Stick a single layer of frost king (or other pipe insulation) across the back of the board on top of the painters tape. Make sure to peel the metal backing off the insulation!
09-backing.jpg

8) Work some nice cpu mounting holes through the layers of painters tape and foam insulation. I usually use a narrow diameter, pointed, wooden skewer (normally for shish-ka-bobs). Once the tip pokes through I give it a good reaming (with the skewer) so the holes in the insulation don't close up so quickly.

9) Mount the backplate, etc and gently slide the holdown rods through the board like normal.
10-mount.jpg

10) For the top of the board, cut a gasket out of shamwow (shammy cloth) that covers out to the slots, heatsinks, etc. (I don't use shoptowels, shammy's thicker, reusable and much more absorbant). Cut out a neoprene gasket ala kingpin's guide. I use 1/2" neoprene for this.
11-shamgasket.jpg
12-neoprenegasket.jpg

11) Apply TIM and mount the pot.

12) Put 2 strong 120mm (or larger) fans on top so they blow up away from the board. I mount the fans by just sliding one corner onto one of the holdown rods then use a rubber band to secure it to the opposite holdown rod. I also usually run a decent house fan on high blowing across the whole setup as well as a fan mounted to the benching table that blows across the board from the other side.
rivbe-4930kln2.jpg

13) Hook everything up and let it rip!!! Woohoo!!! Keep an eye on the temp delta between the pot and the cpu. If it's larger than 10 or so degrees C, could be a problem with the mount or TIM. Using a torch, heat the pot up to about -20C and then pull down again. If it's not a bad mount, the delta should be much lower.

Will try to clean this up and add more pictures soon! Hopefully it helps. As far as results, my longest session (so far) is 5 hours (ran out of juice). There was no frost whatsoever anywhere on or around the board except for the mouth of the pot and (in the pic above) the holdown where it connects the bottom and top parts of the pot.

Any other suggestions, tips, tricks, ideas, etc are definitely welcome!
 
Last edited:
Well done FS!!!!

That's a lot of fans though, wow! I usually just have one 120mm blowing up and that is about it. Then again, my sessions aren't more than a few hours so, maybe that is needed for marathon runs or just extra peace of mind.

I like the idea of taping down the processor. Usually, I just carefully put eraser around it (just enough... there is a trick to it).

I also have to say that I don't peel the metal off the insulation either...but I like playing with fire, LOL! I do make sure the edges are not touching the board though. Better to be safe than sorry (Do as I say, not as I do, LOL!).
 
Thanks EarthDog!

What's your eraser trick? I started taping the cpu in place based on guidance from MetalRacer so hat tip to him for that one! Maybe a tad overkill on the fannage but it helped take me from roughly 2 hour (max) sessions to 5 hour ones.

My favorite new 'learning' has got to be the temp probe under the cpu holdown, though. A quick heatup to -20 then pulling back down dropped the temp delta (between pot and cpu) to about 5C. Let's me monitor the health of the mount plus gives a little extra headroom on the top end.
 
I put eraser around the IHS instead of tape with the bracket closed. Its a bit more risky (can press eraser in the socket if you use too much), but has been effective in my experiences. Using the tape would prevent eraser from getting into the socket so I like that idea. :)

I never did that probe under the hold down before. I just use the CPU core temperatures and the temp probe in the bottom of my pot. I check my mount/TIM spread manually, but, I have done it enough with the pot I have that I know how much to put down and how tight to put it.

Typically, to 'set' the TIM, I just run dry until it heats up, then tighten things down a bit more. Done. Then I bring the pot down.

With one fan on the pot, I run for hours (4-6) with no issues. This is in an air conditioned house though.. now, at Witchee's in summer ambient, that may be a different story and you want more on it.......or let it freeze.... ice doesn't conduct electricity. ;)
 
I put eraser around the IHS instead of tape with the bracket closed. Its a bit more risky (can press eraser in the socket if you use too much), but has been effective in my experiences. Using the tape would prevent eraser from getting into the socket so I like that idea. :)

Yeah...before the tape trick, the pins in a few sockets got mushed from eraser getting inside there.
 
Yeah...before the tape trick, the pins in a few sockets got mushed from eraser getting inside there.

^ I had the same problem and also destroyed a X58 because of some water inside the pins. (I used a Q-Tip to clean and broke several pins :( )

I have not had any problems after using your guide BUT it does add an additional hour over doing an AMD setup. :thup:
 
Being Paraniod

For the up coming 2018 Benching Party I have looked at redoing the prepping of Video Cards. The cards where prepped and benched under DICE and I never had a problem. I have went back and looked at posted pics of video cards that have been benched with LN2. The R9-280x was prepped with 1 coat of LET on the Front and Back. The HD-7950 was prepped yesterday with 2 THICK coats of LET.
From the pictures, LN2 is going to cause more ice buildup than DICE does. I have included pictures so you guys can tell me if I'm being too Paranoid in prepping the video cards.

The 1st Picture is a HD-7950 that I have placed 2 coats of LET on the Front and the Back. I have also removed the Eraser from around the GPU DIE and have replaced it with one Side Sticky Tape.

HD-7950 Extreme LET.jpg

The 2nd Picture is a R9-280x that was prepped and benched with DICE. Do I need to change anything to bench it with LN2??

R9-280x Setup for DICE.jpg

The 3rd Picture is the Foam Tape that I would be using instead of the Eraser around the GPU DIE. It is a One Side Sticky tape instead of the Double Side that is easier to find.

Foam Tape instead of Eraser Clay.jpg

Thank You For Your Time
 
Man we really need to redo this thread with working pics, etc, etc. Will take a bunch next time I prep.

I basically follow kingpin's guide (linked in the OP) but do some things a little differently. In more or less the order I do them...

1) Cover full board front and back with a THICK layer of LET. Going forward, I'll do the same except will use dragon skin instead of LET. I don't use any nail polish.
View attachment 178016

2) Open the holdown assembly, mount the cpu in the socket then tape it in place. I use electrical tape but masking or painters tape are also fine.
View attachment 178017
View attachment 178018

3) Put a little eraser all the way around the socket gently pressing it in toward the cpu socket / tape (I cover the bottom/outer edge of the tape all the way around). DON'T use too much eraser!!! Gently close the cover (gently using a little up/down rocking motion). Until you get the hang of it, give the setup a quick test just to make sure you can still post. If it doesn't, it means you used too much eraser inside the socket. Take care of that and test again until you're sure you can at least get to the bios. For quick tests, I usually just sit the pot on top of the cpu. Try to move quickly and keep an eye on the temp!
View attachment 178019
View attachment 178020

4) Put a little TIM on the end of a k-type probe wire and place it on top of the tape so when you close the holdown, from bottom to top it'll be the edge of the cpu's IHS then the electrical tape then the probe end and finally (when you close the holdown) the edge of the holdown. This can be critical because if your pot's at -160C but your cpu is at -10C, you really want to know before letting things rip on the voltage and stress side of things.
View attachment 177781
View attachment 178021

5) Eraser from the cpu outward, over the holdown and out to the edges/borders of the slots, heatsinks, vrm section, etc. Eraser all around any caps, behind the vrm section, etc. When you pull the eraser up some of the LET will come with it. Don't worry about it, you'll end up erasering those now bare sections anyway.
View attachment 178022
View attachment 178023

6) Cover the entire bottom of the board with painters tape. Other than not peeling off the LET it seems to help from an insulating, cold-prep perspective. Since I'd already created the backing, the photos above and below show the tape with the single layer of frost king already on it.

7) Stick a single layer of frost king (or other pipe insulation) across the back of the board on top of the painters tape. Make sure to peel the metal backing off the insulation!
View attachment 178024

8) Work some nice cpu mounting holes through the layers of painters tape and foam insulation. I usually use a narrow diameter, pointed, wooden skewer (normally for shish-ka-bobs). Once the tip pokes through I give it a good reaming (with the skewer) so the holes in the insulation don't close up so quickly.

9) Mount the backplate, etc and gently slide the holdown rods through the board like normal.
View attachment 178025

10) For the top of the board, cut a gasket out of shamwow (shammy cloth) that covers out to the slots, heatsinks, etc. (I don't use shoptowels, shammy's thicker, reusable and much more absorbant). Cut out a neoprene gasket ala kingpin's guide. I use 1/2" neoprene for this.
View attachment 178026
View attachment 178027

11) Apply TIM and mount the pot.

12) Put 2 strong 120mm (or larger) fans on top so they blow up away from the board. I mount the fans by just sliding one corner onto one of the holdown rods then use a rubber band to secure it to the opposite holdown rod. I also usually run a decent house fan on high blowing across the whole setup as well as a fan mounted to the benching table that blows across the board from the other side.
View attachment 177782

13) Hook everything up and let it rip!!! Woohoo!!! Keep an eye on the temp delta between the pot and the cpu. If it's larger than 10 or so degrees C, could be a problem with the mount or TIM. Using a torch, heat the pot up to about -20C and then pull down again. If it's not a bad mount, the delta should be much lower.

Will try to clean this up and add more pictures soon! Hopefully it helps. As far as results, my longest session (so far) is 5 hours (ran out of juice). There was no frost whatsoever anywhere on or around the board except for the mouth of the pot and (in the pic above) the holdown where it connects the bottom and top parts of the pot.

Any other suggestions, tips, tricks, ideas, etc are definitely welcome!

^
Dear Funsoul or Other Extreme Benchers,

I followed your guide for Last Year's Bench Party (P.A.- 2018) on prepping my x58 board. It worked great and I ended up selling it to Johan45 a year later.
-Anyway- When I showed up at the party, you asked how I prepped the board. I mentioned that I followed your guide (POSTED ABOVE) and you -LOLed- that you had not used that method it 2-3 years. You said that you had found a better way but never explained or showed this NEW Method.
I now have a x299 that I will need to prep this summer so their is no rush on posting a new guide BUT is there a NEW METHOD????

I have now heard Dragon Skin being mentioned outside of the - ELITE - Benchers. Has this moved down in price or easier to get for the avg Dice user??? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Smooth-On-...875562?hash=item3d87d4cdea:g:XTYAAOSwq5FcqLJj

^ Is this method still good for the EVGA x299 Dark that you had LAST YEAR at the Bench Party (2018 - that I now have in 2019) - OR were you just pulling my leg???

I Thank You For Your Time -
In Reading And Verifying This Information
 
Nothing is really new MM make sure everything that can short, if wet, is protected. Doesn't matter what you use, whether it's L.E.T., Dragon skin, Vaseline etc.....The guide will be the same regardless. Every board is different so having a cookie cutter guide is difficult.
 
I remember when in the past some people were using nail polish :) ... some were even trying to RMA boards after that but couldn't clean them properly and had them back with "board covered in weirdly looking goo thingy, RMA rejected" ;)

Dragon skin isn't cheap but you simply pour it on the board and it will level itself and fill all the gaps. Just have to make it step by step, not whole board at once as it dries quite fast.
 
I can still envision M_M rubbing KY all over his new motherboard passionately whispering to it "I'm gonna make you all mine" & "There's no safe word in benching"
 
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