[Slammin]

My system consists of P4 3.0E @4.0 1.43 vcore, Abit Max3 cooled by Swiftech H20-120 with an additional 120m D-tech heater core and 120mm fan mounted at the top of my case. My problem is that when I was cooling the same cpu with an SP-94, my idle/load was 38/61. Now with the wc my idle/load is 43/50.

What gives? I've tried reseating my block several times using either AS5 or AS Ceramique and makes no difference. My o/c is not as stable as before either, so I don't think it is just a temp reporting error. Just today I replaced my coolant to see if that would help, but nadda.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Jas]

Well, the load is lower, which is good. BUT...

I'm guessing you are reading yoru motherboards thermal sensor. Those things are pretty much never accurate. With the addition of water cooling, the sensor is probably not getting airflow, and is reporting an idle temp that is too high (possibley same with your load temp).

Coudl also be the other way around, before it was getting to much airflow as was reporting temps below the acutal idle temp.

[Slammin]

Thanks. What's so weird is that I put a stock HSF on temp just to check and my idle was still above 42. I even tried my old p4 2.8 Northwood, which always gave me temps below 28c, and with both stock HSF and with the waterblock, the temp was higher than 40. Is it possible I broke something on the mobo when I first put my wc stuff in? Getting the wb clipped on was extremely difficult.

[voigts]

I would recommend posting some good pics so that we can see how you have your system set up. It may be that something could be run better to help your temps.

[Slammin]

I'll do that as soon as I stop shaking. I pulled my Antec TruePower 430 to try my X-Connect 500 to see if I could get my clocks a little higher and more stable. My fan controller shorted out while I stepped upstairs for a bit. Came down when the smoke detectors went off! All the wires on my fan controller were fused and even one section of my wc tubing had melted fan wires embedded, but it won't leak because it wasn't deep enough! It is a good thing I went through so much trouble separating my wire paths because had I just tossed things together like I do sometimes, I'm sure I would have gotten a spill!

So, just put my Antec back in (I think the Ultra X-Connect probably still works) and everything fired up perfectly, but there is a very bad smell I guess I will have to deal with for awhile.

What really is shocking is, though I have heard that the X-Connect is not all that great when it comes to doing anything other than basic pwr supply functions, I really would have expected it to shut down long before a meltdown like this! Man did I duck a bullet!