From Storm G4 Rev2 to "Vanilla" Apogee

I used to have an Althon 939 setup. This saw a number of Athlons, most notable some nice X2s. I de-lidded all of my X2 processors, which made the Storm a very effective block.

However, I moved to a C2D setup recently, and I was not happy with the temps. Browsing here and at XS, the Storm just doesn't have the cooling/surface area ratio to effectively cool a CPU with the IHS on. On top of that, I added my GPU and another rad to the loop, and even with a D5 pump at the highest setting temperatures were suffering (lots of pressure drop in a Storm - those nozzles are tiny!).

I picked up an Apogee - just a plain one, not a GT or GTX - and installed it last night. I made another change, and moved from AS5 to Ceramique (Ceramique, incidentally, is applied a bit different than AS5 on a dual-core). My loop still has some trapped air, and the ceramique hasn't even started to cure, but temps are much improved. Granted, I changed two variables here (block and thermal paste), and while I did multiple mounts I only took temps on my final mount.

Here are the (decidedly non-scientific) numbers. Idle is at the desktop, load is a 100% load with S&M running for 10 minutes (temps are the average of both cores in CoreTemp, ambient is ~19.5C):

Before (StormG4 Rev 2):

• Idle: 35
• Load: 56

After (Apogee):

• Idle: 29
• Load: 52

I attribute the improved temps to the improved flowrate that the Apogee allows, and to the fact that the Apogee is better-suited to cooling with an IHS.

This is on a C2D? What volts? 50 anything seems high to me for water cooling. What were your temps on the 939 system?

It might be that you are running two rads which could constitute for low head pressure and might hurt temps.

I doubt that the two rads are causing a significant enough pressure drop to bring temps up. I should just get one 3x120 rad, but I'd have to rearrange the layout of the loop and my PSU.

The fans are kept at a low RPM most of the time, and when gaming or doing other CPU-intensive tasks I never see above 45C. S&M loads both cores 100% with no drop, and that's not an accurate test for an actual usage load. The high delta between load and idle does indicate that I'm at or close to the heat that this loop can dissipate, though. The 8800GTX keeps things pretty toasty.

I'm running this e6600 at 3.45 w 1.5v (after vdroop).

I'm hoping to see more of an improvement after the Ceramique cures and stray air is gone from the loop.

AFAIK Ceramique does not require any burn in period for it to perform better since it is not a metallic substance...

WonderingSoul said:

AFAIK Ceramique does not require any burn in period for it to perform better since it is not a metallic substance...

Click to expand...

The instructions say a minimum of 25 hours and several heat cycles (warm-hot-ambient) to fully break in.

Anyway, the water in my tubing and rad is very warm. So warm that the inlet side of the radiators are warm to the touch, and even the tubing is warm. I'm guessing that the water is already at its near-maximum heat carrying capacity at idle. I either need a different radiator, fans or perhaps just two loops

Possible the pump is failing?

Nice idle temps.
Apogee GT
Idle temp is 34C
load is 44C
room temp 23C
water temp 26C

no i think its the way the internal design is.

see here for the storm
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1261/

as well here for the apogee note the 2 different verisions
http://www.xoxide.com/swiftech-apogee-water-block.html
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/457/1/

From the way i remember reading about these 2 blocks are that the storm is more suited to direct die cooling and the apogee is more for cpu's with IHS. as well you can see the design of the 2 the apogee doesnt need a pump with a high PSI or head to get good cooling. the apogee is a redone swiffy 6000/6002 block. i own 2 6002's and wouldnt replace them for anything.

using the storm coolling the cpu wont get any better once people start using quad cores. since atm current quads have 2 dies under the IHS on the intel side and im not even sure about amd's.

*edit*
just saw this
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/457/3/
even here it shows the apogee doing better then the storm and TDX. They were cooling a kentsfield.................

WonderingSoul said:

Possible the pump is failing?

Click to expand...

Possible, but I'm pushing through two blocks and two rads. Also - big no-no here - I'm mixing 1/2" and 3/8" tubing. I should really just give the GPU its own loop.

See Evilsizer's post

But I went from the Storm to the Apogee and saw a temp improvement... nothing surprising there.

I'm very impressed with my Apogee as well. I couldn't be more happy for this 24/7 rig.

Idle - 32C
SMP F@H load - 37C
Orthos load - ~41C
Ambient - ~73F

It's the amount of water moving faster over the core.

That and your TIM helping a little.

inkfx said:

I'm very impressed with my Apogee as well. I couldn't be more happy for this 24/7 rig.

Idle - 32C
SMP F@H load - 37C
Orthos load - ~41C
Ambient - ~73C

Click to expand...

ouch, I would hate to be in that room

I'm glad I went with the apogee GT! should be here in 1-2 days.

WhatTheSchmidt said:

ouch, I would hate to be in that room

I'm glad I went with the apogee GT! should be here in 1-2 days.

Click to expand...

haha. I would hate that too. I definitely meant F.

This loop is no good. I'm going to be moving the 8800GTX to TEC in the coming weeks, so I think that will produce good results for the CPU. It's just too much heat dump for the rads with the GPU/CPU.

storm is showing its age...

Today with so many other produts it seems a bit over rated to me...

The storm isn't overrated, but it's just not designed to cool a CPU with an IHS.

It cools my naked x2 pretty well.

--pak