VRM Cooler for M.2?

[tobcar]

I'm doing a External Watercooling build in an FC10 Alpha case. PSU (Seasonic Ti 750) is also external, so there will be almost zero airflow in a very small case, fitting snugly around an ASUS ROG Hero IX and an MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X (tilted vertical, on a flex riser card). This means that I need to cool my 960 PRO by other means that just sticking a small heatsink on it and the obvious option is to include it in the loop.

Chip dimensions on the 960 PRO are around 71x17mm, water block surface can be slightly larger, but not by much or I will have problem fitting it.

Anybody know of a water block around this size that I could stick on the 960 PRO?

RAM blocks are too big because RAM-modules are about 133mm and most other blocks I've see are also just too big.

Any ideas?

 

[Blaylock]

What about something along these lines. But to be honest if you have little to no airflow in the case the heat will still just sit there and any heatsink will reach it's saturation point.

https://www.moddiy.com/products/Bla...jWB6LePCKuSTrcnqTL7cHlGW3kXJLOquP8aAudB8P8HAQ

 

[tobcar]

Yes. As I said in the question, I need a water block, not a heatsink. I already have lots of small heatsinks left over from older builds, but that would mean abandoning the passive case design and adding some fans (and air filters) to the build. I'm not going to do that. If I can't find a water block I'll probably just connect the M.2 to the chassis with heat pipes: I have some left over and there are more in the kit that comes with the FC10 Alpha.

But surely there muse be a small waterblock available??? Maybe a really small CPU block?

 

[Blaylock]

Hmmm, Sorry missed that line.

 

[||Console||]

Maybe a old CPU block or GPU block with artic adhesive.
Like a old DD maze4

 

[tobcar]

Found one option

Watercool HEATKILLER® SW-X 80 DIY LT

The bottom plate needs to be cut down, but after cutting it's pretty much a perfect fit for the 960 PRO. I be about 0.5mm wider than the chip width and be 9mm longer than necessary, so should fit easily.


http://www.aquatuning.se/vattenkyln...are/17854/watercool-heatkiller-sw-x-80-diy-lt
Specifications:

Material: electrolytic copper, POM
Dimensions (top): 80 x 17 x 17,5 mm
Dimensions (bottom plate): 130 x 15 x 2 mm
Weight: 125g
Threads: 2x G1/4“
Pressure tested: 5 bar

If someone finds a cheaper block or something that does not need cutting, I'm still interested!

 

[Dolk]

Waterblock is overkill for M.2 drives. Air is just fine.

If you want something fancy, you can put a bracket over it but just make sure you get at least ~100LFM over over the hot parts of the M.2

 

[Johan45]

There's this HS designed for M.2 drives if you really think you need one. I know my 950 pro gets pretty toasty and starts to throttle without air flow on it.
https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...57Uyo-ZpIR72A-pZWmUYobzTEKeLt6BXEwaAl6P8P8HAQ

 

[tobcar]

Waterblock is overkill for M.2 drives. Air is just fine.

If you want something fancy, you can put a bracket over it but just make sure you get at least ~100LFM over over the hot parts of the M.2

Dude, it's a passive case. there is no airflow. I don't want something fancy - the case is really small, will be totally packed and has now window - I just want to keep the drive cool.

I guess I should attach an image of the case to make it clear what we are talking about here. it's 100mm/4 inches high and 435mm/ 17 icnches wide. I'm stuffing a i7700 , 64GBRAM and a GTX1080 in there and are going to overclock the **** out of all of it. Are you getting the picture? the 960 PRO is going to need some type of cooling and it's not going the be air, OK?

 

[tobcar]

But that doesn't look like a waterblock - that looks like a heatsink to me - where are the loop connect holes?

 

[tobcar]

Good idea, but it look to be the wrong shape - to short and wide - and single flange barb connects... Im running hard acryllic tubing and compression type connects in the internall part of this build. I think I'll go with a modded SW-X 80 unless an even better block pops up.

 

[Johan45]

Honestly with everything you're putting in that case with OC and no airflow? That's going to be an issue anyway. More than just the CPU needs cooling. The motherboard will get hot as well. I'm not saying you need monster fans but you really should have something in there.
Here's the only waterblock I have seen that is intended for M.2 drives and they aren't cheap http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/buy-sell-trade/73837-m-2-waterblocks.html

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Why not this?
https://modmymods.com/alphacool-hdx-m-2-ssd-m01-80mm-black-11310.html

Also, +1 to Johan, you need some sort of airflow in the case.

 

[Dolk]

Passive does not mean that you can't have air flow. If you have 0 air flow and you OC, VRMs are going to cook your innards.

Even if its ~100LFM and you can get near silent fans at those speeds, it will be enough to keep the M.2 happy and the VRMs in a good zone.

 

[tobcar]

Honestly with everything you're putting in that case with OC and no airflow? That's going to be an issue anyway. More than just the CPU needs cooling. The motherboard will get hot as well. I'm not saying you need monster fans but you really should have something in there.
Here's the only waterblock I have seen that is intended for M.2 drives and they aren't cheap http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/buy-sell-trade/73837-m-2-waterblocks.html

Yea. So I Have blocks on everything: CPU, Chipset, RAM, GPU and now the SSD too. the SW-80 actually looks like a very good option: It looks like I can cut it down a bit less and let in stay around 100mm long and just drill two holes in it and fix it with screws to existing mounts in the IX Hero. Looks like a good solution for about USD30 + two fittings = USD10.

 

[tobcar]

Passive does not mean that you can't have air flow. If you have 0 air flow and you OC, VRMs are going to cook your innards.

Even if its ~100LFM and you can get near silent fans at those speeds, it will be enough to keep the M.2 happy and the VRMs in a good zone.

Well, I'm hoping I have everything covered: the CPU and VRM are going to be cooled by an EK M9H (picture)



The RAM is cooled by a EK-RAM Monarch X4 + monarch sideplates for each RAM
The 1080 has a EK TF6 fullcover + a matching TF6 backplate
I'll be getting an SW-80 (pic) for the 960 PRO: i'm cutting it down and modding it to fit and am going to drill two holes positioned so that I can screw it into the existing mounts on the Hero I
X

Please let me know if you think of something else that is going to need cooling with almost zero airflow!

 

[ATMINSIDE]

There are still other components on the motherboard that need cooling...

 

[tobcar]

There are still other components on the motherboard that need cooling...

Would you please enlighten me as to which those might be?

I don't think every chip on the entire MB are going to need cooling, so I'd really like to know which ones actually do!

Also, temps in the case might not be bad - it is a case INTENDED for passive operation, basically the whole thing is one big metal heatsink. There will be a little bit of airflow generated by heat convection and also 1500L/hour of cool water being pumped through a large part of the volume in lots of pipes and stuff. I just intend to cool all hotspots well. Please help me find any that I have missed!

 

[ATMINSIDE]

If you have heavy network usage, the NIC. Your chipset will get hot, the other power parts on the motherboard besides the VRM, your RAM...

 

[tobcar]

If you have heavy network usage, the NIC. Your chipset will get hot, the other power parts on the motherboard besides the VRM, your RAM...

Well, chipset, RAM & VRM are already taken care of.

There is a really small Intel I219-V networking chip, less than 1 cm2 in surface area. Is this what you think will get hot from intensive network loads or is it something else? (I enclose a pic of the MB)