• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

T-Bird System Cooling questions

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Wahoogie

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2001
Location
Marietta, GA, USA
First of all I'd like to state that I'm quite new to this field...So don't overload me with technical info unless you're prepared to explain yourself. That being said, I'll continue.
First, the system:

AMD T-Bird 900@908(Came like that.... don’t know...?)
Asus A7V Via KT133 chipset
384MB PC133
Herculese ProphetII GeForce2 PRO GTS 64MB DDR

Right now, I have some generic CPU cooler (looks similar to an ORB)

With case closed, under Idle(CPU) it runs at 133ºF-135º (Ouch!)
Under load, Case closed, runs at about 145(Getting scary....)

Case open - Idle, 120ºF-122ºF (A little better..)
Case open - Load, 127ºF-130ºF (Ehh...)

Recently I bought an 8" oscillating+ fan...

Case open, fan on, idle, 105-107ºF
Case open, fan on, Load, 107-110ºF

All right.... looking at these numbers, One would probably say that I need some new cooling. I realize that with the "case open, fan on" it provides 'decent' cooling, but I hate the fact that the case is open constantly and quite open to debris that could harm my hardware.

My current plan is to get a New CPU Cooler (Still deciding on which), and put an intake fan on the side of the case, and a blowhole at the top of my case. One problem...not enough room at the top.

I am wondering if there is an effective way to place both intake/blowhole on the same side panel.

I was planning on doing something like... Placing the Intake at the bottom right and the Blowhole at the top left.
This is my basic Idea based on...well nothing really other then that heat rises and the more appropriate place for a blowhole would be higher up.

So basically my questions are:

1. Which CPU Cooler (Under 50$) would you recommend?
2. Is the placement on those case fans good? What would you guys recommend?

Thanks for your help in advance, and also any other advice is always welcome
 
I would recommend the GlobalWIN CAK38 (very good HSF), but I think I heard that it is kind of hard to install because of the way the mounting clip was designed.

I don't know much more since I don't use AMD, but I'm sure a lot of people here know more about AMD and can even give you more advice.
 
Did you put the HSF on your CPU yourself? If so what type of thermal paste did you use? Or did you use thermal tape? THe reason I ask is I used the stock HSF on my 900 T-Bird for about 3 months before I bought a good one and even without too much ventilation my temps were no where near that. I would recomend taking the HSF off and reinstaling it with some high quality thermal compound (Artic Silver 2). That should bring your temps down to a more resonable level until you get your new HSF and install some fans.
As far as fan placement it really depends on your hot spots. You are corect in assuming that you should have a blow hole at the top of your case, although I put mine on the very top but whatever will work best for you depending on the room that you have. I also have to intakes on the side, (80mm), one blows over the CPU HSF and the other over the video card. I have another 120mm intake in the front and a exhaust, (80mm), in the rear as well as another 80mm fan atached to the back of my power supply to help draw out more heat from there.
Try to feal where your hot spots are and try to move air through that area and at the same time trying to keep the air moving smoothly and evenlly through your case. Well, good luck.
 
I forgot to ask you what your room temp is? Getting the room temp down is the easiest way to reduce CPU temps. In the winter I open the window in my computer room to bring the temp down, (I live in Phoenix so we are not talking anything below 40F at night). This helps considerably in reducing the CPU temp.
 
I didn't put it on myself, the guy at the shop did (It was during school and didn't have time to do it myself.) It is some Orb wannabe...Believe me, it is a piece.

I have a dual cooling set up I made for my PCI/AGP slots, and circulates some air around my CPU (not much to really help though.)
I have one intake at the front of my case, and one exhaust attached to the power supply, bringing my fan count to 5.

I'll need to take my room temp sometime...I can't find any thermometers around...but I will say that my room is by far the hottest in the house, and yes I've opened the window in the winter, I'm in Atlanta. Im thinking about getting an AC that you sit in the window to keep the room cooler...as of now I have a Ceiling fan, the 8" Fan, and a little AC(Can't get much of this because if I keep it too low the rest of the family complains...I'd say that it is 5-10º hotter in here.)

What I would be adding would be a new HSF (Not sure which quite yet) and an intake and an exhaust.

The places I have mentioned are pretty much the hotspots. (Besides my CPU that is...)

Im really considering getting a new case also...this is somewhat of a small-sized tower and it is quite tight in there. Demensions are: 16.5x7.75x16. I'm on a 115$ budget untill I can find a job...so first thing will be to get a new HSF and Intake/exhaust.

Also what HSF do you recommend? I like hearing peoples opinions.

Well, thanks for your help.
 
Back