Water and Pelts, Northbridge cooling

[Cooper]

1) I'll be setting my system in a few days (8KHA, T-bird 1400) with a DD Maze2. I also have an old 56W TEC and a copper coldplate (I know, I should have got a Maze2-1 if I wanted to use a tec), and I was wondering how much of a difference the pelt would make (seeings how it only 56W, and probably low pressure)? The water setup has a large rad with excellent cooling.

2) How crucial is the cooling of the northbridge? I mean, is the stock adequate, or would a blorb work that much better? As well, would cooling the southbridge have any effect?

 

[Mictlan]

1) If you use a low power peltier in a high output CPU like the T-bird you won't be able to pump all the heat from the CPU to the waterblock. You'll fry your CPU. If you want to use a peltier you'll be needing a bigger one. At leat a 100W.

2) The Northbridge would need cooling if you are running above 133MHz. Check it first. Puting some thermal paste or the blorb+thermalpaste will be enough, unless you are running really high FSB.

3) The Southbridge doesn't gets too hot, but if you are running the PCI bus at 40+MHz it might. Check it. If you feel it hot, put a heatsink with thermal paste.

BTW, you should check your clock generator chip. If your Northbridge is getting hot, the PLL might be getting hot also. Put a small heatsink there.

 

[Cooper]

Thanks. Good thing I asked
One more thing, where is the PLL usually located, and what does it look like? (EP8kha)

 

[Mictlan]

Here is a good link to find the PLL (a.k.a. clock generator) on your motherboard.

 

[Colin]

Better Air cooling of the Northbridge will help of you are pushing the FSB. Put a cheap CoolerMaster Socket A, or old Pentium HSF on it. A small HS on the clock gen will help too.