XSPC Raystorm Intel block. Poor performance

[jebediah]

First, this is my first WC build, but i'm not new to computers or hardware. I know how to apply TIM and mount a cooler, and a block is not that different.

As topic. My XSPC Raystorm Intel block does not performe as it should. I bought it as a used part from a guy on another forum, and he has only used it for a couple hours.

At idle my temps look like this "i7 3770k @ 4.5GHz 1.320v"
CPU: 30c
core 1: 35-40c
core 2: 35-40c
core 3: 35-40c
core 4: 35-40c

But as soon i fire up Prime95 the core temps raise to 85c almost immediately. Don't know how much more it will go and i don't want to find out

I've remounted the block 3 times, looked trough youtube at some "how to" videos, googled it, and i still can't get the right temps.

I've opended the block and could not find any residue or corrosive.

I'm out of ideas.
The loop looks like this
*EK-D5 X-RES 140 with Alphacool VPP655 (Laing D5) --> EK-FC7970 CF --> XSPC Raystorm CPU --> Alphacool NexXxoS UT60 Full Copper 420mm

The pump is running at full speed, and i've also tried the lowest one. No air is trapped as far as i know.

Any ideas? Or should i just drop the XSPC and buy a new block?

 

[EarthDog]

A couple of things I noticed off the bat...

1. 420mm worth of rad for 2 7970's and a 3770k... seems light on the raddage.
2. Bad mount. Perhaps add a washer to get more tension on the block?
3. What are your ambient temps in the room?
4. What does your case airflow look like?

 

[Pierre3400]

A couple of things I noticed off the bat...

1. 420mm worth of rad for 2 7970's and a 3770k... seems light on the raddage.
2. Bad mount. Perhaps add a washer to get more tension on the block?
3. What are your ambient temps in the room?
4. What does your case airflow look like?

Its not enough! I have 420 UT60 and 480 monsta both in push/pull, and i still pull around 75 on cpu and 65 on gpu's when benching/prime95.

That said, im on low rpm on all my fans.

What are the aims for your rig? Silent gaming? or just better cooled gaming not caring about noise?

I am guessing gaming is of interest when running 2x 7970s.

 

[sobe]

Aside from needing more rad, what is your ambient room temp?

 

[jebediah]

Thanks for the fast reply. I'll try to answer you all in one answer

Ambient room temp, well i live in Sweden and it's still snow here. I try to keep the temp at 20c.
Don't know if i need one more rad, but in my earlier thread people claimed that one 420 was enough.

The rig is for gaming only, so fan noise etc it's not a big deal.

The GPU's that's running at 1200/1800 only runs at 40-45c at max with 100% load, and that's great.

Don't think i need more tension on the block since you got a knurled nut to adjust the pressure, and thoose is not even in the bottom yet.

2x 120mm in in the front, 1 140mm in from the side, 1 120mm out from the back

Here the current loop



Don't mind how it looks like. I always been "more go then show"

 

[EarthDog]

In your previous thread, I didn't see anyone bless 360mm(thick) worth of rad. In fact, mor7 said to crunch the math and find out what your heatload is because he did not like the 120.1 rule for each block.

That said, here is a review of your radiator... Now, I am aware you are using a P/P setup versus just the pull, but the results will not be that much different. Even with the fans cranked you can see the rad only dissipates around 350W of heat with the 3 fans at 2500RPM. Your heat load can be 600W with everything fully loaded.
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/04/12/alphacool-nexxxos-ut60-360-radiator/4/

That out of the way, if it nearly instantly jumps up to 85C, I still think it is a mounting issue.

 

[xsuperbgx]

It looks like your GPUs and CPU are in series, so if your GPUs are staying cool, it means you have plenty of flow and radiator. I would suspect bad CPU contact unless there is something wrong with the block.

 

[wagex]

IF the issue was the rad, nothing some 38mm deltas wouldnt fix i found you could cool 500w quite well with just 240mm of radiator and some 38mm 3krpm fans lol would drive a person insane though.

but i agree with earthdog, still sounds like a mounting issue if it is instant to 85c.. if it isnt, intel did a super extra terrible job with the tim in your cpu which is another possibility.

 

[Waza]

I might be wrong but to my understanding your block is very similar to EK supermacy.
That being said there is a jetplate on the inlet of the block.
It is likely that this plate is oriented the same way the grooves go which is wrong. It needs to run across all the grooves on the copper base.
It should be like this


And if/when that is good, make sure you use the inlet of the block to pump water in instead of the outlet.

 

[jebediah]

In your previous thread, I didn't see anyone bless 360mm(thick) worth of rad. In fact, mor7 said to crunch the math and find out what your heatload is because he did not like the 120.1 rule for each block.

That said, here is a review of your radiator... Now, I am aware you are using a P/P setup versus just the pull, but the results will not be that much different. Even with the fans cranked you can see the rad only dissipates around 350W of heat with the 3 fans at 2500RPM. Your heat load can be 600W with everything fully loaded.
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/04/12/alphacool-nexxxos-ut60-360-radiator/4/

That out of the way, if it nearly instantly jumps up to 85C, I still think it is a mounting issue.

You'r right. I was looking trough the thread and couldn't find the answer, so i guess it was from another forum/or review. Done alot of reading before i placed my order as you guys proposed

It looks like your GPUs and CPU are in series, so if your GPUs are staying cool, it means you have plenty of flow and radiator. I would suspect bad CPU contact unless there is something wrong with the block.

IF the issue was the rad, nothing some 38mm deltas wouldnt fix i found you could cool 500w quite well with just 240mm of radiator and some 38mm 3krpm fans lol would drive a person insane though.

but i agree with earthdog, still sounds like a mounting issue if it is instant to 85c.. if it isnt, intel did a super extra terrible job with the tim in your cpu which is another possibility.

I removed the IHS the first day i got hold of the CPU, i also lapped it Swapped the TIM with MX-4 and placed it back again.

But it was some time ago, so just to be sure i removed it again just 20 min ago and used some CLU instead.

Running Prime95 atm and this is the result
CPU: 45c
Core 1: 57c
Core 2: 65c
Core 3: 64c
Core 4: 58c

So it seems to be good temps after all

 

[EarthDog]

So it seems to be good temps after all

So it was a mounting issue...?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

So it was a mounting issue...?

Seemed to be an issue with using MX-4 between the die and IHS.

 

[jebediah]

So it was a mounting issue...?

Honestly, i don't know.
Thought that 3 remounts would be enough. But the 4th time did the trick, with some help from CLU

 

[EarthDog]

Maybe... that and a remount happened...4th time is a charm or was it the TIM?

Not sure what CLU is...a TIM, but not sure which one.

Anyway, I am curious now to see the temps after an hour of P95 and looping Heaven with that single rad...

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Anyway, I am curious now to see the temps after an hour of P95 and looping Heaven with that single rad...

This +1.

 

[xsuperbgx]

My personal experience is that sometimes people confuse the "optimal" radiator requirements with "minimum" requirements. I have run under recommended amount of radiator for long periods of time. I have used a 2x120 rad for 3570k and 7970 when mining 24/7. Temps were higher than most water setups, but still better than air. I also recently ran my 4930k and dual 290x on a 2x180 slim radiator. 24/7 mining with CPU and GPUs. Temps seemed to be steady around 60 with increases to 65 if it was warmer ambients.

 

[jebediah]

Not sure what CLU is...a TIM, but not sure which one.

Anyway, I am curious now to see the temps after an hour of P95 and looping Heaven with that single rad...

CLU = http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/

When you say P95 and Heaven, do you at the same time or individually?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

CLU = http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/

When you say P95 and Heaven, do you at the same time or individually?

The same time, to stress both the CPU and the GPUs at once.

 

[jebediah]

Can make a run later on.
But i have never encounter a game that torture the hardware like that stress test would be Kind of useless test if you ask me

 

[EarthDog]

Right, but that is not the point. It will also be 'summer' in Sweden so temps may go up in the house a degree or two C as well. Also, since you now have proper heat transfer, be it the TIM or a proper mount, that will now be dumped in the loop as well.