Newly Installed XP-120; temps look right?

[Headd]

Before installing this XP-120 I had the stock HSF. At idle I was around 46c and at full load it was in the high 50's.

I have read where others are at high 20's idle and 35ish at full load. Currently I am idle at 38c and at 50-51ish after a few tests of prime.

I have reseated this damn HSF 3 times and can't get the temps to fluctuate at all. Every time I'm at 37 or 38 at idle. I am using Artic Silver ceramique for thermal paste. The fan I'm using is the recommended Panaflo L1A.

Everytime I reseat I clean everything really well with some isopropyl. Then I warm the paste up in a heating blanket, to make it a little easier to work with. I then spread a thin layer on the chip and a very thin layer on the bottom of the XP-120. I've tried using just a little and I've tried using a bit more. Obviously I don't want to use too much.

Evidently I am doing something incorrectly; or do these temps look right?

I'm becoming frustrated with this and I'm gonna go play Halo 2 for a while..

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[wooglin]

Don't compare to others results - look at your own.

You've got a very good decrease at idle (8 degrees) and a good decrease at load (I'm assuming 6-8 degrees).

At the same time, it's likely a whole lot quieter than your stock HSF, right?

[Headd]

It's somewhat quieter. I haven't hooked up a fanmate yet though.

I am currently looking at about 8 degrees difference.

I wonder if a bigger case would help? Though the airflow in this case should be fine; no cables in the way whatsoever.

[Nefarious]

is your case cluttered..maybe your not getting god airflow.Got a pic of in side of your case?

[frankgehry]

I wouldn't say anything is wrong, but if your fan is at 1700rpm I would think you would have low 30's or sub 30 idle temps. I know that mine, when I've had a fan that can run at 2000rpm the cooling is mid 20's and I have a p4. Of course all of this depends on how accurate your mb reports temps and probably a lot of other things that vary from computer to computer. Is your fan controlled by the mb and is not really running at 1700rpm. Did you check the xp-120 base for flatness (w/straightedge)? Is that the right procedure for AS ceramique. I used AS5, but ceramique is supposed to be good also. If your fan is at 1700rpm (max for L1) I would think the cooling should be better. - FG

You can also try undervolting you cpu. Search the forums for more on this. Your cpu could be generating more heat than it really needs to.

[hvengel]

Some motherboards give readings that are way off. There is info on this site about how to calibrate your CPU temp diode. Do that and then your temp readings will be close to correct. I did this with my current motherboard and found that my readings before calibration were 17C too high. Some motherboards can be off by 20C or more.

[miTchy]

i've got the stock cooler on with the same mobo as you and get 35ish idle 42 load

i had a silenx ixtrema 120 that used to get around 30idle and 40 load

[Qwertyiopisme]

The fan I'm using is the recommended Panaflo L1A.

Just to be sure, you're not using an 80mm fan, are you?

[Headd]

Just to be sure, you're not using an 80mm fan, are you?

Oh no, it's huge. 120mm

There is info on this site about how to calibrate your CPU temp diode

Never saw any info about this over at the DFI forums; honestly don't think this is the problem. Though I will try as last ditch effort.

is your case cluttered..maybe your not getting god airflow.Got a pic of in side of your case?

The case is actually quite clean. No cables/wires in the way whatsoever. If I remember I'll take a pic later today.

You can also try undervolting you cpu.

I backed the CPU voltage back down to 1.425 though Smart Guardian (temp prog that came with the mobo) reports it at 1.39. The idle temp is now 37-38ish. How far can I safely undervolt my chip? Can you damage a chip by undervolting? I would assume it just wouldn't boot if I set it too low?

I'm also using the shipping bios. Perhaps I'll upgrade to the newest. What really bothers me is that in the BIOS the CPU temp was reported as high 40's @ idle.

Sigh..

Thanks for everyone's replies.

[dvsOasis]

Then I warm the paste up in a heating blanket, to make it a little easier to work with. I then spread a thin layer on the chip and a very thin layer on the bottom of the XP-120. I've tried using just a little and I've tried using a bit more. Obviously I don't want to use too much.

I have a p4 and alot of wire clutter

I just installed my xp-120 a couple of days ago...before I'd idle around 38C or so, full load I'd reach about 49C-55C. Now I idle at 27C, and I'll only go above 40C full load if I turn down the fan to 5v (it's connected to my fan controller). Even then, it doesn't hit 45C. I used artic silver ceramique.

First, I don't think you can use a heating blanket to warm up the paste. During the break-in period, several thermal cycles (warming up, cooling down, etc) affects it...so before you've even completed the install, you're already activating/breaking it in.

There is a break-in period, where you have to go to full load as well as cool it down to room temperature several times. Although, I already noticed lower temperatures with it on...my temps dropped a few degrees after break-in. If your full load temps are the same as before, then that seems a bit suspicious

Second, you're supposed to spread the paste over the heatsink, then wipe it off. This will let it fill the cracks, etc. Then, you just put a tiny bit over the hottest part of the cpu (arctic silver's instructions shows where on the cpu it is). Don't spread it around on the cpu....the heatsink will do it later.

Then, put the heatsink flat onto the cpu, and try rotating it clockwise and counterclockwise a few times...this spreads the paste out for you, while giving a minimal layer and no air introduced.

[Badger]

It may be that that's as low as it's going to go. I have a somewhat similiar situation: I have a 2500+ Barton undervolted to 1.35v and keep my PSU and Exhaust fans at 5v, and the Nexus 120mm fan on top of my SI-97 at 7v. Using AS Ceramique, I'm idling right now at 38C.

Yesterday just see how cold I get get 'er to go, I brought all of my fans up to 12V. This made it louder (relatively, before all I could hear were my hd's idling). My CPU temp only dropped to 36C idle and I only dropped 1-3C at load.

Now I'm at my quiet voltage settings for my fans and the processor is hardly any warmer. I think there must be wall where these things just aren't going to get any cooler, either because of the heatsinks (SI-97 and 120 are somewhat similiar, but obviously for different applications), or the AS Ceramique. If your system is to the point that it's so quiet that all you hear are your hd's idling, like in my case , then I'd be perfectly fine with your temps