Hot Summer Nights and my CPU Temps (Boo-hoo)

oscar3d · Post by **oscar3d** » Sat May 17, 2008 10:58 am

Hey guys:

Ok. Everything was fine with my machine that I've built on Winter 2007.
CPU temps did not exeed 50C on load at the most. (@3Ghz stock)

I'm using a QX9650, cooled by a TRUE 120 and two slipstream fans. One on the heatsink and one for exhaust. I've been running it at stock frequencies.

Probably you've heard about the Massive Heat Wave attacking California these last couple of days making temp records of over 105F ambient temps.

My place reached 90F by 5PM, and then it started to decrease.

Well, my place is well ventilated, and of course I made sure to keep the temps down to about 73F. I don't have AC here, but I've opened the windows at night and the place cooled down.

I was running my machine without any problems, but I just runned Prime to do a test and it quickly, very qickly reached 62C.which is the maximum recomended for that CPU.

So my questions are:

1) Should I be concerned?
2) Why Intel doesn't say anything about TJMAX, I mean, if I'm using a Thermalriht Ultra and get those temps in summer, can you imagine how bad it would be with Intel's stock cooler?

I would love your opinion, specially the people that is getting this hot days.

What irritates me, is that all this "Oh, my computer runs really cool and I have great cooling" only seems to be a SEASONAL thing.

Until we are hit with summer story is different. I've heard people running computers in very hot areas of the planet without any problems.

Let's talk a little bit. I want to know your input, what are my risks, since Intel just seems to shut up during summer. Until the new line of processors is presented in Winter again

chahahc · Post by **chahahc** » Sat May 17, 2008 11:56 am

Have you tried undervolting your cpu? 45nm processors are supposed to undervolt like mad. You could probably take off 5-10c from load temps. Also lapping could be an option, although idk if you want to void your warranty. 62c doesn't seem too crazily bad with the ambient temps we're getting right now. I just recently undervolted my laptop and shaved off around 12c, so if your not overclocking then undervolting is probably the way to go for now....just my two cents worth. Hope it helps

.

bgavin · Post by **bgavin** » Sat May 17, 2008 12:48 pm

I have a new E8400 at stock clocking in-build for a client. CPU idles at 23C with a Zipang + Red Scorpion installed. This is only a few degrees C above my (air conditioned) ambient temps. Board is horizontal on the bench.

Here in Sacramento, we are getting that heat wave you mentioned. We call it "summer" here, as we are now at seasonal normal temperature. We hit about 102F yesterday and probably the same for the next week. Later on it will start to get hot, as we get into June and July.

Nick Geraedts · Post by **Nick Geraedts** » Sat May 17, 2008 2:29 pm

Are you sure you've mounted the TRUE properly? I'm surprised that your temps are that high, since my stock speed Q6700 runs at 42C while the ambient here is probably close to 22C (about the same as yours). Your 40C rise seems completely unreasonable for your hardware setup.

What kind of case are you running in? Rest of the system specs? What thermal paste are you using?

When I installed my system, before screwing the TRUE all the way down, I rotated it back and forth until it got "sticky", indicating that the metal of the heatsink was making good contact with the IHS on the CPU. Then I aligned it as I wanted it, and tightened the screws all the way. I use Arctic Cooling MX-2 on all my systems - I've found it does the job a bit better than AS5.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Sat May 17, 2008 11:47 pm

/offtopic

If you've got gaping big windows facing the sun, you can try dropping your ambient with tinting film. My grandma was suffering from the heat in her three-room apartment, so we tinted all but two of her balcony windows - result was a 5'C drop in room ambient. There's still plenty of light so it doesn't feel unpleasantly dark, and the film provides a nice Photoshopâ„¢ filter on the view and a bit of privacy.

There are all sorts of shades and colours available; I recommend smoky gray with 35% penetration, looks the most natural to my eye.

Guess I'll be doing the same 'mod' to my balcony this summer, room ambient reached 28'C already (all my windows face the afternoon sun). The building's ventilation is really poor, and opening doors or windows only makes things worse.

oscar3d · Post by **oscar3d** » Sun May 18, 2008 12:38 am

I'm sorry I forgot to be more specific. My idle temps are going around 44C (Cortemp) and during Prime 95 stress it jumped easily to 62C (Load).

What do you think?

And thanks for the prompt responses.

I have shades in the place where the computer is, so no problem with light

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Sun May 18, 2008 3:26 am

I think your problem is one that many people face, as most of the posters on SPCR live in air-conditioned houses/apartments. Well....my house is air-conditioned, but I keep the temperature relatively high in the summer (I'm cheap), so I see what you're dealing with. My solution has been to design the airflow system with at least 25% more possible airflow than normal. This of course is a noisy solution on a hot day...

The other solution I'm about to complete.....a single big computer with two boards inside.On hot days I'll be using a 20W VIA system.....

sjoukew · Post by **sjoukew** » Sun May 18, 2008 5:03 am

As long as your cpu temperatures are below the maximum your cpu can handle, you are safe.
I am happy is long as my max temp stays 5 degrees below the Throttle.
For an C2D E6600 this are the maximum temperatures

Tcase/Tjunction

--70--/--85--85-- Shutdown
--65--/--80--80-- Throttle
--60--/--75--75-- Hot
--55--/--70--70-- Warm

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sun May 18, 2008 5:59 am

Have you cleaned your heatsink and your various fan blades/vents/grills/filters since you built it?

oscar3d · Post by **oscar3d** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:29 pm

Hi thanks for the answers...

Actually my system is quite new.

viewtopic.php?t=44219

I've just replace all my fans for Scythe Slipstreams 1200 RPM. In that case I don't really have a cleaner problem.

Also I want to say that when I mounted my TRUE 120 on this chip, I also added the famous "coin mod"to actually press on the heatsink much more and more tha that the TRUE is lapped. So, no I'm sure there are no mounting problems at all.

I have to say, now that the temperatures are cooler from the Heat Wave we suffered everything is back to normal. Also I want to appoint:

Before :

Exhaust Fan was a Noctua 1200 RPM
CPU Fan was a Slipstream 1200 RPM
Intake was a Scythe SFF21D 800 RPM.

Now:

Exhaust Fan is a Scythe Slispstream 1200 RPM
CPU Fan was a Slipstream 1200 RPM
Intake was a Slipstream 800 RPM version.

For some reason I think that the Slipstream ,even if it was running at the same RPM as the Noctua, it was moving more air than the exhast.More CFM.

Now that both fans are same brand and same CFM, my temperatures have become even better.

Is it possible that the Noctua was kind of "collapsed"" by too much air coming from a more powerfl fan?

sandman7777 · Post by **sandman7777** » Sun May 25, 2008 2:32 pm

I am always concerned with mobo temps because i usually have no problem with cpu temps what kind of mobo temps are you seing with your rig I try to keep mine below 34c which i have righ now with 23.6c ambient with 24.3ccase temps. cpu is always cool running 30c with TV tuner running and web page open.