Help quieting an X850XT

mits · Post by **mits** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:11 am

Hi all,
This is my first post though I’ve been a long time reader.
This site has helped me a lot in quieting my pc (see signature), well quiet until yesterday. Yesterday I received my new Powercolor x850xt agp vivo as an upgrade to my Asus 9600XT vga. Before ordering the card I had read various reviews which mentioned the noisy cooler, but I could not imagine how noisy it was (well till now).
I have installed atitool in a try to bring the noise down at an acceptable level, but the sound level is irritated even running the fan at 5% .
After having read almost all the posts concerning Arctic Cooling Ati Silencer 5 Rev.2, i'm thinking of buying one; but i would like to know what the sound level of the AC ATI 5 (@7Volt) will be comared to the stock fan @5%. I plan to connect the AC ATI 5 to a fanmate2 (to avoid clicking and buzzing as it is stated in some posts ) and running it @7Volt.

Thanks in advance .

PS. Sorry for the long post and the English (it's not my mother language)

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:42 am

Hi, Mits.

I don't have an answer for you but I hope we can follow along together. I just ordered an ATI X850XT PE and should have it at the beginning of next week. I also will have the exact same motherboard as you. It's scheduled to arrive today. How do you like yours?

jdt05 · Post by **jdt05** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:49 am

I ordered that exact same card. From past performance of an Arctic Cooling Silencer I ordered the Silencer 5 rev 2. Fine for about a month and then it started to create a wooshing sound.

Annoying as hell!!

I ordered a new one thinking that it was just a faulty unit but almost from the get go it was horrible. Sent it back and am now very much in love with the Zalman VF7000 Cu.

Very nice and you can just plug it into 7V and leave it. I have it constantly running at 7V in my Shuttle which traps heat in.

I would definately recommend the Zalman over the AC.

Shadowknight · Post by **Shadowknight** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:15 am

I have an x800 xt pe. What I did was slap on my Zalman ZM80C heatpipe cooler, then use an undervolted 92mm Nexus fan to cool it off. It's pretty much silent (while under 12v). Note: You can't even run a 9800 Pro passive, so definetly use a fan of some sort.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:22 am

Thanks for the heads-up on the Arctic Cooling. I'll have to look into a Zalman. I imagine the stock setup is going to be pretty loud.

It looks loud!

mits · Post by **mits** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:25 pm

Hi all,
[Copper], the card is fantanstic performance-wise, but it is very noisy like a vacuum cleaner. However, I had bad luck with my card since the second day of arrival it almost "died" (have a look at this http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=29632). I have rmaed the card and i want to believe think that it will be replaced.
[jdt05], Where have you connected your AC5 ? on the fan header of the vga or directly to psu? I've read in some posts that AC5 gets dust on the aluminum fins very easily and that is good to clean them (by blowing air) from time to time. About the VF700Cu, are you satisfied from its performance at 7 volts? What are your temps idle and load?

Waiting for a replacement card.

jdt05 · Post by **jdt05** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:34 pm

Originally I had it connected up to the board, but I changed it around and tried different things.

I know about the dust, i cleaned it out.

I have the VF700 Cu permanently at 7V in my Shuttle SB81P so its a hot box. I have my processor undervolted to reduce the heat a bit (try 10C cooler at idle!).

With regards to GPU temps, my idle is about 48C and playing Need For Speed: Most Wanted on full settings with 1280X1024 for a couple hours, my GPU hit a max of 85C which is well within reasonable operating temps.

mits · Post by **mits** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:03 pm

[jdt05]
Thanks for the info. I would like to know when you first installed the AC5 had the noise been reduced considerably compared to the the stock cooler?
And had you tested the AC5 at 7volt ? If yes, how did it perform?

[Copper]
Have you got your card?

Still waiting for a replacement card (it's a looong way from UK to GR)

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 5:52 am

It's scheduled for delivery today. I should get a chance to play with it tonight, after the babies go to sleep.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 8:29 pm

mits wrote:[Copper], the card is fantanstic performance-wise, but it is very noisy like a vacuum cleaner.

You weren't kidding about this thing being noisey!! It's terrible. I hope you get your card back soon. We'll have to see what we can do with this thing.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:06 pm

I did some tinkering around tonight. I'm running into a slight problem with ATI Tool. If I adjust the fan speed I get a terrible high pitched noise from the card. Scared the heck out of me! Has this happened to anyone else?

Just 'cause I had it, I fitted the HSF from my X1600Pro to the X850XT PE. It ran fin until the GPU reached 80+ degrees and the card attempted to ramp up the fan. Instead of getting faster, it sounded like it got slower. I don't think the 2 pin plug of the X1600Pro's HSF is compatable with the X850XT's 3 pin fan controller. I also got the same high pitched noise when setting the fan speed with ATI Tool.

My GPU peaks at about 87C running ATI Tool's 3D window with the stock cooler. I'm going to order a Zalman VF700Cu. Should have it mid to late next week. I'll post my impressions.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:05 pm

Ummm, I just noticed a little setting in ATITool. "Do not change PWM base frequency (X850)". There is no high pitch noise problem when adjusting fan speeds if this setting is ticked.

mits · Post by **mits** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:56 pm

[Copper]
Yes, i was not kidding about the card being noisy.
You got it right how to get rid off the whinning noise of the fan when you use atitool (tick "Do not change PWM base frequency (X850)"). However, if you choose to install ati tray tool to control the fan speed you will not have this high pitch noise. Well, i have tried both programs and finally it's a matter of taste with what you will end up using to.
Today i got an e-mail that my replacement card has been shipped, so hopefully in 4-5 days i will have my x850 back.
I see that you have decided to go with zalman.
I'm thinking of the AC5 connected to an external fan controler.
Did you have any problems when you removed the original hsf?
When you unscrewed the five screws from the back did you also have to twist the hsf in order to remove it or you just pulled the hsf out ?

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:11 am

The HSF came off easy. I didn't have to twist it. There are six screws altogether. There are three on the RAM heatsink, two on the GPU, and one in the bottom right corner.

I've decided to give the ZM80D-HP from Zalman a try. I'm sure it will require a fan, but I'm thinking I can have better luck with a 120mm fan than the fan that is on the VF700Cu. All the posts I see about people changing the fan leads me to believe that I'm going to be unhappy with it.

mits · Post by **mits** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:20 pm

[Copper],
thanks for the info. I had missed the sixth screw in the bottom right corner. Good luck with the ZM80D-HP and when you finish please post your impressions.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:59 pm

I'm happy to report that the ZM80D-HP works on the X850XT PE as long as a fan is used too. It overheats fast wthout a fan.

Preliminary numbers are 39C idle and a peak 80C while running ATITool's 3D window. Fan is a 120mm. I'll post a picture or two by the end of this weekend. I'll be using a new 120mm fan and tweaking the fan voltage to arrive at final numbers.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:28 am

The ZM80D-HP isn't as good of a solution as I had hoped it would be. The fan has to be kept at nearly 12 volts to keep the temps below 100C. It's noisy.

Shadowknight · Post by **Shadowknight** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:59 am

Reinstall the heatpipe. I have the x800 xt pe, Zalman-ZMC with an undervolted Nexus 92mm - I get 46C idle. I get around 70-90C load (haven't gamed in a while and checked temps, so I don't remember offhand). Make sure you're not applying the TIM too thick, that everthing is making good contact, and that you have TIM touching the length of the heatpipe. I put TIM everywhere the heatpipe touches the groove in the metal heatsink.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 4:21 pm

I think the 850 just has too many watts. I spread things out real well when I put it together. I'm always patient when it comes to thermal material. The heatsink works fine on the 850. It's just that it takes a little too much fan to keep it cool quietly.

With the fan down to 5v where it's effectively silent the GPU jumps to well over 100C in no time at all. At 12v it holds it at 80C. I didn't try 7v because the fan becomes pretty audible, but given how fast it jumped up over 100C at 5v I doubt it would work at 7v.

mits · Post by **mits** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 10:24 pm

[Copper],
Sorry to hear about that. Have you tried 120mm Nexus or Glacialtech fans which are considered very quiet?
So what do you plan to do now?
The replacement card has just arrived and i have ordered an AC5 but i'll have to wait for 10 days because it was out of stock.

ultraboy · Post by **ultraboy** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:18 am

@Copper, just wondering how did you put the 120 mm fan in relation to ZM80D?

When I was working with my R9800 w. ZM80D, I found that putting the fan (92 mm low-flow fan) perpendicular to ZM80D i.e. blowing into the sandwich helped reduce temp better than blowing on to HS. And it help cooling down memory too. If you can hook that fan to fan controller then you can have it on low with 2D, and speed it up with 3D.

Just my 2 cents.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:18 am

I ordered a V1-Ultra and Nexus 80mm. We'll see what they can do. <hoping>

I managed to burn out the fan header on the 850. Nice!!

Nothing to do with the card. It was my own doing. Probably a good idea to avoid trying a fanmate on the 850

I had the fan orientated like you, Ultraboy. My motherboard is mounted vertically with what would be the rear panel ports at the bottom, facing down toward the floor. I tied a piece of string between two of the fan's mounting holes and hung the fan from the heatsinks.

I'm glad I'm not trying to cool an X1900XTX.

Let us know how that AC5 works out, Mits. Now that I burned out my fan header it's probably the cooler Im going to end up needing.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:24 pm

The V1 Ultra is pretty much a success. Temps are good. 40C idle and 74C load. I have the Nexus 80mm running at 7v because it wont start at 5v. It's not silent, but it's pretty darn quiet anyway.

mits · Post by **mits** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 10:06 pm

[Copper],
i'm glad to hear that the V1-ultra with the Nexus worked fine for you.
Today i'm recieving the AC5 and hopefully during the weekend i'll post my impressions. The only think i worry about is if the cooler fits the card properly because the card is the agp version (unfortunately i forgot to check it against the height restriction drawing from AC before i order the cooler). Anyway, i'll see.
What are your system temps (CPU and mobo) with the V1?

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 1:53 pm

mits wrote:What are your system temps (CPU and mobo) with the V1?

I don't use a case, so VGA has virtually no effect on other temps. My motherboard and power supply are mounted to the back of my desk, out of sight.

mits · Post by **mits** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:44 pm

Well, finally the AC5 has been installed on the X850XT

. It gets 7Volts from the PSU through a cable converter. At 12Volts the AC5 is fairly loud, not like the stock cooler but loud. Feeding it from the PSU i have no clicks. At 7Volts the AC5 is almost inaudible (at least to my ears). I could have used a fanmate2 or a sunbeam rheostat (that both hang around) and make it more quiet, but since i'm absent minded i'm afraid that some day i would fire up a 3d app without pumping up the feeding voltage with unpredictable results. Well about cooling performance now, my temps according to Atitool and with room temperature at 20C are:
Idle : GPU 31-32 C, GPU Ambient 31-32C
Load (Atitool 3d Spinning Cube): GPU 57C, GPU Ambient 50-51C
Case Temp : Idle : 28C, Load 30C

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 4:33 pm

Those are excellent results, Mits. Congrats.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 4:38 pm

This setup really isn't appropriate for a standard computer with a case, but I thought I'd show you what I have.

I tilted the 120mm fan I use to cool the CPU so that it also blows on the V1-Ultra radiator. The fan runs at 5v and is inaudible behind my desk. Pics below:

http://www.velocity.net/~tanglewood/851.jpg
http://www.velocity.net/~tanglewood/852.jpg

The first image below shows the GPU temp after a couple hours of basically idle usage, browsing the web. The second image shows the GPU temp after about 30 minutes of ATITool's 3D window running.

http://www.velocity.net/~tanglewood/853.png
http://www.velocity.net/~tanglewood/854.jpg

Load temp is high at ~105C, but these GPUs are supposed to be able to take it. We'll find out.

Silence again!

mits · Post by **mits** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 12:36 pm

[Copper]
This is impressive, I haven't seen something like that before, i mean i've seen "naked" pcs (without a case) but all of them were positioned horizontally and not vertically. I'm just curious how the vga card stays in place, just by simple friction with the vga slot or is it suspended in some other way?
Well something else about the AC5, i have noticed that my case temp has dropped about 2C especially during load.
Now i only hope that the AC5 will last long (given the 6 yr warantee) and that it will not develop any "problems" in the future.

Copper · Post by **Copper** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:21 pm

The AGP slot is probably the most secure of them all. It has the clip at the rear holding it in place. But even the PCI cards stay in place without any problem. This is true even of the i-RAMs which are pretty heavy.