6800 GPU Heatsink

[DaSuperchargedChef]

Since I'm setting up a custom fan/baffle arrangment, I'm looking for the biggest possible fanless heatsink (preferably copper) that will fit my card. So far this is the only compatible item that I've found. Will any regular cpu sinks work?

 

[DaSuperchargedChef]

Anyone?

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: DaSuperchargedChef
Since I'm setting up a custom fan/baffle arrangment, I'm looking for the biggest possible fanless heatsink (preferably copper) that will fit my card. So far this is the only compatible item that I've found. Will any regular cpu sinks work?

What is "this"?

 

[McArra]

What card are you using? fanless for >GeForce 6600GT is imposible unless you use Water Cooling.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: McArra
What card are you using? fanless for >GeForce 6600GT is imposible unless you use Water Cooling.

The title suggests 6800.

You will need a fan to move the warm air. It may not be mounted right on the heat sink; but, it will have to be there.

The problem with using a large CPU sink is that it may block the RAMs. You need cooling for the RAM also.
A CPU sink cannot cool the GPU as well as the RAM since they do not line up. You can see it on an NV5 silencer, which cools both. The sink is not flat.

 

[McArra]

In that case either a Zalman VF-700 or a Silencer are the best options IMO for low noise.

 

[DaSuperchargedChef]

It will have a 120mm 105cfm fan pointed at it with baffling to maximize airflow across the gpu. I'm not suggesting some crazy huge heat sink, just something more than evga's offering. I'll be using frozencpu monster ram sinks on the card ram and was just looking for something to mount on the gpu. The silencer looked ok but I want to try more airflow directed right at the card to see if I can get lower temps. Has anyone seen a setup like this before?

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: DaSuperchargedChef
It will have a 120mm 105cfm fan pointed at it with baffling to maximize airflow across the gpu. I'm not suggesting some crazy huge heat sink, just something more than evga's offering. I'll be using frozencpu monster ram sinks on the card ram and was just looking for something to mount on the gpu. The silencer looked ok but I want to try more airflow directed right at the card to see if I can get lower temps. Has anyone seen a setup like this before?

Just putting a big heat sink on the RAM is not going to cool it!
You need air movement. You will be OK as long as the CPU sink does not block the air flow to the RAM sinks. if it does, the sinks will not do you any good. They may actually increase heat! Any heat sink will become a problem if there is no air flow.

You may want to look at the new Zalaman cooler.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-118-116&depa=0
The reviews claim that it is dead silent.

 

[zakee00]

Yes, get the VC-700 Cu. spend the extra $5 for the copper version.
i have it, and i get 41C idle and ~60C load on my 6800GT with a voltmod at 428/1150

 

[DaSuperchargedChef]

I obviously had better illustrate my idea. I'm going to isolate the bottome half of my case with a baffle (plastic air dam) so that the air from the intake fans on the front of the case is rounted upward toward the ram and chipset, while the bottom is totally closed off. I will add an intake on the bottom of the case with filter from wich this 120mm fan I mentioned above will draw air. I will also add a piece between the side of the case and the graphics card to totally isolate the fan to the bottom half of the case. It will be angled right at the card. I will then add an exhaust fan, specifically a pci slot fan that draws air from above and exits it out the back of the case. The natural flow will be up around and down/out, thus creating more airflow than the stock sink or the silencer with bigger sinks. Looking at the sink on my stock cooler or even a nv silencer, if I can maximize airflow, I believe I can attain better cooling with a larger heatsink. Not zaleman huge, just larger than evga's hopefully. My side case fan will be disconnected so all airflow is front to back managed by a fan controller. I just don't like the idea of adding a larger sink with a fan that will cause air to just swirl around in the case while some is pulled out while the rest rises to the chipset. I'm definately a newbie here so this is all speculation, but after exploring air flow dynamics in other situations this makes sense to me and hey, I've got the time I've got all the materials to try this so I figured if nothing else its a fun project.

 

[Navid]

Warm air rises because warm air is lighter than cold air.
In a case (at least until now), air is moved from the bottom to the top. This is in agreement with the natural air movement; cold (heavier) air enters at the bottom; warm (lighter) air exits from the top. The fans help this movement; they do not fight it.

Channeling the air is not necessarily a bad idea. Trying to move the cooling air from top to bottom may be! It will be less efficient.

 

[DaSuperchargedChef]

I understand the thermal properties of heat in relation to movment but in this case I think it would vary since its not a stationary enviroment. Like you said, the natural movement is heat up cold down, but when forced, its a diff story. The goal being to "force" the cold air up to the card, then instead of hitting the back of the case and creating turblence, it will hit the back, and be sucked down and out by the exhaust fan. If there is enough balanced air movement within the case, I don't neccesarily need to bring the natural rise of heat into the equation, it will be forced out. If need be I can add an extra baffle right below the card to help direct the air in a curve toward the exhaust fan. Not trying to butt heads with any current methods of GPU cooling, just thought it might be a neat idea.

 

[Elfear]

Sounds like a good idea to me. It's common sense to think that a smooth flow of air through your case is better than just aiming a bunch of fans into it and hope everything gets cooled. I used to think that a giant fan blowing directly over the cpu/gpu would be the best solution but after thinking about the turbulence that it would create I'm not so sure anymore. Fluid dynamics seems to agree with that.

Sorry I don't have any advice on a decent hsf for the gpu.

P.S. I heard GTP's are kinda slow.