Temperature check required please...

[Enigmo]

Hi,

I've just replaced the fan in my PSU with the one at the top of this page: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Papst_Fans_61.html

I've also replaced my 60mm Sunon heatsink fan with one of these and attached it to my Alpha 6035 heatsink using the 60mm to 80mm adapter here: http://www.theoverclockingstore.co.uk/productinfo.php?codeid=800536

I check the CPU temperature in my BIOS and it was reading 64 degrees celius. This sounds very hot to me but thought I'd check with the experts. Does anyone know which program I should use to check temperatures in Windows?

Are these fans adequate for cooling my CPU? It's an AMD Athlon Thunderbird 800. If not what can I do about it? Hope someone can reassure me.

 

[daywalker]

Sorry to say this but your system is half about to fry itself... i have a Duron 1Ghz and by looking at Asus Probe right now, i have 46C CPU temp, and 34C mobo temp and im not using any exotic cooling measures in my system. Are you sure you installed the fans correctly?

 

[Kuroyama]

That's way too hot, ditto what Daywalker said. If you want to check temps from Windows you can try the Motherboard Monitor or Sandra.

Are the PSU fan and Alpha fans pointing the same directions as the originals? I know that on my case the temps jump 5C just by reversing the direction of the PSU fan, never tried reversing the HSF fan.

Do you know your original temps? You might try putting back the original fans and then modding them one at a time to see when the temperature jumps.

 

[Enigmo]

Thanks for the replies. My PC isn't quite dead yet fortunately. After it crashed I checked the temp in my BIOS again and it was reading 83 degress celcius! I decided to take out the adapter and the 80mm fan and replace it with the original Sunon 60mm. That has brought the temperature down to 53 - still not all that impressive, but much safer.

Yep, the fans were both installed the right way round. How would I know if my PSU is being cooled properly? The overall system speed is nice and low - about 25 last time I checked.

I'm not sure how it's possible to install a heatsink incorrectly but I'd appreciate it if anyone could enlighten me.

Here are the specs of the fans...

Sintec Sleave Bearing for ultra-quiet operation
CFM = 19.4cfm
RPM = 1500
dBA = 12
Dimensions = 80x80x25

Does that sound adequate? I know the RPMs are very low but I thought the extra 20mm in diametre would make up for that. Could someone look at the Overclockers link I posted above and tell me if either of the other 2 80mm Papst fans would be a better solution please? The noise of this Sunon piece of junk is driving me insane.

 

[Shaorinor]

In my opinion, 19 cfm is way too low for an 80mm fan you want on your heatsink. You want something more in the high 20 to high 30 cfm category.

 

[Kuroyama]

You might try the Enermax 80mm adjustable speed fan, this way you can try the various settings and see which gives the best sound/performance ratio for you. I have one on my heatsink and it's quiet, even the max setting is pretty quiet and the case fans drown it out. You can find some specs here, in particular it gets 25CFM @ 21dB, 32CFM @ 27dB, and 40CFM @ 33dB.

 

[Enigmo]

Thanks for the replies. The Enermax fan looks really impressive and I know where I can get one locally for £7, the only problem is I've already paid £12 for the Papst one and don't want to just throw my money away if possible.

So do you think the PSU will be OK? The fan I replaced was a Yate Loon (who?, what? ) 2900 RPM, 33 CFM 80mm.

The CPU has now stabilised at 62 degrees, still way too high for my liking. Oh one other thing I wanted to ask - say you have a 60mm fan and a 120mm fan both operating at 25db will they both be equally loud or are there other factors to consider?

 

[nnnyyy]

I think if you have 2 fans at the same db, the combined db is about 3db more so about 28-29db. There is a handy calculator on the web somewhere for this.

Temps in the 60s are pretty high especially since you are running an 800 tbird. It probably isnt because of your psu fan though since the case temp is normal. Also I dont think such a low power fan on an 80mm adapter is adequate. Maybe your thermal grease dried out or maybe the clip on your heatsink is not as snug as it should be.

As a reference, I have an xp1600+ with an alpha 8045 and a pcpowercooling silencer fan and my cpu temps are about 42C.

 

[Kuroyama]

I use a Panaflo L1 on my PSU, it gets 24CFM while your Pabst gets 19CFM. Not much of a difference so I'd imagine your fan is OK on the PSU (but you might want a second opinion on this).

 

[Enigmo]

nnnyyy - thanks, but that's not really what I meant. It's my fault, it was probably a stupid question. I meant if you install two different fans on separate occasions, both with the same db level, but with different size fan blades will the noise levels be equivalent?

The thermal grease was already on the heatsink when I got it - it's a 0.5mm-ish layer of pink stuff just like a sticker. I assume (hope?) that's what it is anyway.

I've asked the people at Overclockers.co.uk if they'll replace one of the fans for the higher airflow version and am now waiting for a reply.

 

[Enigmo]

My CPU fan seems to be doing the job because it's keeping the temperature constant but now it's started to rattle and is driving me mad yet again. It was loud before but never rattled. Any idea what's wrong now?

 

[Kuroyama]

Lubricate the fan, this has solved most of my rattling fan problems. Peel back the sticker, put in a few drops of mineral oil, spin the fan a few times to distribute the oil, put the sticker back on tightly, then you're set.

 

[Anubis]

i have an old 800 T bird and it was runnin in teh miod 30s C with stock cooling and no case fans. i put my stock XP 1700+ HSF on it when i got my sk6 and brought the temps down to 3 C above room temp. which never reaches 30 C. and its OCed to 900

 

[Enigmo]

What exactly is mineral oil? Sounds like a simple solution anyway. I'll try that if I can work out what to use. It's strange the way the fan only started rattling after I removed it and then put it back - it's still only about a month old so shouldn't be wearing out for a long time yet.

 

[Kuroyama]

Any old liquid lubricant should probably work. I got mine in a local drugstore, in a small can next to WD-40 and other similar products. I would guess a drugstore should know what mineral oil is, in fact a search on the web turned up that it's used as a medication for many illnesses. Kind of surprising, I don't intend to try how mine tastes

The small fan cooling the Northbridge on my mobo started rattling after only about a month, it got really bad but now runs just fine after the lubricating. Hopefully this'll work for you.

 

[Enigmo]

Thanks for the info. I think I know where I can find some WD 40 so that will do nicely.