Computer Cooling

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 2:49 am

Leadtek approved the RMA, but they want me to send the card to them without a replacement being on the way, and they haven't even given me a time frame for how long my card will be gone.

I put in my Thermaltake Fans today, and I ordered 3 120mm fans, and not just 2 120mm and 1 80mm... But the chipset temp dropped 8 degrees and the GPU dropped another 3... but with the Smartfan running full blast, this thing is loud... I have to put on my headphones and play some music so I don't drive myself crazy witht he fan noise. I'm gonna have to put the temp probe on so it runs not so loudly.... But if I can get this GPU thing sorted out with Leadtek, I may just swap the Smartfan out with my other Thermaltake fan that's about half the level of noise....

Ambush Bug · Post by **Ambush Bug** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:57 am

Smartfans? I assume these are speed-adjustable?

If so, I'd do some testing, as in crank 'em down as far as they'll go, put the machine under load, and then adjust speeds upward until temperatures stabilize.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 12:12 pm

Yeah, the one one the front of tha case is adjustable. It also came with a temp sensor so it will automatically adjust according to the temp. If I could find a way to mount the fan controller on the front of my case, I'd just do it manually, but the controller is designed for the back of the case, and I don't have any open slots right now without deactivating some USB ports, and the wires are not ong enough to reach the back of the case.. LOL

Ambush Bug · Post by **Ambush Bug** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:18 pm

You might want to google around for a 'fanbus' or a 'baybus'--these are usually devices you install into an open and front-accessible 5.25" drive bay. The pre-assembled ones have all the circuitry and wiring set up for you. The usual set-up is that there will be a number of knobs on the front you can turn to adjust the speed of the fan hooked up to that particular part of the baybus.

Might have to check and see if your fans will work with such a bus, though. I'd get the manufacturer info off the fan and google for the name and 'undervolt', for starters.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:34 pm

I have seen one or two of those that are supposed to fit in the 3 1/2 in. drive bay. Tigerdirect has them, and so does newegg, for about $12-15 each. I think once I get my video card RMA'd, I'll do some fan swapping again, and put my quiter thermaltake fan in. It moves about 20cfm lees, but it's hald the noise rating of the smartfan on high.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:55 am

Ok, after this here post, the card is going to the post Office to be mailed to leadtek.. they don't have any 6800 cards in stock to cross ship, so I have to wait till they try to fix mine. So if anyone's wondering where I went to, now you kow.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:12 pm

I got an Email from Leadtek today, my replacement card is on the way via UPS ground... Here's a pretty little screen from a session in BF2 tonite:

I hope to god the card fixes this.... The visuals and performance gets worse everytime I play now.

Sharpster · Post by **Sharpster** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:01 pm

Ahh, thats why ya left so quick...

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:04 pm

Well, I was having issues on that server with PunkBuster too, and I couldn't figure it out. My RMA card has shipped, and It'll be here on the 16th. We'll see then if this fixes it.

Sharpster · Post by **Sharpster** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:08 pm

Ahh, ya, good luck with it.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:14 pm

Thanks

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:33 pm

I got mew card from Leadtek. The artifacts are gone, (Yay!) but the temps are realy high again, and that's what started this whole mess... The card idles at 62 degrees, and runs way over 70 while I'm playing a game. (Nvidia finally lets you log temperatures, so you can go back and look at them) The old card never got this hot, and that's with all the artifacts. Well, after they "fixed" it it didn't get that hot anymore...

I'm never buying a Leadtek card again.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:19 pm

Sell your new card on eBay or something and get another.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:35 pm

I think that's a good Idea...

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 11:41 pm

You sure you've got adequate airflow to your video card? that fan on it should exhaust out the slots on the back, but it's got to get some cool air for an intake. And those things should move a pretty good volume of air to keep the cards cool.

You might be creating a low pressure inside your case with that thing running.

Hmm...