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Aftermarket GPU cooling running HOT!

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I just put a Xigmatek Bifrost on my Powercolor 7870xt to help cool it down some. At Idle I get a chilly 27*C. As soon as I turn furmark on my temps quickly climb up past 90*C. I have re-set the cooler two times now with the same result. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why this could be? Should I just put the stock cooling back on? Thank you in advance.
 
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What thermal paste? What thermal paste technique used?
 

Norton

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Did you use a shim to use that cooler? 7970 requires a special shim to account for frame around the chip iirc

Also, I'm not sure if a Bifrost has the cooling capacity to handle a 7970?
 
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most 7870xt are on the same pcb as the 79** cards, the die/IHS is recessed. hence Norton said about the shim.

on your original cooler is there a piece of cooper that is pronounced?

like this

 
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Maybe you put the screw in upside down . Cause I know one end is longer than other. I had the same issue with a xigmatec battle axe. End result was screw was upside down on on corner and wasn't sitting flush with gpu.
 

Norton

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That was a type-o. The card is a 7870xt.

OK- looks like it doesn't need a shim- are you getting good contact on at least 3 of the heatpipes?
 
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so its flat, that clears that up!

well apart from the obvious causes, youll just have to try and see if there are any physical problems like poor contact etc or what natron said!


OK- looks like it doesn't need a shim- are you getting good contact on at least 3 of the heatpipes?

that's the original

heres the bitfrost




just reading some reviews, seems it isn't the best of coolers. some graphs show a 2*c difference to the stock cooler at full speed.

also does MX4 have an actual cure time?
 
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Well I reset the cooler again and I think the problem is that the cooler just cant keep up. The cooler is getting good contact, everything seems alright. I just don't understand why the idle temps are so good and the load temps are so bad. I am going to let it cure and see if it gets any better and if it keeps going over 80* I guess I will just have to put the stock back on.
 
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I found the same when I re-seated my gpu with CF3 took a day to cure and temps went from crazy (like yours) to better than normal!

also the reviews don't look that impressive for that cooler! its one thing transferring heat when much isn't being produced, and another thing dissipating it at 150w or whatever it is.
 
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Its just crazy that a cooler 2x the size as stock with 2 extra heat pipes, and 2 bigger fans can perform worse then the stock cooler. All I can do is hope the temps get better.
 

Norton

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Your stock cooler should have an 8mm pipe in the center with 2x6mm pipes on the outside where they contact the chip- the Bifrost only has 3x6mm there (the extra 2 on the BF do nothing due to no contact).

There is a big difference between cooling capacity of an 8mm pipe vs a 6mm one ....

EDIT- see if you can mount the Bifrost fans on your stock cooler ;)
 
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Does the cooler get hot?
 
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Seems like you're doing things right to me. There's always the possibility that the cooler is just defective.
 
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I put the stock back on, temps are fine now. The Xiggy was making good contact, just couldn't handle the load of a 7870xt. I am going to try and mod the fans on to my stock cooler, good thing it only cost me $7.99 on PPCs black friday sale.
 
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Its just crazy that a cooler 2x the size as stock with 2 extra heat pipes, and 2 bigger fans can perform worse then the stock cooler. All I can do is hope the temps get better.

ok but... (for example) low speed fans have less cooling capability than if the stock one was blasting tons of air

so furmark is just fine on the stock cooler? i wouldnt even be using it to test since it's unrealistic
 
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