VGA Silencer Rev.3 ????

[quick385]

Ok so I a VGA Silencer Rev.3 from newegg, and I were inspecting it and noticed that the bottom of the heat sink the surface that actually makes contact with the GPU has grooves in it. They are kind of curved ridges on it, they are perfectly even like they were done with a giant circular sander. I wanted to know if this was normal b/c all the reviews I have read for this cooler said it had a very smooth shiny surface. If people have used this product before can they tell if the groves are normal? Also what is the best spot to put a temp sensor to get an accurate reading of the video cards temperature?

 

[Quazi]

Yea, I have had several of these and the grooves are present on all of them. You could lap it yourself, being careful to keep your sanding strokes flat, straight, and even. But even with the grooves, these coolers work well.

As far as a temp sensor placement, use some thermal tape and place the sensor as claose as you can to the gpu without allowing it to be over top of the gpu. Ideally, have it touching the side or edge of the gpu, and tape it down there.

 

[gR3iF]

the grooves are good they offer more space for contact place so it is cooler with grooves in it
ac know what they ared oing

 

[JaS]

well i just ordered one ill let you know if it has them on it and what kind of oc improvments i get from it also At that price i had to get it lol

*Free USPS* ATA 133 IDE CBL-IDE-133 Cable for Hard drives & other IDE devices, 18inch 2 3.00 *Shipping will be added manually for any other shipping method = OK

Arctic-Cooling VGA Silencer Cooler, Model: AVC-1000 (Rev. 3), Retail
Box FAN-AVC-1000 1 13.99

Subtotal 19.99

 

[turbopsi]

Actually the grooves don't add to the performance, but it doesn't necessarily take any away. Thermal paste fills in any gaps between the GPU and the heatsink surface.

Lapping it might give you 1c-2c better temperatures, but it's probably not worth it.

 

[quick385]

The other peculiar thing is the more time that passes between when I first installed the cooler and now, is that the temperature keeps going up. Everything is the same but the card seems to be running hotter and hotter according to my thermal sensor. It started of running at 39 for a couple of days and then it kept going up day by day now it is at 43, and the conditions are the same that were present when I first installed the cooler. What do you guys think it could be?

 

[spectre440]

how hot does it get under full load?
try either benchmarking your system, or using ati-tool to heat the card up and see how hot it gets when loaded...
cause 43 degrees is very cool, even for idle temp.

 

[JaS]

what thermal paste did u use on the cooler?

 

[nightelf84]

changing room temperature?

 

[quick385]

what thermal paste did u use on the cooler?

I used artic silver I have heard if you put too much thermal paste on this is what happens when it starts to harden up, after a few heat up and cool down processes, is this true.

 

[JaS]

Yea bro its true thats why i asked i think you just put alittle too much on thats all just reaply it and use less.all it takes is a small pindrop on the center of the core the pressure from your arctic cooler will spreed it out for you.

 

[turbopsi]

There is a tutorial on arctic silver's website. It says you only need a rice-grain-sized drop of thermal paste.

I use a credit card to smooth it out over the GPU or CPU, until its completely covered and really thinned out.

That gives it the best heat transfer.

Also, use some Isopropyl alcohol(70% or higher) and a q-tip to clean the old thermal paste from the GPU/CPU. The alcohol gets it right off. I've gotten cpus so clean like that. Also clean the heatsink.

 

[JaS]

changing room temperature?

it could be that too ... lol.but hes saying they r going up only so i dont think thats it

 

[JaS]

yep that what i use to good old alcyhall lol works like a charm and dirt cheap too.

 

[paradyme]

Is there any dust build up inside that would be blocking air flow?

 

[Baum]