Graphic Cards Three degree core temp rise after applying AS5

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

sydras

Explorer
I removed the cooler of my BFG 6800GT and applied some AS5(recently purchased from another TE member) onto the core and 8 memory chips after removing the existing white dried up goop on the core and memory chips. After re-assembly, I checked the temps via the new Nvidia Control Panel.

I used to get 68 C normal temperature with regular usage of just keeping the PC on and doing some file transfers downloading etc. with no games. Now the core temp settles at 71 - 72C. I played less than an hour of Far Cry and the temp went to 87C.

While I would observe something similar without the AS5, what concerns me is the rise in normal temp. 3C is ok but I don't actually want to see the temp increased after applying AS5. Any idea what's going on?

I cleaned off the chips and core with around 15 ear buds. I did a little overall cleaning of the card also. After all this, I applied a bead size amount on some chips and reused the excess on remaining chips. A little more got applied on the core as I did it first but I used a credit card and went over the core and mem chips several times leaving a very fine layer that could not even be felt when running the card over. Is there some gap in my understanding as to how it should be applied?

OT: The AS5 I have is brown in colour. I thought it would be white. Are there different kinds?
 
First off, those are not abnormal temps for a 6800GT. Secondly, AS 5 is a dull silver paste (not brown), so what you have may not be Arctic Silver 5 afterall.

Keep in mind, reapplying *any* thermal compound on the core should drop temps a bit at least, so I'm guessing you added too little or too much. As well, the VGA memory chips have thermal pads (not paste), and it's recommended you keep the stock thermal pads (unless you have new ones to replace with).
 
sydras said:
I removed the cooler of my BFG 6800GT and applied some AS5(recently purchased from another TE member) onto the core and 8 memory chips after removing the existing white dried up goop on the core and memory chips. After re-assembly, I checked the temps via the new Nvidia Control Panel.

I used to get 68 C normal temperature with regular usage of just keeping the PC on and doing some file transfers downloading etc. with no games. Now the core temp settles at 71 - 72C. I played less than an hour of Far Cry and the temp went to 87C.

While I would observe something similar without the AS5, what concerns me is the rise in normal temp. 3C is ok but I don't actually want to see the temp increased after applying AS5. Any idea what's going on?

I cleaned off the chips and core with around 15 ear buds. I did a little overall cleaning of the card also. After all this, I applied a bead size amount on some chips and reused the excess on remaining chips. A little more got applied on the core as I did it first but I used a credit card and went over the core and mem chips several times leaving a very fine layer that could not even be felt when running the card over. Is there some gap in my understanding as to how it should be applied?

OT: The AS5 I have is brown in colour. I thought it would be white. Are there different kinds?
Click to expand...

Brown? As5 is ash white in color, and the color nor the texture doesnt change over time. I have some really old used up AS5 tubes which still look the same way as my new tubes.

Its highly unusual for the tempareture to go up after application of as5.

Its possible you have used too less.

I will try to explain this lucidly. Many times, in stock conditions, the HSF + CORE mating surface is not perfectly flat. Sometimes, either or both of them could be concave/convex.

If the condition is not conducive, you could have a really bad mating surface between the two and thus see the effective rise in temperature.

Also, if there was thermal pad on the ram chips earlier, they were there for a reason. The HSF would not be able to reach the memory modules to have a proper pressure contact. Or, now that the memory chips are conducting there heat effectively to the already stressed HSF, the temperature effectively went up.

Since this is not a exact science, n number of reasons could lend to the rise in temperature.

I would suggest you try a remount. Take the HSF off and see if the contact was proper. Even when I know that I am mounting a perfectly flat HSF on a perfectly flat core, I make sure I apply a really thing layer on BOTH the surfaces, and then finallly place a small bead in the center of the core and then mount it as hard as possible.

My 2 cents.

Regards.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
^^ by the time I reached the end of ur post... I was thinking of American Pie 2 where he has his hand glued under his pants!! :rofl: What were u doing when putting the paste... coz it seems u put something other than AS5??

But seriously, any thermal paste would decrease the temp rather than increase it.. Mayb u have put more paste or the heatsink is a little lossely fit or proper contact hasnt been established... Also personally I think AS5 is a waste of money, I've used Nepali (available at my local hardware shop) paste and have got as good performance as AS5!!
 
sunbiz, AS 5 is not a waste of cash... I have used different compounds (TR, Evercool, a few local brands) but the performance was never close to AS 5. This is a matter of perspective though, because to me a 4-5C from using AS 5 over any other paste is a big deal ;)
 
RiO said:
sunbiz, AS 5 is not a waste of cash... I have used different compounds (TR, Evercool, a few local brands) but the performance was never close to AS 5. This is a matter of perspective though, because to me a 4-5C from using AS 5 over any other paste is a big deal ;)
Click to expand...

I totally agree with RiO. And AS5 comes in a convinient package and a 12gm can last you a lifetime with smart usage. Whats the big deal.
 
Actually a 12gm tube lasts me about 6 months because I keep re-mounting frequently due to change in hardware.
 
OT: i wanna apply the AS5 (when i get it from gaurav) to the X1900XT ... my only worry is that once i detach the heatsink will it fit back jusst like before .. or therell be some complication>? has anyone actually applied AS5 to their X1900XT??
 
redscorpion_11 said:
OT: i wanna apply the AS5 (when i get it from gaurav) to the X1900XT ... my only worry is that once i detach the heatsink will it fit back jusst like before .. or therell be some complication>? has anyone actually applied AS5 to their X1900XT??
Click to expand...

ya i had done it...
was very very easy to do, make sure to only apply on the core and not under the memory thermal pads.
no complications at all, it was jus a couple of screws.
 
RiO said:
First off, those are not abnormal temps for a 6800GT. Secondly, AS 5 is a dull silver paste (not brown), so what you have may not be Arctic Silver 5 afterall.

Keep in mind, reapplying *any* thermal compound on the core should drop temps a bit at least, so I'm guessing you added too little or too much. As well, the VGA memory chips have thermal pads (not paste), and it's recommended you keep the stock thermal pads (unless you have new ones to replace with).
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd read other posts and your previous posts also about 68-70C being normal temps for a 6800GT. Hence, I'm not too worried.

What worries and actually irritates me is that the temps have increased after application of the paste which should not happen after using the AS5. I would believe that the AS5 is trapping heat because of a thick layer applied, but the layer I applied is very very thin i.e. much lesser than I've seen in pictures on the web of how to apply AS5.

When I first saw the thermal pads, I felt that it is ridiculous to have these double sided tape things between the metal cooler and the chips. I mean, shouldn't they trap more heat than do any good? I wonder if adding another layer of conductive material would actually benefit or trap more heat but again, the layer is very thin. Anyway, I believe that the temp sensor senses core temp only and not the temp of the memory chips is it not :huh: ?
 
KiD0M4N said:
Brown? As5 is ash white in color, and the color nor the texture doesnt change over time. I have some really old used up AS5 tubes which still look the same way as my new tubes.

Its highly unusual for the tempareture to go up after application of as5.

Its possible you have used too less.

I will try to explain this lucidly. Many times, in stock conditions, the HSF + CORE mating surface is not perfectly flat. Sometimes, either or both of them could be concave/convex.

If the condition is not conducive, you could have a really bad mating surface between the two and thus see the effective rise in temperature.

Also, if there was thermal pad on the ram chips earlier, they were there for a reason. The HSF would not be able to reach the memory modules to have a proper pressure contact. Or, now that the memory chips are conducting there heat effectively to the already stressed HSF, the temperature effectively went up.

Since this is not a exact science, n number of reasons could lend to the rise in temperature.

I would suggest you try a remount. Take the HSF off and see if the contact was proper. Even when I know that I am mounting a perfectly flat HSF on a perfectly flat core, I make sure I apply a really thing layer on BOTH the surfaces, and then finallly place a small bead in the center of the core and then mount it as hard as possible.

My 2 cents.

Regards.
Click to expand...

Now I'm worried about what kind of AS5 I've purchased. Well it's kinda grayish brown but then again, I'm a little worried. Are fake AS5 tubes available?

In my case, the cooler is flat and the core also is flat. But there might be a problem mating the two when I re-attached the cooler. I'm having a doubt as to whether the thermal pads are causing the heat sink to attach improperly. There are eight of them(donno if core has one too..didn't pay attention) and they seemed to more or less have different thicknesses.

Since you've mentioned too less, I am also now feeling whether the amount I applied makes any difference or not. I was under the impression that it it would help by filling in the microscopic gaps between the heat sink and the chips. But with the thermal pads, I don't think it would do any good...it might do more harm. But again, I'm doubting as to whether the temp of the RAM chips is actually taken into consideration...so confused :huh:

I noticed some small rows of resistor like things around the core in all 4 sides? Should I apply AS5 on them too?
 
sydras, I managed to find a pic of my old 6800GT - I've marked the 2 chips on which you need to apply AS 5 or any other TIM. Notice the thermal pads on the right are still in tact - they don't get too hot and those thermal pads are fine. My idle/load temps were 60/72C.

6c75cce8.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Rio...thanks a bunch man. Glad you have a reference to what I'm talking about. So you didn't coat your RAM chips then? Are you saying I should remove the AS5 that I applied on the 8 RAM chips also?

My GT core is not black like the RAM chips but has a silver metal package. I don't think I noticed the 2nd smaller chip you have marked. I will do a recheck and let you know whether it is there.

TIM?? What does it mean?
 
1. Remove the AS 5 applied on the memory - try to get a hold of some thermal pads if you've thrown out the stock thermal pads.

2. The exposed core is black (like a glass or marble chip ;)) once you've cleaned the old thermal compound from it - the actual aluminum heatsink is in the pic too, on the left. You have to remove that and apply AS 5 on the core - remove any thermal compound on the core and on the heatsink first.

And TIM is thermal interface material, which is the thermal compounds/pastes we use.
 
RiO said:
1. Remove the AS 5 applied on the memory - try to get a hold of some thermal pads if you've thrown out the stock thermal pads.

2. The exposed core is black (like a glass or marble chip ;)) once you've cleaned the old thermal compound from it - the actual aluminum heatsink is in the pic too, on the left. You have to remove that and apply AS 5 on the core - remove any thermal compound on the core and on the heatsink first.

And TIM is thermal interface material, which is the thermal compounds/pastes we use.
Click to expand...

I did not throw out the thermal pads. I thought that there would be some problem if the chips touched the cooler directly as the cooler gets very hot to the touch and I don't know if the DDR3 mem chips get that hot in the first place(something like what Karan mentioned. i.e. the cooler getting hotter than the RAM chips themselves.) Ok, I'll take the AS5 off the RAM chips.

Your cooler design is different from the BFG I have. In mine, there is no aluminum heatsink covering the core. The exposed core chip in mine is in a silver IC package also, i.e. kind of like a nestle chocolate piece wrapped in foil(only much much thinner). I think it's for better heat transfer. I'll post a pic if I have time to take one today.

I hope you didn't think I was applying AS5 on the heat sink.:ashamed:
 
If you can provide pics, that will help a bit ;) So when you first removed the heatsink/cooler off your card, did you find some TIM on the silver covering of the chip? I've not seen anything like this before...
 
Actually, it is not abnormal for the temps to either not drop, or go up a few degrees, if you read the instruction manual over at as5, it mentions this... it takes up to 200 hours of use for the compound to really create a good connection with the hardware. After a couple of weeks you should see your temps drop again by a few degrees :)
 
RiO said:
If you can provide pics, that will help a bit ;) So when you first removed the heatsink/cooler off your card, did you find some TIM on the silver covering of the chip? I've not seen anything like this before...
Click to expand...

Yes, there was some white TIM on the core also. But it had almost vanished or dried up. I cleaned it off.
I'll try and post pics this weekend. Have lot's of work to get done this Saturday but I'm hoping to have some time for fixing this.

ArtfulDodger said:
Actually, it is not abnormal for the temps to either not drop, or go up a few degrees, if you read the instruction manual over at as5, it mentions this... it takes up to 200 hours of use for the compound to really create a good connection with the hardware. After a couple of weeks you should see your temps drop again by a few degrees :)
Click to expand...

Yes, I I've observed that while the normal temp is around 3C higher, the load temp does not go very high. Have to confirm this though. Right now, I'm too busy enjoying Far Cry:P .(I'm reactive and not proactive when it comes to cooling:bleh: )
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom