HG10 N980 & N970 Thread - Post Issues Here

Well,

I just made the spacers I need to make the H90's fit in the front of my case and reach the GPU's.

Just waiting for my 2.5" (~65mm) radiator screws from Fastenal to arrive before I start putting things together.

I'm REALLY hoping I can both install these brackets without severe bending, and get a good mating surface, so my temps are good.

So, has anyone had a satisfactory install of their HG10 N980?

yes you need to read about 8 or 9 posts up...post #392

I would, for you disappointed customers, instead of sending Everything back, suggest doing this:

 

On the metal bracket, to the left in the Picture here, that was sent with your cooler:

http://imagescdn.tweaktown.com/content/7/2/7272_19_corsair-hydro-h80i-gt-high-performance-liquid-cpu-cooler-review.jpg

 

drill 4 holes that are about 3-4mm large, one on each leg, about 1mm from the inner circle.

 

Then add screws, must be like 2.5 cm long, M3, through the drilled holes, then through the 4 corner holes around the GPU. (there is 8 holes around the GPU)

Tighten using a washer and a nut, but tighten carefully so you dont crack the GPU.

 

If you want to have it as tight as possible without risking damaging the GPU, add 4 springs (those that was sent with the stock cooler is good to go), then 4 more washers, then tighten with a nut until the springs are fully compressed, but not any more.

 

Now you can loosen a Little bit on the cooler to bracket screws, without the card getting too hot.

I actually used the metal bracket on the left, but didn't need to drill holes. I used the stand offs that came with the hg10 and the thumb screws to tighten the cooler down, using the H50.

I actually used the metal bracket on the left, but didn't need to drill holes. I used the stand offs that came with the hg10 and the thumb screws to tighten the cooler down, using the H50.

That's good to know - the instructions say that you can you use either the Intel or the AMD ones. I used the Intel bracket, as it's what was pre-installed on my H100i, but perhaps there's less of an issue with the AMD one?

Wow Mattlach, with that kind of effort and attention to detail, I am surprise you never went full custom water cooling. Lol, it seems you have the patience.

I was actually planning on doing so. I planned out my WC build, and I just couldn't tjustify the total cost of it all, not after just buying a 48" Samsung JS9000 4k screen and two 980ti's :p

The problem with custom WC loops is that they look affordable on the surface, but then when you add all the parts up, the cost is much higher than expected. All the little things (especially fittings) add up :(

For right now, these spacers are not for performance (there isn't much need for spacers for performance these days, as the fans are already set back a few mm from the radiators, and much more space doesn't result in much of a benefit). My spacers are really just so I can reach the front of my case. Once I opened up my H90's, according yo my measurements they were about 40-45mm too short to reach the front of my 750D case, so these spacers are just so I can mount them at all :p

This will be good though. Maybe next time I will go full custom WC loop.

Does your h50 sit tight or is there some wiggle room, just curious.

sits tight, doesn't wiggle at all

Tried installing it on an EVGA ASX 2.0+ (4995 model). Installed it with an H80i with factory thermal paste.

Idle temps were at 71C. I didn't try pushing it. I took the bracket off and saw the thermal paste was only covering the top half of the GPU, so the water block wasn't making full contact with the GPU.

Also noticed some definite bending going on. It appears the thermal pads are pressed hard against the tall 1R0 inductor chip near the PCIe contacts. I'm going to try using the backplate and trimming the thermal pad down.

Tried installing it on an EVGA ASX 2.0+ (4995 model). Installed it with an H80i with factory thermal paste.

 

Idle temps were at 71C. I didn't try pushing it. I took the bracket off and saw the thermal paste was only covering the top half of the GPU, so the water block wasn't making full contact with the GPU.

 

Also noticed some definite bending going on. It appears the thermal pads are pressed hard against the tall 1R0 inductor chip near the PCIe contacts. I'm going to try using the backplate and trimming the thermal pad down.

Hi, let us know how it goes with the plate as i have the same model, cheers

Tried installing it on an EVGA ASX 2.0+ (4995 model). Installed it with an H80i with factory thermal paste.

 

Idle temps were at 71C. I didn't try pushing it. I took the bracket off and saw the thermal paste was only covering the top half of the GPU, so the water block wasn't making full contact with the GPU.

 

Also noticed some definite bending going on. It appears the thermal pads are pressed hard against the tall 1R0 inductor chip near the PCIe contacts. I'm going to try using the backplate and trimming the thermal pad down.

Hi, let us know how it goes with the plate as i have the same model, cheers

Hey look, all of us ACX SC+ers are in the same spot!

I've now switched to using the AMD bracket with my H100i. It appears as though there is *far* less bending. That being said, the thermals have not improved: idling at ~40c, running 3dmark got me an immediate thermal shutdown.

Hey look, all of us ACX SC+ers are in the same spot!

 

I've now switched to using the AMD bracket with my H100i. It appears as though there is *far* less bending. That being said, the thermals have not improved: idling at ~40c, running 3dmark got me an immediate thermal shutdown.

I have two ACX2.0+ SC+ models I am going to install with H90's when I get my special screws.

I am following your results with baited breath.

Looks like examining the thermal tape during install is a must.

What. SHOULD the thermal tape be covering? MOSFETs only?

Would be nice to hear from Corsair Dustin or Technobeard on their takes on these issues.

Any official comment from Corsair regarding why we are seeing these issues and how to work around them would be appreciated.

Guys, I'm getting pretty good at wiping thermal paste off of GPUs and water blocks.

Current setup:

- Trimmed thermal pads (@mattlach, you will see what they're supposed to be covering when you look at them: a bunch of very similar chips that all of the pads line up with)

- AMD bracket being used on H100i cooler

- Thumbscrews on cooler fairly tight: more than finger-tight, but not going nuts with a screwdriver

- Screws on PCIe side of the PCB tight

- Screws on opposite side of PCB (with the SLI connector, etc.) not tight: holding the HG10 to the PCB, but not snug by any means

- Freshly-applied thermal paste

Result: less apparent bending, and idle temps of ~32-33c. This indicates to me that there's reasonably-good contact between the GPU and the water block, as previous setups idled at ~40c and crashed upon running 3dmark. Current setup runs 3dmark, but sends temps into the 90s, and causes the HG10 blower fan to go nuts, attempting to help.

Then, because I care about you, I decided to run 3dmark whilst pressing firmly on the water block, near the PCIe connector. Temps went only to ~75c, and the blower fan stayed reasonable. As soon as I let up? Temps to the 90s.

This thing is *just* slightly off of making good contact, and the culprit appears to be the lack of a securing screw where you'd expect one: above and to the right of the PCIe connector. There's a hole on both the PCB and HG10 there, but no integrated standoff (as there are for the other 6 holes on the HG10), and it appears to not be perfectly aligned - which may explain why they didn't do this. Either way, it seems pretty clear that if there were a way to tighten the connection at this spot, it'd help the water block -> GPU connection.

Anecdotally, it appears as if people using coolers with round style blocks are having better luck.

Does this seem true?

I wonder if it would be possible/helpful to once you have a decent HG10 mount, and have made your best attempt to mount the cooler without bending, fire it up and load a temperature monitor and at idle, adjust the screws (loosening some, tightening others a tiny bit at a time) while at idle and checking to see if the temperature improves.

Once you get idle temps down to the 20's load up a benchmark and further adjust under load until the best mount is achieved.

Anecdotally, it appears as if people using coolers with round style blocks are having better luck.

 

Does this seem true?

lol, do they even still sell the old style models anymore? And Corsair being silent is telling me they dont have faith in their own product.

I wonder if it would be possible/helpful to once you have a decent HG10 mount, and have made your best attempt to mount the cooler without bending, fire it up and load a temperature monitor and at idle, adjust the screws (loosening some, tightening others a tiny bit at a time) while at idle and checking to see if the temperature improves.

 

Once you get idle temps down to the 20's load up a benchmark and further adjust under load until the best mount is achieved.

That's actually what I've been trying to do. The problem is that, when installed, it's quite hard to get to the screws in question. Two of the thumbscrews are quite tight up against the HG10 shroud, and of course the whole thing is 90° to where it'd be convenient to adjust screw tightness.

Oh, and I haven't seen anyone with idle temps in the 20s. Low 30s are the lowest I've seen.

Ok, second go around with the replacement bracket.

Made sure to only tighten the screws very lightly, as soon as they stopped spinning easily I stopped, bend is minimal.

Used AMD bracket of my H75 since the holes on the bracket are round and have less wiggle room that the Intel bracket.

Used Artic Silver 5, thumbscrews were spun in a cross pattern just until they stopped spinning freely, then just a tad bit more.

Turn on pc it's idling at 31, launched furmark in 1080p, and temps didn't shoot up to 85 as before, instead it was more of a gradual build up to 71.

Better than before, and quiet. Was hoping it wouldn't go over 60, maybe the paste takes a while to settle in?

A little hesitant to play a game, but going to give it a go and see temps.

EDIT:

Just played a bit of GTA 5 in 4k, and Temps went to 75. It's dead silent, but I was expecting more from this. There's no way Installed this thing wrong. I followed all the instructions, 75 is just 6 cooler than the stock air cooler on the titan x. It is quieter, but something is still off.

Ok, second go around with the replacement bracket.

 

Made sure to only tighten the screws very lightly, as soon as they stopped spinning easily I stopped, bend is minimal.

 

Used AMD bracket of my H75 since the holes on the bracket are round and have less wiggle room that the Intel bracket.

 

Used Artic Silver 5, thumbscrews were spun in a cross pattern just until they stopped spinning freely, then just a tad bit more.

 

Turn on pc it's idling at 31, launched furmark in 1080p, and temps didn't shoot up to 85 as before, instead it was more of a gradual build up to 71.

 

Better than before, and quiet. Was hoping it wouldn't go over 60, maybe the paste takes a while to settle in?

 

A little hesitant to play a game, but going to give it a go and see temps.

That looks promising.

There IS some "burn in" time with AS5 (at least on CPU's, I've never done GPU's before.) It's usually just a degree or two though. Not huge.

Furnark is no longer considered a good test for temp/cooling of GPU's. It is an extreme overkill torture test, and no game you'd ever run would hit furnark temps.

Most people seem to use Unigine Heaven and Valley to test these days, as they are more reflective of a worst case in game test.

I'd be curious what temps you see with these, and how fast your fans are spinning when doing so.

Above someone with one of the MSI Sea Hawk dealies was seeing his never go above the low 40's under load. That model has essentially an h50 with faster fans. With a good mount I would expect our results to be similar.

That looks promising.

 

There IS some "burn in" time with AS5 (at least on CPU's, I've never done GPU's before.) It's usually just a degree or two though. Not huge.

 

Furnark is no longer considered a good test for temp/cooling of GPU's. It is an extreme overkill torture test, and no game you'd ever run would hit furnark temps.

 

Most people seem to use Unigine Heaven and Valley to test these days, as they are more reflective of a worst case in game test.

 

I'd be curious what temps you see with these, and how fast your fans are spinning when doing so.

 

Above someone with one of the MSI Sea Hawk dealies was seeing his never go above the low 40's under load. That model has essentially an h50 with faster fans. With a good mount I would expect our results to be similar.

Just ran Uniengine Heaven Benchmark on Basic, temps went from 71 and at some points spiked up to 83 but were mostly in the high 70's. This is disappointing. Fan speeds maxed at 40%.

I'm really not happy honestly. The cooler is still probably not making great contact, but if I tighten the thumbscrews anymore the standoffs will break like before. It is quieter though.

Just ran Uniengine Heaven Benchmark on Basic, temps went from 71 and at some points spiked up to 83 but were mostly in the high 70's. This is disappointing. Fan speeds maxed at 40%.

 

I'm really not happy honestly. The cooler is still probably not making great contact, but if I tighten the thumbscrews anymore the standoffs will break like before. It is quieter though.

Holy crap! :sigh!: That is terrible, isn't the Basic preset in heaven only 720p, 2x MSAA and medium settings?

Seriously, at this point, someone from Corsair really needs to come out and say something. Me atleast, I'm beginning to wonder what the people at Corsair QA were smoking when they passed this :sigh!:

.

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The reason to do it, is to get a direct bonding between your cooler and Graphics card, in addition of getting bonding cooler->N980->Graphics card.

This to get more pressure between the cooler and the card. When you are finished drilling and screwing, you should end up with 4 thumbscrews and 4 m3 screws on the cooler bracket.

This is just a suggested "mod" to increase the performance. Note that you will NOT void the warranty of the N980, theres no modification of the N980 bracket. Its just the fastening bracket of the hXXX cooler that is modified.

See this Picture so you understand what I mean with drilling extra holes, extra 4 screws, nuts, washers and possibilble springs (the blue dots on bracket is where you drill, the blue rings is which holes on Graphics card that you use):

http://i.imgur.com/FaS7CVb.jpg