Streacom DB4 Water Build (now flat heatpipe)

[StevenG]

Some pipes arrived but not much else so cant start anything !




Ordered one of these to hopefully use with the GPU and pipes not sure if itll fit yet!

 

[StevenG]

Yes sur that's what I also understood
Just to say that thick thermal pads are a no go with coolpipes.



According to Amec, a good rule of thumb is to have 1/3 of the total length of the coolpipe in contact with the radiator.

Been contemplating using one too span across two raditors with the heat source in the middle, assume this is ok or not as good as starting at one end with the heat?

 

[msystems]

Those can definately work well, but I don't think they are sintered inside so keep them at a vertical angle if possible. Definitely don't go at a negative angle from evaporator to condensor or they don't move any heat.

Getting them mounted to the chassis wall will be interesting. Some kind of direct contact with TIM would be best if you can figure out a way to secure them with mounting pressure.

 

[StevenG]

Those can definately work well, but I don't think they are sintered inside so keep them at a vertical angle if possible. Definitely don't go at a negative angle from evaporator to condensor or they don't move any heat.

Getting them mounted to the chassis wall will be interesting. Some kind of direct contact with TIM would be best if you can figure out a way to secure them with mounting pressure.

Working on it , ive got 6 more universal brackets coming from Straecom, i will be using some 6.5mm perspex as a packer between the the universal bracket and the heatpipe, should give identical contact pressure as the original heatpipe design. Got 36g of arctic silver 5

 

[StevenG]

Gpu pipe sized to be doubled over at the end similar to the thermal riser by straecom should reach the length of the side panel hopefully.

 

[StevenG]

Ok so I've got 6 * universal brackets on the way along with this bad boy which should make mounting the heatpipes to the cpu a doddle I hope as they will just be sandwiched between this plate and the cpu with copious amounts of Arctic silver

 

[aquelito]

Been contemplating using one too span across two raditors with the heat source in the middle, assume this is ok or not as good as starting at one end with the heat?

Sure you can. Just make sure that the heat source (CPU, GPU) is always below the condensator (heatsink), so that gravity allows the condensated liquid to go back to the heat source.

I uploaded the flat coolpipe documentation on Wetransfer. Very helpful.

 

[StevenG]

Sure you can. Just make sure that the heat source (CPU, GPU) is always below the condensator (heatsink), so that gravity allows the condensated liquid to go back to the heat source.

I uploaded the flat coolpipe documentation on Wetransfer. Very helpful.

Thank you that's gonna make for some great reading, hopefully I will have all components in the next few days so will be assessing which is the most efficient methods of cooling.

 

[StevenG]

More parts turned up including the 450mm heatpipes unfortunatly the GF100 mount i had in mind isnt quite big enough for the 50mm heatpipes gutted so ill have to make some frankenstien mount for now :

 

[StevenG]

ok heres my heatpipe design sorry about the crap quality but im no photoshop master would appreciate thoughts if theres a more efficient way

Red = primary heat
Purple = secondary heat
Blue = if red + purple arnt enough

 

[StevenG]

Checking the size of the heatpipes looks spot on:

 

[msystems]

I'm pretty sure the VRM heatsink is going to be directly in the path of your CPU heatpipe. It's the heatsink that is not pictured, to the right, in the image above. If the bends are too complicated you could try taking that VRM heatsink off too if you need to. Then you can use copper shims to conduct the mosfet heat into the flat heatpipe so they still have cooling.

Also you could probably use the Streacom stock CPU mount as a clamp for your flat pipe.

 

[StevenG]

I'm pretty sure the VRM heatsink is going to be directly in the path of your CPU heatpipe. It's the heatsink that is not pictured, to the right, in the image above. If the bends are too complicated you could try taking that VRM heatsink off too if you need to. Then you can use copper shims to conduct the mosfet heat into the flat heatpipe so they still have cooling.

Also you could probably use the Streacom stock CPU mount as a clamp for your flat pipe.

Yea I know what you mean, I was planning to bend them up on a 45 degree angle then back around level with the side panel if that makes sense ? I like the idea of taking it off and using shims though! I hadn't thought of that! I'm gonna use the stock cooler on the graphics card I think as it's "adjustable" then the lga mount for the cpu. :-)

 

[StevenG]

Ok ive done the GPU vey happy with the results only done Furmark for 5 mins or so until the temp stablised the cooler was far from easy to assemble and needed 35000 pairs of hands but weve go there, ive been reading the max card temp online some are saying it wont exceed 83C is this true?
















Idle :





Furmark for 5 mins :

 

[msystems]

Very good, I think you have conquered the db4. The flat heatpipes are uniquely suited for this case because you can stack them, as you did, and then attach to two different case walls for greater thermal efficiency. Now what did you use there for a block under the bracket to secure the heatpipe to the card? And, did you have a shim touching the GPU die, or if the die is touching the first flat heatpipe directly? I believe a pure copper shim would be really effective there.

Yes your card is thermal throttling at 83c unless you unlock the temp target (in Afterburner, or whatever you're using). Looks like your boost clock is 1911mhz, and its throttled down to 1797 mhz from temp limit. If you unlock the temp limit it, it should only throttle down about 33 mhz or so. But who knows what the temps will climb to if you try.

 

[BaK]

Good job!

Very nice bends of the flat heatpipes, how did you proceed?
What do you think the minimal distance between the two 'sides' of the U bend would be?

Now what did you use there for a block under the bracket to secure the heatpipe to the card?

Yep, what bracket and what block?
The bracket only, directly pressing on the flat heatpipes would not be good enough?

And, did you have a shim touching the GPU die, or if the die is touching the first flat heatpipe directly? I believe a pure copper shim would be really effective there.

@msystems> so you think StevenG will get better results with a shim inbetween the GPU die and the flat heatpipe? Even when the latter is supposed to have a better thermal conductivity than pure copper?

 

[StevenG]

Very good, I think you have conquered the db4. The flat heatpipes are uniquely suited for this case because you can stack them, as you did, and then attach to two different case walls for greater thermal efficiency. Now what did you use there for a block under the bracket to secure the heatpipe to the card? And, did you have a shim touching the GPU die, or if the die is touching the first flat heatpipe directly? I believe a pure copper shim would be really effective there.

Yes your card is thermal throttling at 83c unless you unlock the temp target (in Afterburner, or whatever you're using). Looks like your boost clock is 1911mhz, and its throttled down to 1797 mhz from temp limit. If you unlock the temp limit it, it should only throttle down about 33 mhz or so. But who knows what the temps will climb to if you try.

Thanks i think so too althught the stacked design is less efficient than i hd hope, the first side gets really hot, howver the stacked side barely gets warm so im already thinking of a redesign and getting rid of the stacked one and replacing with 1 long pipe that starts in the middle and spreads across two panels, see how we go.

Teh pipe is in direct contact with the die i had a shim but was worried about it sliding out, im using the stock cpu mount provided with the case with 25mm M3 screws through the card, i wanted to use a backplate which will come later if i go down the single pipe route.

I thought as much with the thermal throttling, i was also getting VSET i thibk in GPUZ which is throttling due to unstable voltage so maybe the VRMs need additional cooling, be a shame to use a fan now. Think ill leave it locked, i know theyre good for 94C but id rather not push it and just look at optimising the cooling.

 

[StevenG]

Tricky to get the right angle now, i will get some better ones next time the side is off but that Arctic silver 5 is like glue !!!!

 

[StevenG]

Good job!

Very nice bends of the flat heatpipes, how did you proceed?
What do you think the minimal distance between the two 'sides' of the U bend would be?


Yep, what bracket and what block?
The bracket only, directly pressing on the flat heatpipes would not be good enough?


@msystems> so you think StevenG will get better results with a shim inbetween the GPU die and the flat heatpipe? Even when the latter is supposed to have a better thermal conductivity than pure copper?

Thank you, I bent them using whatever i could find, the first pipe was done using the side of a drawer unit as it has a curved edge, i just measured how much i wanted on the side panel lined it up with the edge of the unit (back of bend) and went for it, these pipes bend so nicely its a doddle. Deoderant can for the second pipe

Die > heatpipe 1 > heatpipe 2 > stock cpu block with no shim.

 

[StevenG]

Really sorry for the horrendous pics