External GPU Cooling

[Sensei of Swag]

Hello all! I recently purchased an external GPU kit to power my NVIDIA GTX 760 so I can play higher quality games on my Dell Latitude D6430 Laptop.
I am using the PCI interface here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/121701185579?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I am powering the card with a EVGA 500W PSU (http://amzn.com/B00H33SFJU).
My issue now is I have no idea how to cool the GPU, due to the enclosure I am placing it inside of.
I have no motherboard to connect the fans to, just the power supply... could I connect them straight to the power supply?
Also, how could I control the automation of the fans since they are not connected to the motherboard?

-Thanks, Luke

 

[Gam3r01]

You dont cool the GPU, it cools itself. Its fans are internally handled on the PCB, and you likely wont be able to change them.
I typically recommend against external GPUs.

 

[TJ Hooker]

FYI, I'm pretty sure you're going to have to manually short a couple of the PSU pins to start it every time you turn your system on.

 

[Sensei of Swag]

@Gam3r01 I'm just looking for a way to fit the whole system in one container, the fans will not be connected to the GPU in any way. I guess I'll just have to find a way to solder a switch to the fans to control their operation.
@TJ Hooker Are you referring to the fans? Or the GPU?

 

[Gam3r01]

Are you removing the heatsink off your GPU or something? What do you mean the fans wont be connected to the GPU?

 

[Sensei of Swag]

Are you removing the heatsink off your GPU or something?

Nope, all I'm asking is how to connect fans straight to the power supply, I'm not modifying the GPU in any way.

 

[Gam3r01]

You dont connect the fans to anything. They are handled solely by the GPU.

 

[Sensei of Swag]

You dont connect the fans to anything. They are handled solely by the GPU.

I am not trying to add fans directly to the GPU, I am attaching generic computer fans to the case, due to the heat that the GPU is experiencing, and I need a way to power them. I am guessing that there is a way to connect them to the power supply in some way and control them with a separate switch that I could put on the external side of the case.

 

[Gam3r01]

Your OP was a bit confusing, youre looking to run some case fans as well? In that case you can either get a fan controller, or run molex fans at full speed.
http://www.amazon.com/Silenx-IXAFCEX-Channel-External-Controlle/dp/B0030EZLSO

 

[Sensei of Swag]

Your OP was a bit confusing, youre looking to run some case fans as well? In that case you can either get a fan controller, or run molex fans at full speed.
http://www.amazon.com/Silenx-IXAFCEX-Channel-External-Controlle/dp/B0030EZLSO

Okay, this is what I need. Thanks! Sorry, I guess I didn't explain very well that I just wanted something to control the case fans, the whole GPU thing was just a rabbit trail.

-Thanks again, Luke

 

[TJ Hooker]

@TJ Hooker Are you referring to the fans? Or the GPU?

The PSU itself (which of course has to be on for the GPU and fans to run). Normally, a PSU is connected to the mobo, which is connected to your desktop power switch via a header. When you press the switch, the PSU powers on. Seeing as how this obviously won't be the case for you, you'll need some other way of turning the PSU on. The method I know of for turning a PSU on without a mobo is to short a couple of pins on the PSU's mobo connector (not sure which ones).

I could be mistaken. Maybe when there's activity on the PCIe bus (when the laptop turns on) the GPU will somehow cause the PSU to power on and supply power, or something like that. Can't say I've done anything like this myself.

 

[Sensei of Swag]

@TJ Hooker Are you referring to the fans? Or the GPU?

The PSU itself (which of course has to be on for the GPU and fans to run). Normally, a PSU is connected to the mobo, which is connected to your desktop power switch via a header. When you press the switch, the PSU powers on. Seeing as how this obviously won't be the case for you, you'll need some other way of turning the PSU on. The method I know of for turning a PSU on without a mobo is to short a couple of pins on the PSU's mobo connector (not sure which ones).

I could be mistaken. Maybe when there's activity on the PCIe bus (when the laptop turns on) the GPU will somehow cause the PSU to power on and supply power, or something like that. Can't say I've done anything like this myself.

I leave the PSU on when I either am using my pc or put it into sleep mode. When my pc goes to sleep the graphics card switches off; when I turn my pc on again it starts the graphics card. I just got the kit last week, so I still have to experiment, but I believe that after I actually shut off my computer I can turn off the PSU, then once I want it back I turn on the PSU first, then the pc... I think... 😉

 

[TJ Hooker]

I leave the PSU on when I either am using my pc or put it into sleep mode. When my pc goes to sleep the graphics card switches off; when I turn my pc on again it starts the graphics card. I just got the kit last week, so I still have to experiment, but I believe that after I actually shut off my computer I can turn off the PSU, then once I want it back I turn on the PSU first, then the pc... I think... 😉

Ok, cool. Yeah, I suppose there's not really any harm in leaving the PSU on most of the time. So when you say you "turn on the PSU first", how are you doing it?

 

[Sensei of Swag]

I leave the PSU on when I either am using my pc or put it into sleep mode. When my pc goes to sleep the graphics card switches off; when I turn my pc on again it starts the graphics card. I just got the kit last week, so I still have to experiment, but I believe that after I actually shut off my computer I can turn off the PSU, then once I want it back I turn on the PSU first, then the pc... I think... 😉

Ok, cool. Yeah, I suppose there's not really any harm in leaving the PSU on most of the time. So when you say you "turn on the PSU first", how are you doing it?

Just hitting the switch on the back. xD Is there another way to do it?

 

[TJ Hooker]

I'm assuming you mean the on/off rocker rocker switch? Because that doesn't automatically turn it on. As an example, imagine you have just a PSU with nothing but a single fan connected directly to it with a molex connector. Hitting the switch on the back will not turn the PSU on, i.e. the fan will not start spinning. You need some other mechanism to truly turn it on, which in normal circumstances would be the power switch on your PC. I guess in your case the fact that it's connected to a graphics card is enough to trigger the PSU to turn on.

 

[Sensei of Swag]

I'm assuming you mean the on/off rocker rocker switch? Because that doesn't automatically turn it on. As an example, imagine you have just a PSU with nothing but a single fan connected directly to it with a molex connector. Hitting the switch on the back will not turn the PSU on, i.e. the fan will not start spinning. You need some other mechanism to truly turn it on, which in normal circumstances would be the power switch on your PC. I guess in your case the fact that it's connected to a graphics card is enough to trigger the PSU to turn on.

Oh, yes I'm sorry... I'll try to explain the process again.
I leave the PSU on when I am using my laptop. When I put my laptop into sleep mode the graphics card automatically shuts off (And I leave the PSU on). When I boot my laptop back up out of sleep mode, the PSU automatically starts back up.

When I shut down my laptop for the night I walk over to the PSU, and switch it off. In the morning when I go to turn my laptop on, I switch on the PSU, then boot my laptop as normal, the graphics card starts up automatically, drawing power from the PSU.

The only real issue I'm having is how my laptop responds after I unplug the expressport connector. It still thinks that there is a monitor connected or something, and since I have the secondary monitor set as my default, the screen never comes back... But, I never expected a setup like this to work perfectly. 😉