GTX 560Ti in SLI too close to each other. high temp.

[MatanSar]

Hello !

So i have the ASUS P6X58D-E Motherboard which have 3x pcie slots
I'm using the Thermaltake Element G case

I just got 2x Gigabyte GTX 560Ti OC cards
After connecting them i noticed there is hardly any space between them
I did some benchmarking and the upper card's (the one with less airflow) temp is peaking at 90C
While the lower one which have better airflow only peak at 67C

I searched the web and noticed most SLi builds are like that, that the upper card don't have a good airflow

So, how to i cool i down?
My mobo have another lower pcie slot so i was thinking to maybe buy a new case with 8\9 expension slots so i could use the upper and lower pcie slots (using upper and middle one now)

But i really prefer to find a solution w\o having to buy such expensive case.


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/593/img0136dq.jpg/

Thanks.

 

[alyoshka]

You need to move the Lower card down to the last PCIe Slot. Look up the mobo manual, most probably it's the 1st and the 3rd slot that'll support 16X, when populated just 2 PCIe Slots.
That way you get enough airflow for the first and the last cards.

Although I think your PSU is going to be too close to the Second cards FAN. You could try finding a PCIe Raiser that'll help, but the best option would be to go for a bigger better case.
You don't need to go for the 9 or 8 slot case unless you plan to change that Mobo in the near future, you can always go for a Full Tower case with the 7 Slot option, older versions, and they would be cheaper then the new 8/9 Slot ones.
I prefer my HAF 932 (2 of them) especially since it gives me the option of being able to place my PSU either on top or the base.....
Dunno what it costs now but I bet it'd be cheaper then it was 2 years ago.

 

[swifty_morgan]

get after market software and spin the fans up a little. if you set them to run 100% at 70c and set them incrementally ..... 80% at 60c ....70% 50c, etc, it should help some.

forget what it's called but nvidia had released something a while back..... maybe somebody else will remember the name. worked really, really well.

 

[alyoshka]

Well just finished reading the PCIe layout for the Board, it says the Blue PCIe Slots are 16X and the gray is 8X so that really doesn't leave much option for you, those cards have to be stuck into slots 1 and 2 meaning, the last option left is water cooling.... or a PCIe Raiser card.....
A new case won't do you that much good if you are stuck to using the first and the second PCIe slots.

 

[MatanSar]

You need to move the Lower card down to the last PCIe Slot. Look up the mobo manual, most probably it's the 1st and the 3rd slot that'll support 16X, when populated just 2 PCIe Slots.
That way you get enough airflow for the first and the last cards.

Although I think your PSU is going to be too close to the Second cards FAN. You could try finding a PCIe Raiser that'll help, but the best option would be to go for a bigger better case.
You don't need to go for the 9 or 8 slot case unless you plan to change that Mobo in the near future, you can always go for a Full Tower case with the 7 Slot option, older versions, and they would be cheaper then the new 8/9 Slot ones.
I prefer my HAF 932 (2 of them) especially since it gives me the option of being able to place my PSU either on top or the base.....
Dunno what it costs now but I bet it'd be cheaper then it was 2 years ago.

Ya, that's what i want to do, but i just can't because there 1 missing expension slot to be able to place the card on the last slot.
And also the PSU will be too close to that card so i won't achieve anything by doin that.

 

[MatanSar]

Well just finished reading the PCIe layout for the Board, it says the Blue PCIe Slots are 16X and the gray is 8X so that really doesn't leave much option for you, those cards have to be stuck into slots 1 and 2 meaning, the last option left is water cooling.... or a PCIe Raiser card.....
A new case won't do you that much good if you are stuck to using the first and the second PCIe slots.

Can you direct me to such cooling?
Never dealt with water cooling so no idea what i need for it or what it costs.

Also, from reading, i understand that placing the cards at x16 and x8 don't affect much on performance.
So i will do that if i will have no choice.

BTW.
Thanks a lot for helping.

 

[alyoshka]

There's no Missing Expansion Slot.... even when you put the 560 into the last slot it'll be fine, though since the card has a twin slot holder you might run into a bother with the PSU.

The cost of water cooling is not cheap, it'll be more expensive than a new case.
You'll need to check the Water Cooling thread we have here for that.

Yup, placing the cards in the 16x and 8x will not give you a noticeable drop in performance, though both will work at 8x.

You can google for customs closed water cooling loops for the 560Ti and you will find something easy to use, may not be that efficient for overclocks but at par with the present HFS it has, most probably and they might not be too expensive as compared to making a water cooled setup , part by part , by yourself.

 

[swifty_morgan]

you're really flying off the deep end here. why not try the "speed fan" or riva tuner thing before you get in over your head.

If you don't want to take that advice let me insult you. junk the 460's and get a 580. you'll be way ahead of the game at less cost and less aggravation.

 

[alyoshka]

Yup I agree with swifty_morgan, but I'd love to see guy get in way over his head and then help him solve the problems, it's good to be adventurous , I guess.
I think swifty meant junk the 560's.....

 

[MatanSar]

you're really flying off the deep end here. why not try the "speed fan" or riva tuner thing before you get in over your head.

If you don't want to take that advice let me insult you. junk the 460's and get a 580. you'll be way ahead of the game at less cost and less aggravation.

I downloaded the gigabyte tool, fan is at 100%, but temp still peaking at 89-90C.

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

There's no Missing Expansion Slot.... even when you put the 560 into the last slot it'll be fine, though since the card has a twin slot holder you might run into a bother with the PSU

He probably means that there's no slot in the case. That's also true for my system, and yes, in many cases it's a conflict with the PSU.

 

[DelroyMonjo]

Try top card in bottom slot, the grey one, and the bottom card in the top slot. See if the temp follows the card. That case looks like it has lots of fans with room for more 120mm in the front if necessary. You can still put the card in the lower slot and it will work fine if your sli bridge is long enough.

 

[MatanSar]

He probably means that there's no slot in the case. That's also true for my system, and yes, in many cases it's a conflict with the PSU.

Yep, there is a "missing" slot at the case so there is no way to connect a 2 slots card to the last PCI slot on the MB.
That's why i'm thinking on getting a full tower case like the HAF 932 or maybe the HAF X for future upgrades.


And btw, above the grey slot it says: "PCIEx16" also.


@DelroyMonjo
Did that, the temps didn't follow the card. card is fine.

 

[geofelt]

1) Do you really need to fix the problem? Graphics cards run hot, but they are designed to do so. 100c is not a real problem.

2) One possible solution would be to try to duct more of the cooling air to the space between the cards.

3) It would help if you could clear up some of the wiring that keeps a clean airflow from getting to the space between the cards.

4) How about using a stronger front intake fan?

 

[alyoshka]

Yes it's a PCIeX16 Slot with a Max Link of 8x the Gray one.

 

[nforce4max]

You can fix this by just forcing air between both cards with one of more fans but such boards as yours should be avoided when using non external exhaust cards.

 

[MatanSar]

Problem solved.

Switched to HAF X, added a 120mm fan to the GPU duct
Temps droped by 10-20C.

 

[alyoshka]

Did you get a new HAF X?

 

[MatanSar]

Did you get a new HAF X?

Yep

 

[alyoshka]

Why didn't you go in for a HAF932? It would have given you the option to mount your PSU on the top. Even for later Builds, I think it would have been a better solution with that mobo anyways. But, I'd like to know why you chose the HAF X.