How to install Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro on a P5N-E SLI?

JoelG

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Jun 22, 2004
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I have a vexing question about how to install a Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro on an Asus P5N-E SLI mb to cool my E6600.

The size and position of the Northbridge HS on the motherboard make it imposible to mount the cooler front-to-back, with its fan blowing air from the front of the case over the CPU and out toward the case's rear exhaust fan (as per Artic Cooling's instructions).

I can, however, sucessfully mount the cooler sideways, with (1) its fan blowing air near the top of the case over both the CPU and the hot Northbridge HS to its immediate left; or (2), with its fan pushing warm air, rising over the Northbridge HS, over the CPU towards the top of the case, where the intake vents for the power supply are located.

The question, of course is which is better? Or should I chuck the Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro altogether and install the stock Intel C2D cooler, which blows air neither left nor right, but straight up away from the CPU?

I've written to Artic Cooling with the same question. But, since they haven't answered in over a week, any help would really be appreciated.

Thanks, in advance, for your responses!
 

idloco

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Feb 7, 2007
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I got it working by cutting a bit of the corner of the fan ( the plastic part ) just enogh to get it fit well.

Here is a photo of the final result


Any more questions, jusk ask :)
 

Mondoman

Splendid
I'd do #2, so as to have cooler air blowing through the cooler, and to not work against the PS fan.

Also, the stock Intel cooler blows air down through the "flower" hs, not up and out of it.
 

JoelG

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I got it working by cutting a bit of the corner of the fan ( the plastic part ) just enogh to get it fit well.

Here is a photo of the final result


Any more questions, jusk ask :)

Great! Thanks for responding.

What tool did you use to cut off the plastic, and how far up did you have to bend the fins on the left side of the heat sink? (Do you have any pictures of the front?)

The other question I have is whether or not the bottom of the plastic fan housing is melting on the Northbridge heat sink? The Northbridge can get very hot!

Thanks for your help.

Joel
 

Mondoman

Splendid
...
The Northbridge can get very hot!

...
Yes, you need to remember that the OEM Intel cooler blows down onto the MB and out in all directions, providing some cooling airflow for the northbridge and for the PWM components around the CPU toward the back and side of the MB. The Freezer 7 Pro (and other non-"flower" style coolers) typically do not provide this kind of airflow; if you use such a cooler, especially while overclocking, you may need to add extra small fans to cool those locations.
 

JoelG

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Jun 22, 2004
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I'd do #2, so as to have cooler air blowing through the cooler, and to not work against the PS fan.

Also, the stock Intel cooler blows air down through the "flower" hs, not up and out of it.

Thanks! Two problems I've found with mounting it per your suggestion are that the cooler will blow in very hot air, rising above the Northbridge heat sink, directly over the CPU, and that the plastic fan housing on the AF7Pro is actually touching the top of the Northbridge heat sink, which might casue the plastic to melt!

I do have a large 120mm case exhaust fan sitting immediately behind the cooler and the Northbridge HS, which ever way I mount the AF7Pro. So the exhaust fan should pull most of the hot air exiting the cooler out of the case, even though the cooler's blowing air from the top of the case down toward the bottom, away from the much smaller PSU exit fan.

In any case, I'll have to monitor the CPU temps carefully. Do you have any suggestions about which software might help me do this?

Joel
 

idloco

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Feb 7, 2007
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I got it working by cutting a bit of the corner of the fan ( the plastic part ) just enogh to get it fit well.

Here is a photo of the final result


Any more questions, jusk ask :)

Great! Thanks for responding.

What tool did you use to cut off the plastic, and how far up did you have to bend the fins on the left side of the heat sink? (Do you have any pictures of the front?)

The other question I have is whether or not the bottom of the plastic fan housing is melting on the Northbridge heat sink? The Northbridge can get very hot!

Thanks for your help.

Joel

I used a drill, to just remove the reened amount. its rather easy, so the cooler does not touch the heatsink, here is a picture so you can see for your self, I also recomend putting an extra fan on the chipset heatsink ( im searching one to use )
 

JoelG

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Jun 22, 2004
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I used a drill, to just remove the reened amount. its rather easy, so the cooler does not touch the heatsink, here is a picture so you can see for your self, I also recomend putting an extra fan on the chipset heatsink ( im searching one to use )
[/quote]

Thanks for the closeup photo!

You used a "drill," as in an electric drill with a regular drill bit? I'm not sure I fully understand the mechanics. Could you explain in (tedious) detail how you shaved off the corner with a drill? I want to do it too.

Thanks a million. :D

Joel
 

idloco

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Feb 7, 2007
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I used a drill, to just remove the reened amount. its rather easy, so the cooler does not touch the heatsink, here is a picture so you can see for your self, I also recomend putting an extra fan on the chipset heatsink ( im searching one to use )

Thanks for the closeup photo!

You used a "drill," as in an electric drill with a regular drill bit? I'm not sure I fully understand the mechanics. Could you explain in (tedious) detail how you shaved off the corner with a drill? I want to do it too.

Thanks a million. :D

Joel

Ok i will try to explain my self a little better...
Take this picture as example..

Imagine the AMD box is the ACF7P....
As you can see the drill is touching the border of the box, assume this is the part you want to remove ( so it doesnt touch the heatsink )
As you can see its not a full size drill or drill bit,( tho I think any small drill bit will work ).

Any way, I got the drill bit like if was gonna make a hole right on the corner.. and then using the same drill smooth the other sides of the hole, that way it will looks like a corner ( inside out ) instead of a hole.

Looks at this picture,


You see its only the corner, not too much. just enough..

Ok anything else, just ask.

I hope this help
 

kyosuke

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Feb 6, 2007
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So, I guess my question would be.

I am actually buying this motherboard. and I know that once I OC I'll need a diff. CPU fan. and also a NB fan since it runs so warm. What can I use so I won't have any issues?

I was going to get the AC7, but I wouldn't feel comfortable trimming it o_O, so I can fit an NB fan and such on there.
 

JoelG

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Jun 22, 2004
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[/quote]

Ok i will try to explain my self a little better...
Take this picture as example..

Imagine the AMD box is the ACF7P....
As you can see the drill is touching the border of the box, assume this is the part you want to remove ( so it doesnt touch the heatsink )
As you can see its not a full size drill or drill bit,( tho I think any small drill bit will work ).

Any way, I got the drill bit like if was gonna make a hole right on the corner.. and then using the same drill smooth the other sides of the hole, that way it will looks like a corner ( inside out ) instead of a hole.

Looks at this picture,


You see its only the corner, not too much. just enough..

Ok anything else, just ask.

I hope this help[/quote]


Thanks so much for the detailed instructions and the great pictures. But I didn't have a drill, so I went to the hardware store and bought a very fine tooth hacksaw blade and did a little bloodless surgery. (If you don't have a hacksaw to put the blade in, just wrap some tape around the blade so you don't hurt yourself!)

Anyway, it was easy, and the hacksaw blade did a really professional job on the plastic grill.

Now I'm just crossing my fingers that the plastic doesn't melt given its immediate proximity to the Northbridge HS.

If you find a good cooler for the Northbridge or Southbridge, please let me know.

I hope your experience and mine helps out others with this specific CPU cooler and motherboard combo.

Thanks again,

Joel