Modifying NVidia 7900 GTX 512 question

[Natalie_E_G]

Every NVidia 7900 GTX 512 based video card I find has a MASSIVE heat sink and fan such that it take up not only the PCI-E 16 slot but the adjacent slot also.

I was wondering if I can reasonably expect solid performance if I did the following.

1. Replace the heatsink and fan with an Thermaltake Aquarius VGA waterblock connected to an Aquarius III.

2. Replace the backplane with a single slot backplane.

I do not wish to destroy my new video cards, but I really would prefer not having to switch out cards when I want to use more than 1 PCI card at a time.

Motherboard is ASUS A8N32-SLI.

 

[chuckshissle]

I don't see why not, I've seen people have their 7900GTX watercooled. But replacing the backplate with one slot back plate? What kind of water block are you using anyways, since good vga water blocks are huge anyways and takes up the slot below it.So if you are trying to minimize the space and want to use the slot below the 7900GTX then you better have a nice thin vga water block.

 

[Natalie_E_G]

I have a Thermaltake Aquarius III watercooling system that I stopped using when I went to an Asetek Vapochill Extreme Edition II case. At Thermaltake they have in there discontinued items, a VGA waterblock for the Aquarius. I purchased 2 of them. A picture of the block is at http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/watercooling/a1983.htm.

It looks pretty small to me. The dimensions are 43.1x46x10.2 mm. That is less than 1/2 an inch tall. I have not taken apart the 7900 GTX but it looks from the side like there should be plenty of room.

I admit the Tidewater is asthetically MUCH nicer but it unfortunately has to plug into 2 PCI slots from what I can tell (based on the image + the dimensions (225mm x 120mm x 30mm)). If it did not, or it could be relocated (for instance mounted to the case not on the motherboard), I would actually prefer it. I do not think anyone considers someone my have a refrigerated case and then do water cooling of the gpu's also, as it looks they intended to vent the heat out the backplane.

 

[chuckshissle]

Yes, I notice that the Aquarius vga water block in discontinued since I did not find it at the Thermaltake website. Well, then if the vga water block it thin then there is only one way to find out and that is to install it on the card. It is a fairly small water block though just make sure you have a good water flow to have a good cooling result. I see the design of the mobo now and you can only use one pci slot when using the 7900GTX 512 in SLI. Like I said install the block to find out but make sure to check the temps of the gpu as soon as it is running just to make sure.