[amk320]

Howdy all,

I just picked up a Thermaltake Big Typhoon after reading all of the great reviews for it, and I've got a couple of temperature-related questions.

Prior to installing the Big Typhoon, with the stock P4 cooler, I was idling around 55C, and going to about 65C under load. I then decided to replace the stock heatsink, and to switch my parts back to my old case (Thermaltake Xaser III) which had more fans and better air-flow.

While I was still putting everything together, I left my case open without the side panels, or the front panel, and accidently had all of the fans in backwards. (Front, side and top were exhaust, rear were intake.) This resulted in temperatures for over a 24 hour period of 30C idle, and no more than 40C under load.

I figured that after placing the fans properly, and closing up the case (as per the guide's instructions here on this site) that my temperatures would improve, or at least stay at those levels. However, with everything done properly, I'm idling at around 45C, and going to 60C under load.

Anyone know what the deal with that is?

 

[pbasil1]

hmmm... seems odd but i geuss the airflow setup you had before was much better than you have now... i would say just put it back the way it was and keep it that way if you get those low temps again...

 

[claymanhb]

Make sure that the typhoon is secured tightly to the proc.

 

[amk320]

It's on there as tight as it's gonna go. I'm just wondering if it was the fact that I had the case open that everything stayed so cool.. or the fact that I had the fans in backwards.

 

[amk320]

Well, I put all the fans in incorrectly to see if I could reproduce those original temps, and the best I can manage is 45C idle, and upwards of 65C under load. Seems ridiculous for a cold room, 7 case fans and a Big Typhoon.

 

[Boinky]

Having your case open is definately what caused the cooler temps. I've tested my own system with various setups, up to a dozen fans arranged a dozen different ways and none of them can keep it running as cool as it does when I take it out of the case and run it in open air with a couple fans.

-mahalo

 

[amk320]

Well, I still think my temps are exceedingly high for a ton of case fans and a Big Typhoon. Most people I'm seeing reporting temps of about 40C idle, and 50C under load, and some of those are with overclocking done. I can't even overclock, because I idle around 50C, and easily jump to nearly 70C under load at stock speeds.

 

[amk320]

This is seriously ridiculous. I can't even play Half-Life without setting off the alarm I have set to go off when my CPU temps reach 75C.

I mean, let's face it.. it doesn't get any more taxing than the original Half-Life, as far as system-taxing applications go.

 

[Boinky]

Have you tried completely remounting the BT? I mounted my last heat sink incorrectly somehow the first time, it looked fine to me, but idled super hot.

I removed the heat sink and used some rubbing alcohol and q-tips to clean the thermal paste off the processor lid and the heatsink base, then reapplied some ArticSilver5 and mounted it again. Worked fine the second time... only thing I can think of that I did different was to line up all the mounting pins and start to screw them in then switch to the next, tighten some, switch to the next, tighten and repeat. I'm not sure what the BT's pins are actually like though so my anecdote might be useless.

You did apply some kind of thermal conductive paste right? Just asking cause you didn't mention it.

 

[amk320]

Yeah, I used some AS5. It was my first attempt at applying thermal paste, so I guess it's possible that I applied it incorrectly. I used a half-BB sized amount just as the AS website stated, and smeard a thin layer all over the heat spreader, then applied the BT as you suggested, doing a little bit of each side.

 

[Boinky]

I don't think you need to be spreading it all over. I myself just put a dot on the center of the processor heat spreader and mounted the heatsink, did this again when I bought my Blue Orb II. Pretty sure the paste is supposed to spread on its own. ...and now that I think about it, the time that my previous heatsink wasn't functioning correctly I had gone a little crazy coating all contact surfaces.

Ahh, retrospect.

 

[horkan]

i hope i dont get any issues with my big typhoon i havent put a hsf on b4 soo i dunno how it is gonna go

i hope it fits too

i had a look through my window and it seemed as though it would soo i should be ok

havent got any 12cm in m computer but oh well

what cheap case would you advise if i couldnt fit my tt big typhoon?