I used a Zalman ZM-NB47J for my Nforce 4

[Texun]

This is my first NF4 board and I read a lot of threads about the OEM chipset fan going out in a few weeks or months so I decided to hit it head on during the install and replace it with this- Zalman ZM-NB47J.

I cleaned the chakly crap off the chip and applied Ceramique with the passive Zalman. It fit well but feels really warm. Does this chip usually run pretty hot?

 

[fluffmonster]

If its warm, that means its conducting heat which is what its supposed to do...and yes, those chipsets run rather hot. As long as you've got some airflow over it even if meagre, it should do really well for you. I had to take mine off just because of space issues.

 

[Operandi]

Yes, I've put a few Zalman NB47Js on nForce4 chipsets myself, they do the job just fine.

 

[996GT2]

The MSI heatsink on my NF570 ultra gets hot enough to burn skin when the system is under heavy load; even so, the system is completely stable, even after half a day of Prime95. If you have the Zalman installed, nothing adverse should happen unless the NB temps get really burning hot.

 

[Operandi]

This is what happens to those cheap northbridge HS/Fs MSI, Asus, DFI, and others seem to so fond of using when the fan fails.

 

[nerp]

I have the same cooler on a heavily abused, overclocked nf4 board and it has not once failed me. It's a great cooler.

 

[Texun]

I didn't get burned but it does get hot so I was curious to know if I had the right one. It fits great and is a helluva lot better solution than using the fan. What a piece of crap that was.

Thanks!

 

[Varun]

I put that cooler on my A8N-E and the temps dropped 10C on the northbridge. I recently had to put the stock cooler back on due to the 8800GTS taking up so much space and the stock fan sucks.

Definately go with the Zalman.

 

[Texun]

What sensor or app are you guys using to check the temps????????

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Operandi
This is what happens to those cheap northbridge HS/Fs MSI, Asus, DFI, and others seem to so fond of using when the fan fails.

OUCH!

 

[Binky]

The NF4 doesn't provide any way to read the NB temp. I always put a passive heatsink on mine but I always use a very very slow fan near my NB. Any old crappy fan with a speed controller and some zip ties will do. It takes only a tiny bit of airflow to drop the temps significantly.

 

[Texun]

Originally posted by: Binky
The NF4 doesn't provide any way to read the NB temp. I always put a passive heatsink on mine but I always use a very very slow fan near my NB. Any old crappy fan with a speed controller and some zip ties will do. It takes only a tiny bit of airflow to drop the temps significantly.

I didn't install a fan for it but the cooler sits almost directly behind my HD cage, which has a fan pulling in cool air from the front so I guess it will be okay.

 

[dawza]

The NF4 cores can take the heat; ASUS rates them for up to 90C, IIRC.

I have seen temps as high as 80+C (IR thermometer) under full load with the NB47J in cases with low airflow. With just a bit of air, though, you will be fine (should not exceed 70-75C under full load on a warm day).

As others have stated, you are much better off with the Zalman than with the stock solution. If you are curious, it is easy enough to slide a flat temp probe under the heatsink near the core; or, use the finger test- generally, you will start to feel pain when temps reach 50-55C, >60C will be painful, and >70C will be scalding.

 

[fluffmonster]

the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex threshhold temperature (the reflex to pull away after touching a hot object) is about 45C. The threshold for a first-degree burn from 1-second contact with aluminum is 60C (or a little more for less than a full fingerprint contact area), and would be even lower for copper. Anything in between will be a rather imprecise estimate I suspect.

 

[Solema]

Originally posted by: Binky
The NF4 doesn't provide any way to read the NB temp. I always put a passive heatsink on mine but I always use a very very slow fan near my NB. Any old crappy fan with a speed controller and some zip ties will do. It takes only a tiny bit of airflow to drop the temps significantly.

Not necessarily correct. The DFI boards have an extra ITE chip that can (and does) read chipset temperature. I just installed a Thermalright HR-05-SLI yesterday and it dropped my temps 20C from 53C to 33C, all passively! If you're really worried about the Zalman's performance, spend $25 and get the Thermalright and put your worries to rest.