Just got 1.8A. Temp 45-55 C. Not good? Other Issues too.

[Degenerate]

Got P4PE with 1.8A (SL63x - Malaysia) with 512mb Corsair XMS3200.

I noticed when i installed the retail heat-sink and fan, the underside of the heat sink had a "black coating". I touched the edge of it and found out that it scratched off easily (only a little bit was scratched off the edge). Anyway, I left the coating there and installed the HS/f and booted. Idle temp around 45 Deg C and full load about 55 Deg C.

I was wondering:
a) What is the "black coating"
b) Should i go and buy some thermal paste?
c) If i apply thermal paste, do i need to remove the "black coating?
d) Can i remove the thermal paste whenever i want and how?
e) How are my temperatures? (I live in Australia and it gets about 30-35 Deg C at day time)

Once i get these things sorted out, i'll OC it. Thanks.

 

[oldfart]

You seem a bit on the warm side, especially since ASUS mobos tend to report on the low side. I usually remove the black TIM and the foil from the retail HS/Fan. There should be nothing but bare HS when you are done cleaning. I use Arctic Silver II or III for a thermal compound to replace it.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: Degenerate
Got P4PE with 1.8A (SL63x - Malaysia) with 512mb Corsair XMS3200.

I noticed when i installed the retail heat-sink and fan, the underside of the heat sink had a "black coating". I touched the edge of it and found out that it scratched off easily (only a little bit was scratched off the edge). Anyway, I left the coating there and installed the HS/f and booted. Idle temp around 45 Deg C and full load about 55 Deg C.

I was wondering:
a) What is the "black coating"
b) Should i go and buy some thermal paste?
c) If i apply thermal paste, do i need to remove the "black coating?
d) Can i remove the thermal paste whenever i want and how?
e) How are my temperatures? (I live in Australia and it gets about 30-35 Deg C at day time)

Once i get these things sorted out, i'll OC it. Thanks.

a) Thermal Interface / TIM - In regards to the P4, it is a thin aluminum strip coated w/ black grease
b) If you are a hardcore dude like most of us on this forum
c) yes
d) yes, use alcohol, goof off, mineral spirits, lighter fluid, saliva
e) temps are fine

 

[Chadder007]

The Idle temp could be a bit lower...say around 39 or 40. But the full load temp seems fine. I would go ahead and remove the black pad and put on some paste if I were you though.

 

[Thor86]

Buy yourself a good aftermarket heatsink and fan kit, as the stock ones are barely adequate. Just installed a Swiftech myself, and my idles are 28C and 39C full load using a 35 cfm Sunon fan. It was a PITA to install and remove the stock retainer on the motherboard, but after all said and done, well worth the cost and work involved. Good luck.

 

[oldfart]

Buy yourself a good aftermarket heatsink and fan kit, as the stock ones are barely adequate.

I'd disagree with that one. The 1.6A - 2.8 all use the same HS/Fan. It is designed to cool up to 2.8 GHz. I run a 1.6A @ 2.4 GHz, 1.65 Vcore stock HS/Fan with ASII. Right now I'm running a CPU temp of 34C idle with a 25C case temp. Summer time temps are ~ 5C higher. I basically run 9C above case temp @ idle. Load temps are ~ 49 - 50C now, again ~ 5C higher in the Summer months. You dont need to run 39C full load. As long as the CPU is running within design specs. Clock throttling kicks in @ 67C. As long as you are below that, there is no problem.

 

[Mikki]

Originally posted by: Thor86
Buy yourself a good aftermarket heatsink and fan kit, as the stock ones are barely adequate. Just installed a Swiftech myself, and my idles are 28C and 39C full load using a 35 cfm Sunon fan. It was a PITA to install and remove the stock retainer on the motherboard, but after all said and done, well worth the cost and work involved. Good luck.

I gotta disagree with you bud--in fact, you're the first person that I've seen call it barely adaquete. Check my sig, that's with the stock hsf...

edit: Sorry oldfart! We musta typed in at the same time...

 

[oldfart]

You know what they say....."Great minds..."

 

[Degenerate]

I Oc'ed it to 2.41. No V core change. 2-3-3-6.
Temps are now 50-61. Don't seem that bad yet considering that my MB temp is 40 and outside air temp 25-35.

 

[Mikki]

How's the airflow thru your case?

oldfart:

 

[Thor86]

Originally posted by: oldfart

I'd disagree with that one. The 1.6A - 2.8 all use the same HS/Fan. It is designed to cool up to 2.8 GHz. I run a 1.6A @ 2.4 GHz, 1.65 Vcore stock HS/Fan with ASII. Right now I'm running a CPU temp of 34C idle with a 25C case temp. Summer time temps are ~ 5C higher. I basically run 9C above case temp @ idle. Load temps are ~ 49 - 50C now, again ~ 5C higher in the Summer months. You dont need to run 39C full load. As long as the CPU is running within design specs. Clock throttling kicks in @ 67C. As long as you are below that, there is no problem.

Yeah, well, I used to think 50C was ok too. But, it never hurts to keep your case/cpu/components cooler that stock. Tit for Tat.

 

[oldfart]

But, it never hurts to keep your case/cpu/components cooler that stock

Understood. But to say

the stock ones are barely adequate

is simply not true. They are more than adequate. They are very good as a matter of fact. What you are doing is way overkill.

 

[Mikki]

I agree. Like I said, check my sig and tell me that the stock hsf is inadequete...

 

[Thor86]

Ok, let me re-state that, the stock heatsink with Intel thermal pad is BARELY ADEQUATE.