Video Card Radiator

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I recently obtained a desktop computer with an nVidia video card:
from lspci:
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G84 [GeForce 8600 GT] (rev a1
I had to open the case to connect the DVD
drive and saw what appears to be a fallen radiator:
http://www.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu/~hennebry/computer/amd64-1.jpg http://www.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu/~hennebry/computer/amd64-2.jpg That nothing is shorted out appears to be a matter of luck.

Any suggestions regarding how to prevent the radiator from shorting its video card?
A suggestion of who to ask would be good.

15 thoughts on - Video Card Radiator

  • Pretty close. Mine has one more knob, but I don’t know that that matters. To me, they both look like a short waiting to happen. I’d like a reason to believe otherwise. I’m considering wrapping a thin piece of cardboard in electrical tape and sliding it under the lower end of the radiator.

  • <>

    i do hope you give that one hell of a lot of consideration.

    you are dealing with a *heat sink*, aka *HOT*, tho maybe just warm, or too warm to hold you hand on.

    most electrical tapes are not designed for high temps.

    be sure you use something that will withstand the heat.

    something on order of fiberglass or even a broken piece of a pcb with traces removed.

    hth.

  • g wrote:

    I agree. The on-chip sensors warn us if it goes over, um, 76, I think.

    Celsius.

    Broken piece of Pyrex?

    mark

  • Don’t have any of those. Might have some epoxy I could coat the cardboard with.

    That said, from pictures of other such radiators, mine appears to be normal. How do the the others keep from shorting out their cards?

  • as in glass? cut fingers?

    pcb is easier, cheaper, ie, radio shack,

    it would be easier/better to coat/soak a piece of cloth. again, be sure epoxy is _high_temp_.

    i would agree.

    because of stiffness of the heat carriage tubes, may not need to worry.

    now that you are aware, be careful when working inside box.

    check before closing.

    do not drop box at angle that may cause shorting. ((GBWG))

    in closing,

    “NPI” Non Procrastination of the Infinitesimal.

    aka,

    “D3S” | “DSSS” Don’t Sweat the Small Shit.

  • You are suggesting that the heat pipes might support the radiator and keep it off its board?

    Now that I look again, that appears to be the case. Not only that, the radiator is tilted so that only the right front corner is close to the board. That area of the board is empty except for a UPC sticker.

  • this is true.

    (BWG)

    i notice that also.

    who said we who engineer do not know how to think? ;-)

    you would be very surprised at just how much time is spent in trying to “tear down” a new system design. heat sinking is an on going challenge.

    ic voltage levels where dropped for 2 main reasons, switching rate time and heat build up.

    the main reason for the design of transistors was to decrease size of a cpu so that it would fit in an aerospace craft. be it a ‘sputnik’ or a ‘mars rover’. size is not the problem. heat is and seems like it always will be.

    when electrons flow in a confined space, hit will be produced.

    i would say that your biggest worry is if you are adding or removing a card and drop the back plain screw behind the high side of the head sink and it happens to short a solder or transition point.

    for sure, be careful of dropping anything metallic inside a computer box. especially if laid with pcb at bottom.

    “npi”, but always, “cyoa”.

  • uh, don’t kick it? I think you said that nothing is wrong. So listen to yourself.

    Ain’t broke. don’t fix it. If it does ever short, shut down and put a thin, small piece of plastic between the closest point of contact, and electrical tape it in place. There may already be one there…. or… exercise the warranty?

    Or replace the cooler and/or video card with a less obnoxious one from newegg.

  • well I bet the heatpipes would work well as an attachment point when using the system as anchorage for aquatic vehicles.

  • Not I.

    No, I wouldn’t.

    What surprises me is that its current mechanical arrangement corresponds to its orignal design. To me, the radiator seemed to have fallen down. For all I knew, it might have been held up by persuasion.

  • lol. i can understand.

    that or a good threat. ;-)

    from what all you are becoming aware of, w/ lm_sensors running, i would slap a “good to go” label on card and “enjoy the view”.

  • The design will be deliberate such as to allow the heat to flow upwards along the angle of the radiator fins.

    Steve