Zalman CNPS9500LED temps too damn high.

[stevemedes]

Okay, specs are all in sig, using Arctic silver 5.

Vcore set at 1.4 in BIOS, actual is ~1.35, CPU at 3.2ghz.

Temps just messing around in windows is 50C flat, games go to about 57C and Orthos around 65C. System is perfectly stable, but these temps just seemed f*cked to me. Ive tried reseating the heatsink, reapplying AS5. I'm not an idiot and Ive built rigs since I was 13, so it cant possibly be the way I'm mounting it. Does this heatsink just suck this bad? I'd much rather see it idling at 40 and orthos at 55.

Using coretemp btw. TAT corresponds with coretemp so i just use coretemp. BIOS reads it as like 75C from a coldboot. Does this seem screwed to anyone else?

[stevemedes]

I have this feeling coretemp, TAT and my BIOS are all lying to me. The heatsink isn't even hot, isnt even warm. I swear to god im gonna throw this sh*t out the window. TELL ME THE TRUTH YOU MOTHE... :fu:

[sammy sung]

Dont know tbh,my system wont overclock to that level,at default my cpu temp is 32c idle.@2.8ghz its around 37-38 idle but thats as far as ive gone without bsod/registry errors.I'm using the same heatsink and as5 but also 4x120mm fans,2xinlet 2 x exhuast plus a 40mm 5000rpm fan on the nb.

[SlieTheSecond]

I have the same cooler without the LED, same cpu. My Idle temps are right now 47c at 3.4ghz and roughly 1.4v (I don't got pc probe installed atm).

My idle temps a month ago where around 42c. The weather is getting warmer which means my temps are getting warmer too.

Too much AS5 maby?

[stevemedes]

I have a theory, i just noticed the alcohol i used to clean the cpu and heatsink surfaces is only 70%, i just picked up some 91% from CVS so im gonna try reseating it with that and I'll report back to u guys.

[stevemedes]

Yeah so that didnt make a damn bit of difference.
My computer is laughing at me right now, I can tell. It thinks this is funny. Oh well, 50C in windows it is.

[Rytr]

At 55C the heatsink should be getting warm to the touch if it is drawing heat from the processor. The base of the heatsink should be reading almost 55C.
Make sure you are getting good contact on the heatsink's base with the core.

[stevemedes]

At 55C the heatsink should be getting warm to the touch if it is drawing heat from the processor. The base of the heatsink should be reading almost 55C.
Make sure you are getting good contact on the heatsink's base with the core.

Yeah i thought the same thing. But theres really only one way to mount it and as far as I can tell im getting good contact. When i took off the heatsink to remount it there was AS5 on the base of the heatsink itself so I suppose its getting good contact.

[kevJ420]

I've seen smaller, very light push pin hsf's that I've heard are superior to the zalmans and they look like it too. Check out performance pcs. They might have something better.

Also, when you apply the as5, i've thought it was best to spread it, a small amount so there's no air pockets.

Also, make sure you're using the latest bios, if you aren't already.

Also, maybe the 9700 zalmans are more suitable for the core2 duo, but I'm not sure.

I also think there's some kind of voltage setting that may be causing it to run hot.

Finally, I think the Ultra performance model Panaflos are good, you can buy those from performance-pcs, but I've heard a rude guy answers the phone, but I've never called them, and whenever I've ordered everything's been perfect.

[Bman212121]

I guessing it is lying myself. I've had one gigabyte board that I knew was wrong because it was reporting that the FX-60 in it was going over 80C, but the fan wasn't even kicking on full blast.

I was running 48C loaded with the FX-60 @ 2.8 1.5V, that was on the 9500 in the DFI board.

[Bman212121]

I've seen smaller, very light push pin hsf's that I've heard are superior to the zalmans and they look like it too. Check out performance pcs. They might have something better.

Also, when you apply the as5, i've thought it was best to spread it, a small amount so there's no air pockets.

Also, make sure you're using the latest bios, if you aren't already.

Also, maybe the 9700 zalmans are more suitable for the core2 duo, but I'm not sure.

I also think there's some kind of voltage setting that may be causing it to run hot.

Finally, I think the Ultra performance model Panaflos are good, you can buy those from performance-pcs, but I've heard a rude guy answers the phone, but I've never called them, and whenever I've ordered everything's been perfect.

Actually, there are only a few coolers that can even best the Zalman, and they have a lot more metal on them. I'll have to find the link but it was an Anandtech article. EDIT: http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2943&p=3

According to what I've heard, all you need to do to make AS5 work is put a BB sized drop in the center and smash it down, it will spread under the weight of the cooler. I personally prefer to spread it out with a razor blade, and haven't had any problems like that.

[kevJ420]

I've seen what might be a defect. It might be concave, instead of flat (the base)

[Rytr]

The imprint left by AS5 should be consistent across the base. All four corners and the center should have the same consistency otherwise the base or the processor is not flat...usually the base of the heatsink.

[SlieTheSecond]

According to what I've heard, all you need to do to make AS5 work is put a BB sized drop in the center and smash it down, it will spread under the weight of the cooler. I personally prefer to spread it out with a razor blade, and haven't had any problems like that.

Well the AS5 manual says to do that. Well not to smash it down. The pressure of the heat sink will spread it.

I never spread it. You either end up with too much or not enough.

[stevemedes]

Ya check it out, i just reseated it again.

If i put one drop of thermal paste and let the heatsink spread the paste, i get contact.

But, if i spread the paste myself into a thin layer, then put the heatsink on then take the heatsink off to check if the bottom of the heatsink has paste on it, theres NO paste at all on the bottom of the heatsink.

I'm gonna see about contacting Zalman about an RMA.

[Rytr]

When you take it off take a straight-edge and check the base. If you can see light between the base and the straight-edge the base is concave. Either RMA it or draw file it flat with sandpaper. RMA if you are in no hurray otherwise it takes a lot of elbow grease to get it flat and then polishing it to a mirror finish. A lot of overclockers like to polish the base. :D

[stevemedes]

I really dont even want to deal with RMA at this point. I think I still have some high grit sandpaper in my basement left over from when I painted my case so maybe this week I'll sand it down. What I'll probably do is just buy a Tuniq Tower or one of those Thermalright Ultra 120 extreme's. I've had really good experience with Thermalright products in the past.

[Rytr]

Actually draw filing is the wrong term...my mistake, I use to do this first thing to aluminum heatsinks that seem to never have a flat base. The correct term is 'lapping.' You can see what I am talking about here (http://www.bigbruin.com/reviews/lappingguide/index.php?file=1).

[stevemedes]

Actually draw filing is the wrong term...my mistake, I use to do this first thing to aluminum heatsinks that seem to never have a flat base. The correct term is 'lapping.' You can see what I am talking about here (http://www.bigbruin.com/reviews/lappingguide/index.php?file=1).

thanks for the link man :)

[superklye]

Hmm...I'm going to be installing a Zalman CNPS9500AT hopefully tonight assuming my new Lian-Li case arrives as expected...perhaps I'll try out putting a dot of AS5 in the middle of the CPU and letting the heatsink spread it. I've always spread it using a razor in the past, but I've always felt that was a huge PITA. :p


Sorry about your temps, steve. I hope you get it figured out (and that I don't experience something similar...)

EDIT: And I should say...I've got my CPU up to 3.0GHz and I'm idling around 50 (sometimes a bit lower, depending on the room temp) and it never gets above 60C at full load. That's just using the stock Intel heatsink, but I'm only at 1.3v. :o

[methimpikehoses]

I really dont even want to deal with RMA at this point. I think I still have some high grit sandpaper in my basement left over from when I painted my case so maybe this week I'll sand it down. What I'll probably do is just buy a Tuniq Tower or one of those Thermalright Ultra 120 extreme's. I've had really good experience with Thermalright products in the past.

Well the Tuniq Tower is definitely working wonders on my E6600. I have been at 3.5ghz @ 1.41V now for several days and it idles at 33-34C and is mid 40's at gaming and mid 50's on Orthos. Much better than my Zalman 7700. Ultra 120's are supposed to be great too. Good luck!

[superklye]

Holy sh!t!

I put the non-LED version of this on my CPU last night finally, in conjunction with my new Lian-Li G70 case, and the CPU is idling at about 40C now and only gets up to 46C under full load at 3.0GHz!

w00t!

I bet it'd be even cooler if it wasn't started to warm up outside and my apartment wasn't on the top floor with all of the heat from below rising up.

Man...this HSF ROCKS!

[stevemedes]

Holy sh!t!

I put the non-LED version of this on my CPU last night finally, in conjunction with my new Lian-Li G70 case, and the CPU is idling at about 40C now and only gets up to 46C under full load at 3.0GHz!

w00t!

I bet it'd be even cooler if it wasn't started to warm up outside and my apartment wasn't on the top floor with all of the heat from below rising up.

Man...this HSF ROCKS!

It only goes up 6C under load? After orthos for a few hours and in coretemp? Wow.

[superklye]

No, just using Prime95 after about 20 minutes (I was in a rush this morning :p). I'll give it a more thorough testing this weekend.

[Demon_82]

My experience is that the CNPS 9500 LED may not be the best cooler, but it's perfectly capable to handle your setup. It's currently holding my E6600 @ 3'5GHz/1'52v between 47º on iddle and 53º on full load. Yeah, isn't very cold in iddle, but it almost doesn't go up in full load. And i'm talking of full load as in Orthos during a couple of hours or more.