Cooling in Bitfenix Colossus Mini - GPU overheats unless side panel off?

[chippytea]

Hey all,

Have only just gotten into PC gaming again, and built myself a new little rig :

Bitfenix Colossus Mini ITX
MSI Z97i Gaming ACK
Intel i5 4690K @ 4.4GHz with Noctua NH U9B SE2
EVGA GTX 780 FTW ACX Dual BIOS

... and obviously RAM, SSD, HDD, e.t.c.

Cooling is taken care of by :

1 x 20cm Coolermaster Megaflow (front intake)
1 x 14cm Xigmatek XLF1453 (rear exhaust)
2 x 12cm Bitfenix 12025KK (top exhaust - these were the stock front / rear installed in the case)

These are controlled by my Zalman manual 5 channel fan controller, I run the intake and top exhausts at max as they are still quiet, and the rear exhaust at about 75% as at 100% it's a bit loud.

My problem is that the GPU runs too hot even at stock (hits 80c and throttles, with loads of fan noise) with the side panel on - my fault for getting a GPU which isn't a blower style in a small case I suppose.

However if I pop the side panel off, I can run it with a 100MHz overclock (1202MHz) and it sits at 64/65c nice and quiet without a problem!

I guess I'm just shocked, I thought with all my fans in this wouldn't be an issue. My question is should I just modify the side panel, or would I be better swapping the GPU for one with a blower design - or would that still be an issue due to clearance from the side panel?

I'm honestly thought that cutting a hole in the side panel would mess up cooling in the case, but based on my results so far it's probably a good idea?!

Any advice at all would be appreciated

 

[tinytomlogan]

GPU's need to breathe matey and theres not going to be a lot of it in that case sadly.

You could try custom mounting it and using a PCIE riser

 

[chippytea]

GPU's need to breathe matey and theres not going to be a lot of it in that case sadly.

You could try custom mounting it and using a PCIE riser

Ta for the advice, didn't expect a reply from you personally (love the YouTube reviews!)

I've seen other people custom mount GPUs using risers but being such a cramped case anyway I really wouldn't know where to mount it

It's awkward - I knew thermals might be an issue when I went for the case but thought that filling it with fans would help (since I had spares from old builds).

Not even convinced a blower design GPU would be a great move since it'll still be trying to pull air from the side panel (restricted airflow).

Well, looks like I've got to decide whether to find a Dremel or swap cases

 

[tinytomlogan]

Blower wouldnt make any difference - why not take your GPU out and try moving it round your rig - on the floor at the front is the only thing in my mind tbh

 

[Feronix]

Blower wouldnt make any difference - why not take your GPU out and try moving it round your rig - on the floor at the front is the only thing in my mind tbh

I think a blower style cooler would make a difference in an ITX case.

It takes the intake nearly directly from the front fan and the exhausts it out the back, thus nearly unable to warm up any other components including itself like on the non-reference designs.

I run my 760 reference in an ITX case and it peaks at 80 degrees (as per GPU Boost 2.0) while overclocking itself to over 1200 MHz.

Your GPU hitting 80 degrees is completely fine as that one also supports GPU Boost 2.0, meaning it will overclock itself as far as it can while staying within that 80 degree threshold. What are the clock speeds when you stress the card?



These are my temps in a Phenom with a 230mm Spectre Pro at 5 volts (900:12x5= 375RPM) in the front and a single Spectre Pro PWM 120mm in the back on the Corsair H60 rad. Mind you this was on a late autumn day so delta temps weren't high, but generally it does the same while going to 80 degrees maximum.

 

[NoobCase]

You could try to fit AIO 140 or 120 unit to the GPU with a bracket like the NZXT G10. It did wonders for my 770 in a bitfenix phenom itx. I had a H90 fitted in the front as intake (and to the GPU of course...) an H105 in the top as exhaust and the stock 140mm fan in the rear as intake.

If you don't want to buy new hardware you could always ramp up the speed of your fans to get more airflow?

 

[chippytea]

Thanks everyone for your advice, and apologies for disappearing - been mental at work

Turning all the fans up to max made no difference to GPU cooling, although probably shaved a little off the CPU.

Anyway... I decided that the least logical (but most fun) solution would be to bust out a dremel and cut a giant hole out. Debating what to do next - I'm perfectly happy for it to run with such a large hole (although I'd like some of that rubber stripping to cover the edges), but suppose I could go for mesh or similar.

In any case, airflow is no longer a problem

 

[AlienALX]

OMG Ben, is that you?!?!

 

[chippytea]

OMG Ben, is that you?!?!

Yeah, long time no speak

Ordered some edging for the hole, can't be bothered with mesh

 

[AlienALX]

Yeah, long time no speak

Ordered some edging for the hole, can't be bothered with mesh

Yeah that edging is boss man I used it on my Area 51 when the GPUs were overheating.

Good to see you dude ! I was worried you had disappeared off the face of the earth.

I've not been here long myself.

Awesome to see you pulled back by the PC gear.. How does the old FF adage go?

You'll be back... They always come back.....



Nice rig too man. I've got the all grown up one. It's also crap for air cooling hahaha.

Slap an AIO on the GPU man. I've got an adapter you can have for nothing just fire me your addy.