[Solved] Solution for sli heat problem

I have two msi gtx 560 ti cards. I've done everything I can with air cooling and do not like the results. Would it be possible to improve their cooling with wc just on the cards? I'm very happy with my noctua CPU fan and would rather not replace it. If this is a good solution what do I need to learn and where would be able to purchase the wc system?

Also my psu and case are designed to house a wc system I just decided against for the time.

Your cpu fan is fine. I had a similar issue with Sli'ing. I have a P6T MB in a Silverstone RV01 Case. Both the GTX275's and GTX560ti's had one card over heat. Went out and spent $100 in highflow fans, with no change. I did not try liquid cooling. I eventually took them back and got a single GTX580, which I later ended up trading back in for a 6990 4gb. My solution (although not one that you would like to hear) is to take your 560's back and get a 580 instead. Good luck!!

If you are selling your 560 ti's how much and what brand?

What temps are you seeing at load on the cards?

$150/ea? I'm more an EVGA guy, but worth considering.

It sounds like you have a major airflow issue.

What kind of pet did you get, a wooly mammoth?

580 is a lot hotter than 560 TI. If you go with 580 then you'll have more heat problems. You probably can improve your temp with proper wire management & removing some clutter. Looking at you case, you seems to have a big case but the wire management is extremely poor. You can hide those wires in the back of the case. Maybe remove the drive bay at the back of the front intake fan (not necessary if you can just hide those wires blocking the airflow of the intake fan). The problem with your set up is that it's too constrictive (even if you only have the (2) small TI video cards with no other PCI components sandwitched between the two) & that there's hardly any space for the cool air getting inside to circulate & then get suck by your exhaust fans.

Also change the orientation of your CPU cooler. The flow of hot air in that CPU cooler fan might be going down directly into your video cards (check your fan air direction). See to it that it's facing towards the back exhaust fan.

Even if the CPU fans is moving air upward (not downward) he still will have some problems with heat even if he put an exhaust fan on the top of the case. As you can see in the picture, the air getting suck if it being moved upwards are mainly hot air form the video cards.

Proper orientation of the CPU air cooler in a must on this build. Making sure that the air getting suck in is cooler air & exhausted in the back exhaust fan.

GPUs really don't go into thermal shutdown until 100+ Celsius. You should have 100% performance even at 70-80C, but it's a lot higher than I'd want them to run...it would at least shorten lifespan.

2 things kill electronics- heat and excessive/erratic voltages

That cpu cooler is working very well actually and I mounted it like that to help move heat away from the video cards. Most of the clutter is the extra cords on my psu which I really can't do much about aside from getting a new psu. There is a larger exhaust fan on the top of the case.

I considered reversing the side case fan to exhaust and top to intake and turning my cpu cooler any thoughts on this? Also, I'll look about moving those extra wires but, I'm not sure there is any good place for them and they can't be removed unfortunately.

Thanks unksol

This is exactly what I was saying- I don't understand the selection for the best answer...it basically went along with the OP's current design. There is a real problem with how that cooler is oriented.

Oh well, it isn't my hardware that's getting BBQ'd....

I still can't understand why you would mount a cooler like that, install SLI cards and say, 'yeah, I bet that really cools well'.

This is what happens when people are perfectly fine with mediocrity. There was a reason he initially posted, but looked for the answer that meant he shouldn't change a damn thing.

Sounds like laziness to me, but again, not my hardware. That CPU cooler needs to be remounted 90 degrees, either way.