[SOLVED] GPU backplate gets too hot

[yesyesloud]

Hey pals. Here you go some questions as usual.

Should I keep my 7990 backplate on or just take it off due to overheat?

It has thermal pads for vrams. I read it helps dissipate heat (1-2ºc), but it seems to be holding lots of heat for a long time instead, since there's no dedicated cooling on the back of the card.

It feels like 100ºc+ after game sessions. Edit: they are 110ºc+ during heavy gaming.

Plus, the backplate doesn't relate to the main cooling system by any means, so it's basically on its own.

Some guy on another forum said it actually increases heat from his extensive experience, who knows though...


Seems to me it's more like "thermos".


Does anyone else have a card with backplate touching vrams? Will keeping it off do any harm (or any good)?


Thanks
_

PS: I didn't mention core or vrm1/vrm2 temperature readings, they are all good, those chips are fine on the well cooled side of the card.

However, something seems strange about the ~105ºc backplate, not designed for active cooling, sharing heat with half of the vrams on the back of the board with its thermal pads.

My case is always open and lying horizontally. Apart from decent ventilation, hot air goes up and all.
_


Solution: backplate off unless customized with sinks fit for active cooling.

Important remarks:

You could try this new to market heatsink:
View attachment 63194
or try these, stuck to the back plate, or the like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...835&cm_re=heatsink-_-9SIA3TR18A6835-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...5708154&cm_re=heatsink-_-35-708-154-_-Product

^This..stick some sinks all over it

That's what will make any sort of air cooling useful on a sometimes even 120ºc+ backplate not designed for active cooling.

image: http://imagescdn.tweaktown.com/news/4/3/43953_02_closest-look-nvidia-geforce-gtx-titan-here.jpg
The Titan X has had its backplate removed, which I'm sure is because the GM200 GPU powering the Titan X and its 12GB of VRAM runs much hotter than the GTX 980. The GTX 980's backplate gets ridiculously hot as it is, so I think this is a great move by NVIDIA and something that needed to be done in order to keep the card from getting too hot.

Titan X has twice the 7990 vram ammount, including on the board reverse. NVIDIA decided it should go plateless. Must be a good move.

I don't really think that what makes the backplate hot is VRAM, I can assure you that after hours of benching on absurd voltages and insane memory frequencies I could touch my GPUs VRAM even when benching and they were warm at best. (Talking about my current GPUs now)

From my experience what made hot my 6990 backplates was the INSANE heat the two chips close to eachother were outputting.

I'm pretty sure it's the voltage regulation circuitry that radiates most of the heat to the backplate.

The post above brought me an important conclusion as to taking off the plate for now:

Let's suppose the big source of warmth is the pcb itself not vrams... My 7990 backplate has been 100ºc+ most of the time and its thermal pads (designed for thermal conduction) touch back vrams exclusively. As it features no decent cooling design, then this plate definitely transfers great, unnecessary heat to those vrams.

 

[qubit]

A metal backplate actually keeps the card cooler. Also, it reduces the twisting stresses on the board, preventing it from bending. These two things help to prolong the life of your card so don't remove it.

This is a dual GPU card which puts out a lot of heat, so I suggest you improve the airflow through your case to deal with it. You should then see more reasonable temps.

 

[Law-II]

Hi

This is a dual GPU card which puts out a lot of heat, so I suggest you improve the airflow through your case to deal with it

This ^^ ^^ ^^ In system specs it mentions that the side or the case is open; having the side of the case open dose not improve air flow it still allows air to stagnate in pockets around components rather than forcing heat away from them.

I own a HD7990 this is normal for that vga card under load. [Tip: to improve temps; I use frame limiter and v-sync]
Note: thermal pads are attached to the back plate to remove heat from the VRAM, removing this could increase the chance of PCB creep/warping resulting in the vga card failure.

atb

Law-II

 

[the54thvoid]

What the guys above say. The backplate requires good airflow to remove heat. I had a Titan and it had memory chips on the reverse. Even with water cooling on front, the rear still had a dedicated fan and that was in an open air test bench.

 

[Mussels]

not to mention 'feels like 100C'


get an IR thermometer and test that properly, i doubt you calibrated your fingers recently.

 

[qubit]

not to mention 'feels like 100C'


get an IR thermometer and test that properly, i doubt you calibrated your fingers recently.

Good point.

@yesyesloud What's the temp reading showing within Windows?

 

[radrok]

I'd recommend pointing a fan towards the backplate, should help dissipating heat from it.

Anyway don't worry AMD dual GPUs are built to take the heat, my old 6990's backplate would get so hot you couldn't touch it without hurting yourself, it still works today after many years of overclocked 24/7 mining.

 

[OneMoar]

what it feels like is irrelevant,what are the sensors reading anything below 90C is acceptable

 

[Toothless]

It feels like 100ºc+ after game sessions.

Stick your hand in a pot of boiling water and tell us if it feels the same.

 

[jsfitz54]

You could try this new to market heatsink:

or try these, stuck to the back plate, or the like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...835&cm_re=heatsink-_-9SIA3TR18A6835-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...5708154&cm_re=heatsink-_-35-708-154-_-Product

 

[Schmuckley]

As you said just wanted to check my temps, tied to midi case because of space and tower is beside cupboard with water heater in so I don't think I can improve temps in any way.

You could try this new to market heatsink:
View attachment 63194

or try these, stuck to the back plate, or the like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...835&cm_re=heatsink-_-9SIA3TR18A6835-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...5708154&cm_re=heatsink-_-35-708-154-_-Product

^This..stick some sinks all over it

 

[yesyesloud]

A metal backplate actually keeps the card cooler. Also, it reduces the twisting stresses on the board, preventing it from bending. These two things help to prolong the life of your card so don't remove it.
This is a dual GPU card which puts out a lot of heat, so I suggest you improve the airflow through your case to deal with it. You should then see more reasonable temps.

I am not really having temp issues according to gpu-z readings.

I'm actually worried about that frying pan on the back of the card.

I have two 120mm fans adapted beside the open side of the case blowing to the card direction, they don't seem to cool the backplate in the slightest.

Hi
This ^^ ^^ ^^ In system specs it mentions that the side or the case is open; having the side of the case open dose not improve air flow it still allows air to stagnate in pockets around components rather than forcing heat away from them.
I own a HD7990 this is normal for that vga card under load. [Tip: to improve temps; I use frame limiter and v-sync]
Note: thermal pads are attached to the back plate to remove heat from the VRAM, removing this could increase the chance of PCB creep/warping resulting in the vga card failure.
atb
Law-II

I can ensure you airflow is not a problem. I have a lot of fans around my case. When it's closed (with the due fans blowing air in and out) temps are ~5c higher on most components.

What the guys above say. The backplate requires good airflow to remove heat. I had a Titan and it had memory chips on the reverse. Even with water cooling on front, the rear still had a dedicated fan and that was in an open air test bench.

Interesting. Mere extra fans haven't even yielded placebo effects on that plate until now. I should get a dedicated cooling solution for the board reverse.

not to mention 'feels like 100C'
get an IR thermometer and test that properly, i doubt you calibrated your fingers recently.

Done. 104ºc. You're right, my fingers weren't exactly accurate.

What's the temp reading showing within Windows?

what it feels like is irrelevant,what are the sensors reading anything below 90C is acceptable

They're good. But only 2 vrms get readings, so that's not the best reference regarding what's going on on the dark side of the board.

I'd recommend pointing a fan towards the backplate, should help dissipating heat from it.
Anyway don't worry AMD dual GPUs are built to take the heat, my old 6990's backplate would get so hot you couldn't touch it without hurting yourself, it still works today after many years of overclocked 24/7 mining.

Having big fans towards the backplate doesn't seem to do much though as it's not a very efficient heatsink for air cooling, but I'll keep them for now.

Thanks for sharing your experience btw, knowing that info is what relieves me the most at the moment.

Stick your hand in a pot of boiling water and tell us if it feels the same.

Not the best analogy. I can't even touch the backplate when it's hot but for a tiny fraction of a second

You could try this new to market heatsink:
View attachment 63194
or try these, stuck to the back plate, or the like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...835&cm_re=heatsink-_-9SIA3TR18A6835-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...5708154&cm_re=heatsink-_-35-708-154-_-Product

^This..stick some sinks all over it

Those will probably work better than the backplate with my extra 120mm fans on the side of the case blowing on the card. Thanks.

 

[AsRock]

Leave back plate on and see if you can find a good 120mmX12mm fan to put on it if it's that much of a concern.

 

[Schmuckley]

leave the backplate on...and stick the sinks on it..
Do NOT stick sinks onto a bare card..
I've lost 2-3 just from sinks slipping
..then point a fan at it and watch the temps drop

 

[yesyesloud]

leave the backplate on...and stick the sinks on it..
Do NOT stick sinks onto a bare card..
I've lost 2-3 just from sinks slipping
..then point a fan at it and watch the temps drop

I have some experience with slipping sinks from installing a gelid icy vision aftermarket cooler on my old 7970... I left my pc case upside down so that small vrm sinks wouldn't slip/fall though . It's not that dangerous to stick sinks on vrams if they're designed for it.

Anyway, it seems to be an interesting idea to stick sinks on the backplate, better for cooling down that pan. I'm probably adopting it. Great call.

 

[rtwjunkie]

If temps are 5 c higher with the side on, then you have an airflow problem. Having a gazillion fans won't help things unless you know what the airflow map is.

As @Law-II points out, you need the side on. Systems are designed to be wind tunnels, with the side on. You should strive for slightly positive air pressure, because that helps keep dust out. But having air pressure TOO high, or TOO low will raise temperatures.

If you get the fan flow set up right, you shouldn't ever need to take the side off.

 

[yesyesloud]

If temps are 5 c higher with the side on, then you have an airflow problem. Having a gazillion fans won't help things unless you know what the airflow map is.

As @Law-II points out, you need the side on. Systems are designed to be wind tunnels, with the side on. You should strive for slightly positive air pressure, because that helps keep dust out. But having air pressure TOO high, or TOO low will raise temperatures.

If you get the fan flow set up right, you shouldn't ever need to take the side off.

Sorreh, case airflow freaks are pretty irrelevant in this thread.

I'm happy with the side off, specially after testing all "wind tunneling" possibilities on my current setup, I certainly don't need the side on, but thanks for your very kind, off-topic suggestion.

Mere case airflow cannot cool 100ºc+ backplate heat dissipated from back vrms.

That plate is not a heatsink designed for air cooling, unlike the one on gpu cores. It just "pulls" heat from vrms, although it's actually more efficient at keeping the card stiff than cooling it overall. No further functionality out of the box.

I already thanked those who helped with actually relevant suggestions. If anybody else knows of significant solutions for this very particular "problem" (some users pointed out back plates are normally hot), just let me know.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Look thru my posting history for 7years. Im not a case airflow freak. Far from it.

It most likely IS relevant, because by not sending the air needed over your card, you are contributing to the backplate heat you are concerned about.

When you make a post, you list a problem, because you dont know the solution. Who sre YOU to decide whats relevant or not? If you knew the solution,, you'd not be here asking for assistance.

Finally, yes, the backplate is a heatsink. It should be hot. It needs directed airflow to be effective, like any heatsink.

 

[Cartel]

sounds like the plate is doing its job....its hot the circuitry isn't.
Taking it off would be a bad idea

 

[yesyesloud]

Look thru my posting history for 7years. Im not a case airflow freak. Far from it.

It most likely IS relevant, because by not sending the air needed over your card, you are contributing to the backplate heat you are concerned about.

When you make a post, you list a problem, because you dont know the solution. Who sre YOU to decide whats relevant or not? If you knew the solution,, you'd not be here asking for assistance.

I am absolutely sure that sticking heatsinks to the backplate and cooling them directly is light years ahead of a supposedly better airflow on an open, already well ventilated case. Weren't it for @jsfitz54 and @Schmuckley, I wouldn't have figured out that effective option for this specific situation.

I was asking for new ideas, not obvious ones (not to mention already pointed out). After all, I simply want to cool down that plate decently and that's it.

Two 120mm fans are blowing from the "outside world" towards the backplate. There can't be heat pockets over that area, air is rather cold in there, but that plate is not fit for air cooling in general anyway.

Yes, I decide what is the best solution for my setup, thanks goddesses.

sounds like the plate is doing its job....its hot the circuitry isn't.
Taking it off would be a bad idea

I truly hope so.
Stock gpu cooling systems aren't usually great, I had to fix some and always ended up replacing them with something remarkably better... And I'm talking air.
I furmarked the card without the plate. No much difference on vram1 or vram2 chips, but the cores run slightly cooler.
I will put the backplate back on, regardless, and get to cool it, as vrams on the board reverse are at least as hot as their plate.

 

[rtwjunkie]

I'm glad you decided what the solution was. I was talking RELEVANCE. All answers are relevant, because you cannot make an informed decision with half the information.

THEN you can make the decision what is the best solution. So obviously you are getting snippy over us talking about two different terms.
I am pleased that you are satisfied with your solution.

 

[yesyesloud]

m-k... Let me say case closed thrice for big plus extra relevance. If you know what I mean

 

[rtwjunkie]

LMAO. You really don't get it. Why antagonize members and by extension other members who value their contributions, just because you don't like their response or advice to your request for help?

You simply had to not take my advice, but you decided to make it personal, even knowing nothing about me. Quite frankly, this is a small, POLITE community for the most part, attitudes frowned on. Please try and remember that, sir.

Good luck to you in your PC endeavors, and I do look forward to our interactions on TPU again in the future, since it's a relatively small community. Maybe you'll be able to help me!

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

@rtwjunkie

+ 1

Spoiler: Help is at hand

 

[Daemmon]

As much as I hate backplates I kinda understand their usage in cards like yours.

I wouldn't worry about the temp of the backplate as long as the rest of the temps are decent. But, since some heat will dissipate from the PCB to the Backplate, if you manage to lower the temps a bit you may shave a couple ºC.

On the offtopic, next time someone suggests something that you THINK/KNOW won't work, skip it, or say thanks and move along, as in the end you will do whatever you seem better for your particular scenario.