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Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc?

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mcdent at gmail

Nov 16, 2009, 7:14 AM

Post #1 of 7 (694 views)
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Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc?

Hi (again)
I'm considering using an AMD Athlon II X2 240 (socket AM3) processor
in my new mythtv system:-

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=384979&CatId=2481

I'm going to use the Antec Fusion case, which is 140mm high.

I'm wondering which heatsink I can use for this processor, I assume it
runs fairly cool, and can I get away without using a fan.

Any recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks again!
Mike
UK
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beww at beww

Nov 16, 2009, 7:29 AM

Post #2 of 7 (642 views)
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Re: Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc? [In reply to]

On Monday 16 November 2009 08:14:58 Mike Dent wrote:
> Hi (again)
> I'm considering using an AMD Athlon II X2 240 (socket AM3) processor
> in my new mythtv system:-
>
> http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3849
>79&CatId=2481
>
> I'm going to use the Antec Fusion case, which is 140mm high.
>
> I'm wondering which heatsink I can use for this processor, I assume it
> runs fairly cool, and can I get away without using a fan.
>
> Any recommendations would be welcome.

I would not try running without a fan. Technically it would void the CPU's
warranty (not that they have any way of knowing what you're doing), and with
any of the available speed control mechanisms you could reduce the fan noise
to very low levels. You are supposed to use an "approved" heatsink/fan
combination. Some vendors will not honor the warranty unless you order
an "approved" cooling unit on the same invoice, but that's pretty rare.

I'm using this with an AM3:

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CMDK8-7152D-A5-GP-PB&cat=CPU

Cheap, and it has a ball-bearing fan.

My main concern is reliability and not noise, I'm sick to death of fans
failing on me.

--
Brian Wood
beww [at] beww
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james at ultratans

Nov 16, 2009, 8:01 AM

Post #3 of 7 (650 views)
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Re: Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc? [In reply to]

Mike Dent wrote:
> Hi (again)
> I'm considering using an AMD Athlon II X2 240 (socket AM3) processor
> in my new mythtv system:-
>
> http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=384979&CatId=2481
>
> I'm going to use the Antec Fusion case, which is 140mm high.
>
> I'm wondering which heatsink I can use for this processor, I assume it
> runs fairly cool, and can I get away without using a fan.
>
> Any recommendations would be welcome.
>
> Thanks again!
> Mike
> UK
>
I have a Phenom II quad-core 3.0 GHz (95W) CPU running with stock
heatsink and fan. The CPU temps in my full tower case hit the high 30oC
range with all 4 cores at 100% load. The northbridge gets hotter. I have
4 x 80mm < 20 db case fans. I never hear the CPU fan over the hard drive
noise and I have WD Green "quiet" drives. I would not worry much over
the CPU fan noise unless you are building a completely silent system.
Hard drive noise will likely be much more noticeable than CPU fan noise.

I have built a few systems with Antec Fusion cases and setting the 120mm
fans on low makes them nearly silent. I used 45W dual core CPUs and the
systems were very quiet.

Cheers,
James

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mcdent at gmail

Nov 16, 2009, 8:22 AM

Post #4 of 7 (636 views)
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Re: Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc? [In reply to]

2009/11/16 James Crow <james [at] ultratans>:
> Mike Dent wrote:
>>
>> Hi (again)
>> I'm considering using an AMD Athlon II X2 240 (socket AM3) processor
>> in my new mythtv system:-
>>
>>
>> http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=384979&CatId=2481
>>
>> I'm going to use the Antec Fusion case, which is 140mm high.
>>
>> I'm wondering which heatsink I can use for this processor, I assume it
>> runs fairly cool, and can I get away without using a fan.
>>
>> Any recommendations would be welcome.
>>
>> Thanks again!
>> Mike
>> UK
>>
>
> I have a Phenom II quad-core 3.0 GHz (95W) CPU running with stock heatsink
> and fan. The CPU temps in my full tower case hit the high 30oC range with
> all 4 cores at 100% load. The northbridge gets hotter. I have 4 x 80mm < 20
> db case fans. I never hear the CPU fan over the hard drive noise and I have
> WD Green "quiet" drives. I would not worry much over the CPU fan noise
> unless you are building a completely silent system. Hard drive noise will
> likely be much more noticeable than CPU fan noise.
>
> I have built a few systems with Antec Fusion cases and setting the 120mm
> fans on low makes them nearly silent. I used 45W dual core CPUs and the
> systems were very quiet.
>
> Cheers,
> James

Thanks James, looks like I will go with the stock AMD heatsink/fan then.
Glad to know the Fusion cases are a good choice!

Mike

>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users [at] mythtv
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>
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raymond at wagnerrp

Nov 16, 2009, 8:50 AM

Post #5 of 7 (643 views)
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Re: Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc? [In reply to]

Mike Dent wrote:
> Hi (again)
> I'm considering using an AMD Athlon II X2 240 (socket AM3) processor
> in my new mythtv system:-
>
> http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=384979&CatId=2481
>
> I'm going to use the Antec Fusion case, which is 140mm high.
>
> I'm wondering which heatsink I can use for this processor, I assume it
> runs fairly cool, and can I get away without using a fan.
>

As other people have mentioned, it is a mistake to run a processor, or
really any piece of electronics over a couple watts, fanless unless the
case is specifically designed to. There are a handful of cases where
the outside is designed like a giant heatsink, and there are heatpipes
to connect the various parts to it. You just need more airflow than
natural convection and provide.

That said, your case already provides the fans. Because of the design
of that case, the heatsink will bump up against the two side exhaust
fans, and you just need to get a heatsink that will work in that
direction. The traditional vertical heatsinks that blow down on the
board will not work, nor will most upright heatsinks that intended for
airflow towards the back of the case. Something like a Scythe Ninja
will probably do well.

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finlay at moeraki

Nov 16, 2009, 9:49 AM

Post #6 of 7 (654 views)
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Re: Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc? [In reply to]

Mike Dent wrote:
> Hi (again)
> I'm considering using an AMD Athlon II X2 240 (socket AM3) processor
> in my new mythtv system:-
>
> http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=384979&CatId=2481
>
> I'm going to use the Antec Fusion case, which is 140mm high.
>
> I'm wondering which heatsink I can use for this processor, I assume it
> runs fairly cool, and can I get away without using a fan.
>
> Any recommendations would be welcome.
>
>

The Scythe SCMNJ-1000 80mm Sleeve "NINJA MINI" CPU Cooler was developed
for the Antec Fusion and NSK2480 cases to allow a "fanless" heatsink
since the case fans can be used for cooling due to the proximity of the
case fans to the heatsink. I have used these successfully in 2 of my FEs
using NSK2480s. It looks like this heatsink is no longer available but I
think there is a newer heatsink available that should work the same.

John
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dominic.coulombe at gmail

Nov 16, 2009, 10:33 AM

Post #7 of 7 (628 views)
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Re: Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon II X2 proc? [In reply to]

>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Mike Dent <mcdent [at] gmail>
> To: Discussion about mythtv <mythtv-users [at] mythtv>
> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:14:58 +0000
> Subject: [mythtv-users] Recommendation for fanless heatsing with AMD Athlon
> II X2 proc?
>
[...]

> I'm going to use the Antec Fusion case, which is 140mm high.
>
> I'm wondering which heatsink I can use for this processor, I assume it
> runs fairly cool, and can I get away without using a fan.
>
[...]

Hi,

I am using the Antec NSK2480 enclosure, which is about the same as the
Fusion, but without LCD and volume knob.

My CPU is an Intel E8400 dual core running at 3GHz. My cooler is a Scythe
Ninja Mini Rev.B CPU Cooler. I do not run any fan on this cooler. I run a
Folding [at] Hom client on this machine, so CPU usage is always at 100% on both
cores. Core temperature never goes beyond 55 degrees Celsius, with an
average temp of 50 degree Celsius, which is way below the max safe temp of
this chip. My two 120mm exhaust fans are running at 1/3 of the max speed.

I also have an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ EE CPU running at 2GHz cooled with the
same cooler in the same enclosure. Max temp are about the same on this CPU.

Here is the cooler I use on these machines :
http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/cpu/045/scmnj1100-detail.html

Regards,
Dominic Coulombe

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