Mounted waterblock to my GTX470 - can i boot with no water?

T

TheMolecularMan

n00b
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Jul 8, 2008
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So basically, I just mounted two EK blocks to my two GTX470s. They definitely worked before, and I installed them with no problems, but...

...before I go through the hassle of adding these newly modified cards to a brand new loop, can I just plug each card individually into my 'work-bench' computer to see if they still work? Because it would be the pits if I get the loop running, and now one of these cards is dead.

That means there would be no water pumping through block. I don't think this would be a problem, as I'm only going to boot it for a brief 30-seconds, and the Nickle-plated copper heatsink from EK should handle the heat..

Just wanted to make sure...
 
i wouldnt do that.... chances are they could be damaged.

Just fill the loop...problem after you fill just unscrew the block
 
I wouldn't recommend it either. The GT470 uses 33W in idle mode, which is only slightly under the peak TDP of single slot passive cooled cards. Your waterblock is a much poorer heatsink than a dedicated passive heatsink.
 
I wouldn't risk it, unless it's rather cold outside (under 5c), do it out there with a fan on it also, should be ok to boot. But i would NOT do it @ room temperature.
 
Assuming you have the blocks on there properly, you should actually be fine. I know from experience because I was one of the early ones who realized even before Swiftec did that their MCW-80 blocks didn't sit flush on the GTX 470s. Nonetheless, I "installed" the block dry and booted up the system to see how much contact was being made with a layer of thermal goop I'd applied. As soon as Windows booted, I quickly checked the temps in MSI Afterburner and one card was climbing from 70 C and the other one was rapidly climbing into 100 C before I switched off the PSU.

So in your case, with the block actually making contact, you *should* have enough time to at least boot into Windows and verify that your cards are recognized.
 
If you had an extra pump, radiator and fan, you could do that.
I don't think acetal is going to transfer the heat.

I wouldn't do it.

Besides, if you get to windows and discover that the cards don't work, how are you going to be certain that you didn't fry the cards?

Now, the one thing you may be able to do, is to install them one at a time and use them as the sole display device, turn on your computer, do you see a post screen? Ok it works... shut off...

I still wouldn't even do that.
 
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