2nd graphics card is running hot while the other is fairly cool?

[JohnnyScience]

Ok this has been going on for some time.

I've got two dual video cards on my computer. I have two 19" dell monitors & one 22" monitor & my 46" samsung lcd that becomes the 4th when its hooked up (which right now it isnt)

I built this computer 2 years ago, ran a Nvidia 9600GT for a few months & added a 9800GT With the 3 monitors and ran it great for almost a year. Then I started running into problems.

I had the 9600GT burn out, sent it to Asus, they replaced it. It burnt out again.

They sent be a 9800GT replacement.

I took the original 9800GT and put it in PCIx2 to do an experiment and put the new one in PCIx1

Now for some reason the old card which has been working fine seems to be running on the hotter side, while the new card seems fairly cool.

The one on the right has been the slot giving me problems & is currently the one running hot.

They are both hooked up with power. I'm running

8g ram
Intel Quad core Q6600
Asus P5k LGA 775
2T HDD
500G HDD
80G HDD
Sony DVD player that sucks & doesnt seem to work half the time (I'm upgrading to bluray soon anyways)
Rosewill RX630-S-B 630W ATX12V v2.2 & EPS12V v2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire

Any idea whats going on? Is a hot graphics card something to worry about? I'm going to monitor it with the top open to catch it in case something starts to happen.

It just sucks I have to baby my machine like this when it was working fine for so long.

Suggestions?

Could it be the PCI slot? I dont think its the power supply because everything is working fine & I've never had any problems with it.

On top of that I've got two of the three monitors plugged into the cool card while the 22" is running on it's own on the hot card?

Nothing makes any sense.

Some people say it's impossible for it to be the PCI slot.

I'm going to swap power cables tomorrow just forge hell of it to see if the other one gets hot tomorrow.

I'm sure it could be spread further apart of things were ideal. But it's already a pretty big case to begin with (Origen 10 or 11 maybe, I forget the exact model #)

 

[Dwarf]

Air flow problem? Try removing the lefthand card and see what that does as regards the temperature of the other one.

 

[tezlewis]

Sounds like liquid cooling would be better to be honest. Looking at the picture seems to show a very cramped case!

 

[stormy13]

The card in the second slot is probably running hot due to the fan being blocked by the sound card. To see if that is what is causing it pull the sound card and then see what temps the second card gets.

 

[JohnnyScience]

Ok I pulled the PCIx1 card that was running fine to see if the hot one will run cooler today.

Its a fairly big case, just a lot of stuff in there I guess. Its the Asus Mobo that has the pci slots as close as they are...

A liquid system would be sweet but way more than I can afford.

What doesnt make any sense is this system ran fine for a year with both video cards & everything else with the cover on under a tv stand that allowed even less air flow & it ran perfect.

I just booted the computer up with the 1 graphics card, so far its not hot, but we'll see how it is after a few hours.

What kind of case mods can I do if it is an air flow is an issue? I have to have both video cards, so a solution has to be found.

Thanks.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Try using this Antec spot cooler. I will direct air to the hotter GPU !
Antec.com - Product: Spot Cool

 

[JohnnyScience]

Try using this Antec spot cooler. I will direct air to the hotter GPU !
Antec.com - Product: Spot Cool

hmm that is a pretty neat little fan. I'll keep it in mind for sure. I'm hoping to find the root of the problem & if its air flow something like that would help out in tight spaces!

 

[vierasniper]

you could crank up the fan on the hot card.

try this |MG| EVGA Precision 2.0.1 Download

 

[JohnnyScience]

you could crank up the fan on the hot card.

try this |MG| EVGA Precision 2.0.1 Download

Hmm, could this be bad for the card?

it's already running pretty fast it seems. I wont rely solely on this as a fix, but will do it in addtion to perhaps.

There are also 2 PCI slots in between the cards, so I'm going to pop the covers off those to help with the air flow.

I would put a fan on the back to help draw air out, but it would have to be a rectangle & go vertical between the two cards on the back of the box.

 

[vierasniper]

no its not bad for the card, just crank it up when you do serious gaming.


edit: Could you post a different picture at a different angle?
i can barely make sense of the one you have

 

[JohnnyScience]

no its not bad for the card, just crank it up when you do serious gaming.

I dont do much gaming but do serious computer work hence the 4 monitors.

 

[vierasniper]

still, if you use applications that require a dedicated card, it couldnt hurt to keep it a wee bit cooler.

 

[Dwarf]

Does the side panel have ventilation holes over the graphic cards? If not, have some put in (if you don't feel comfortable about doing so, get someone who does to do it for you).

 

[fseal]

Wasn't super clear about how you had things hgooked up but it is common for a card with two monitors hooked up (and powered on ) to run hotter than the same card with only one. In some cases the difference can be quite extreme.

So if you are testing, make sure each card has only one monitor hooked up and prefereable the same resolution...

 

[JohnnyScience]

Try using this Antec spot cooler. I will direct air to the hotter GPU !
Antec.com - Product: Spot Cool

How effective do you think this fan is? I think I'm going to buy it. I just opened up the rest of the pci plate covers for addtional airflow & can blow air right between the two cards from inside and as you can see its a little alley way & that little tube would fit perfect if it works well.

What does it hook up to the mobo?

you could crank up the fan on the hot card.

try this |MG| EVGA Precision 2.0.1 Download

Should I do this to both of the cards so they both run cooler?

Do I just set them & forget them? Or do I have to monitor them all the time & dial them back once in a while?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

The Antec is a quality fan, not the quietest out there but no other fan allows you to direct it so well and it also lights up blue....woo woo ! I would crank up the GPU fans first and see then look to this mobo mounted fan if needed.

 

[JohnnyScience]

The Antec is a quality fan, not the quietest out there but no other fan allows you to direct it so well and it also lights up blue....woo woo ! I would crank up the GPU fans first and see then look to this mobo mounted fan if needed.

Ok

Should I do this to both of the cards so they both run cooler?

Do I just set them & forget them? Or do I have to monitor them all the time & dial them back once in a while?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Should you use an Antec fan on both or tweak the fan speeds on both. I would try tweaking the fans speeds but I must admit I just leave my cards fan alone and I just use one spot cool to increase air flow directly to the card. To the best of my knowledge my GPU will increase it's fan speed to match the draw.

 

[JohnnyScience]

Should you use an Antec fan on both or tweak the fan speeds on both. I would try tweaking the fans speeds but I must admit I just leave my cards fan alone and I just use one spot cool to increase air flow directly to the card. To the best of my knowledge my GPU will increase it's fan speed to match the draw.

No I meant should I inrease the fan speed on both?

If I do get that fan, I'd only be able to get one & shoot it down the chamber between the two.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Yes I would try adjusting both but it appears the one card needs more fan speed than the other so I would concentrate on getting the hottest card inline with the other, then as you say blow some additional air right down on the tunnel.