PowerColor 7950 Temp Spikes to 100C

[chopsbit]

I asked this whilst I was only allowed to post in the newbie forum https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=177430.0, but I'm hoping to have more visibility posting it here in the correct place.

I have the PowerColor 7950 http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/components/amdradeongraphicscards/amdhd7950series/ax79503gbd5-2dhv5e.html and I'd like to give it a go at Bitcoin mining when I'm not using my PC (Litecoin possibly but would like to get my head around bitcoin first as there is a lot more information at the moment)


I'm running CGMiner 2.11.3 with intensity of 13 although this also happens if I don't set an intensity, along with the Catalyst 13.1. As soon as I start CGMiner the temps spike up to 100C and the fan is going at 100% which obviously isn't a good thing

I've tried using Afterburner to lower Memory clock to 625 from 1250, however I get the same high temps. From reading this section for the last few hours a lot of people seem to talk about tweaking the voltage settings, would this help me and should I be tweaking up or down?

Gaming with this card is fine, it just appears to be when mining this happens


Any help much appreciated

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[melmo]

Try lowering your voltage, although 100C does seem rather high.  Any chance one of the fans on the card isn't spinning?

[chopsbit]

I'll give lowering the voltage a go and hopefully that can help with it, is it better to use MSI Afterburner or the AMD Catalyst OverDrive facility? Tried playing with both last night and they seemed to both have the same effect, is it more personal preference?

I checked and both fans are merrily spinning away

[melmo]

I prefer Afterburner.  By the way, what speeds are you running at?

[chopsbit]

Core Clock = 925 (This is the card default)
Memory Clock = 1250 (This is card default, I tried lowering to 625 but same high temp issues)


To set the voltage in Afterburner should I be setting the Core Voltage (Mv) or the Power Limit (%)? Core Voltage appears locked but just googled and apparently you can unlock this from the settings

This is my settings with memory lowered:

http://s20.postimg.org/zdc8eb0jt/caps.png

[FaT]

I have three of those cards.

I run with Core at 850, Mem at 1200, Powertune at -15% and Core Voltage at 1030.
I also have fans blowing on them. I get about 515Kh/s on each card with temps around 68-71,

[goxed]

Had similar problem with XFX 7970. I think it's a dead VRM somewhere in the card.

[chopsbit]

Thanks both for the reply,

I've tried setting those values similar to yours, however my screen starts to get random blue and white pixel blocks appearing around the screen - definitely not good!

I only picked this card up on the weekend so I'm thinking I'm going to send it back and try another brand, what makes are the 3 your running?

[ryantc]

RMA it

I am using the same card and without undervolt it I will stay at 80 something, but I undervolt them, and it mines btc at 60 (out the case) and 71 (in the case) those two fan can seriously reduce temp, if it goes to 100 there must be something wrong.

don't know if you can return/exchange without a reason or not, basically I am thinking "my card does not mine BTC" is not a valid reason.

[chopsbit]

Fortunately it's within 7 days so I get to return it without explanation, gota love those distance selling regulations

Out of interest before sending back, what clock settings did you use to get 60 outside the case?

[Bitsaurus]

I had a VRM go out on a 6990 for me.  Did the same thing.

[lightlord]

I have 6X7950 Cards. They do in fact reach 100 degrees or above at stock settings.
One reaching 110 Degrees, and powering off the machine.

HD 7950 cards can be undervolted a huge amount. Same cards but with a board laser cutted of
a HD 7970, and a HD 7970 is 1174 vs 1250 of a HD 7950 makes no sense.

My cards run stable at 950 CC/800 Memory at 1037 MV from 1250 MV.
Dropping it to 81 C & 74 C Degrees in one of my rigs.
Also I undervolt the Memorly voltage from 1.6 to 1.5, running perfectly.

You need to do this, or it will over heat. I made the mistake of forgetting once.
and it went to 110, powering off, opps.

This is a must. Get MSI after burner 3.0 BETA, apply unoffical, unlock
settings, and disable ULPS. Then apply the above settings.

950 CC, 800 Memory.
Voltage 1037 MV From 1250 MV
Memory Voltage 1500 from 1600

I asked this whilst I was only allowed to post in the newbie forum https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=177430.0, but I'm hoping to have more visibility posting it here in the correct place.

I have the PowerColor 7950 http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/components/amdradeongraphicscards/amdhd7950series/ax79503gbd5-2dhv5e.html and I'd like to give it a go at Bitcoin mining when I'm not using my PC (Litecoin possibly but would like to get my head around bitcoin first as there is a lot more information at the moment)


I'm running CGMiner 2.11.3 with intensity of 13 although this also happens if I don't set an intensity, along with the Catalyst 13.1. As soon as I start CGMiner the temps spike up to 100C and the fan is going at 100% which obviously isn't a good thing

I've tried using Afterburner to lower Memory clock to 625 from 1250, however I get the same high temps. From reading this section for the last few hours a lot of people seem to talk about tweaking the voltage settings, would this help me and should I be tweaking up or down?

Gaming with this card is fine, it just appears to be when mining this happens


Any help much appreciated

[Protagonus]

+1 with lightlord here.   The powercolors come stock around the 1.250v (have some stock at 1.190 also).  I agree this is too high for mining GPU loading and this particular card.  Another thing to keep in mind when tuning, is the powercolors do not have any VRM heatsinks or cooling.  So just take care on OC memory and long term stability if you end up there.  Make sure you have fans at 100% with another program or add that to your .conf as well.

If your running a single card.  You may try the Powerup Tune program from powercolor.  This will allow you to lower your volts and adjust clocks.  Some powercolors have voltage lock, but this allows Vcontrol still.

[chopsbit]

Thanks all for the very helpful advice, going to send this one back as its within my 7 day cooling off period and go for a different brand.

I'm thinking either the Sapphire or Gigabyte as these seem to be the ones most people have on this forum, do you have any recommendations on which one would be more suited for single card mining?

[suprabitz]

use powertune to undervolt as low as it will go, i have mine running at 1.2 or 1.1v


also TAKE THE STOCK SHROUD OFF. it traps heat. my cards would not stay under mid 90's, without the shroud and under volted it runs about 500-550 kh/s still hot high 70's or low 80's which is pathetic considering my sapphire 7950 (plain 2 fan stock, not vapor-x) runs 620-650kh/s in mid 70's with NO under volting.

[HellDiverUK]

Three-fan Gigabyte 7950 is doing 550M here at 62C (1219rpm).  Got a second one to go in the machine.  Very happy with them.

Mine run cooler doing BTC than LTC.  LTC seems to heat the VRMs up more, which is dangerous on cards that have shitty VRM coolers.

[chopsbit]

I agree on the 3 fan gigabyte 7950, sent the powercolor back and bought this instead and am now doing 650 kh at 63-68 depending on outside temps.

flashed the 7950 with the f43 bios (Google it) which lowers the voltage from 1.250 to 1.09, this helped with keeping temps low