Modding a reference bracket to be a high-flow bracket?

[Mousepotato]

Has anybody had any success modifying the standard ATI/AMD mounting bracket?  I mean like cutting some of the "fins" off the exhaust port like this EVGA nVidia card:

http://www.evga.com/articles/00672/

Does this actually help out?

[1715140247]

1715140247

[ELT]

It'll probably help a little bit, slight increase in airflow because of lower resistance. In my opinion the easiest way to open it up like that would be with cutters as to not put metal shavings into the card itself, but I have not done this.  I can try on my new 5830 and see if it helps any as I have a 5830 to compare to. That is if I can get it mailed to me in sometimes next week....hateing putting in the wrong address.

ELT

[Cablez]

It shouldn't be difficult to cut a larger opening in a vid card bracket with a dremel or clone also (after removal of course) .

I find it hard to believe you get 3 degrees C better temps just by opening the holes though.  Yes there is less restriction but 3 degrees?!  

Then you have resale to consider,  people on ebay can be picky about used gear.

[ELT]

It shouldn't be difficult to cut a larger opening in a vid card bracket with a dremel or clone also (after removal of course) .

I find it hard to believe you get 3 degrees C better temps just by opening the holes though.  Yes there is less restriction but 3 degrees?!  

Then you have resale to consider,  people on ebay can be picky about used gear.

Rebrand it as being a limited edition video card with a high flow bracket.  But, 3 degrees seems much too high. It does more to have an extra case fan blow over the top of the card.

[bulanula]

I don't know about you guys but I have taken all the brackets off.

More weight for my rack which is not good.

Then you have the nice hair dryer effect too, which is nice.

Resale value will suck probably

[rjk]

I just discovered that for high density applications, you can remove the plastic shroud and the blower fan and still have the heatsink attached, making multiple cards fit side-by-side much better, and allowing you to control airflow far more easily. The heatsink under the plastic is basically the same as the FirePro Passive cards meant for servers, and the only remaining issue is the DVI ports getting in the way. Might have to create a small bit of plastic to channel the airflow better around the DVI ports.

[Cablez]

herp?!    


EDIT:  I see now, but how by the grace of the mining gods will you get enough airflow?  I don't think 125CFM fans will be pleasant.

[PatrickHarnett]

I don't know about you guys but I have taken all the brackets off.

More weight for my rack which is not good.

Then you have the nice hair dryer effect too, which is nice.

+1

Brackets on most of my cards have been removed, and air flow is better.  The computer room is a great place for my wife to get laundry dry.

[tucenaber]

The computer room is a great place for my wife to get laundry dry.

So maybe I should get me one of those.... wives

[bulanula]

I just discovered that for high density applications, you can remove the plastic shroud and the blower fan and still have the heatsink attached, making multiple cards fit side-by-side much better, and allowing you to control airflow far more easily. The heatsink under the plastic is basically the same as the FirePro Passive cards meant for servers, and the only remaining issue is the DVI ports getting in the way. Might have to create a small bit of plastic to channel the airflow better around the DVI ports.

Very good discovery.

Can you take the shroud off without taking off the GPU and needing to reapply thermal paste etc. ?

[rjk]

I just discovered that for high density applications, you can remove the plastic shroud and the blower fan and still have the heatsink attached, making multiple cards fit side-by-side much better, and allowing you to control airflow far more easily. The heatsink under the plastic is basically the same as the FirePro Passive cards meant for servers, and the only remaining issue is the DVI ports getting in the way. Might have to create a small bit of plastic to channel the airflow better around the DVI ports.

Very good discovery.

Can you take the shroud off without taking off the GPU and needing to reapply thermal paste etc. ?

No, but it has given me the opportunity to re-paste them. They will probably run several degrees cooler now - the gorilla that applied the paste at the factory dumped on half a gallon each, so I am replacing it with "just enough" Arctic Silver 5. Pic with shroud removed:





When modded like that, they fit side-by-side with a gap for airflow, whereas previously there would have been no gap at all and they would have been really squashed.
You will need to provide proper external cooling though, leaving the fan on will not work since the shroud directs the airflow across the heatsink. Like one of these maybe: