3 or 4 6990s rig

[0815miner]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this, but I think of building a mining rig with most possible hash/s.

my new mb (MSI 980FXA-GD70) can take up to four PCIe16 graphics boards.
Problem is there is no space between these cards.

Any chance I can handle three or four graphics without water cooing?
Two should be no problem, because there is space for the GPUfans to work.

 

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[allinvain]

I don't think you can handle 4 6990 in one single system not just because of the space requirement but also due to the power requirement. You're going to need 2 power supplies to do the job.

You can definitely build a 4 x 6990 system if you really really wanted to. You'd have to do some tricks like use a PCIe extension riser cable or whatever they're called.

[lebish]

Let me know how this goes, I'm getting in to the exact same project of trying to figure out just how far I can push one machine. There's a few mbs out there that have 7 PCI slots (with some downsides, and you need an ATX-XL chassis) which got me wondering if I could stick 7 single slot graphics cards in there like the GTX 580s.

[allinvain]

You really do not want to use the gtx 580 unless you a) pay nothing for electricity b) are crazy c) are both crazy and pay nothing for electricity d) don't know how to get an ATI card e) can't get an ATI card because a mysterious cosmic force is preventing you from doing so f) work for Nvidia and you are afraid of betraying your beloved employer g) want to do it for shits'n'giggles h) ...

[grndzero]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this, but I think of building a mining rig with most possible hash/s.

my new mb (MSI 980FXA-GD70) can take up to four PCIe16 graphics boards.
Problem is there is no space between these cards.

Any chance I can handle three or four graphics without water cooing?
Two should be no problem, because there is space for the GPUfans to work.

 

Mine is handling 4 cards. They need spacers to open up the width between cards a bit, fans cranked all the way up and another case fan or 2 above them blowing air down between the cards. And with all the fans running it is very loud with lots of annoying fan noise!

[bahnfire]

@0815miner: several MBboards exist that can handle 4x PCIe (I have a EVGA X58 4-way SLI Classified that can handle 4x ATI or NVidia) and are spaced correctly, but the case is also important. I am using a HAFX case since it has the necessary spacing and slots (check our http://www.evga.com/support/faq/afmmain.aspx?faqid=59122 for a list of cases that have 10 slots if using a 4-way SLI/Crossfire configuration). If you need to use your existing MBoard and there really isn't room, you can move to watercooling - this method lets you remove the fan/heatsink and will reduce the card footprint to only 1 slot (you can buy slot adapters that convert the 2 slot holder to 1 slot - eBay).

Also, as was mentioned earlier, you *will* need 2 power supplies if you are running 4x 6990s but that is easy to do (a simple 'ATX bypass adapter' http://www.dangerden.com/store/atx_power-supply-bypass-adapter.html on the second PSU will do).

[0815miner]

OK, I just ordered three 6990. My power supply should handle them with 1200 watt (terse I know)

First I will prove if PCIx8 and PCIx4 slots will work for mining.
If this is no problem I can place the graphics with one slot space between them.

Second test will be placing them together and try cooling them with two big 120 fans above the cards.
I think separating the cards with a spacer will not work in a case.


@bahnfire: I searched for EVGA 4x SLI boards but didn't find one which has 4 PCIx with space for cooling.

Thought of:
-card
-fan
-space
-card
-fan
-space
-card
-fan
-space
-card
-fan

So 10 slots on the mb (PCIx on 1, 4, 7 and 10) and 11 in the case.

[grndzero]

OK, I just ordered three 6990. My power supply should handle them with 1200 watt (terse I know)

First I will prove if PCIx8 and PCIx4 slots will work for mining.
If this is no problem I can place the graphics with one slot space between them.

Second test will be placing them together and try cooling them with two big 120 fans above the cards.
I think separating the cards with a spacer will not work in a case.


@bahnfire: I searched for EVGA 4x SLI boards but didn't find one which has 4 PCIx with space for cooling.

Thought of:
-card
-fan
-space
-card
-fan
-space
-card
-fan
-space
-card
-fan

So 10 slots on the mb (PCIx on 1, 4, 7 and 10) and 11 in the case.

You can get 3 cards or 4 with them up against each other with these boards:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130274
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131667
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131390
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188070

Cases with 8 slots to fit up to 4 cards:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129092
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112318
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112235
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112240

Case with 10 slots:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112159

I don't know of any boards that have 11 slots slots, or cases with more than 10 expansion slots.

[0815miner]

@grndzero
first board is what I have @home 

Seems like I have to do the cooling thing within the two slots per graphics.

[grndzero]

@grndzero
first board is what I have @home 

Seems like I have to do the cooling thing within the two slots per graphics.

Either get a case that has fans (more than 1) blowing air toward the fan intakes of the cards or rig/lay some 1 or 2 120mm or 140mm  fans so they are on top of the cards and push air down between them.

[0815miner]

Either get a case that has fans (more than 1) blowing air toward the fan intakes of the cards or rig/lay some 1 or 2 120mm or 140mm  fans so they are on top of the cards and push air down between them.

My case has two 120mm fans pushing fresh air down between the cards.
Problem is, there is not much "between".

I will report if it works this way, when my tree 6990s are on site.

[lebish]

You really do not want to use the gtx 580 unless you a) pay nothing for electricity b) are crazy c) are both crazy and pay nothing for electricity d) don't know how to get an ATI card e) can't get an ATI card because a mysterious cosmic force is preventing you from doing so f) work for Nvidia and you are afraid of betraying your beloved employer g) want to do it for shits'n'giggles h) ...

Ha! Love it :-D

That's exactly what I needed to know, noted!