Noctua NH D14 Touches GPU

[EJKatie]

My noctua nh d14 fan clips won't fit on my mobo so I removed it from the heatsink. But it still touches my gpu, is this configuration safe or it kinda short gpu or what? Please I need help, this is my 2nd cpu cooler for this build and i don't want to waste money.

GPU: Sapphire toxic r9 280x..

 

[mvbighead]

I'd say that certainly isn't ideal. If you had some plastic "nubs" you might be able to open the space enough so air can pass through and you don't have metal touching the back of a circuit board.

 

[shabby]

Put electrical tape on the fins?

 

[mfenn]

Put electrical tape on the fins?

:thumbsup: This. The only issue from the parts touching is the potential for the copper heatsink to short contacts on the top of the GPU. Putting some tape where the contact is made would get rid of that issue.

 

[EJKatie]

Is it ok if I use index card instead of electrical tapes?

 

[mindbomb]

can you use a different pci express slot?

 

[EJKatie]

can you use a different pci express slot?

Nope, i'm using low profile motherboard (MSI B85M E45) which do not support multi gpu and only has one gpu slot.

 

[EJKatie]

up

 

[bononos]

Just slide a piece of cardboard or thick plastic bwtn the card and heatsink.

 

[mvbighead]

I would avoid cardboard. It shouldn't ever get hot enough in there to burn, but it simply is not wise to put cardboard in a place that is going to be warm and potentially even hot.

Electrical tape should work. I still prefer something like the rubber feet that you get with some switches. So long as you get three in place, and so long as they are just adequately thick, you should get some air flow between the card and the heat sink. Something like this:

 

[escrow4]

This is why you should always use an ATX mobo unless you are 100% sure you'll never need one.

 

[aigomorla]

I would avoid cardboard. It shouldn't ever get hot enough in there to burn, but it simply is not wise to put cardboard in a place that is going to be warm and potentially even hot.

Electrical tape should work. I still prefer something like the rubber feet that you get with some switches. So long as you get three in place, and so long as they are just adequately thick, you should get some air flow between the card and the heat sink. Something like this:

this can cause the slot to warp...

so id go with the index cards unless u had a really thin plastic spacer.

 

[bononos]

This is why you should always use an ATX mobo unless you are 100% sure you'll never need one.

Do mATX mbs have less space bwtn the cpu and the first pcie slot? I thought that the only difference was the space from the pcie slots chopped off from the bottom. I didn't think mATX also modified the layout for the rest of the mb.

 

[nitromullet]

Do mATX mbs have less space bwtn the cpu and the first pcie slot? I thought that the only difference was the space from the pcie slots chopped off from the bottom. I didn't think mATX also modified the layout for the rest of the mb.

No, but a good number of ATX boards put the first PCIe x16 slot in the second position.

 

[EJKatie]

Would you think it'd be better to add a non-static plastic wrap that came with the mobo..
And I'm looking forward to get the G43 Gaming.

 

[MongGrel]

Maybe get a piece of G10 and stick between the cooler and the GPU.

Just looking at that makes me a bit nervous.

 

[crashtech]

Once in a while I end up with a setup where something is just not quite right, and as painful as it is, something has got to give. In this situation, I would either RMA the cooler or the motherboard. But then again most of what I do is for use by others, and trying to kludge up an insulator between interfering parts just won't fly on a money job.

I'm a little curious as to what the problem was with the first cooler, you say this is the second one?

 

[EJKatie]

Once in a while I end up with a setup where something is just not quite right, and as painful as it is, something has got to give. In this situation, I would either RMA the cooler or the motherboard. But then again most of what I do is for use by others, and trying to kludge up an insulator between interfering parts just won't fly on a money job.

I'm a little curious as to what the problem was with the first cooler, you say this is the second one?

The first cooler I bought is corsair h55, but then I realized that my mobo doesn't support water coolers. Too late to know because there's no forums or infos that my mobo can support water cooler. So I sold that cooler and then I came up with this one.

 

[Essence_of_War]

my mobo doesn't support water coolers.

I don't think that's a thing...

As long as the water cooler is compatible with your mobo's socket, it should be fine. What model of motherboard are you using?

 

[EJKatie]

I don't think that's a thing...

As long as the water cooler is compatible with your mobo's socket, it should be fine. What model of motherboard are you using?

Yeah the msi b85m e45 does not support water coolers...

 

[Wall Street]

I agree with mvbighead and would use thin plastic washers. I don't think it would put too much stress on the PCI-E socket. Obviously, none of this is ideal.

The H55 should work though.

 

[Essence_of_War]

Yeah the msi b85m e45 does not support water coolers...

It's a socket 1150 ATX MoBo. The H55 bracket supports that socket, so unless your case is lacking positions for a 120mm rad, which seems unlikely, you should be totally fine.

 

[crashtech]

I don't understand the "does not support" phrase. Does that mean it doesn't fit?

 

[crashtech]

I agree with mvbighead and would use thin plastic washers. I don't think it would put too much stress on the PCI-E socket. Obviously, none of this is ideal.

Yeah, I didn't want to say anything, but I have seen electrical tape get worn through when in constant contact with something in the presence of even minimal vibration and pressure. I would probably try to use something a bit sturdier like little rubber pads you can buy in the hardware store that are intended to act as feet or cabinet bumpers. Find thin ones and use a spot of hot glue, perhaps.

 

[mfenn]

No, but a good number of ATX boards put the first PCIe x16 slot in the second position.

Yeah. And the D14 is one of the biggest air coolers you can find. A 120mm cooler would have had plenty of clearance.

OP, I'd recommend some tape, but an index card would work fine. You could also find a thin plastic card (like 1/2 the thickness of a credit card) and that would be even better.