EVGA

Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti

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Morpheusxeno
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Sunday, December 19, 2021 7:13 AM (permalink)
I started on a quest to build a custom water loop for the whole system. But I am having a real struggle to find a waterblock for the GPU. It is currently hybrid watercooled with a tiny radiator. I am currently using 480mm radiator on the CPU and I would like to do the same for the GPU.

I have this card. evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=12G-P5-3958-KR

I just tried to use the XG7 RGB Corsair GPU Water Block as I was advised to use it by a friend. Completely wasted my time doing a gpu tear down. Ended up just cleaning up the heatsink grease and applying some new stuff. 

Could anyone advise me of a GPU block that will work on these cards that already are cooled with the copper block ?

Here is the PCB layout



As you could see the GPU wouldn't even touch the blocks heatsink grease, The caps on the end touched some metal bracket on the edge as well.



Any help from some one whos more experienced with this than I , I would greatly appreciate it.
post edited by Morpheusxeno - Sunday, December 19, 2021 7:15 AM
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    notfordman
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Sunday, December 19, 2021 8:20 AM (permalink)
    Welcome to the forums. I think we need to straighten out which model card you have before finding the proper block. The 3958 card shows to be a 3080ti XC3 Hybrid. Is that what you have to begin with? If so you need the XC3 block not the FTW, they have different layouts. You could try the Corsair one or EK makes one. 
     
    https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=12G-P5-3958-KR&associatecode=LMD3DNZM9LGK8GJ
    ^^ Is this your card? 
     
    https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-quantum-vector-xc3-rtx-3080-3090-d-rgb-nickel-plexi
    ^^ XC3 block
     
    https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-quantum-vector-xc3-rtx-3080-3090-backplate-nickel
    ^^ EK makes a standard backplate. 
     
    https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-quantum-vector-xc3-rtx-3080-3090-active-backplate-d-rgb-plexi
    ^^ EK offers an active cooling backplate for the cards. The cost is about like buying another block for back. 
     
    https://www.ekwb.com/configurator/waterblock/3831109832646
    ^^ Shows compatible with 3958, and other XC3 cards. 
     
    https://www.amazon.com/EKWB-EK-Quantum-Vector-Nickel-Acetal/dp/B08N7WZPY2
    ^^ EK makes different models {Acetal, plexi, ect.} 
     
    I have nothing against Corsair, just never used them for Water. 
    Compatibility shows nothing available for XC3.  
    https://www.corsair.com/custom-cooling-configurator/gpu-search
     ^^ 12G-P5-3958-KR
     
    https://www.performance-pcs.com/water-cooling/water-blocks/water-blocks-vga.html?block_gpu_type=426&vga_series=3316
    A few choices. 
     
     
    Hope that helps some.  
    post edited by notfordman - Sunday, December 19, 2021 8:47 AM
    #2
    rmorse27
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Sunday, December 19, 2021 8:23 AM (permalink)
    what the guy above said.
     
     
    post edited by rmorse27 - Sunday, December 19, 2021 8:38 AM

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     http://www.heatware.com/eval.php?id=66896
     
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    Gotspeed_2000
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Sunday, December 19, 2021 9:16 AM (permalink)
    What the others shared is something you need to post so others can help. 
     
    It appears that your gpu was a hybrid and still has the factory copper plate in place that helps transfer heat from the components to the AIO block cold plate.  That copper plate is not present usually in the air cooled cards I've seen.  I haven't taken apart a hybrid yet, but it looks like the plate in my Kingpin which you will need to remove eventually to mount a block on it.  Your block more than likely is not going to work with your gpu if you bought the block for the wrong gpu.  You might be able to sell it, but a little more research before you buy parts can go a long way to make sure you don't waste money.  If you are not sure, you can post questions here or on other forums and members will help you.  If you haven't done these things before, a youtube search can help a lot.  Knowing what others have done and options you may have will help you in the process.  
     
     

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    03whitegsr
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Sunday, December 19, 2021 4:16 PM (permalink)
    Take the copper plate off. That is specifically for the hybrid cooler. It's only stuck on with the thermal pads and should come right off.

    The hybrid XC3 and FTW3 cards are identical to the air cooled versions. You'll need block built for the card though.
    post edited by 03whitegsr - Sunday, December 19, 2021 4:17 PM
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    jaredbyoung
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Sunday, December 19, 2021 4:30 PM (permalink)
    OP, I'm only going to reiterate what others have said. The copper block that is specifically part of the hybrid kit that was preinstalled on your card is not going to be compatible with any GPU waterblock. It wouldn't even work with EVGAs Hydro Copper waterblock.
     
    That big chunk of metal doesn't cool your memory or VRMs. It transfers heat. When you are transferring heat to water that is continuously flowing you don't need or even want that extra hunk of metal, you want the metal that is integrated in the waterblock. If you did what you seem to want to do you would have mem/VRM --> thermal pads --> big chunk of copper --> thermal pads --> waterblock which would perform FAR FAR worse than mem/VRM --> thermal pads --> waterblock.
     
    The goal is to transfer the heat from the component to something else that will carry it away. Either air or in this case you're going with water. Thermal pads and chunks of metal are much better than an air gap, but they aren't as good as getting that heat to the water faster and with less interference. The hybrid kit cools the mem/VRMs with air, so it is designed with that in mind. 
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    ty_ger07
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Sunday, December 19, 2021 4:34 PM (permalink)
    Take the copper plate off and use the waterbock you have in your picture.

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    kraade
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Sunday, December 19, 2021 5:39 PM (permalink)
    Yes you gave to strip the card down to use a waterblock and clean the card very well
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    rjbarker
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Monday, December 20, 2021 3:47 AM (permalink)
    In addition:
    - clean that thermal putty off...make that PCB "sparkle"
    - put the thermal pads on the pcb components (not on the waterblcok)
     
    Read the instructions that come with your waterblock.....

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    #9
    Morpheusxeno
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    Re: Aftermarket Water Cooling for EVGA FTW3 3080ti Monday, December 20, 2021 8:06 PM (permalink)
    You're the best dude. Thank you.
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