Folding Forum

What is the Maximum Temperature I can run my GPU at and How long can I run it at below maximum temperature?
At FULL FOLDING POWER my CPU is running at 43 degrees Celsius and my GPU is running at 74 Degrees Celsius.
Are those temperatures nominal?

CPU looks good but need more info on GPU. AMD or Nvidia and what GPU is it?

Each GPU has a maximum temperature, there generally isn't a cap across the board. If you post what graphics card you have, we could look it up for you.
If you don't know how to get that information, a program like Piriform Speccy can help, but since you have the temperatures you probably have that information in whatever program you're already using.

Both brands start throttling at about 100C.

Managing GPU temps are a little tricky, since some WUs will run noticeably hotter than others.
But when your GPUs start to consistently approach 90c, you had better dial-it-back a little.
The good news is that newer GPUs tend to have a better TDP (thermal design parameters) - they will run faster & cooler.

I currently run these GPUs:

• Two GTX-690 (functioning as four GTX-680s)
• One GTX-770
• Two GTX-660ti

Here's the things I do for keeping GPUs in good working condition...

• For the expensive GPUs - I register them on the Mfgr's website (I usually prefer to buy the mfgr's extended warranty directly on their site, too [a little extra $$])!
• Install and use the GPU as-is for the first 4-6 months.
• Every 2-3 months, I shutdown the system, and give it a thorough cleaning to remove dust, etc.
• Every 6-9 months, I carefully take the GPU apart and replace the thermal compound between the GPU chip and the heatsink!

WARNING: If you take your GPU apart and don't know what your actually doing (re-thermaling) - you've likely voided any mfgr's warranty and you probably will have turned your GPU into an expensive techno-brick!
There are a number of videos on YouTube or Vimeo that demonstrate how to properly re-thermal a video-card (GPU) - watch at least 4 of them before you attempt this yourself.
Make sure you use a "non-curing thermal grease" (avoid Arctic Silver - it dries-out rather quickly and becomes a heat-insulator rather than a heat-conductor).
My personal preference is for SiiG or Antec, but I can't find anything necessarily wrong with Ceramique (the white stuff).
It is usually pragmatic to do this at least once. I have found that the original thermal compound (by the mfgr) is far too thick and seems to have been applied by a blind stone-mason troweling on brick-mortar. It needs to be replaced after the first 6-9 month as-is break-in period.

Other than the occasional cleanings, driver & OS updates, etc... keep your system running 24x7 (or as close to it as you can)
Why? - Frequent, wide-temp swings can cause damage (heat stress) to GPU, CPU, and various mobo components - wearing them out more quickly than running them constantly/consistently.

Hope this helps - and welcome to the Crunch-Bunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, good advice there. I wish it was easier to disassemble a graphics card though, that's certainly an expert option. Some cards are difficult to get apart, and it is an involved process. It's been my experience that removing dust on occasion is one of the biggest things you can do to counter heat.

I'm not brave enough to take my 780 apart ... I build my own PCs, that's fine. But GPU looks like an own animal. I wish I would be brave enough. Would love to water-cool it myself and get more cooler points out of it. The 780 runs easy to 80C before the stock fan start really working

You can easily change the fan profile to ramp up sooner, and/or higher, using apps like PrecisionX.

I'm not brave enough to take my 780 apart ... I build my own PCs, that's fine. But GPU looks like an own animal. I wish I would be brave enough. Would love to water-cool it myself and get more cooler points out of it. The 780 runs easy to 80C before the stock fan start really working

If you can put paste on a CPU, you can do the same on a GPU.
You just need some extra small jeweler screw drivers and good reading glasses. (for us old and starting to go blind old timers)

It is usually pragmatic to do this at least once. I have found that the original thermal compound (by the mfgr) is far too thick and seems to have been applied by a blind stone-mason troweling on brick-mortar. It needs to be replaced after the first 6-9 month as-is break-in period.

Varies by OEM and model.
Over the years it has certainly gotten better on high end cards. The last few I have checked have used low viscosity TIM of very high quality. (You buy a $550 to $1000 GPU and you certainly would expect as much. )

But on high end cards like the 780, the air coolers are pretty well made. Like 7IM says, it is easy to modify the fan profile to add some extra margin of safety.
Pulling the shrouds really aids in getting the cooling fins dust blown out periodically.
How often depends on your dust(pet) load.

mdk777 wrote:You just need some extra small jeweler screw drivers and good reading glasses. (for us old and starting to go blind old timers)

Has anybody tried those glasses the surgeons sometimes use that look like a pair of eye-loupes?

bruce wrote:

mdk777 wrote:You just need some extra small jeweler screw drivers and good reading glasses. (for us old and starting to go blind old timers)

Has anybody tried those glasses the surgeons sometimes use that look like a pair of eye-loupes?

Can those even be obtained by common-folk?

U can find anything on interweb

Just google surgeon magnifying glasses, they're all over the place.