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12CoreMP

macrumors member
Dec 26, 2015
63
5
Edinburgh, Scotland
Those are exceptionally low temperatures. What model Mac Pro and what processors are they from? Did it just wake up from sleep? Any tricks you used to achieve them?

Those temperatures I have shown are after the MP has been running for a couple of hours but I am only surfing the net and the MP is not under load. When I wake it from sleep they are much lower than the temps I posted. My fan speeds are below.

Screen Shot 2016-03-01 at 09.33.33.jpg
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,614
8,544
Hong Kong
Those temperatures I have shown are after the MP has been running for a couple of hours but I am only surfing the net and the MP is not under load. When I wake it from sleep they are much lower than the temps I posted. My fan speeds are below.

View attachment 619120

Even with that customised fan speed. The temperatures still far too low. The CPU B Diode temperature only 3C above ambient, the CPU B heatsink can achieve 1C above ambient (almost ideal), the CPU A diode and heatsink temperature has zero difference (ideal).

Do you use any liquid metal thermal paste?

Please don't get me wrong. I didn't mean that you are lying, but just want to know how can you achieve that. Or if there is anything wrong in the software.
 

BillyBobBongo

macrumors 68030
Jun 21, 2007
2,535
1,139
On The Interweb Thingy!
To be fair @12CoreMP does hail from Scotland, ambient temperatures are somewhat lower than the rest of us may be used to.

My relatives, of Scottish persuasion, often define the height of summer as when they can take off their jumpers whilst playing golf! They are somewhat further north than Edinburgh though (Macduff), that said....Edinburgh wasn't exactly overly abundant with palm trees and coconuts last time I was there! ;)

I belive iStat Menus offers a free trial (https://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/), perhaps it's worth while trying out another program to see if the numbers from different sets of software are in agreement.
 
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m4v3r1ck

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2011
2,560
506
The Netherlands
Here it is again my Mac Pro has been on for about half an hour and I am not doing much other than the web.

View attachment 619209

Why do you set a constant for INTAKE and EXHAUST @1150RPM? Why not set a variable to the AMBIENT temperature for both fans. Seems a much safer option to me, in case the intake and exhaust are needed to cool more then just @1150RPM continuous.
 

12CoreMP

macrumors member
Dec 26, 2015
63
5
Edinburgh, Scotland
Why do you set a constant for INTAKE and EXHAUST @1150RPM? Why not set a variable to the AMBIENT temperature for both fans. Seems a much safer option to me, in case the intake and exhaust are needed to cool more then just @1150RPM continuous.

It works for me.
[doublepost=1456870110][/doublepost]Comparison from Istat. Screen Shot 2016-03-01 at 22.05.32.jpg
 

macpro00

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 7, 2016
83
7
For temperature, which component should be prioritized (importance) or focused on?

  1. CPU A Core
  2. CPU A Diode
  3. CPU A Heatsink
  4. Northbridge Core
  5. Northbridge Heatsink
 

12CoreMP

macrumors member
Dec 26, 2015
63
5
Edinburgh, Scotland
The reason I have my Exhaust and Intake at a fixed level is because after some experiments I found that those fans keep the temperature of the North Bridge down and the reason I try to keep it a bit cooler is because it sits pretty close to CPU A so that area get a little hotter. Not the best layout IMHO.
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,614
8,544
Hong Kong
For temperature, which component should be prioritized (importance) or focused on?

  1. CPU A Core
  2. CPU A Diode
  3. CPU A Heatsink
  4. Northbridge Core
  5. Northbridge Heatsink

IMO, it's hard to tell. They all have different meaning and may indicate different problem.

e.g.

1) Diode hot but heatsink cold -> may be poor thermal paste application.
2) Both Diode and heatsink hot -> may be a dusty heatsink / poor ventilation.
3) CPU diode cool, but northbridge core hot -> may be the rivet broken.

Also, you can't just focus on one temperature and decide if the machine is good or not. And in different condition, the focus will be on different variable.

e.g.

a) In a hot day, under light loading -> may play more focus on the northbridge temperature
b) In a hot day, heavy loading -> may play more attention on the CPU temperature

Anyway, that "CPU A Core" is NOT the actual core temperature, but "how many more degrees to core can go", which means the higher the better, and zero is the worse.
 
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macpro00

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 7, 2016
83
7
IMO, it's hard to tell. They all have different meaning and may indicate different problem.

e.g.

1) Diode hot but heatsink cold -> may be poor thermal paste application.
2) Both Diode and heatsink hot -> may be a dusty heatsink / poor ventilation.
3) CPU diode cool, but northbridge core hot -> may be the rivet broken.

Also, you can't just focus on one temperature and decide if the machine is good or not. And in different condition, the focus will be on different variable.

e.g.

a) In a hot day, under light loading -> may play more focus on the northbridge temperature
b) In a hot day, heavy loading -> may play more attention on the CPU temperature

Anyway, that "CPU A Core" is NOT the actual core temperature, but "how many more degrees to core can go", which means the higher the better, and zero is the worse.


Thanks for the insight - this makes better sense. Cheers!
 
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m4v3r1ck

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2011
2,560
506
The Netherlands
iOrbit Looks like (?) temps of an idle system to me, what readings do you get stressing it with your regular work using this machine? Do you have MacFansControl running?

Cheers
 
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iOrbit

macrumors 6502a
Mar 8, 2012
569
30
guys, please ignore my previous temps - i was sure i took a screen shot (shift+cmd+4) and got the CPU temps but its not there in that screen shot. I'm going to take one in a few minutes and post it up.

@m4v3r1ck yes, its an idle. I will post up another screenshot when its under full load with handbrake, 100% Cpu usage.

from what I've seen, the temps reached 70 i think, but i can't remember if that was the heat sink or diode etc.

@westom

heres the full temps:

these are at idle - not from a cold start or from any sleep. the Mac Pro has been running non stop since about a week ago with sleep turned off. its been used with heavy loads and stress tests through out that time. - its in a large room, i haven't dusted it/cleaned it or anything though it looks like it may have been cleaned out recently prior purchase. I live in London and the temps are around 9c.

a260zh9.png


q1zNvAN.jpg


4Q1hjfJ.jpg
 
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m4v3r1ck

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2011
2,560
506
The Netherlands
Looks good @iOrbit! A clean machine it seems to be. Did you check the fans for collected dust?

Here are my readings (*C) while using HandBrake with all open app's I normally use:

ScreenCap%202016-04-02%20at%2020.46.19.jpg
ScreenCap%202016-04-02%20at%2020.56.29.jpg

EDIT: I only use the top 4 of MFC settings, the BOOSTERA/B are set to "AUTO"!

My goals for using MacFansControl are, even it will cause some more fan noise of course:

Keep CPU <60*C
Keep Northbridge <60*C
Keep PSU <40*C

DIMM's and Drive Bay's are also more cooled using the INTAKE and EXHAUST settings.

My temps after 10 minutes, when it finished the HandBrake tasks:

ScreenCap%202016-04-02%20at%2021.04.05.jpg


Cheers
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,614
8,544
Hong Kong
By considering your system ambient has 29C, and the fan can still almost stay at idle. These temperatures looks very good to me.
 
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m4v3r1ck

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2011
2,560
506
The Netherlands
By considering your system ambient has 29C, and the fan can still almost stay at idle. These temperatures looks very good to me.

I'm a bit confused about your answer here. As you mentioned in post #37:

Anyway, that "CPU A Core" is NOT the actual core temperature, but "how many more degrees to core can go", which means the higher the better, and zero is the worse.

His CPU Core A has a headroom of 13*C and CPU Core B 26*C, seems a bit low to me regarding your earlier post. Also his Northbridge running towards the 80*C.

Could you please elaborate your answer a bit more, thanks in advance.

Cheers
 
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iOrbit

macrumors 6502a
Mar 8, 2012
569
30
I'm a bit confused about your answer here. As you mentioned in post #37:



His CPU Core A has a headroom of 13*C and CPU Core B 26*C, seems a bit low to me regarding your earlier post. Also his Northbridge running towards the 80*C.

Could you please elaborate your answer a bit more, thanks in advance.

Cheers

does this mean my Mac Pro is not likely to last a year or so running under this kind of load on a frequent basis?
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,614
8,544
Hong Kong
I'm a bit confused about your answer here. As you mentioned in post #37:



His CPU Core A has a headroom of 13*C and CPU Core B 26*C, seems a bit low to me regarding your earlier post. Also his Northbridge running towards the 80*C.

Could you please elaborate your answer a bit more, thanks in advance.

Cheers

Sorry to confuse you, that comment is specifically for OP's first post, which is not applicable for iStat.

In iStat, that Core X relative to ProcHot temperature is clearly self explained.

13 is very normal, the native fan control usually will keep the fan at idle until this temperature hit around 10C.

His temperature is 13 and 26, that's why all fan almost stay at idle. This is absolutely normal.

When using native fan control, that temperature may occasionally drop to 5C or below. The computer is actually ok for that, no need to worry too much. Of course, some people not comfortable of that and use their own fan profile to keep the machine run cooler.

From memory, NB chip is rated up to 105C, 80 is actually nothing for the chip itself. Cooler may be better, but 80 is nothing wrong either.

That's Apple's preference. Keep the CPU running close to it's limit in order to keep the fan noise as low as possible.
 
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