# Thermalright Ultra 120 TRUE



## Bacon

So, it finally arrived and I had a few set backs.

First I need to get new RAM >< the heatsinks on them are too tall and are interfering with me properly installing

Two, I need to get a new backplate, I was hoping the stock one would work, but it turns out the threads are so far down that the screws can't get to them.

I got this really ghetto setup going on, my case is on its side and the heatsink is just freely sitting on the processor, but its still managing to give me better heat ratings than the stock one.

Once I get it all setup it should work very nicely, I have one fan pushing air through then another fan pulling air out then there is a 200mm fan that is going to pull the air out of the case. 

Just needed to vent that out.


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## diduknowthat

Don't get new RAM! Just take the heatsinks off and buy some new heat spreaders. Something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185047


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## Bacon

diduknowthat said:


> Don't get new RAM! Just take the heatsinks off and buy some new heat spreaders. Something like this:
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185047



hmm, cool, thanks I never thought of that.


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## Vipernitrox

the stock backplate that comes with the true is kinda annoying but it should fit just press down a litte bit more. I installed one a couple of days ago.


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## Bacon

Vipernitrox said:


> the stock backplate that comes with the true is kinda annoying but it should fit just press down a litte bit more. I installed one a couple of days ago.



Yes there is a stock plate sent with it for a 775 socket, but not for an AM2, those you have to buy seperately; and since they don't seem to have just the AM2 backplate I had to buy a full bolt-thru package, but I guess I'll have the security of having extra screws.


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## Bacon

I finally got everything hooked up the way it should be and right now I'm idling at 36-37C at 3700MHz, I love this cooler so much lol. Load doesn't go over 45C


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## Vipernitrox

i've got it to but it isn't performing the way it should be right now. under load almost gets to 58c... but idle is around 30c...
when i get my salary i've got some stuff coming in to improve my airflow and some better paste.


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## just a noob

hey bacon, it might work better for you if you turn the true a different direction, like if the side are horizontal(since your case is up, and its interfering with your ram) try changing positions to the vertical setup, or is the ram coming into contact with the fan?


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## Bacon

Is that possible? If I were running a different socket type it might be, but the AM2 socket is a rectangle and only allows me to mount it a certain way, unless there is something I'm missing.



Anyways, here's some pictures:

I used Yate Loon 120x25mm uv reactive fans (default at 1650rpm)
and the third picture shows the RAM is in the second slot and is still being bent slightly.


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## Vipernitrox

you really need to do something about your cabling 
but it looks nice though. i'll get some pics when i'm done with my current mini-project. also my hard drive broke down on me so i need to get that sorted first.


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## diduknowthat

Is there a reason why your heatsink is vertical? It's really screwing up your internal air flow as there's close to zero air flow coming from the bottom fan. If it's possible at all reorient your entire heatsink so that the fans can blow air out of the back.


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## Bacon

diduknowthat said:


> Is there a reason why your heatsink is vertical? It's really screwing up your internal air flow as there's close to zero air flow coming from the bottom fan. If it's possible at all reorient your entire heatsink so that the fans can blow air out of the back.



I know it is, kinda pissed me off when I found out how it had to be set in.

Unless you're seeing something I'm not, there is no other way it can be oriented.

My Motherboard

 Look at the way the pins are setup, it is rectangular, so it can only be vertical, so optimally, the fans suck air through the side panel vent and is then exhausted by the top fan, but then the front to back air flow is thrown out of whack. It sucks, theres really no optimal way. Unless..If I get a new motherboard that has the appropriate orientation, not sure if there is one though.

Edit: Not sure if you guys know what a thermalright's base looks like, but check out the installation process, click here.


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## CdnAudiophile

Do you have the bracket that's in step 5? How much is it off from the AM2 holes?


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## just a noob

do you happen to have any wire clips that came with it, because otherwise, your going to have to make a ghetto temporary solution, and use rubber bands to hold the fans on, that should give you quite a bit more room with the fans


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## Bacon

THERMAL-REACTOR said:


> Do you have the bracket that's in step 5? How much is it off from the AM2 holes?



I have the bracket, I'll check it out when I get home. Thats a good idea I never thought to use the intel bracket.



just a noob said:


> do you happen to have any wire clips that came with it, because otherwise, your going to have to make a ghetto temporary solution, and use rubber bands to hold the fans on, that should give you quite a bit more room with the fans



I do have wire clips, but the fans I bought won't work..the screw holes need to be open and mine are closed.

This is what I mean, click here. Look at the 5th step and you'll see it.


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## Bacon

So, I tried using the other bracket, and when I look at it, its off by quite a bit and it can't open enough to allow me to rotate. So I'm still stuck with a vertical setup.

I might just try and talk to one of my friends in welding and see if he could maybe fabricate a new bracket that would allow for a horizontal setup. Would be awesome if that would work.

Unless anyone else has any other ideas, I'm all ears.


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## CdnAudiophile

Bacon said:


> So, I tried using the other bracket, and when I look at it, its off by quite a bit and it can't open enough to allow me to rotate. So I'm still stuck with a vertical setup.
> 
> I might just try and talk to one of my friends in welding and see if he could maybe fabricate a new bracket that would allow for a horizontal setup. Would be awesome if that would work.
> 
> Unless anyone else has any other ideas, I'm all ears.



Yea I had to have a custom one made too. It's bullet proof now, it made out of an 1/8" sheet of steel. It works a little to pull some heat away too. I would show you what it looks like but I dont want to reseat my heatsink as it's quite good and I have learned not to mess with something if it nothings wrong. 

What I would do is measure it out as one peice and just make your bends at the proper places. Once you have done that, drill a hole in the middle of the plate. Thread the hole and place a screw into it to lock the heat sink in place to it so it won't move around. Using the stock piece would be a good reference point. The only hard part is making sure the distance from the top of the sink to the motherboard in your bracket allows it to apply a little force but not too much that you damage your components. What I did to solve this is use screws with springs on them to be able to apply an even force down.


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## bigrich0086

heres a pic to show you the push/pull fan action


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## Bacon

Here a little picture to understand better what I need to do for this to go into a horizontal setup.






The dots represent where the motherboards holes are located.

Now the problem is the TRUE has heatsink pipes on both sides so the bracket can only go through one way and that way forces me to put it into a vertical setup.

So, this is my proposed solution:

Cut the extensions off going to the screw holes;






Then place them on the sides of the bracket;






Then use metal pieces to weld it all together;






All right, I know that looks retarded, but would the idea work? I already have spring screws and an extra bracket.


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## CdnAudiophile

Bacon said:


> Here a little picture to understand better what I need to do for this to go into a horizontal setup.
> 
> All right, I know that looks retarded, but would the idea work? I already have spring screws and an extra bracket.



As long as there is nothing in the way It should work. Just make sure w/e steel you use it doesn't flex that much


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## zer0_c00l

kinda looks like my Dark Knight  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			
		
		
	


	




  cables are messy because im waiting on new psu  comes friday


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## Bacon

zer0_c00l said:


> kinda looks like my Dark Knight
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> cables are messy because im waiting on new psu  comes friday



 How is that mounted when you still have the stock RM on?


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## just a noob

Bacon said:


> How is that mounted when you still have the stock RM on?



if your talking about the ram, look at the spacing


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## Bacon

No I mean the piece circled in red:


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## zer0_c00l

its an am2/3 mounting bracket they are all like that  just clips on ...and yes i had to mount it sideways to  (what a bummer) temps are low 23c idle around 30c load  amazing i just have it pullung aire from two top fan mounts


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## Bacon

Man, our setups really look alike.

I don't suppose you found any way to rotate the heatsink to do a horizontal setup, did you?

Then again, since you have yours in a vertical setup as well, I doubt it..


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## zer0_c00l

Bacon said:


> Man, our setups really look alike.
> 
> I don't suppose you found any way to rotate the heatsink to do a horizontal setup, did you?
> 
> Then again, since you have yours in a vertical setup as well, I doubt it..



im still looking around.. but yes  alike in a lot of ways


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## aubiesbiggestfan

WoW! Man! I dont know much about fans and stuff yet. But thats one cool pc!


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## Bacon

aubiesbiggestfan said:


> WoW! Man! I dont know much about fans and stuff yet. But thats one cool pc!



Thanks.


On another note, it doesn't feel like I'm getting the kind of performance I should be out of this cooler. The stock one kept me around 40C on idle and this dropped it about 5C, maybe I'm just fantasizing, but that doesn't seem like much for such a high performance air cooler.

Ambient temp is 23C for those that are wondering.


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## Vipernitrox

idle differences usually aren't that big. stressed differences are probably much bigger.


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