Z420 aftermarket cooler

[Aripug]

Hi,

I'd like to change the cpu cooler....

Can i install an aftermarket cooler?

Like Noctua coolers?

Thanks

[SDH]

Take some time and look up noctua in the search bar and read the results.

I've found it was not worth the hassle, and the reasons are explained in there.  Turns out the official HP heatsinks/fans are pretty darn good and quiet.  You can make a heatsink/fan too quiet.  Plus, the HP PWM control system is complex and interrelated.

[Aripug]

Hi,

sorry, you're right!

[BambiBoomZ]

Aripug,

Proprietary workstations are carefuly designed to have sufficcient cooling for any of the processors that  were originally supplied and beucase of the air cooler shape, fan / shrouds, and the control in BIOS, changing the cooling is difficult.

However, the z420 and z820 have optional liquid coolers, that are closed loop, all in one designs that simply plug in to the same controller connection and are recognized by the BIOS. 

The z420 version:

I use one of these, unconventionally, in a z620- and this works as the z420 and z620 BIOS is the same. It does however preclude adding the second CPU riser board.

Very fortunately, the original z620 fan shroud still fits without modification.

Center right in the photo the small  chipset fan is visible- a very nice addition.

This is quiet and very efffective. I run a Xeon E5-1680 v2 8-core overclocked to 4.3GHz and with this cooler, it idles at only about 33-35C and I've never seen it go above 61C even in CPU rendering, whereas the E5-1680 v2 is rated to 85C.

These are almost constantly for sale on Ebay US for $50-60.

BambiBoomZ

HP z620:  Xeon E5-1680 v2 (8C@4.3Ghz) / 64GB / Quadro P2000 _ GTX 1070 Ti /  HP Z Turbo Drive M.2 256GB + Samsung 860 EVO 500GB +  HGST 7K6000 4TB / Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 sound interface > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit  

[JoMu]

I had 3 considerations on buying my third party solution:

1) Will clear the memory fan shroud (rear memory slots) as I want the memory fan detected by the system.

2) Won't be too tall that I won't be able to put back the side cover of the case such as CM evo 212.

3) Preferably able  to reuse 92mm HP fan as the system needs to detect something attached to the proprietary 5-pin CPU connector.

I bought a generic 6 heatpipe twin tower style cooler and it fit perfectly.  0.5mm more and it will hit the rear memory fan shroud.

As far as thermals, It is way better than the z420.

When I run my stress test on my e5-1650v2 at 4.0ghz,  It will eventually throttle on the original Z420 cooler at it reaches the TjMax of of the processor at 71*.   

On the new cooler, at 4.3ghz, it will only max out at 67* so it never throttles.

Also, the added benefit is I'm able to put a fan and heatsink to the VRM area in case I want to tweak the unlocked CPU.

You need to remove the :fanless memory shroud for the front memory slots. Not all Z420 models ships with this shroud anyways..Rear Memory Shroud Clearance

All wired up. I mounted the third party CPU fan to a fan controller.

[JoMu]

Things to consider in choosing a third party  after market cooler:

1.  Clear the Memory Slot Shroud at the rear.

2.  Clear the Side Panel Door.  (CM Evo212 are too tall for this case).

3   Re-use the original HP Z420 CPU fan with the 5-pin connector.

HP fan should be mounted at the front of the cooler to reach the CPU fan hearder.rear clearance of 0.5mm

For Size Comparison:

z420 OEM cooler is fanless on this picture.

[SDH]

There also is my discovery that the standard heatsink/fan for the Z440/Z640 (single processor type setup) fits perfectly on the socket for the Z420/Z620 (again, single processor setup). 

That later heatsink/fan has almost exactly double the surface area of aluminum cooling fins, and 4 instead of 3 cooling tubes.  Even its HP fan works with its 6-hole plug end.... you just hang the last (far left hole) off the side of the 5-pin Z420/Z620 motherboard header.  That last (6th) hole is just another ground jumper for the 6th pin of the Z440/Z640 motherboard header.  Fits perfect among the other motherboard parts, significantly more cooling.  Not needed for most of us.  That's all posted about in here.... part number 749554-001.