Sensors and Monitoring¶

A comprehensive guide to monitoring temperatures, fan speeds, voltages, and performance metrics on the BC-250.

Overview¶

The BC-250 includes multiple hardware monitoring components:

NCT6686/NCT6687 SuperIO chip - Motherboard sensors (temperatures, voltages, fan speeds)
AMD GPU sensors - GPU temperature, voltage, power consumption
k10temp - CPU temperature monitoring
NVMe sensors - M.2 drive temperature

Proper monitoring is essential to ensure your BC-250 stays within safe operating temperatures (70-85°C under load) and to diagnose cooling or power issues.

NCT6686/NCT6687 SuperIO Setup¶

What is the NCT6686/NCT6687?¶

The Nuvoton NCT6686 or NCT6687 is a Super I/O chip on the BC-250 that provides hardware monitoring capabilities including:

Multiple temperature sensors (thermistors, AMD TSI)
Voltage rails monitoring
Fan speed monitoring (up to 5 fan headers)
Fan control capabilities

Loading the Sensor Module¶

By default, Linux may not automatically load the driver for this chip. You need to manually enable it.

Step 1: Load the Module Temporarily¶

Test if the module loads correctly:

sudo modprobe nct6683 force=true

Verify it loaded:

lsmod | grep nct6683

Step 2: Make it Permanent¶

Create a modprobe configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/sensors.conf

Add the following line:

options nct6683 force=true

Create a modules load file:

sudo nano /etc/modules-load.d/99-sensors.conf

Add:

nct6683

Step 3: Regenerate Initramfs¶

On Fedora/Bazzite:

sudo dracut --force

On Arch/Manjaro:

sudo mkinitcpio -P

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo update-initramfs -u

Reboot for changes to take effect:

sudo reboot

Using lm-sensors¶

Installation¶

Fedora/Bazzite:

sudo dnf install lm_sensors

Arch/Manjaro:

sudo pacman -S lm_sensors

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install lm-sensors

Detecting Sensors¶

Run the detection utility (answer YES to all prompts):

sudo sensors-detect

This will scan for all available sensors and configure them automatically.

Reading Sensor Data¶

View all sensor readings:

sensors

Expected Output¶

Here's what you should see on a properly configured BC-250:

amdgpu-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
vddgfx:      906.00 mV
vddnb:       824.00 mV
edge:         +63.0°C
PPT:          55.12 W  (avg =   0.00 W)

nvme-pci-0300
Adapter: PCI adapter
Composite:    +51.9°C  (low  =  -0.1°C, high = +79.8°C)
                       (crit = +81.8°C)
Sensor 1:     +51.9°C  (low  = -273.1°C, high = +65261.8°C)

k10temp-pci-00c3
Adapter: PCI adapter
Tctl:         +51.5°C

nct6686-isa-0a20
Adapter: ISA adapter
VIN0:             832.00 mV (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
VIN1:               1.02 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
VIN2:             976.00 mV (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
VIN6:               1.39 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
VIN7:             928.00 mV (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
VIN16:            896.00 mV (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
fan1:                0 RPM  (min =    0 RPM)
fan2:             1372 RPM  (min =    0 RPM)
fan3:                0 RPM  (min =    0 RPM)
fan4:                0 RPM  (min =    0 RPM)
fan5:                0 RPM  (min =    0 RPM)
AMD TSI Addr 98h:  +63.0°C  (low  =  +0.0°C)
                            (high =  +0.0°C, hyst =  +0.0°C)
                            (crit =  +0.0°C)  sensor = AMD AMDSI
Thermistor 14:     +57.5°C  (low  =  +0.0°C)
                            (high =  +0.0°C, hyst =  +0.0°C)
                            (crit =  +0.0°C)  sensor = thermistor
Thermistor 15:     +57.0°C  (low  =  +0.0°C)
                            (high =  +0.0°C, hyst =  +0.0°C)
                            (crit =  +0.0°C)  sensor = thermistor
intrusion0:       OK
beep_enable:      disabled

Understanding the Sensors¶

GPU Sensors (amdgpu-pci-0100): - vddgfx - GPU core voltage - vddnb - Northbridge/memory voltage - edge - GPU edge temperature (primary GPU temp) - PPT - Package Power Tracking (GPU power consumption in watts)

CPU Sensors (k10temp-pci-00c3): - Tctl - CPU temperature (Zen 2 control temperature)

SuperIO Sensors (nct6686-isa-0a20): - VIN0-VIN16 - Various voltage rails - fan1-fan5 - Fan speed monitoring (RPM) - AMD TSI Addr 98h - AMD Temperature Sensor Interface (alternative CPU temp reading) - Thermistor 14/15 - Board temperature sensors

Watch Sensors in Real-Time¶

Monitor sensor changes continuously:

watch -n 1 sensors

This updates every second. Press Ctrl+C to exit.

GPU Temperature Monitoring¶

Using AMDGPU Sysfs¶

Read GPU temperature directly:

cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/temp1_input

This returns temperature in millidegrees Celsius (e.g., 63000 = 63°C)

Convert to Celsius:

awk '{print $1/1000 "°C"}' /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/temp1_input

GPU Power Consumption¶

Read current GPU power draw:

cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/power1_average

Returns power in microwatts. Convert to watts:

awk '{print $1/1000000 "W"}' /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/power1_average

GPU Clock Speeds¶

Check current GPU frequency:

cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/pp_dpm_sclk

Example output:

0: 350Mhz
1: 1000Mhz *
2: 2000Mhz

The asterisk (*) indicates the current active clock speed.

Fan Speed Monitoring and Control¶

Viewing Fan Speeds¶

From sensors output, look for the nct6686-isa-0a20 section:

sensors | grep -A 5 "fan"

Fan Headers on BC-250¶

The board has 5 fan headers (shown as fan1-fan5 in sensors):

Usually only fan2 is used for the main cooling fan
Other headers may show 0 RPM if not connected

BIOS Fan Control Settings¶

The BC-250 BIOS has three fan control modes:

Default - Tries to keep board at maximum safe temperature with minimum fan speed (NOT RECOMMENDED - runs too hot)
Full Speed - Fans run at 100% constantly (recommended for testing and maximum cooling)
Customize - Set custom temperature/fan speed curves in BIOS

Recommendation: Use "Full Speed" mode for initial testing and gaming. Once stable, you can use software fan control (CoolerControl) for quieter operation.

Manual Fan Control via PWM¶

Check available PWM controls:

ls /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon*/pwm*

Set fan speed manually (value 0-255, where 255 = 100%):

echo 200 | sudo tee /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon*/pwm2

Enable manual PWM control:

echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon*/pwm2_enable

CoolerControl - GUI for Sensor Monitoring and Fan Curves¶

CoolerControl is a GUI application that provides:

Real-time sensor monitoring
Custom fan curves based on any temperature sensor
Historical temperature graphs
Fan speed control

Installation on Bazzite¶

Bazzite has a built-in recipe for CoolerControl:

ujust install-coolercontrol

This will: 1. Enable the Terra repository 2. Install liquidctl and coolercontrol 3. Require a reboot to apply

After reboot, start CoolerControl:

coolercontrol

Installation on Fedora¶

Enable the Terra repository:

sudo dnf copr enable copr.fedorainfracloud.org/terra

Install CoolerControl:

sudo dnf install liquidctl coolercontrol

Installation on Arch/Manjaro¶

Install from AUR:

yay -S coolercontrol

Or:

paru -S coolercontrol

Using CoolerControl¶

Launch CoolerControl from your application menu or terminal
You'll see all detected sensors and fans
Click on a fan to create a custom curve
Select a temperature sensor to base the curve on (e.g., GPU edge temp)
Drag curve points to set fan speed at different temperatures

Example fan curve: - 40°C: 30% fan speed - 60°C: 50% fan speed - 70°C: 75% fan speed - 80°C: 100% fan speed

Checking Frequency and Temperature with Governor¶

From Discord community recommendations:

Desktop mode:

# Use CoolerControl (installed with ujust on Bazzite)
coolercontrol

Game mode (Steam Deck UI): - Enable Steam overlay performance monitoring in Quick Settings

Other Monitoring Tools¶

nvtop - GPU Activity Monitor¶

nvtop is like htop but for GPUs. It shows GPU utilization, VRAM usage, temperature, and power consumption in a terminal UI.

Installation:

Fedora/Bazzite:

sudo dnf install nvtop

Arch/Manjaro:

sudo pacman -S nvtop

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install nvtop

Usage:

nvtop

Press q to quit.

radeontop - AMD GPU Monitor¶

Alternative GPU monitoring tool specifically for AMD GPUs.

Installation:

Fedora/Bazzite:

sudo dnf install radeontop

Arch/Manjaro:

sudo pacman -S radeontop

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install radeontop

Usage:

radeontop

Press q to quit.

MangoHud - In-Game Overlay¶

MangoHud provides an in-game overlay showing FPS, GPU/CPU temps, usage, and more.

Installation:

Fedora/Bazzite:

sudo dnf install mangohud

Arch/Manjaro:

sudo pacman -S mangohud

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install mangohud

Usage:

Launch games with MangoHud:

mangohud %command%

For Steam games, add to launch options:

mangohud %command%

Configuration:

Create ~/.config/MangoHud/MangoHud.conf:

fps_limit=60
vsync=0
gpu_temp
cpu_temp
gpu_power
cpu_power
ram
vram
fps
frametime=0
frame_timing=1
position=top-left
font_size=24

Temperature Thresholds and Safe Operating Ranges¶

Normal Operating Temperatures¶

Idle (Desktop/Light Use): - GPU: 45-55°C - CPU: 45-55°C - Power: 50-70W

Gaming/Heavy Load: - GPU: 70-85°C - CPU: 65-80°C - Power: 150-235W (235W max during Cyberpunk with ray tracing)

Maximum Safe Temperatures¶

GPU edge temp: 85°C maximum recommended (can briefly spike to 90°C)
CPU (Tctl): 90°C maximum
NVMe SSD: 80°C maximum (critical at 81.8°C per spec)

Temperature Warning Signs¶

If you see these symptoms, your cooling is insufficient:

GPU consistently above 85°C during gaming
Sudden FPS drops or stuttering (thermal throttling)
System crashes under load
GPU governor reducing frequency to manage heat

Improving Cooling¶

If temperatures are too high:

Check fan speeds - Ensure fans are running at adequate RPM
Verify thermal paste - Reapply if paste is old or dried
Increase fan speed - Use BIOS "Full Speed" mode or CoolerControl
Improve airflow - Add more fans or cut heatsink fins for better air penetration
Check dust - Clean dust from heatsink fins
Verify thermal pads - Ensure good contact on GDDR6 memory chips

Community Cooling Data¶

From Discord testing:

Arctic P12 Max with cut fins: 70-85°C gaming, 86°C benchmarks
Noctua NF-A12x25 with cut fins: 65-80°C gaming
Stock heatsink with fan shroud: 80-90°C gaming (thermal limits reached)
Wraith Stealth coolers with thermal putty: ~70°C mining/LLM workloads at 180W

Troubleshooting Sensor Issues¶

Sensors Command Shows No Output¶

Problem: Running sensors shows nothing or very limited data.

Solutions:

Run sensor detection:
```
sudo sensors-detect
```
Ensure NCT6683 module is loaded:
```
sudo modprobe nct6683 force=true
```

Check if modules are loaded:

lsmod | grep -E "nct6683|k10temp|amdgpu"

Verify lm-sensors is installed:
```
sensors --version
```

NCT6683 Module Won't Load¶

Problem: modprobe nct6683 force=true fails or doesn't work.

Solutions:

Check kernel version (needs 6.11+):
```
uname -r
```
Verify chip detection:
```
sudo sensors-detect
```
Check dmesg for errors:
```
dmesg | grep nct6683
```
Some kernels may need nct6687 instead:
```
sudo modprobe nct6687 force=true
```

GPU Temperature Not Showing¶

Problem: No GPU temperature in sensors output.

Solutions:

Check if amdgpu driver is loaded:
```
lsmod | grep amdgpu
```
Verify GPU is detected:
```
lspci | grep VGA
```

Check amdgpu sysfs directly:

cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/temp1_input

Ensure Mesa 25.1+ is installed:
```
glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"
```

Fan Speeds Show 0 RPM¶

Problem: All fans show 0 RPM even though fans are spinning.

Possible causes:

Fan not connected to monitored header - BC-250 usually only uses fan2 header
3-pin fan on PWM header - Some fans don't report speed
Fan splitter - May not pass tachometer signal
BIOS fan setting - Try changing fan mode in BIOS

Verification:

If you can hear/feel the fan spinning, it's working even if sensors show 0 RPM. Use GPU temperature as confirmation of cooling effectiveness.

Power Consumption Seems Wrong¶

Problem: sensors shows very low or zero power consumption.

Solution:

Power readings update slowly - wait 10-30 seconds
Use a Kill-A-Watt or smart plug for accurate wall power measurement
GPU power from sensors only shows GPU chip power, not total system power
Total system power = GPU + CPU + RAM + board + PSU inefficiency

Example: - GPU PPT: 150W - Total system power at wall: 180-200W

Advanced: Monitoring Scripts¶

Temperature Logging Script¶

Save as ~/monitor-temps.sh:

#!/bin/bash

# BC-250 Temperature Monitor
# Logs GPU temp, CPU temp, and power to file

LOGFILE="$HOME/bc250-temps.log"

echo "Timestamp,GPU_Temp,CPU_Temp,GPU_Power" > "$LOGFILE"

while true; do
    TIMESTAMP=$(date +%s)
    GPU_TEMP=$(cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/temp1_input 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $1/1000}')
    CPU_TEMP=$(sensors k10temp-pci-00c3 -u 2>/dev/null | grep temp1_input | awk '{print $2}')
    GPU_POWER=$(cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/power1_average 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $1/1000000}')

    echo "$TIMESTAMP,$GPU_TEMP,$CPU_TEMP,$GPU_POWER" >> "$LOGFILE"
    sleep 5
done

Make executable:

chmod +x ~/monitor-temps.sh

Run:

~/monitor-temps.sh

Temperature Alert Script¶

Save as ~/temp-alert.sh:

#!/bin/bash

# Alert if GPU temp exceeds threshold
THRESHOLD=85

while true; do
    GPU_TEMP=$(cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/temp1_input 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $1/1000}')

    if (( $(echo "$GPU_TEMP > $THRESHOLD" | bc -l) )); then
        notify-send -u critical "BC-250 Temperature Alert" "GPU temp: ${GPU_TEMP}°C (threshold: ${THRESHOLD}°C)"
    fi

    sleep 10
done

Quick Reference¶

Essential Commands¶

# View all sensors
sensors

# Watch sensors in real-time
watch -n 1 sensors

# GPU temperature only
cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/temp1_input | awk '{print $1/1000 "°C"}'

# GPU power consumption
cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/power1_average | awk '{print $1/1000000 "W"}'

# GPU clock speed
cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/pp_dpm_sclk

# Launch nvtop
nvtop

# Launch radeontop
radeontop

Temperature Targets¶

Condition	GPU Temp	CPU Temp	Power Draw
Idle	45-55°C	45-55°C	50-70W
Light Gaming	60-75°C	55-70°C	100-150W
Heavy Gaming	70-85°C	65-80°C	150-200W
Stress Test	80-86°C	75-85°C	200-235W

Cooling Solutions Performance¶

Setup	Idle Temp	Load Temp	Notes
Arctic P12 Max (cut fins)	49°C	70-86°C	Best performance
Noctua NF-A12x25 (cut fins)	47-52°C	65-80°C	Quieter, excellent cooling
Single 120mm (cut fins)	55°C	80-90°C	Adequate for most games
Stock with shroud	60°C	85-90°C	Borderline, may throttle

GPU Governor - Configure GPU frequency scaling and power management
Performance Tuning - Optimize system performance
Hardware Overview - BC-250 specifications and cooling requirements
Troubleshooting - Solve thermal and stability issues

Last Updated: November 21, 2025

Sensors and Monitoring¶

Overview¶

NCT6686/NCT6687 SuperIO Setup¶

What is the NCT6686/NCT6687?¶

Loading the Sensor Module¶

Step 1: Load the Module Temporarily¶

Step 2: Make it Permanent¶

Step 3: Regenerate Initramfs¶

Using lm-sensors¶

Installation¶

Detecting Sensors¶

Reading Sensor Data¶

Expected Output¶

Understanding the Sensors¶

Watch Sensors in Real-Time¶

GPU Temperature Monitoring¶

Using AMDGPU Sysfs¶

GPU Power Consumption¶

GPU Clock Speeds¶

Fan Speed Monitoring and Control¶

Viewing Fan Speeds¶

Fan Headers on BC-250¶

BIOS Fan Control Settings¶

Manual Fan Control via PWM¶

CoolerControl - GUI for Sensor Monitoring and Fan Curves¶

Installation on Bazzite¶

Installation on Fedora¶

Installation on Arch/Manjaro¶

Using CoolerControl¶

Checking Frequency and Temperature with Governor¶

Other Monitoring Tools¶

nvtop - GPU Activity Monitor¶

radeontop - AMD GPU Monitor¶

MangoHud - In-Game Overlay¶

Temperature Thresholds and Safe Operating Ranges¶

Normal Operating Temperatures¶

Maximum Safe Temperatures¶

Temperature Warning Signs¶

Improving Cooling¶

Community Cooling Data¶

Troubleshooting Sensor Issues¶

Sensors Command Shows No Output¶

NCT6683 Module Won't Load¶

GPU Temperature Not Showing¶

Fan Speeds Show 0 RPM¶

Power Consumption Seems Wrong¶

Advanced: Monitoring Scripts¶

Temperature Logging Script¶

Temperature Alert Script¶

Quick Reference¶

Essential Commands¶

Temperature Targets¶

Cooling Solutions Performance¶

Related Documentation¶