Fans

[clocker]

Two weeks ago I first posted about my new computer.

I was so proud, and, just like any new Daddy, I was showing pictures to anyone who would look.
Then I dragged you all through the (seemingly) endless permutations in layout and posted all the benchmark/burn-in tests that I could run.

The machine still runs peachy. But...

Lately, the weather has turned a bit nippier and I've had the heat on more. Ambient temps are therefor higher. As expected my case temps also rose a bit. Nothing drastic, mind you, but definately a bit higher.

So I started playing with my super-duper fan control set-up and... basically nothing.
I then started to turn off the fans one by one.
Still nothing.

To make a long story short, I have now completely removed all of the fans that I so lovingly installed and spent hours wiring neatly into place. No change.
Wait, that's not completely true...my HDD temp has skyrocketed all the way up to 28C.
I am now running with only the fan on my Zalman heatsink and the two fans in my PSU ( and if it wasn't such a pain to do, I would be tempted to disable at least one of those...) and my CPU/motherboard temps have remained dead consistent at 41C/29C.
Running the burn-in test for 1 hour will raise the CPU temp to 43-44C, then it drops right back down.

I find this somewhat puzzling.
I went to ALOT of trouble cutting holes and mounting fans, testing airflow and moving/retesting, all apparently to no avail.

Don't get me wrong, I think that 41C is an excellent result for a moderately OCed system that is air cooled.

After some thought I have concluded that I am basically dealing with some basic, immutable properties of my particular heatsink. I'm not sure who mentioned it (John Lennon?Lynx? VB?), but copper, while being very good at absorbing heat, is not very good at shedding it. And this is one BIG heatsink. It would take more airflow than I am currently able (or willing) to provide to get this thing to dissipate heat any more efficiently. The very low rise in temp from idle to stress conditions indicates that the heatsink is very effective at absorbing the BTUs, but it's refusal to drop it's temp even when flooded with fresh air tells me that I've pretty much reached a dead end.

One side benefit of all this is that the case is very quiet. And my PSU might live fractionally longer, since it is basically doing nothing most of the time now.

Anyone need some fans? I seem to have a surplus....

[Smurfette]

LOL.

I myself cut a hole in a new case and ran ducting to the CPU fan so that the warmer air was being blown straight out of the case because the PSU stood directly in the airflow.
After a few months of bashing it a bit while fiddling in other areas I took it out to replace it and found the CPU temp stayed where it had been before.
Go figure is one phrase that sprang to mind at the time.

[clocker]

Originally posted by Smurfette@15 November 2003 - 17:54

Go figure is one phrase that sprang to mind at the time.

Probably only the first of many, right?

I am somewhat pissed.
I spent alot of time, energy and brainpower to no apparent advantage.

I shall console myself by saying "Oh well, at least I learned something...", but it is cold comfort, indeed.

[Smurfette]

Originally posted by clocker+16 November 2003 - 01:03--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (clocker &#064; 16 November 2003 - 01:03)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Originally posted by Smurfette@15 November 2003 - 17:54

Go figure is one phrase that sprang to mind at the time.

Probably only the first of many, right?[/b]

Heh, yeah I don&#39;t remember the exact wording but I must&#39;ve used a fair few of my favourite words.

<!--QuoteBegin-clocker@16 November 2003 - 01:03
I am somewhat pissed.
I spent alot of time, energy and brainpower to no apparent advantage.

I shall console myself by saying "Oh well, at least I learned something...", but it is cold comfort, indeed.[/quote]
Yes, we unfortunately learn best by experience, don&#39;t we?

[abu_has_the_power]

so we all have problems, even the master of the hardware world.

[Virtualbody1234]

Well I have been trying to push you in the right direction. I do remember congratulating you on simplifying when you had reduced the number of fans.

Running the burn-in test for 1 hour will raise the CPU temp to 43-44C, then it drops right back down.

but it&#39;s refusal to drop it&#39;s temp even when flooded with fresh air tells me that I&#39;ve pretty much reached a dead end.

Sounds good to me. Why are you concerned with those temps.

My suggestion is that you put 2 fans running at slower speeds (7 volt trick) at the back of your case. Leave an open air flow from the front and your floor duct.

Does your power supply have automatic fan speed contol circuitry? If so can you use that instead of the 7 volt trick.

Then just leave it at that. It&#39;s plenty cool and quiet. Isn&#39;t that all you wanted?

[clocker]

Yes Abu, we all do.

Thank God I haven&#39;t tried to install lights yet.

No telling what might happen.

[Virtualbody1234]

clocker, maybe you could sell all the fans to abu and he could install them all with his lights, disco ball and carnival ride and then he could watch the forth of july burst out of his 500 watt power supply.

[clocker]

Ah VB, the ole "I told ya so".
I am the perfect exemplar of the adage "You can lead a horse to water, blah,blah,blah..."

My only justification would be that now I can trust my results because they were arrived at by a long and torturous path. Which I documented fortunately, so maybe I&#39;ll remember it in the future.

I had two fans on the back wall which were hooked into my fan controller (thus speed adjustable), and they made no impact either. So they are now resting on my workbench with all the others.

Till now the only fan not speed controlled has been the HSF which is plugged into the motherboard and controlled by the Asus SmartFan program. This does in fact vary the fan speed, but only within the range of about 2200-2600 rpm.

The next move is to reconnect this fan to my fan bus and see what happens to the temps when I lower the rpms to about 1500-1600. At that speed the fan is truly silent. I would expect my chip temps to rise to maybe 44-45C. If the CPU temp still remains as invariable from idle to stress as it does now, then maybe my investigations into air cooling will be well and truly over.

[Virtualbody1234]

I wouldn&#39;t recommend you put your CPU fan onto the speed controller. With the reduced voltage, sometimes fans refuse to start. Maybe it won&#39;t do it at first but who knows what will happen months from now. All it takes is one time. It&#39;s not worth risking your CPU for that.

About the --- ole "I told ya so". I hope you don&#39;t take my comments in the wrong way. I am only trying my best to communicate here.

If it comes across badly, it&#39;s not my intention. In fact I think very highly of your skills and talent with these machines. I have also learned a lot of things from you too.