Re: Reducing case temp
- From: "Lee M." <lmacmil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:28:22 -0500
"Dave" <noway@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Lee MacMillan" <lmacmil@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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How much does the video card contribute to case temperature? If I switch
from a Radeon 256MB 9600XT (which has a fan) to a fanless, 128MB Radeon
9250, will my case temp go down a few degrees?
FYI, system is Athlon XP 2700+, tower case, inlet and exhaust fans and
case
temp runs about 35C with a 70F ambient. I can drop the case temp 4C-5C
by
removing the front cover so I have some airflow issues.
You are thinking in terms of temperature at a specific sensor. The
question shouldn't be how to lower the temperature, it should be how to
correct the airflow. But then, we don't even know if you have an airflow
problem. With the front cover removed, you DO have an airflow problem.
I need to back up a bit. Cases cool by circulating air through specific
areas. If you remove a cover, temperature might be cooler at a specific
sensor, but you will have less airflow -where needed-, leading to hot
spots. Cases can not cool properly with a cover removed, in other words.
Leave the covers ON unless you are actively troubleshooting. Even then,
figure out what the problem is, fix it, and get the covers back on ASAP.
WHAT, specifically, leads you to think you have a temperature problem to
begin with? 35C with 70 ambient sounds about right. A little high
possibly, but nothing to worry about, and probably due to where the sensor
is located. For example, right behind a hard drive or up top near the PSU
will give really high readings.
Oh, and switching to a passively cooled vid card will probably -increase-
case temp, depending on where the sensor is located. Again, it's about
airflow. Less airflow will result in more heat buildup. That wouldn't be
a problem, but if your goal is to reduce case temp. (WHY?!?), then that's
the wrong way to do it, by switching the video card.
After re-reading what you wrote, I'd suggest you remove (or just unplug)
the exhaust fan to lower the case temp. I know that's counter-intuitive,
as it would seem that more fans must be better. But it's best to balance
inflow air with exhaust air. Right now you've got an imbalance of more
exhaust than intake, assuming your power supply has an exhaust fan(s) that
pulls air from inside the case. In other words, the exhaust fan might be
sucking hot air out of the PSU and back into the case. Or at best,
reducing airflow through the PSU, again causing case temp to rise.
But then again, I don't think you need to lower case temp at all, so you
should post why you think you have a heat problem. -Dave
I should have been more to the point. It's actually CPU temp I want to
reduce. I have an Athlon 2700+ and it runs around 50C at idle at 70F
ambient. I used a good quality heatsink (all copper) and fan so I was
thinking if I reduced case temp several degrees, that would bring down CPU
temp also (they seem to track pretty close with the CPU always about 15C
above the case. From what's been posted here and some additional research,
I'm thinking maybe 50C isn't all that bad for CPU temp. I don't do too much
CPU intensive work so it doesn't get much hotter than that (although last
summer with 80F ambient, it got to 65C during the virus scan.
Thanks for your detailed explanation.
Lee
.
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