computers and heat

[franksolich]

Question.

As most everybody here knows, I live in an unair-conditioned ancient farmhouse.

It's true that four days ago I installed a small window air-conditioner in the bedroom, and it's worked out great, but that's just the bedroom, located in an "off" part of the house, and nowhere else.  It enables me to sleep, but there's not a whole lot else one can do in a bedroom.

I've had two electric fans--a little one and a large one--blowing on the computer in the dining room the same last four days; not blowing directly on the tower and monitor, but more like indirectly.

It is not possible to move the computer to the bedroom; the computer essentially has to stay where it's at, give or take 6' any direction.

The thermostat for the furnace (in the living room, which is exposed more to the sun than the dining room) the past couple of days has betrayed temperatures (indoors, remember) ranging from 90 to 105 degrees.

So far it has pleased God that the computer has worked very well, as if the temperatures were more "normal."

Should this heat be a cause of concern for me?

I really don't know.

Yeah, yeah, I know about this air-conditioning bit, but it just isn't practical out here.  And there are compensations that outweigh the nuisance of extreme heat, to living here.  And besides, when sitting here sweating and sweltering, I remind myself it's better to pay for one's sins in this life than in the next.....

[Ballygrl]

frank, I can't give you any info about the computer but a lot of people here are knowledgeable about it and will give you advice. I'm sticking my nose in this because you really need to be careful if the heat is that high in the rest of your house without AC. Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep from getting dehydrated. And is it at all possible to put an AC unit into maybe the living room or dining room? you can shut the doors in the other rooms and at least you'll get some relief. Our bedroom is on the 1st level and we have AC in there, we also have a unit in the living room, I close off our bedroom and bathroom and the unit in the LR cools off that room and the kitchen. Be careful with this heat.

[Chris_]

I don't think 100-degree heat would be much cause for concern unless the inside of the computer was very dirty and dusty.  I've had people bring me computers that were so gummed up with tar (from cigarette smoke) and dust that the cooling fans had stopped working altogether and the computer was automatically shutting down.

Most computers have a temperature failsafe that will shut them down if they get too hot.  That is usually around 165-175 degrees.

[Doc]

I don't think 100-degree heat would be much cause for concern unless the inside of the computer was very dirty and dusty. I've had people bring me computers that were so gummed up with tar (from cigarette smoke) and dust that the cooling fans had stopped working altogether and the computer was automatically shutting down.

Most computers have a temperature failsafe that will shut them down if they get too hot. That is usually around 165-175 degrees.

True.....I've had computers and video servers running in racks where (although the room was air conditioned) the temperature in the rack exceeded 90 degrees frequently due to heat generated by other equipment.

However, heat is the enemy of all electronics, they may run, but excessive heat will eventually cause component values to change, etc., resulting in a failure. It's always a good idea to keep them as cool as possible.

Frank, as Chris stated, make certain that the fans are clean and running, and nothing is stacked up alongside the enclosure that blocks the ventilation holes and openings in the case.

If I remember your computer's configuration correctly, it has two fans......one is mounted on the processor (which you can't see without taking it apart.........but you can hear it running), the other is mounted in the power supply vented through an opening in the back of the case (you can both see and hear this one running, and typically it runs all the time). The processor fan is thermostatically controlled, and will cycle off and on depending on the amount of work the processor is doing, and that one contains the fail-safe that Chris mentioned.......it will shut the computer down before damage is done.

doc

[debk]

True.....I've had computers and video servers running in racks where (although the room was air conditioned) the temperature in the rack exceeded 90 degrees frequently due to heat generated by other equipment.

However, heat is the enemy of all electronics, they may run, but excessive heat will eventually cause component values to change, etc., resulting in a failure. It's always a good idea to keep them as cool as possible.

Frank, as Chris stated, make certain that the fans are clean and running, and nothing is stacked up alongside the enclosure that blocks the ventilation holes and openings in the case.

If I remember your computer's configuration correctly, it has two fans......one is mounted on the processor (which you can't see without taking it apart.........but you can hear it running), the other is mounted in the power supply vented through an opening in the back of the case (you can both see and hear this one running, and typically it runs all the time). The processor fan is thermostatically controlled, and will cycle off and on depending on the amount of work the processor is doing, and that one contains the fail-safe that Chris mentioned.......it will shut the computer down before damage is done.

doc

I know you didn't think about it when you wrote it....

Since Frank won't hear it running...is there a specific place he could put his hand on the tower, and feel vibration or something to make sure the fan is running?

Also Frank smokes .. quite a bit from what he has said in other posts, and unless he smokes only outside the house, I would venture a guess, he smokes while on the computer. Does he need to worry about it getting gummed up as Chris mentioned? Would he detect any smell from the tower, if there is a problem?


Bally's right, Frank....you need to be really careful in those temperatures. Are you able to get an AC unit for the LR?

[franksolich]

I know you didn't think about it when you wrote it....

Since Frank won't hear it running...is there a specific place he could put his hand on the tower, and feel vibration or something to make sure the fan is running?

Also Frank smokes .. quite a bit from what he has said in other posts, and unless he smokes only outside the house, I would venture a guess, he smokes while on the computer. Does he need to worry about it getting gummed up as Chris mentioned? Would he detect any smell from the tower, if there is a problem?


Bally's right, Frank....you need to be really careful in those temperatures. Are you able to get an AC unit for the LR?

In reply to your last question first, madam, no; the way the house is set up, only one bedroom (the one I use) and the kitchen (which I hardly use at all), are accommodating to air-conditioning units.  All else is big wide open spaces.  And I mean to say really big. 

As for the first question, ever since I first owned a personal computer (1996), I've always checked the fan by touch.  I no longer remember why; perhaps someone long ago had advised it.  The computer I had before the last one I had (i.e., two computers before this one) was the only one where it developed fan problems.

Yes, I smoke at the computer, and miles of it, but given the way the air flows inside this house, the smoke drifts the way opposite the tower.

However, I had intended to take the tower apart soon, after reading what both TVDOC and chris_ said, to take a casual look-see and to use a hair-blower to blast out dust if any; I'll probably get around to that sometime this week.  But at the moment, this computer is running like a well-oiled machine.  It's probably the quietest computer I've ever had (I've had some that knocked and rapped and rattled and stuff).

[debk]

As for the first question, ever since I first owned a personal computer (1996), I've always checked the fan by touch.  I no longer remember why; perhaps someone long ago had advised it.  The computer I had before the last one I had (i.e., two computers before this one) was the only one where it developed fan problems.

Yes, I smoke at the computer, and miles of it, but given the way the air flows inside this house, the smoke drifts the way opposite the tower.

However, I had intended to take the tower apart soon, after reading what both TVDOC and chris_ said, to take a casual look-see and to use a hair-blower to blast out dust if any; I'll probably get around to that sometime this week.  But at the moment, this computer is running like a well-oiled machine.  It's probably the quietest computer I've ever had (I've had some that knocked and rapped and rattled and stuff).

I figured you were probably very used to using touch to determine if something were working properly.

I was curious though, because the new tower I got last November, makes so little noise when the fan is on, and I even checked it last night when I posted the above...and I can't really detect any vibration from it. (last one would have been no problem).

I was also concerned when I read what Chris posted about the cigarette smoke. About 5 years ago, M's office manager's computer tower caught on fire one night, when the plant was closed. Fortunately the fire alarms went off as there was a lot of smoke, fire department got there quickly and put it out, and except for some smoke damage, the fire damage was contained to her office, which she kept locked at night. Her office was about 8 x10, and except for a door and a window(which she kept closed), and she smoked in there. (he's a smoker, too). The FD determined that the fire started from the computer tower, and I always wondered how it could have, as they said there was no faulty wiring. Didn't help that the waste basket was nearby. 

[TVDOC]

I've smoked around a LOT of computers over the years, and never had one get really gummed up because of it.......however, I Have learned that whether you smoke or not DO NOT place your tower on a carpeted floor under the desk.  The smoke residue is sticky and the lint from the carpeting will be attracted to the electrical charge in the components and really load them up.  Keep the tower away from carpeted floors.  Not to mention running an upright vacuum cleaner near a computer is a really good way to erase large portions of your hard drive, particularly the newer ones that have plastic cases....which provide absolutely no Faraday shielding.

I forgot about Frank not being able to "hear" the processor fan, but he should be able to feel it cycle off and on. 

[debk]

I've smoked around a LOT of computers over the years, and never had one get really gummed up because of it.......however, I Have learned that whether you smoke or not DO NOT place your tower on a carpeted floor under the desk.  The smoke residue is sticky and the lint from the carpeting will be attracted to the electrical charge in the components and really load them up.  Keep the tower away from carpeted floors.  Not to mention running an upright vacuum cleaner near a computer is a really good way to erase large portions of your hard drive, particularly the newer ones that have plastic cases....which provide absolutely no Faraday shielding.

I forgot about Frank not being able to "hear" the processor fan, but he should be able to feel it cycle off and on. 

Mine's on the carpet, but it's next to my desk , and there are only legs - no panel - on that side.

I'm thinking I should maybe check M's though. He doesn't smoke in the house now...(  ) but used to, and the tower was in a rather contained compartment area under his desk, but off the carpet, for a couple of years. Carpet was new, and there's also the issue of cat hair. Could be why it runs kind of slow sometimes.

[franksolich]

Mine's on the carpet, but it's next to my desk , and there are only legs - no panel - on that side.

I'm thinking I should maybe check M's though. He doesn't smoke in the house now...(  ) but used to, and the tower was in a rather contained compartment area under his desk, but off the carpet, for a couple of years. Carpet was new, and there's also the issue of cat hair. Could be why it runs kind of slow sometimes.

I've never put a tower on the floor; too much potential for damage.

The "ideal" for me, which happens about 99% of the time, is to have all running parts of anything in clear view when they're running.

[Thor]

Mine's on the carpet, but it's next to my desk , and there are only legs - no panel - on that side.

 

[TVDOC]

Mine's on the carpet, but it's next to my desk , and there are only legs - no panel - on that side.

I'm thinking I should maybe check M's though. He doesn't smoke in the house now...(  ) but used to, and the tower was in a rather contained compartment area under his desk, but off the carpet, for a couple of years. Carpet was new, and there's also the issue of cat hair. Could be why it runs kind of slow sometimes.

You'd be absolutely amazed at how much fluff comes off of carpet by just walking on it.  Before I retired, I had equipment racks in my studio, and there was anti-static industrial grade carpeting on the floor (for sound deadening), all of the equipment was fan cooled, with filters on the air intakes.  From just people walking past, enough fluff from the carpet was sucked up in the equipment filters to require cleaning or replacement once a month.

In your case all the fluff is being sucked into your computer.....which has no intake filters........by the normal operation of the cooling fans. 

I'd find somewhere else to place the tower, or clean it out twice a year or so.

doc

[LC EFA]

My old games machine used to run hot - the video card would get hot enough in summer to raise a blister on contact at one point - this caused the machine to hard lock fairly frequently.

I solved the problem by taking off the side of the case and erecting a pedestal fan there to increase airflow over the internal components.

Problem solved.

As a side note - if you're going to use forced air to clean internal components - especially fans - place a pencil on the fan to prevent it over-spinning and risking burning out the bearings. I use a paint brush to help loosen dust from internal components.

[namvet]

mines on the desk next to this monitor. the CPU's have there own fan as does the power supply. I take mine outside and use compressed air in a can