Windows 7: Hot weather overloading my fan.

The other day, when it was nearly 100 degrees out, I came home and could hear the computer from the door. The fan was working hard. I cleaned the fan, and it DID need a good cleaning, but it didn't get much softer. After I put on the a/c the fan got quieter than I've heard it in awhile. The next morning was cool and the pc was quiet. When I got home, after the temp rose to upper 80's, it was very loud again. I only have 1 fan in there. The PSU is 800 or 850. I decided that on hot days, I'll just shut off my pc when I'm not using it, but how many fans should I have to support that PSU?

Thank you

Hello Tousdae.



I'd be hard to say how many fans you may need, who manufactured the case and what model is it?

Hello Tousdae,

If you do not require your computer to run when not sitting in front of it, then you might consider putting it in sleep mode instead of letting it stay running all of the time. You'll save money on your electric bill, and it will start up fast when needed.

You can also set your Advanced Power Plan settings to have the Minimum processor state set to 5% under the Processor power management option to not have the CPU run as hard when not needed by Windows 7.



Hope this helps
Shawn

Apart from wasting a lot of energy it is really not a good idea to leave the PC noodling when you are not around. The energy is better used if you set your AC to e.g. 80F - that keeps the mildew out of your house.

To shut or not shut a machine off between uses is a controversy that will rage long after most of us are dead. I always shut mine off if not at home: it's a fire hazard, no matter how benign. I usually shut it off if I am going to be away for, say, more than 30 minutes (no hard/fast rule though). It seems to me I have read many more articles on the tangible benefits of shutting down v. the dubious benefits gained by leaving it on regardless of the time period between uses. I build a new machine about every two years so it is entirely possible that I build anew before any deleterious effects of my frequent ons/offs become manifest. On the other hand, I have used "old" HDDs as backup or utility drives and they forever seem to spin away regardless of how many on/off cycles they have endured.

Regarding the fan speed. Depending on the design of your mobo, as the CPU heats up, fan speeds increase. For me, the first order of business, clean the dust from my case paying particular attention to the CPU heat sink which is prone to clogging with dust. What I do about every three months, is to hook up the hose to my shopvac to the exhaust port and then blast away. I then closely check all of the heat sinks/cooling fins/pipes on all my devices (CPU, GPU, RAM) to make sure they are clean.

One other option (that elicits an "OMG!!" from some) if you continually run hot with the machine on, take off the case side panel that faces your mobo. Then place a small portable fan maybe three four inches away directed toward the middle of the case. This is a fan I have used on any number of occasions. I think WalMart has these for less than Amazon. One of these 8-inch, large blade, high velocity, high volume fans will cool your entire case/components by blasting a stream of air in a 360 degree radius eliminating hot spots/dead zones. The reviews at Amazon testify to the output; one user mentions that he cools his receiver with it.

Now some object that the air is not channeled front to back over the components so that they cool. And it is not: the air is blasted at the components which blasts the heat away. Or, in the case, you can hang as many fans as space/connectors permit.

Finally, you might DL the free HWMonitor which will monitor a variety of temps/fan speeds/voltages, etc. and see what your temps are and how various suggestions you receive effect cooling.

Monk

Excellent post worthy of rep, which was just awarded. Keep it up my friend.

@Richc46

Hey thanks - I am truly humbled.

I sometimes worry that I may be too verbose or give more suggestions than are called for by the author of the thread. Your comments are most reassuring.

Monk

Shawn, I checked the advanced tab and it's already set up like you told me to set it up. I hope that's not bad news. Thanks for taking the time

Kid - It's this - Lifetime Series Pro 650W Psu. Hmm, I wonder why I was believing I bought an 800/850? Oh that is not what you asked. Well, I don't know how to answer that. I bought a HP, right. It had a 450 psu in it and I swear that case had 6 fans in it. I can't remember for certain the amount. There were a lot. 6 is stuck in my head. The motherboard died. It wasn't even a year old and the motherboard died. I took it to my pc guy and he just gave me a new case. It wasn't until about 3 months later when cleaning my fan the first time that I realized all my fans were gone. So, I don't know how to answer your question. I spoke to him yesterday too. He told me that I don't need any more fans and to shut off the pc in weather over 80. ...

Thank you Monk. I'll download that monitor. I also work part-time on my pc so despite 100 degree weather sometimes it'll have to be used. I'll pick up one of those little fans. I saw them at CVS yesterday.

Thanks everyone for the time

I downloaded the monitor.
TMPIN0 is at 80 degrees
TMPIN2 is at 98 degrees. Bad?
Fanin0 is 2782 RPM.
The sound is very soft right now. What shouldn't the temp go over??

There is an option as stated, take the side panel off the case and aim an electric fan at the inside, just make sure nothing gets in there to short it out; your PC guy is an idiot.


What temp is the CPU showing? That's the one to be concerned with.