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COOLING DOWN iMAC's

Just as an FYI I also use that program to measure temperatures. Here is some of my research on using iMac for gaming. I also use a small room fan behind the iMac. The monitor is huge so you really cant see the fan.

OK I got around to some temperature fiddling. Note that when I say fan I mean the one I have BEHIND my computer. On lowest setting.

Heres my basic start up stats:
Ambient temp: 14 deg C
CPU A Heat sink: 25 deg C
Graphics Processor Heat sink: 35 deg C
Memory Controller: 26 deg C
optical drive: 22 deg C
Power Supply Position 2: 28 deg C
Smart Disk: 21 deg C
Core(s) 1-8: between 22 - 24 deg C

Here is me surfing with no fan(behind) (some bit torrents)

Ambient temp: 18deg C
CPU A Heat sink: 46 deg C
Graphics Processor Heat sink: 48 deg C
Memory Controller: 38 deg C
optical drive: 32 deg C
Power Supply Position 2: 45 deg C
Smart Disk: 35 deg C
Core(s) 1-8: between 32 - 33 deg C

Gaming under normal game load for about an hour (no fan in back)

Ambient temp: 25 deg C
CPU A Heat sink: 56 deg C
Graphics Processor Heat sink: 78 deg C
Memory Controller: 77 deg C
optical drive: 47 deg C
Power Supply Position 2: 71 deg C
Smart Disk: 51 deg C
Core(s) 1-8: between 57 - 60 deg C

Gaming under Heavy graphics load for 2+hours (with fan on low setting in back):

Ambient temp: 24 deg C
CPU A Heat sink: 56 deg C
Graphics Processor Heat sink: 76 deg C
Memory Controller: 52 deg C
optical drive: 43 deg C
Power Supply Position 2: 68 deg C
Smart Disk: 45 deg C
Core(s) 1-8: between 58 - 66 deg C

On average it seems I save aprx 5-6 deg temperature between having the fan in the back and not. I am not sure how the savings would add over time but I suspect that any amount of extra cooling when under load has to save the machine over time.

I didn't run it under heavy raiding load for a couple of hours in the test because I figure based on the existing stats, that it would still add up to about 6-8 degrees cooler with the fan.

Peace.
__________________
 
so the end result is?

I used an 8" fan to cool my imac during compression in FCP and it was a soft breeze but took down the temps by about 8-10 degrees.
 
Computer with Fever

geoffreak said:
Don't color your posts like that. It's obnoxious.

As long as your Mac isn't above 80 degrees C, you are fine.
Click to expand...

That is not correct, the Hard Drive is desing to operate under 35 ºC according to manufacturer, so at 80 ºC is already dying and the internal plastic loose their properties at those temperatures. Speed up your fans to keep it under 37º on all sensors. Internally the mac is plastic, rubber, copper and aluminum, at 80º do not spect it to live long.
Where do you think the stripes on the screen appears for on the early iMacs.
Or the time capsules diying at 18 months old.
Temperature kills.
 
doctoresmac said:
That is not correct, the Hard Drive is desing to operate under 35 ºC according to manufacturer, so at 80 ºC is already dying and the internal plastic loose their properties at those temperatures. Speed up your fans to keep it under 37º on all sensors. Internally the mac is plastic, rubber, copper and aluminum, at 80º do not spect it to live long.
Where do you think the stripes on the screen appears for on the early iMacs.
Or the time capsules diying at 18 months old.
Temperature kills.
Click to expand...

he didn't say ANYTHING about the hard drive....


The CPU is designed to operate up to 80 degrees, other components no, but the CPU, which is what most people are paying attention to, yes.



Quit trying to sound smart.
 
I would just trust Apple as they have tested these machines to work the way they do.
 
doctoresmac said:
That is not correct, the Hard Drive is desing to operate under 35 ºC according to manufacturer, so at 80 ºC is already dying and the internal plastic loose their properties at those temperatures. Speed up your fans to keep it under 37º on all sensors. Internally the mac is plastic, rubber, copper and aluminum, at 80º do not spect it to live long.
Where do you think the stripes on the screen appears for on the early iMacs.
Or the time capsules diying at 18 months old.
Temperature kills.
Click to expand...
You've used your first two posts in this forum to resurrect two dormant threads to post nonsense. You're not going to keep any Mac under 37C on all sensors, unless you never turn it on. You don't need to modify the built-in fan control to keep a Mac operating properly.
 
To be honest i wouldn't worry about it. Mine goes through gaming hell some nights, yes the machine gets hot but thats it. I'm yet to see it melt into a pile of molten metal in the middle of the desk. Remember any problems and apples only a phone call away.
 
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