Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

gangof4

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 6, 2011
82
0
Texas
For those of you who use an external fan to keep your imac temps as low as possible; is it more important to direct the breeze towards the air intake ducts (bottom of screen) or to focus the flow where the hot air exits the imac (top left of the screen?)
 
I would place a fan that blew air upwards into the back of the screen. That way you're aiding by pushing the hotter air up and also hitting both heat sinks. Kind of a weird technique.

You could cut holes in the back of the frame!!
 
How large? I was thinking it would be kinda cool to take large 2-3" diameter chunks out wherever possible. But I'm not sure the drill attachments I have access to could handle that, plus I'd need to take the computer apart again.
 
Not holes actually because it's hard to cut holes with a chainsaw.

(Hey--I'm from Texas)
 
This thread is a joke right? I cannot hear any fan in my almost new iMac. My PCs all had fans that I could hear, but not this badboy.
 
Not a joke--a serious question which took on a humorous aspect.

Because imacs tend to run hot, there have been numerous threads about safe temperatures for the hdd, the power supply, cpu, etc. Some posters said they use exterior "clip on" fans or other fans to circulate the air more around their imac in an effort to bring down the temps a bit, especially when the ambient room temperature is rather warm. This thread wonders where the breeze should be focused--where the air enters the computer or on top (left) of the computer where the case is the warmest.
 
Well, I thought that aiming the flow towads the top of the screen might move the heat away from the unit quicker. So aiming towards the intake ports sort of "rams the air" a bit?

Some folks change their internal fan settings/speeds but I really don't want to mess with that.
 
That or I thought about one of these 12-18 inch "tower" fans which might provide air to the entire left side. Either can't hurt and can only help. I'm hoping to get a good five years use out of my imac.
 
That or I thought about one of these 12-18 inch "tower" fans which might provide air to the entire left side. Either can't hurt and can only help. I'm hoping to get a good five years use out of my imac.

Just occasionally vacuum the air intakes and forget about it.
 
Dang ... I wouldn't put any external fan for my iMac, it beats the purpose of iMac being fast and silent computer. You're getting same experience as custom built PC if you add external fan, I hope you didn't add any colorful LED and blinks to it :p

But if you insist to do it, the best way to "help" iMac cooling is put some fans below your Mac screen to blow some air, yes .. close to air intake holes, and add another fan above the screen with sucking mechanism. That would look ugly, but if you really want to circulate air quicker, that's the way it's done
 
isayusay: My fan doesn't have blinking leds, but it plays Barry Manilow music along with the best of the Hansons. Does that count as being tacky or naf enuff?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.