Is it safe to run a PowerMac G5 w/o the door?

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

Hey everyone,

My question today is pretty simple: I want to know if it's okay for a PowerMac G5 to run WITHOUT the door? I am not talking about acrylic air baffle, which the computer does not allow to you remove, while the system is running; I am referring to the metal door panel.

My reasoning is that the air baffle is there for a reason, and is design to maintain proper air flow with our without the actual metal door... is that true? I do notice, though, that the upper compartment, which the baffle does not cover, is exposed. (optical and hard drives) Does the absence of the metal door cause any issues with that section of the PowerMac?

Lastly, and I know this sounds stupid.... But is it not as healthy to run it w/o the door? I know computers don't radiate much, but I have an exposed hard drive+ system components that are only blocked by a piece of plastic. My dad has been a computer scientist since the early 80s, and his reasoning states that computers radiate, and it is therefore not good to expose system components. (which is one of the reasons for computers' thick, metal casings) Maybe he is thinking back to 1980s computer, which could have been like standing next to a running microwave, but how is it with my PowerMac G5? Keep in mind that it's sitting next to my legs, on the floor.

-Thanks

P.S. Reason for running it without the cover?? It looks so dang cool that way :

 

[reco2011]

Yes, it's safe to operate the PowerMac G5 without the side cover for the reason you provided. Regarding the radiation it sounds as if your father is referring to EMF emissions which are very unlikely to be a health problem with the G5.

 

[gr8tfly]

The radiation referred to is RF, not ionizing kind like UV, X-Ray, and above. To comply with FCC regulations, it is not supposed to interfere with other devices (including radio receivers of various kinds). It could also be interfered with. In either event, providing proper EMI shielding helps it comply, and the side cover is part of that system (a Faraday cage for the internal components).

Cooling is another factor, though on that box it looks like there are many internal routes for air to flow even without having the case sealed. But, I'm sure it was designed to run with the case closed for optimal flow.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

The radiation referred to is RF, not ionizing kind like UV, X-Ray, and above. To comply with FCC regulations, it is not supposed to interfere with other devices (including radio receivers of various kinds). It could also be interfered with. In either event, providing proper EMI shielding helps it comply, and the side cover is part of that system (a Faraday cage for the internal components).

Cooling is another factor, though on that box it looks like there are many internal routes for air to flow even without having the case sealed. But, I'm sure it was designed to run with the case closed for optimal flow.

So all-in-all, do you think it's best to just leave the cover on? I understand that there are regulations for health, but in this case, is this door necessary or at least better to have on?

 

[weckart]

So all-in-all, do you think it's best to just leave the cover on? I understand that there are regulations for health, but in this case, is this door necessary or at least better to have on?

Airflow is about keeping the internal temps down. Just monitor the temps without the door on. If those don't rise appreciably then it is up to you.

 

[gr8tfly]

Airflow is about keeping the internal temps down. Just monitor the temps without the door on. If those don't rise appreciably then it is up to you.

This ^

So all-in-all, do you think it's best to just leave the cover on? I understand that there are regulations for health, but in this case, is this door necessary or at least better to have on?

There's not enough energy for a SAR compliance (health concern?) to be of any concern (and I'm doubtful it needs that type of certification). It's not the same power a radio transmitter would have. The RF noise comes from circuit currents switching [very rapidly] on and off. Think of the school experiment with a coil and a battery - when current flows, it creates a magnetic field. Inside the computer, this switching creates electromagnetic fields at a variety of frequencies in the radio band of the EM spectrum. That's what can interfere with other devices (including radio receivers) and for that reason, the cover should be on. But, there's no health risk in running with it off.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

This ^



There's not enough energy for a SAR compliance (health concern?) to be of any concern (and I'm doubtful it needs that type of certification). It's not the same power a radio transmitter would have. The RF noise comes from circuit currents switching [very rapidly] on and off. Think of the school experiment with a coil and a battery - when current flows, it creates a magnetic field. Inside the computer, this switching creates electromagnetic fields at a variety of frequencies in the radio band of the EM spectrum. That's what can interfere with other devices (including radio receivers) and for that reason, the cover should be on. But, there's no health risk in running with it off.

Okay, thanks for the explanation; I just wanted to be sure before leaving the cover off. (from what I have heard, the main thing to worry about is being around a naked hard drive, but this is only in theory). I actually found that the temperatures dropped a little bit, with the door having been removed, although there is a chance that that could have been a coincidence.

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Airflow is about keeping the internal temps down. Just monitor the temps without the door on. If those don't rise appreciably then it is up to you.

The temperatures actually happened to lower with the door having been removed, although it could be a coincidence. For some reason I am running at a low temperature right now, even though it's hot in my room and the door is on.

 

[gr8tfly]

...from what I have heard, the main thing to worry about is being around a naked hard drive...

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Are you talking about health risks around a naked hard drive? There aren't any.

The temperatures actually happened to lower with the door having been removed, although it could be a coincidence. For some reason I am running at a low temperature right now, even though it's hot in my room and the door is on.

It's still possible to have lower temps in places, but yet at the same time, other locations, that might not be instrumented, could experience higher temps. That would be because airflow isn't as designed. In other words, you could have average temps lower without the cover, but yet at the same time have hot spots that might you wouldn't have with the cover on. I would agree, though, with the other poster, that it's probably nothing to worry about – especially if you aren't running it hard.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

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Are you talking about health risks around a naked hard drive? There aren't any.



It's still possible to have lower temps in places, but yet at the same time, other locations, that might not be instrumented, could experience higher temps. That would be because airflow isn't as designed. In other words, you could have average temps lower without the cover, but yet at the same time have hot spots that might you wouldn't have with the cover on. I would agree, though, with the other poster, that it's probably nothing to worry about – especially if you aren't running it hard.

Yeah, you're right. I actually asked someone I know to give me an in-depth, scientific explanation of this, and she said pretty much the same things: That the computer emits nothing more than radio waves.

 

[gr8tfly]

Yeah, you're right. I actually asked someone I know to give me an in-depth, scientific explanation of this, and she said pretty much the same things: That the computer emits nothing more than radio waves.

Glad you got a more in-depth explanation. It's hard to put into a few sentences enough info to get across what the real science is. There's so much mis-information and pseudoscience out there. RF radiation is a common battle because of its association with the nuclear flavors, i.e. being confused with ionizing radiation like UV through gamma rays.