MacFansControl can cause damage to Mac 2016?

[kohsamui100]

My experience with Macbook Pro 2010 and 2011 was very bad. Both died from heating issues. Now I have a new MBP 2016, and I wonder if it would be ok to use MacFansControl to trigger the fans much earlier so it runs on lower temps (50c-60c ideally). I think I've heard someone saying that it can damage the temp sensors?

On one hand I wouldn't like to interfere the system, but on the other hand I don't trust it either, and know for sure that running at high temps can lead to issues in a few years time...

What do you think ?

 

[casperes1996]

Well. The 2010 and 2011 both were known to have GPU failures. From all reports so far, the hardware on the 2016 has no such issue and no real temperature issues.

However, it's extremely unlikely MacsFanControl will damage your sensors. Either it can read from the sensors or not, but it can't hurt them. It may however require you to reset the SMC if it's not compatible with the MBP and sends incorrect commands to the SMC. However, MacsFanControl is updated for iMac Pro, so I don't see why it wouldn't be for 2016 machines too.

I'd like to note though that macOS can actually put the fans into overdrive, running them even faster (if need be) than the SMC reports the fan can run. So MacsFanControl may tell you that 6100RPM is the max speed, and you'll be running at that, when in reality your computer would prefer to run at 7100RPM or something.

 

[Schranke]

How did you take care of dust build up on your old mac's?
Running a fan controller does not help much if the fans or heatsinks are clogged by dust. This will work as an insulant and keep heat while diminishing airflow.
I have a Macbook Pro 13" from 2011 running perfectly with no heat issues. Thinking it has something to do with removing dust every 6 month.

 

[chscag]

If you want use the Macs Fan Control app, I would let it set the fan(s) RPM at the Apple designed default. Why folks think that they know better than the Apple engineers who designed the system and speed up the fans to supposedly get more cooling is beyond me. All you'll be doing is wearing out the fan(s) and creating more noise in your Mac.

I use Macs Fan Control to strictly monitor fan RPM and CPU temperature in my iMac. But I keep everything set to the Apple default.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

My experience with Macbook Pro 2010 and 2011 was very bad. Both died from heating issues. Now I have a new MBP 2016, and I wonder if it would be ok to use MacFansControl to trigger the fans much earlier so it runs on lower temps (50c-60c ideally). I think I've heard someone saying that it can damage the temp sensors?

On one hand I wouldn't like to interfere the system, but on the other hand I don't trust it either, and know for sure that running at high temps can lead to issues in a few years time...

What do you think ?

I wouldn’t worry about it, unless you have an issue why would you bother to change anything.

 

[Superspeed500]

My experience with Macbook Pro 2010 and 2011 was very bad. Both died from heating issues. Now I have a new MBP 2016, and I wonder if it would be ok to use MacFansControl to trigger the fans much earlier so it runs on lower temps (50c-60c ideally). I think I've heard someone saying that it can damage the temp sensors?

On one hand I wouldn't like to interfere the system, but on the other hand I don't trust it either, and know for sure that running at high temps can lead to issues in a few years time...

What do you think ?

I have a MacBook Pro 15-inch 2010 with smcFanControll installed. It's still my main laptop and I have no issues other than the fans not starting early enough when gaming if I do not speed them up manually. I would start by monitoring the temperatures and then increase the fan speed if the temperature looks wrong. Make sure to clean out any dust from your fans to keep them operating properly!

If you want use the Macs Fan Control app, I would let it set the fan(s) RPM at the Apple designed default. Why folks think that they know better than the Apple engineers who designed the system and speed up the fans to supposedly get more cooling is beyond me. All you'll be doing is wearing out the fan(s) and creating more noise in your Mac.

I use Macs Fan Control to strictly monitor fan RPM and CPU temperature in my iMac. But I keep everything set to the Apple default.

My mac will crash caused by heat or get extremely hot if I do not force the fans to run at 6000 RPM while doing heavy tasks like gaming. I always run the fans at default otherwise. Yes, the fans will be more noisy and the wear will be increased, but it's better to damage fans that can be replaced rather than the entire computer IMO. I have also installed a SSD which might cause the computer to get hoter and the default fan levels might therefor be wrong.

Example:
Running an external monitor at 1080p at 2000 RPM (Apple default) shows a temperature at 62 degrees Celsius. Same monitor at 6000 RPM: 54 degrees Celsius. 6 degrees Celsius can make a difference if your computer is close to 105 degrees (the maximum temperature before the computer shuts off).

 

[kohsamui100]

Why folks think that they know better than the Apple engineers who designed the system and speed up the fans to supposedly get more cooling is beyond me.

Because when I trusted Apple engineers in the past I ended up with two junk MBP ! When we opened each of them upmyou could clearly notice signs of overheating on the board and traces. I wouldn't like to become their test dummy ever again.

If MacFansControl isn't supposed to do any harm, then I'd rather set the fans to control it so it doesn't go anywhere higher than 65c.

 

[casperes1996]

If MacFansControl isn't supposed to do any harm, then I'd rather set the fans to control it so it doesn't go anywhere higher than 65c.

There's a limit to how fast MacsFanControl can make the fans go. And whilst usually that's the same limit macOS would use anyhow, macOS has the ability to turn it up even higher if it detects extreme cases. MacsFanControl cannot.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Because when I trusted Apple engineers in the past I ended up with two junk MBP ! When we opened each of them upmyou could clearly notice signs of overheating on the board and traces. I wouldn't like to become their test dummy ever again.

If MacFansControl isn't supposed to do any harm, then I'd rather set the fans to control it so it doesn't go anywhere higher than 65c.

Fan control can set them to ramp up sooner to help mitigate heat, but it won’t throttle the cpu or gpu to stop them going higher right up to the intel limited 90-100 degrees centigrade.

 

[flyinmac]

On my beefed up 2006 Mac Pro I don’t choose fan speeds. Instead I choose temperatures.

I choose a temperature to start accelerating the fans. And I choose a maximum temperature for the component I’m desiring to run cooler.

This has proven very effective.

No problems using MacFanControl. This is obviously not the same system asked about. But instead meant to address strategy. I certainly would not set a maximum fan speed. Instead I choose to keep the given component well below Apple’s max temperature.

But I also recognize that certain components need to be at least a given temperature as well. So I don’t go crazy either. And yes, there are details on the effects of overcooling given components if you research it. For example, hard drives have been studied to compare life at average temps as well as overtemp and under temp and found that there was a middle ground for averaging a longer life (indicating that ideally they should neither be too cool or too hot).