PB running hot - only 1 fan working?

[mainstreetmark]

My powerbook has started running at like 131 degrees recently, versus the standard 127 it normally runs on a desk.

According to Hardware Monitor, I only have 1 fan running, which kind of concerns me. Do these fans run independently of one another? Can anyone confirm? Anyone know what the "danger zone" would be?

Powerbook 17", 1.33GHz

 

[Daveway]

The powerbooks only have one fan.

 

[mainstreetmark]

I appear to have two. The other one just kicked on and drove the temperature back down to 126.


This guide shows two:

http://www.pbfixit.com/Guide/55.19.13.html

 

[BrianKonarsMac]

apples famous design...

my powerbook runs quite hot too.

i believe it is apples lack of design.

the screen moves back on hinges, the bottom of the screen "hangs over" the back of the laptop... directly over the ventilation ports... someone on the design team is an absolute moron.

 

[mainstreetmark]

well, I don't think it's that. Air is pretty flexible and can easily move around stuff if forced to. The powerbook, some say, is the finest notebook design going, given that it's got everything in it, and is only an inch thick. Compare that to Toshiba's 17", which my associate tells me, is a real legwarmer.

 

[wide]

i'm not sure if you are running your PB on a desk, but the powerbook (or any notebook, for that matter) is running on your lap or on any soft, depressable surface, it will get hotter than usually rather quickly (b/c the fans cannot successfully push the hot air out of the chassis.

 

[mainstreetmark]

naa - it's a new thing. I bet the ducts are just jammed up with two years of dust and dirt.

 

[mfacey]

naa - it's a new thing. I bet the ducts are just jammed up with two years of dust and dirt.

That could well be. I recently opened up a friends HP laptop because his fans were spinning like crazy even with no activity whatsoever. After opening it all up with found HUGE chunks of dust blocking just about all of the exhaust vents. Canned air cleaned them out and now the laptop is running substantially cooler than before. Worked like a charm!

If you ask me the fact that that happens is a design fault. I sincerely hope Apple doesn't make stupid mistakes like that. My powerbook is 3+ years old now and I don't seem to have any heat issues so far!

 

[Bear]

The powerbooks only have one fan.

That may depend on the model. I know for sure that some have two fans.

It was kind of a joke - "Dual Fan Single Processor".