My computer raises the ambient room temperature by about 4°F. I don't like it (in the summer)

Question

I'm running Windows XP Pro SP3 on an Intel Core2 Duo CPU E7400 with 3.5 GB of RAM and an Intel G45/G43 chipset. The motherboard runs at 35°C and the CPU at 32°C -- which I don't think is too hot. First of all, is this too hot? I'd like ways of stopping it from transferring the heat to the room. On a summer night the room temperature goes from 74°F to 78°F. Turn of one of the fans and let things run hotter? Will a liquid cooling kit help? Thanks.

Answer 1

Turning off the fans, liquid cooling, etc does not reduce the total heat caused by powering the components in your computer.

If you vent the heat from the electronics into the room, you are going to raise the temperature of your room, regardless of the method used to remove the heat.

The only solution is to either turn off the computer or vent the heat out of that room.

Answer 2

You need to take the heat out of the room...

... I use the mains water pipes as my heat-sink!

I have a slightly unusual set-up. My study was originally the kitchen which was relocated to an extension. As a result, the mains-water inlet still comes into the room. I have a water cooling system on an old machine that I want on all of the time and it's using an old Intel CPU that I should probably replace, but it works - it just generates a lot of heat.

My water-cooling pipes come out of the case and connect to a refrigeration pipe that I have wrapped tightly around the water-mains. I now have a huge heat-sink of underground water to dissipate my heat into! ;-)

Keeps the system almost silent (pump makes a very low amount noise, much less than a fan) and stops the room from getting warm!

Answer 3

The amount of heat generated by your computer can only be altered by either using more efficient components (ones that generate less heat) or by removing components.

Heat is a byproduct of inefficiency, if you swap your CPU for one that consumes less power (look at wattage ratings) and remove extra items that consumer power (and in turn generate heat) then you'll find the temperature savings.

PC Cooling systems are intended to dissapate heat, not lower the total heat output. Disabling them will help keep heat in your system but could cause problems (fans are there for a reason; hot chips are unhappy chips). So unless you want to bring home a block of dry ice every day to offset the generated heat then there's not a lot you can do.

Now, with all that said, try buying a cheap infrared thermometer and use it to determine where the heat is originating. Components without fans will give you the best readings (the ones with fans will blow the heat away); take a look at your monitor, printer (laser especially), power bricks, and power-supply and find the worst culprits. You might be able to put the bad-guys on a seperate power-strip and kill power to all of them when you're not around.

Answer 4

I guess you could underclock the components (GPU CPU) also replacing the power supply with a more efficient one is a good thing to look at. Some of the older cheaper ones are only about 50% efficient whereas more modern (and expensive) PSUs can be over 90% efficient i.e. 90% plus of the energy is delivered to the components and only 10% wasted as heat as opposed to a 50 50 split.

Answer 5

It doesn't matter how you cool the PC. Regardless of the cooler you use, the computer is putting out the same amount of heat. If your temps are lower it means that your fans and cooler are taking more heat out of the case and putting it in your room.

The best way to fix this is to adjust the ventilation of the room. If there's a window, put a fan in it. If there's not, at least open the door. Think of the room like the inside of the computer case. If you don't have any cooling, the heat is just going to stay in there and the temperature will rise.

Answer 6

I think a good approach is to power down components not in use. Everything that uses power, produces heat.

• Do you have multiple hard disks running? Do they spin down when idle?
• Do you have multiple monitors? Might help if you switch one or more off, if not needed.
• Is your computer the only thin producing heat? What about light bulbs? I'm not saying you should sit in the dark, which is bad for the eyes, but you probably don't need artificial daylight either.

This may not have a huge effect but still, you can try.

Answer 7

As the other posters said, you have to remove the heat from the entire room. Here's a guy who built a water-cooled concrete slab heat pump to cool his PC.

Answer 8

You need to think outside the box!! (like my cat ;-)

You don't mention your budget too? If budget is less of an issue do what I've done at home KVM over IP and put the PC OUTSIDE the room!! Who cares what temperature the PC box gets too, or what speeds your fans are. http://www.blackbox.com.au/PRODUCT.cfm?PARTNUMBER=DTX5000 is what I bought and it is fantastic, in combination with 2x USB extension cable, with a USB hub on the end of it (for external DVD-ROM, USB keys and HDDs). I understand you can get KVM over IPs MUCH cheaper on eBay and the like too.

The my room and the spare room next door to me shares a built in wardrobe, i ran the CAT6e cable through a small hole and plugged the PC in in the wardrobe.

Answer 9

Don't alter your system's cooling unless it's to increase it. Computers are designed with certain cooling requirements and expected airflow patterns. Reduce that cooling, and you could end up with fried computer.

Answer 10

Open a few windows and doors, simple as that. Make sure air can flow through your room.

I had the same problem, so during the summer I keep my window open almost permanently. However I found my room still getting stuffy, so now I keep the door open, and the bathroom door/window open too (which is next to my room) and it can actually get a little chilly in the evening!

Keeping curtains open if possible helps, too. Only problem is with the lights on at night you often get bugs in the house :-o

Answer 11

The temperatures you give are normal.

To cool the room, add fans to the room. It would be really good if you can get some sort of air flow through the room so that air comes in one direction and goes out another.

Answer 12

You might install some software to adjust the activity level of your computer according to your own activity on it, thus saving on electricity and heat. One example is SpeedFan, that can control the speed of your fan. Another is your computer's power management options. See also http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/238/1/Green-your-computer-use.html.

Answer 13

Powersave, turn off the things inside the computer that you don't use.

Please note that practically all energy you put into a computer turns into heat. So if you buy a mobile energy meter and messure how much power it use you get an estimate on how much heat it emits to the room.

If you don't "use" the energy, you don't have to cool it away.

Answer 14

You can add a larger fan, but the noise level can increase somewhat.

http://thereifixedit.failblog.org/2009/08/11/epic-kludge-photo-and-i-thought-my-fan-was-loud/