Any reason not to leave the side off the case?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lee M.
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Lee M.

My CPU (Athlon 2700+) is running hotter than I'd like, typically in the low
50s C at idle and low loads with ambient temps in the mid- to upper 70s.
The tower sits inside a computer desk with a door and the opening is only
about 1" wider than the case. I'm trying an experiment today by leaving the
side of the case off. Is there any reason I should run like this if it
lowers the temps by a few degrees? Or am I concerned about nothing? FWIW,
an Athlon 1800+ was typically less that 40C under the same conditions (and
same heatsink).
 
Lee M. said:
My CPU (Athlon 2700+) is running hotter than I'd like, typically in the
low 50s C at idle and low loads with ambient temps in the mid- to upper
70s. The tower sits inside a computer desk with a door and the opening is
only about 1" wider than the case. I'm trying an experiment today by
leaving the side of the case off. Is there any reason I should run like
this if it lowers the temps by a few degrees? Or am I concerned about
nothing? FWIW, an Athlon 1800+ was typically less that 40C under the same
conditions (and same heatsink).
Click to expand...
That is normal temp for that CPU, AMD sets max at 90C! With side off
case, airflow is uncertan, can get hotspots in places, also RF interference
into room.

Mike.
 
Michael Hawes said:
That is normal temp for that CPU, AMD sets max at 90C! With side off
case, airflow is uncertan, can get hotspots in places, also RF
interference into room.

Mike.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that temp was normal. Kind of
surprised since I read of higher speed chips running much lower temps.

I will put the side back on. Fyi, with the door closed, the thing was still
running 51-52C (ambient 78F) but with the door open (which makes it pretty
noisy), it dropped down under 50.

Lee
 
Lee M. said:
Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that temp was normal. Kind of
surprised since I read of higher speed chips running much lower temps.

I will put the side back on. Fyi, with the door closed, the thing was
still running 51-52C (ambient 78F) but with the door open (which makes it
pretty noisy), it dropped down under 50.
Click to expand...

Not only can leaving the side panel off sometimes cause improper airflow
possibly causing hot spots, it will also let all the dust in.

It's also a bad thing if the system is under the desk with the side panel
off and you accidently knock over a fresh large cup of coffee, and the side
panel you removed was on the side facing the coffee spill, and even worse if
the hard drives happened to be mounted with their circuit cards facing up
near the front of the exposed side of the case.

DAMHIKT
 
Lee said:
My CPU (Athlon 2700+) is running hotter than I'd like, typically in the low
50s C at idle and low loads with ambient temps in the mid- to upper 70s.
Click to expand...

50C and 70F, right?

low 50s for that CPU is just fine.

The tower sits inside a computer desk with a door and the opening is only
about 1" wider than the case.
Click to expand...

Is this door blocking airflow getting to, and thus through, the
computer? Is the computer just recircing its own heated air?
I'm trying an experiment today by leaving the
side of the case off. Is there any reason I should run like this if it
lowers the temps by a few degrees?
Click to expand...

A few degrees is not worth the hassle of having something get inside the
system and royally bugger it all up.
Or am I concerned about nothing? FWIW,
an Athlon 1800+ was typically less that 40C under the same conditions (and
same heatsink).
Click to expand...

Didn't the 2700+ come with a different HSF? You didn't recycle the old
one, did you?

Cheers,

Ari


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spodosaurus said:
50C and 70F, right?
Right.

low 50s for that CPU is just fine.



Is this door blocking airflow getting to, and thus through, the computer?
Is the computer just recircing its own heated air?
Click to expand...

I usually leave the door cracked an inch or two for better circulation.
It's open in the back for the exhaust fans.

A few degrees is not worth the hassle of having something get inside the
system and royally bugger it all up.


Didn't the 2700+ come with a different HSF? You didn't recycle the old
one, did you?
Click to expand...

I'm using an all-copper heat sink that I previously used with an Athlon
2200+. Copper should be better than the aluminum AMD factory heatsink,
shouldn't it? Also used thermal paste. Fan is the typical heatsink type,
spins a little over 4000 rpm.
 
Lee M. said:
My CPU (Athlon 2700+) is running hotter than I'd like, typically in the low 50s C at
idle and low loads with ambient temps in the mid- to upper 70s. The tower sits inside a
computer desk with a door and the opening is only about 1" wider than the case. I'm
trying an experiment today by leaving the side of the case off. Is there any reason I
should run like this if it lowers the temps by a few degrees? Or am I concerned about
nothing? FWIW, an Athlon 1800+ was typically less that 40C under the same conditions
(and same heatsink).
Click to expand...

Its great, on a cold day the cat curls up inside the case to take a snooze. When they get
bored, there is that spinning thing to play with. Lots of dangling wires to yank on..its a
regular play ground. I lost a lizard years ago, for about 5 days................
 
I have seen a few computer users without a cover on their PC. This
can work fine for some, but the cover provides for some protection
from objects falling or crawling into it. Sometimes the cover will
improve airflow. Technicians that do a lot of hardware swapping will
leave the cover off, but if it's my computer I'll keep the cover on.
 
Phisherman said:
I have seen a few computer users without a cover on their PC. This
can work fine for some, but the cover provides for some protection
from objects falling or crawling into it. Sometimes the cover will
improve airflow. Technicians that do a lot of hardware swapping will
leave the cover off, but if it's my computer I'll keep the cover on.
Click to expand...

The computer is on a shelf that is only about 1" wider and 1/2" higher than
the case. I don't have to worry about anything falling or crawling into it
but I'm going to put the side back on anyway since it didn't make much
difference (only about 3C) in the CPU temp.
 
Newer computers with their VERY hot running components were NOT meant to be
stuffed into a confined space where cooling is not effectively possible.
And the 70 C temp for the CPU will fry it.
 
My CPU (Athlon 2700+) is running hotter than I'd like, typically in the low
50s C at idle and low loads with ambient temps in the mid- to upper 70s.
The tower sits inside a computer desk with a door and the opening is only
about 1" wider than the case. I'm trying an experiment today by leaving the
side of the case off. Is there any reason I should run like this if it
lowers the temps by a few degrees? Or am I concerned about nothing? FWIW,
an Athlon 1800+ was typically less that 40C under the same conditions (and
same heatsink).
Click to expand...

My Athlon XP 2500 idles in the mid to high 20s. However, the sensor is
inside the CPU socket under the CPU, so I don't know how accurate it
is. At full load the temp rises to about 50C. Ambient is about 20C.

I'm using CPU cooling software, otherwise the idle temp would be at
least 10C higher.

- Franc Zabkar
 
You know I would still be trying to lower the temp......
The room temperature has quite a bit to do with the case temp which in turn
will affect the temp of the components.
I would be looking at the airflow in the case...maybe the case fans need to
be changed to create a better airflow.
I would also look at the Heatsink/Fan on the CPU ..if it was the original
AMD unit there are better coolers out there at a reasonable cost.
Thermalright makes exceptional CPU coolers ...and depending upon the fan you
attach can run pretty silently.
peter
 
Franc Zabkar said:
My Athlon XP 2500 idles in the mid to high 20s. However, the sensor is
inside the CPU socket under the CPU, so I don't know how accurate it
is. At full load the temp rises to about 50C. Ambient is about 20C.

I'm using CPU cooling software, otherwise the idle temp would be at
least 10C higher.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Click to expand...


Would that be CPU Idle? What brand of heatsink/fan do you use?

Lee
 
I mixed my temperature scales and it caused some confusion. Ambient temps
are typically below 80F. The CPU typically approaches 60C only during the
weekly virus scan. That's the only time it's running at 100% for any length
of time.
 
Lee said:
Right.
Click to expand...

50C is fine. 40C is cool. 80C is hot.
I usually leave the door cracked an inch or two for better circulation.
It's open in the back for the exhaust fans.
Click to expand...

Might want to just remove the door. We had to do that recently with a
networking cabinet. Almost nothing in there and wide open at the back,
but the two little boxes generated a lot of heat that would not
dissipate adequately and caused freeze up issues.
I'm using an all-copper heat sink that I previously used with an Athlon
2200+. Copper should be better than the aluminum AMD factory heatsink,
shouldn't it? Also used thermal paste. Fan is the typical heatsink type,
spins a little over 4000 rpm.
Click to expand...

What does the manufacturer of that heat sink say about it's suitability
for use with the new CPU? Did you put a glob of thermal paste on, or
just a small smear? Cleaned off any old thermal paste or tape prior, right?


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Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant. Please
volunteer to be a marrow donor and literally save someone's life:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
Franc said:
My Athlon XP 2500 idles in the mid to high 20s. However, the sensor is
inside the CPU socket under the CPU, so I don't know how accurate it
is.
Click to expand...

That sounds like quite an old board! Didn't most socket A boards of that
era use the on die temp sensor?
At full load the temp rises to about 50C. Ambient is about 20C.

I'm using CPU cooling software, otherwise the idle temp would be at
least 10C higher.

- Franc Zabkar
Click to expand...


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply
Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant. Please
volunteer to be a marrow donor and literally save someone's life:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
spodosaurus said:
What does the manufacturer of that heat sink say about it's suitability
for use with the new CPU? Did you put a glob of thermal paste on, or just
a small smear? Cleaned off any old thermal paste or tape prior, right?
Click to expand...

I just determined that the heatsink is a Thermaltake SK6. It seems to have
gotten good reviews. I might try another fan to see if I can get more
airflow though. I used a small smear of paste and wiped it with a credit
card to get uniform thickness.
 
That sounds like quite an old board! Didn't most socket A boards of that
era use the on die temp sensor?
Click to expand...

It's an ECS L7S7A2, and you may be right, Motherboard Monitor confirms
that it does use a diode sensor. But then could it be an external
diode-connected transistor ???

One thing that is certain is that the case sensor often registers an
ambient temperature that is significantly greater than the CPU temp.
This sensor is located at the bottom rear corner of the case, away
from any intake or exhaust fan, and in a pocket near the graphics
card.

- Franc Zabkar
 
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