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Another 24.7 thread...

K

Keith130

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Messages
378
Is there any fire hazard attached to leaving my comps on all the time? Is it greater that having them on just when using them? (They are all ready on all the time folding before anyone suggests this!)
 
There are lots of companies who have lots of ignorant people. In these companies some people leave their machines on 24x7 regardless what they know. If leaving a PC on 24x7 was a fire hazard every building in every city would be ashes.

In short, leaving your PC on 24x7 will only consume more power, and very little at that...
 
Yes, in theory there is a fire hazard. If the heatsink falls off and it's an AMD processor, it could overheat, and light stray dust on fire, which could spread from there. Now this is quite unlikely! :D

In other words, leave 'em on! :) (Just run folding@home or something so that you're not just wasting power)
 
Yes there is. It maximizes the window of opportunity for a fire to start. Since you are sleeping at night, you would be less responsive if a fire were to start, increasing th chances that the fire will go out of control.

Don't get me wrong, though. 24/7 operation may not ever start a fire, but it definitely creates an opportunity for it.
 
I made some corrections :p
Originally posted by defcom_1
If the heatsink falls off and it's a P4 Prescott processor, it could overheat, and light stray dust on fire, which could spread from there. Now this is quite likely! :D
Click to expand...
 
I think the biggest fire hazard would be the layers of dust in some computers. Still, normal operating temperatures(and probably even abnormal temperatures) aren't close to igniting the dust. There are probably more fires due to light bulbs than computers.
 
Originally posted by Benny Blanco
I made some corrections :p
Click to expand...

LOL :D

(The thermal throttling will kick in, and not let the chip actually get hot enough to burn. :D, the AMD will.. (there's a tomshardware video from a while back)
 
Its more likely that the dust buildup in your PSU will cause a fire.

But if its on 24/7 then your more likely to be out when that happens.......

Luck.........:D
 
Actually that's not entirely true. All Athlon XP processors carry on-die temperature monitoring systems, but it's up to the motherboard to take appropriate actions. Adequate solutions for the Athlon XP are very rare, however with the Athlon 64, AMD is well prepared for thermal shutdown if needed. A future revision has been said to include thermal throttling as well.
 
Yes and Tom decided to do that video after Intel applied their thermal protection, but before AMD did.:rolleyes:
 
Dont you guys check for stable first for accouple of days then leave it on?
 
Hmm i just check whats the average temperature and the real test is leaving it on all week. :)
 
Originally posted by KoZLop
Dont you guys check for stable first for accouple of days then leave it on?
Click to expand...

Most people check for stability by using Prime95, games, and other stressful stuff.
 
Originally posted by defcom_1
LOL :D

(The thermal throttling will kick in, and not let the chip actually get hot enough to burn. :D, the AMD will.. (there's a tomshardware video from a while back)
Click to expand...
no way! I gotta see this!

/searches diligently

/edit: someone help me find it please?
 
I would think generic PSU's would be a hazard, if left alone. I have heard some stories where it ignited, and I have seen a bolt of lightning come out of one of my systems. But the case sides were off, and I think if it is contained within the case it would be harmless (except for killing the system). Even if it did happen to ignite or shoot lightning out, I doubt it would last long enough to burn something, unless it was in one spot for like 10 seconds (which is pretty unlikely).

So, leave it on 24/7 :)
 
It's always a possibility, however remote.

If your computer is filled with dust however, the chance becomes considerably greater. I suggest that you get dust filters for any intake fans and that you ensure you have a positive pressure in the computer to prevent dust from being sucked in every crack and gap in the computer case.
 
The amount of dust in a std PC will unlikely cause a fire IF there is a source of ignition near the dust. Burning electronic circuit boards is bloody hard. It needs temperatures >800C for a decent amount of time AND a good air supply. If you somehow managed to set the mobo on fire it would soon overheat and destroy the psu thus depriving the fire of any forced convection provided by the fans. Any fire needs heat, fuel and air, deprive it of any and it dies.

In the late '80s I was an engineer for an incineration company here and one of my tasks was to test the conditions necessary to incinerate electronic circuit boards. Bloody big burners were needed and they had to be on for a long time to raise the temperature within the incinerator to the ignition point, then the heat needed to be applied constantly to maintain any combustion. The boards were generally just charred at the end of the test. Mind you the crap they gave off wasn't very pleasant :(

Heh, it's easier to burn a human corpse than a mobo (we bought out a cremation company and I was transferred over to sort out the technical issues!).
 
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