Lowering PC's overall heat output

[Frangible]

Ok, here's the deal:

My computers put out too much heat.

My primary PC is listed in my .sig, and runs pretty much 24/7 running P2P stuff if nothing else. Monitor and hard drive power savings are enabled.

My house is two floors with central AC and heating. The thermostat is downstairs, and heat rises. The thermostat is set to 65. I cannot take it much lower because it gets cold enough in my bedroom at night as-is.

Even with the wndow in the computer room open and a fan blowing in ~60 degree air, it is consistently 75-85 in the room depending on computer use.

Other things being powered include a router, printer, cable modem, and two 15W flourescent lights. As well as a TV occasionally.

I also have a second computer, an Athlon XP 2100+. I am running CPU cool on it but it did not change anything appreciably. Underclocking the multiplier or bus speed results in an inability to POST and requires a BIOS reset. Unclocking the video card in that PC (Radeon 9800 Pro) prevents the computer from booting. So that computer stays off most the time.

With the second computer on the room heats up to like 85 degrees. I consider anything above 72 or so to be uncomfortable.

The heating vent in the room is closed and blocked off.

Anyone have any suggestions? I could buy an A/C for the window, I guess, but was hoping to resolve it without a higher power bill.

The only time the room's stayed cool is if I shut the computer down during the day, which doesn't do much for my P2P downloads.

 

[dave_borg98]

One of the only ways that you are going to be able to move that is is with a fan or something of that nature. I think an A/C unit would help keep it cool, but some sort of an exhaust fan blowing the air outsite (through the window) might help also. It should help circulate the cooler air into the room. Other than that, I see an A/C unit in your future.

 

[Frangible]

I have a fan blowing air in the room right now from the window. (it's about 60 degrees outside during the day here this week)

Is it more effecient to blow the cool air in, or the hot air out?

 

[dave_borg98]

With my house (I keep the temp around 67F), it worked better for me to allow the a/c to blow in there and exhaust the warmer temps. The only problem that I ran into, is the electric bill was a bit higher because it was exhausting so much air. I was able to help that be shutting the door to the room. But with airflow in a room, just like in a computer case, it is more efficient to have airflow from an entry point and exhausted out another. Lower to higher if possible. The same principles for case cooling can be used in a room, airflow is airflow just on a larger scale. Without knowing how your ac/heater is ducted, that is about the best I can think of. Someone else may have a better way though. Hope it helps.

 

[Thuleman]

I would invest 50 bucks into some junker computer you can get at a garage sale. You know, one of those that run just fine on a 100W PSU. Switch the HD to a bigger one if necessary, and P2P all day long without much heat coming out of that machine. Your current CPU alone is probably giving off some 100W in heat.

 

[Earp]

A few observations:

I wouldn't think the HD power-saving settings would do you any good when you're running P2P. There is always going to be hd usage.

If you can borrow/buy an amp-meter, see how much power your pc's are actually pulling. I'd look at some more power-efficient parts before buying a window a/c

Is there a cold-air return in the room? Also, do you keep the door open or closed?

Many central-air systems allow you to run the fan all the time instead of just when it's heating/cooling. You might be able to open your vents and run the fan all the time, though I don't know how much that would affect the power bill.

You could also try moving the heat out of the room. I've seen some clever ducting used before to remove the hot air. Or you could do what I did and resort to using watercooling with the rad in another room.

It would also be helpful to know where you live. In a few months, things could change quite a bit.

 

[Frangible]

I would invest 50 bucks into some junker computer you can get at a garage sale. You know, one of those that run just fine on a 100W PSU. Switch the HD to a bigger one if necessary, and P2P all day long without much heat coming out of that machine. Your current CPU alone is probably giving off some 100W in heat.

I actually have an old P2-450 lying around, with a wireless card even, was thinking about just shoving that into another room and letting it go all day. I could never get mstsc working with it though and got apathetic. I'd probably need a new drive for it as well.

I wouldn't think the HD power-saving settings would do you any good when you're running P2P. There is always going to be hd usage.

Good point.

If you can borrow/buy an amp-meter, see how much power your pc's are actually pulling. I'd look at some more power-efficient parts before buying a window a/c

It's essentially the only thing being powered in the room, and according to my IR thermometer where the heat is. The newer CPUs seem to draw even more power so I don't think I can get much more effecient in terms of a primary computer like that.

Is there a cold-air return in the room? Also, do you keep the door open or closed?

I generally leave the door open. There's a heating/cooling vent I have blocked off since only the furnace runs this time of year.

Many central-air systems allow you to run the fan all the time instead of just when it's heating/cooling. You might be able to open your vents and run the fan all the time, though I don't know how much that would affect the power bill.

Yeah, I can do that, but I'm not sure if having the air constantly cycling makes up for the fact that the heater is going to run intermittently (especially at night), when the thermostat drops below 65.

You could also try moving the heat out of the room. I've seen some clever ducting used before to remove the hot air. Or you could do what I did and resort to using watercooling with the rad in another room.

I was debating buying another fan and sticking it in the door, so the air would flow from the window and out the door into the rest of the house.

It would also be helpful to know where you live. In a few months, things could change quite a bit.

Western Montana. Yeah, it usually starts snowing before the end of October here, so it'll be a non-issue shortly for a few months. The summers are hot, the winters cold, you can't win here

 

[MC FLMJIG]

P4 = heat

XP = heat

Have you also tried thermal paste on the chips to bring it down a notch? You're also on top level... it's warmer on top level then lower. I have my pc on third level and it is hotter than 2nd and even more than 1st. My temps are no problem though.

 

[Frangible]

P4 = heat

XP = heat

Have you also tried thermal paste on the chips to bring it down a notch? You're also on top level... it's warmer on top level then lower. I have my pc on third level and it is hotter than 2nd and even more than 1st. My temps are no problem though.

Yeah, the PCs themselves have thermal paste and are cooled adequately. The room temps are fine for the PCs, it's just the human factor that's being a pussy