WOW, what a difference ambient temps make! - Tech Support Forums

RamonGTP · June 22nd, 2002, 05:13 AM

Its almost 1am here, and there is a nice cool breeze going coming through the window, and my XP 1700+ is nice and cool at 35*C at full load no less! It was pretty hot here a couple days ago, and the processor got all the way up to 55*C at full load! That a change of 20*C with the only difference being the outside temprature. This is also with a Volcano7+ HSF with the fan on HIGH, and 12 other fans in the system too in an aluminum case! So a word to the wise... If you're seeing high temps, sometimes even the best HSF's might not be good enough, if you're ambient temps are TOO hot!

-Ramon

jmichna · June 22nd, 2002, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RamonGTP
Its almost 1am here, and there is a nice cool breeze going coming through the window, and my XP 1700+ is nice and cool at 35*C at full load no less! It was pretty hot here a couple days ago, and the processor got all the way up to 55*C at full load! That a change of 20*C with the only difference being the outside temprature. This is also with a Volcano7+ HSF with the fan on HIGH, and 12 other fans in the system too in an aluminum case! So a word to the wise... If you're seeing high temps, sometimes even the best HSF's might not be good enough, if you're ambient temps are TOO hot!

-Ramon

Good observation, Ramon. So many people post their cpu temps without ever considering what the ambient (case/mobo) temps are at. The real important figures regarding effectiveness of heat sink/fan combos are the difference between mobo/ambient and the cpu temps. That's the true indicator of how effective the HS/fan is... how small of a difference between ambient and cpu can the HS/fan achieve.

Using my ThermalRight AX7/Sunon 80mm, my XP2100+ runs 10°C hotter than mobo at idle, and 19°C hotter than mobo at 100% cpu output. Great! Depending on my room temp, that means I can be running flat out... 100%... and have a cpu temp of 44°C when it's real cool, and at 55°C when it's hot and the A/C isn't on.

Regards,
jmichna

RamonGTP · June 22nd, 2002, 03:35 PM

Yeah, my mobo temps were at 26* when I posted that... So I had a difference of about 9-10* between my system and processor temps... Hey, I noticed you're from Skokie, IL... I was born in Skokie... Live in San Diego, CA now though.

-Ramon

jmichna · June 23rd, 2002, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RamonGTP
Yeah, my mobo temps were at 26* when I posted that... So I had a difference of about 9-10* between my system and processor temps... Hey, I noticed you're from Skokie, IL... I was born in Skokie... Live in San Diego, CA now though.

-Ramon

Where about's in Skokie? I'm near Crawford and Oakton, since '84. Been to SD a few times, most recently about 2 years ago. Played some golf... even got to play Torrey Pines. Liked the cuisine in the Mexican section.
jmichna

EndobioticChaos · June 23rd, 2002, 05:39 PM

Quote:

If you're seeing high temps, sometimes even the best HSF's might not be good enough, if you're ambient temps are TOO hot!

Good point... also potentially a good reason for water cooling. Water cooling could actually get your temps below ambient temps, depending on the setup.

jmichna · June 23rd, 2002, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by EndobioticChaos
Good point... also potentially a good reason for water cooling. Water cooling could actually get your temps below ambient temps, depending on the setup.

Unless you have a chiller or an evaporator, you can't get water (or whatever the cooling medium) below the room temp of where the radiator is located.
jmichna

RamonGTP · June 23rd, 2002, 09:02 PM

Honestly, I was 8 years old when I moved here to SD so I don't remember exactly where it was that I lived... I still have a lot of family in Chicago, and a few of them live in Skokie. My cousin owns a tanning salon which I think is actually right on Oakton, or really close to there.

-Ramon

Geotpf · July 9th, 2002, 01:16 PM

I have a friend who can't turn on his computer from when he gets home at 4 PM until about 7 PM because the temperture in his house is too hot, so the CPU too gets too hot and it crashes. (He only has a swamp cooler and doesn't use it much and certainly doesn't run it during the day when he isn't home.)

Speed · July 9th, 2002, 01:28 PM

Sorry about this double post.... It wont let me Delete....

Speed · July 9th, 2002, 01:31 PM

With the temps reaching 106 here this week, my case is going to have to be opened to let more heat escape. My temps have gone from 24 Idle to about 31 - 33 Idle and after about 30 minutes of CT they are up to about 45. I think the highest Ive seen them is about 49. I think thats way to high for a P3. Looks like this summer is going to be a scorcher!