Keeping my computer cool

[Elite Engineer]

So I have a custom built computer, about 3 years old...stowed under my desk. I'm trying to extend its life as long as possible (no issues right now..just good prevention), so I have it at an angle away from the wall and slightly sticking out from under the desk so the air exiting the computer doesn't get too hot. I also have a fan blowing on high at the exit vent, so it pushes the air coming out of the computer faster. Is htis the best i can do too make sure it doesn't overheat? I also has coolant too. Here's a diagram of the set up.

 

 

[MigL]

Your current set-up has two fans blowing into the same area, causing higher local pressure behind the computer.

The computer's fan can't evacuate the hot air as efficiently into a high pressure area.

Turn the additional fan around so that the computer's fan exhausts the hot air from the case, and the additional fan moves it away from the computer so it can't be sucked back in.

 

But why don't you just get a good temperature monitoring program. Modern CPUs have throttling and shutdown circuits that prevent overheating. They'll shut themselves down at 90 deg C, I believe ( check out the Intel or AMD spec sheet for your CPU ).

 

And clean out the cat hair from your heat-sink/fan every once in a while.

Oh wait, that's me.

[Klaynos]

In addition to the above...

 

A case fan blowing air out of the top with vents near the bottom is probably a good addition.

 

I cannot stress the importance of keeping it all dust free as well. I have a dust cover I put on my desktop case when I'm not using it.

 

The ambient room temperature is also important.

[StringJunky]

Keep it in the fridge in a sealed bag to prevent condensation. Drill some holes in the fridge side to route the cables.

[iNow]

And if that doesn't work, try having it wear a leather jacket with big zippers and start smoking Camels.

[Sensei]

In the all my computers, I don't have left side case panel...

 

If you will start hearing weird noise from power supply fan,

disconnect computer, dismount power supply, replace its fan.

The last time it cost me 17% ($5) of what new power supply cost.

Power supply failure is the most common AFAIK thing that is destroyed, because its fan is stopping working, causing it to overheat,

and failure of power supply could further damage computer board or other resources connected to it (outside of tolerance voltage for short period of time).

 

If you're electronic engineer, how about putting inside power supply near fan microphone, and then wire to computer USB,

and write little application which will be sampling and analyzing sound, compare with how to should sound,

and detect anomalies in it and warn you that it's not working properly. It could be fun little project.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Sensei

[Klaynos]

My last failed desktop was because the heatsink on the northbridge feel off... started to fail weirdly as it moved away from the motherboard then one day there was a loud bang as it bounced off the bottom of the case and the computer turned off....