Laptop is getting hot

DoaM · 6 July 2018 at 12:43PM

armchaireconomist wrote: »

Get a can of compressed air and blast the side vent in short bursts (whilst turned off).

Or don't do this. (There are mixed opinions about using this method ... blasting air into the vents can a) potentially cause damage to the cooling fan, and b) simply blasts the dust back into the laptop, whence it will soon simply return again to the vents).

armchaireconomist · 6 July 2018 at 12:48PM

DoaM,

"short bursts". There's a finite amount of space inside a laptop, where does all this go other than back out (along with the dust)?

If it breaks your fan it was on its last legs anyway. Although of the 100s I've done can't say I've ever broken one.

DoaM · 6 July 2018 at 12:59PM

Back out where?

The dust tends to collect at the heatsink next to the side vent. If you blast this from the outside then all you're doing is pushing that dust back into the machine. Granted that some of it will come out of the side vent, and some may come out of the inlets.

But most of it will remain inside the laptop (the force of the air dissipates inside the laptop) and eventually just make its way back to the heatsink - after all, that's what the fan is meant to do; suck air in and direct it over the heatsink and out through the vent, and the dust will go with it.

AndyPix · 6 July 2018 at 1:24PM

DoaM wrote: »

potentially cause damage to the cooling fan.

Interested as to wether you have ever actually seen this happen ..

I trust your experience but have never ever seen this in 25 years of IT i must have done it a thousand times

pennypincher2013 · 6 July 2018 at 6:59PM

Thanks for all the great replies.
I'm going to try the compressed air first and take it from there, hoping that'll do it. I've also decided to buy this chill mat http://www.argos.co.uk/product/9255399

In task manager, CPU, memory and disk are all normal levels but that laptop is still hot (55C ish). I know it's not in danger levels yet but it's so hot, it's comfortable to hold. Gonna try a different monitor than speedfan to see if it gets the same readings.

Robisere · 6 July 2018 at 10:50PM

Blowing in compressed air also drives in moisture with the air, which condenses on surfaces inside the laptop. Try it on a metal surface outside of the laptop: the compressed air is very cold, feel it on the sides of the can as you operate it. That cold air gets warm again and forms condensation. Do you really want water inside your laptop?

The only safe way to remove dust from inside a laptop, is to google your laptop model number and look for a YT video which shows how to strip the laptop and get at the fan and other components, in order to remove the dust. Then use it on the chillmat by all means, with a hard surface underneath. It would help if it were also raised slightly, to allow air to flow underneath.

armchaireconomist · 9 July 2018 at 9:39AM

PennyPincher, compressed air will solve your problem almost certainly. Use it in short bursts with the laptop turned off and you'll be absolutely fine (I work full-time as an I.T. professional)

Stoke · 9 July 2018 at 11:57AM

Robisere wrote: »

Blowing in compressed air also drives in moisture with the air, which condenses on surfaces inside the laptop. Try it on a metal surface outside of the laptop: the compressed air is very cold, feel it on the sides of the can as you operate it. That cold air gets warm again and forms condensation. Do you really want water inside your laptop?

The only safe way to remove dust from inside a laptop, is to google your laptop model number and look for a YT video which shows how to strip the laptop and get at the fan and other components, in order to remove the dust. Then use it on the chillmat by all means, with a hard surface underneath. It would help if it were also raised slightly, to allow air to flow underneath.

Although I've never worked in IT Services so you might have more experience than me, I've used Compressed Air 100's, if not 1000's of times on electrical's, both on and off, and never once had an issue with 'moisture'. What you saying might be right, but you're over egging the pudding a bit.

armchaireconomist · 9 July 2018 at 12:28PM

DoaM, it's very basic displacement really. You have a container of a finite volume, you blast X times its volume inside and its contents are displaced. Granted, some will remain but the vast majority will be removed. OPs laptop is getting hot, given they're asking I doubt they're in a position to dismantle and do a "proper" job of it. You're not achieving anything with this pedanticism other than confusing OP, for which compressed air is a perfectly suitable solution.

FYI cold does not = wet, nor does condensation from compressed air constitute water in enough volume to do any damage. The air in her house has a moisture content - surely by your logic her laptop should be flooded by now?

pennypincher2013 · 9 July 2018 at 6:53PM

Thanks all. I bought a can of compressed air at the weekend and *touches wood* the laptop has cooled down to around 38-45C; it is longer comfortable to hold. And no, I didn't take the laptop apart. I would be too scared to because I have never done anything like that before.

Laptop is getting hot

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