The Great Inert
06-17-05, 11:39 PM
Evening, all...
First, I wanted to thank everyone who responded to my last question about computer smells. I also wanted to add that this is about the best OC forum I've come across. It's clear from the intelligence and wit of member postings that you're in the presence of people who know what they're doing... a nice thing to find as a tech.
Onto the question. Heat is a bad thing for almost everything in a computer. Yet, unless you get a Mach II, components WILL generate heat. My new processor, for example, idles at a (somewhat warm) 110 degrees F. (Sorry I'm still using English units... me and metric don't mix well.) After I've changed my HS/thermal paste, and possibly even the fan, I don't expect more than a six to eight degree drop in temperatures. (Arctic Silver claims it will get you down 12 degrees. Never used it, so I'm a little suspicious...) I've read some posts where people have reported truly high temperatures--including one poster who reported his (idling) Athlon at 135 degrees F.
At the bottom of it, heat's a necessary evil. So my question is: is there any way for the heat generated by a computer to be put to some use? All heat is is a form of energy... and as a bit of a conservation nut, I hate to think of what seems like an awful lot of energy simply being lost to the atmosphere around my feet. (Okay... so the heat does do something--it can keep me warm at times.) I'm thinking about something more useful, however, and would welcome some ideas. Ideally, I was thinking of ways the heat could be used for the computer, but am open to all ideas.
Sorry if this seems like a strange question, and of course, thanks to all for your replies. :)
First, I wanted to thank everyone who responded to my last question about computer smells. I also wanted to add that this is about the best OC forum I've come across. It's clear from the intelligence and wit of member postings that you're in the presence of people who know what they're doing... a nice thing to find as a tech.
Onto the question. Heat is a bad thing for almost everything in a computer. Yet, unless you get a Mach II, components WILL generate heat. My new processor, for example, idles at a (somewhat warm) 110 degrees F. (Sorry I'm still using English units... me and metric don't mix well.) After I've changed my HS/thermal paste, and possibly even the fan, I don't expect more than a six to eight degree drop in temperatures. (Arctic Silver claims it will get you down 12 degrees. Never used it, so I'm a little suspicious...) I've read some posts where people have reported truly high temperatures--including one poster who reported his (idling) Athlon at 135 degrees F.
At the bottom of it, heat's a necessary evil. So my question is: is there any way for the heat generated by a computer to be put to some use? All heat is is a form of energy... and as a bit of a conservation nut, I hate to think of what seems like an awful lot of energy simply being lost to the atmosphere around my feet. (Okay... so the heat does do something--it can keep me warm at times.) I'm thinking about something more useful, however, and would welcome some ideas. Ideally, I was thinking of ways the heat could be used for the computer, but am open to all ideas.
Sorry if this seems like a strange question, and of course, thanks to all for your replies. :)