Custom Elevator - Active Cooling

[taylorwilsdon]

Here's another in my series of adding fans to everything.

I took a fan that I "refurbished" from an old notebook cooling pad (I replaced the fans on it with high performance 12v fans and wired custom usb cords to transfer 12v instead of 5v from a wall outlet. The supercharged notebook cooler kept my MBP icy, but it was ugly to look at. In comes the Griffin Elevator, which looks just swell in my opinion.

So, I take the fan, cut open a male->female USB cord and solder the fan on (cap the data cords). Then, I drilled the mounting screw holes large enough to fit a thick zip tie. I couldn't figure out a good way to set it onto the Elevator without butchering my nice stand, so this is the temporary solution. The fan was scooched back when I actually stuck the MBP on it because its not in the right place in the pictures. I've set it into the optimal location, where the MBP produces the most heat (from touching everywhere on the bottom).

So, there you have it. Crude, cheap and fast. But guess what? iStat reports a 15 degree (F) decrease in temperatures since I added the fan, without ever shutting off the computer (I just opened it before I plugged the fan in, wrote down 135F, then used the computer normally to resize these pictures, listen to iTunes, Adium was on the whole time, 4 Firefox tabs, Mail app, a few music videos. 30 minutes later, the temperature was at 120F) and dropping. The computer has been on and running full blast for 12 hours now.

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Heres some pics of the final thing with the MBP mounted. I've angled it and positioned it directly below the highest heat. I intend on adding at least two more fans, one for the battery area and one for the DVI port area.

I've obviously still got some work to do on the cable management

 

[heehee]

Nice, now if you make it "wireless" and into production, I would buy it.

 

[DA-Steve]

Are you sure you need this? does it even do anything? i runt he same elevator and my MBP stays very cool

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Are you sure you need this? does it even do anything? i runt he same elevator and my MBP stays very cool

I think you'd disagree when I say that iStat now reports that after leaving it on (not putting it to sleep because it was finishing a download) all night, my computer is 84F!

 

[trudd]

I think you'd disagree when I say that iStat now reports that after leaving it on all night, my computer is 84F!

I don't think your computer is running at 84ºF...might want to restart iStat...


EDIT: Oh, idling at 84º? I thought you meant actively running programs at 84º. Start running Motion with an external monitor and a few FW800 HDs through the express card slot. If you can maintain 84º, I'll buy you a sucker.

 

[DA-Steve]

I think you'd disagree when I say that iStat now reports that after leaving it on (not putting it to sleep because it was finishing a download) all night, my computer is 84F!

well take a look at this review of proper laptop coolers

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9700201-1.html

even the best one only dropped the temp by a couple of degrees

 

[taylorwilsdon]

well take a look at this review of proper laptop coolers

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9700201-1.html

even the best one only dropped the temp by a couple of degrees

Those are crappy production mats. The fans that I use cost more then those entire cooler mats. When I had my dual fan cooling stand in use, it dropped my laptop to the point where I could stay sub-90F when working with 100mb+ in Photoshop.

 

[iaymnu]

Those are crappy production mats. The fans that I use cost more then those entire cooler mats. When I had my dual fan cooling stand in use, it dropped my laptop to the point where I could stay sub-90F when working with 100mb+ in Photoshop.

Is the pictures you posted. Is the fan normally at the position when in use or you move them directly under the mbp? The position from the picture seems like it is only directing airflow underneath

 

[GoCubsGo]

zip ties. God's answer to the Devil's invention of Duct Tape.

Good show my friend. I like it and it seems rather functional.

 

[DA-Steve]

im not sold on this one bit.. i think any temp drops are due to the stand not the fan blowing a bit of air under your laptop.. post a video of it dropping the temps when its switched on and ill believe you.. for the time being ill write this off as a MBP Useless ghetto mod

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Is the pictures you posted. Is the fan normally at the position when in use or you move them directly under the mbp? The position from the picture seems like it is only directing airflow underneath

Nah, I ended up going back and using two smaller zip ties, leveling it directly under the MBP and positioning it under the hotspot. Its working great. Enjoying 115F under load right now.

 

[taylorwilsdon]

im not sold on this one bit.. i think any temp drops are due to the stand not the fan blowing a bit of air under your laptop.. post a video of it dropping the temps when its switched on and ill believe you.. for the time being ill write this off as a MBP Useless ghetto mod

Thats a stupid observation, seeing as the temp drops went from Stand only to stand with fan. Stand only idles around 100, load around 135. Fanstand idles around 90, load around 120.

 

[iaymnu]

Thats a stupid observation, seeing as the temp drops went from Stand only to stand with fan. Stand only idles around 100, load around 135. Fanstand idles around 90, load around 120.

What rpm are your fans running at in your system. Under load mine runs about 130s running at ~2600 rpms and I am using the Griffin stand and have speck hard case on also. I am planning to do this active cooling with a thermaltake usb fan, but I am not sure if it will make much difference.