Cooling pads?

[Tony.Yarwood]

Howdy all

Sorry to bother you all with this, but I thought I'd get a better idea from this forum Does anybody know on which is the best format for cooling pads? I bought one with fans which runs from the USB port but was wondering if the gel pads might be better, as they're not drawing any power from the 'puter.

TIA

Best regards

Tony

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[truk]

If there is no power being drawn, it's probably no moving air much without the help of a bottom computer fan. If you really need a cooling pad, the USB powered ones draw minimal power and kept my friend's Toshiba alive for months after it started overheating without one. If you just want to run a little cooler, but don't really have a problem with heat, you can ask someone else about the non-powered 'gel' pads.

[Tony.Yarwood]

Yeah, I take the point, I quite like the fan ones, I suppose it's finding a decent brand. The one I got was some cheap Chinese rubbish which packed in after a few weeks and now one of the fans is howling like a banshee.

Best regards

Tony

Google ain't your friend.
More privacy, no tracking.
http://clusty.com/

[nikki605]

After upgrading the CPU in my T21 about a year and a half ago to 1GHz along with replacing the fan/heatsink assy with the T22 version, I decided to get a Targus Chillpad at Best Buy to help the cooling. It has been great, no problems.

I didn't see it on their website, but this is it from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Targus-PA248U-Not ... B0000AKA8Y

Best Buy does carry a more expensive one now that adds a 4-port USB hub that wasn't available when I bought mine:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 3469291003

Either would be a good choice, IMHO.

[jamnkats]

I have been running my T30 on an Antec w/3 fans that I got for ~$10USD. I notice it really keeps the HD heat down but haven't noticed any change in my CPU heat with/without the cooler.

Has anyone used the little fans that plug into the side of your laptop?

http://www.buyextras.com/conofaexhefr.html[/url]

[madkat]

for the T30 there are another three things to be made for better cooling:
- first the lid covering the mini pci has several openings only for the 2.0+ models - it would be a good idea to install sucha a lid in the lower speed models
- second - the 1.6, 1.8 models have soem sort of "sponge" blocking partially the air intake above the usb ports (i,ve seen it even in 2.0 models, including mine) - after removing it the temperature drops about 2 to 4 degrees
- last but not least - the lateral grill - in the 1.6 and 1.8 models has smaller holes - replacing it with a 2.0+ grill - it shoud improve the airflow
it's worth taking care of this issues before attaching external cooling gizmos

there is another issue with a radiator for some inductors on the back of the mainboard (underneath the PCMCIA bay) - but i'm not sure yet how it's better with or without it...

[awong]

the extra usb hubs on those cooling pads, are they safe? I remember my friend messed up his usb ports on his laptop after connecting devices on the pad part

[jamnkats]

for the T30 there are another three things to be made for better cooling:
- first the lid covering the mini pci has several openings only for the 2.0+ models - it would be a good idea to install sucha a lid in the lower speed models
- second - the 1.6, 1.8 models have soem sort of "sponge" blocking partially the air intake above the usb ports (i,ve seen it even in 2.0 models, including mine) - after removing it the temperature drops about 2 to 4 degrees
- last but not least - the lateral grill - in the 1.6 and 1.8 models has smaller holes - replacing it with a 2.0+ grill - it shoud improve the airflow
it's worth taking care of this issues before attaching external cooling gizmos

there is another issue with a radiator for some inductors on the back of the mainboard (underneath the PCMCIA bay) - but i'm not sure yet how it's better with or without it...

XP tells me that my CPU is a 2.0 GHz but NHC says it is running at only 1.20 GHz FWIW. As such, it seems that I have all the mods you'd recommend. I'm hoping that the Arctic Silver I have coming soon will bring the temps down also. I hover just under 80C during virus checks.

[Radioguy]

I love the Antec pad with two fans. It has a USB piggy-back power connector, but can be used with an AC adapter if needed.

[madkat]

the lower speed can be "caused" by the power management
from the BIOS and/or windons/thinkvantage power management
i have presently a ThikkV power scheme in which - wher running on AC - the processor speeed is set to max - and for the batteries "adaptive". Now when plugged it runs at 1.99 and when on batteries at anything between 1.20 to 1.99 (depending on load)
from the bios is set to maximum

btw, on virus checks - running at 1.99 Ghz the temperature in around 80-82

[Harryc]

- last but not least - the lateral grill - in the 1.6 and 1.8 models has smaller holes ...

Doesn't that require replacing the entire base?

[madkat]

not at all
it's separate - just remove the keyboard, bezel (aka palmrest) - and you'll see two screws that keep the grill in place