$200 Later, My Temperatures Still Suck

[chinagreenelvis]

SO, I own a P4 3.0GHz prescott and I noticed that with the stock HSF it was idling at 71C. And even though I can run BurnInTest for a good half an hour and ThrottleWatch never shows even one throttle despite the temps getting as high as 78C, I figure just maybe my CPU is running way too hot and I go out and I get:

A Zalman 7000Cu
Four case fans
A coolmax 450W PSU with a 120mm fan

My computer desk is backed up against a wall that has an air conditioning unit on it, blowing air up and out of the back of the desk. I prop up my CPU case on the top of the desk so that the two back fans are sucking the cold air into the case.

My idle CPU temp is now exactly five degrees lower.

I'm about to slit my wrists. I freaking hate my life.

 

[Elbatrop1]

Even though you are sucking in some cool air, you have your airflow directions all wrong. The way you have it set up, fans are working against each other.

ALL fans on the back and top of the case must pull air out of the case. Fans on the side and front pull air in. CPU fan pushes air into the CPU.

 

[chinagreenelvis]

I tried it both ways, actually.

 

[chinagreenelvis]

Opening up the case and putting a HUGE FAN next to it seems to bring the temps down to 55. Still, isn't that a little high? Also I think that's a bad idea because dust will start getting all over the components after a while, don't you think?

 

[chinagreenelvis]

I wonder if there is some sort of mini air conditioning unit one could attatch to the front of the CPU case, or a CPU case that comes with one built in...

 

[PoisonPorkchop]

that would be cool... not quite watercooled, but just like a mini ac thing

 

[softhunder]

What is your room temperature and also remember sometimes pcs dont show the right temperatures cauz if you have done every thing right then there is no reason for the temp to not go down.

 

[vaderpro]

Ya, whats your ambient temperture?

 

[chinagreenelvis]

Well, if I were to put fans in the front sucking air in and fans in the back sucking air out, and a fan in the side sucking air in, I would need much better... what's the word I'm looking for... my case doesn't have the best ventilation, I guess. And no space for a fan on the side. I guess just having the fans isn't enough.

Still, the lowest I can possibly hope to bring it down is around 50C at idle. I've never seen it lower no matter how cold I try to get my room, even with this big fan blowing straight on it. I'd like to know how the hell people claim to have p4 processors running in the 30s...

 

[flyboychuckles]

Yeah if your case doesn't have very good ventilation then you may have some problems. I was using a regular $20 Mid tower case when i got my 3.4 Prescott and and my temps were extremely high. I tried all sorts of fans and they did nothing so i finally caved in and bought the Aerocool Jetmaster Jr which has a huge almost unrestricted 120mm fan in the front sucking in and a 120mm in the back blowing out. The 80mm on the side is prefectly lined up with my processor too. The entire case sounds and acts as a vacuum with the fans cranked up all the way just creating a hurricane of cooler outside air cycling within the case. My idle temp are from 38-40C and load max that i have seen is 54C. Internal temps stay around 30-32C.