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    New cooling idea?

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by fatboyslimerr, Oct 11, 2012.

  1. fatboyslimerr

    fatboyslimerr Alienware M15x Fanatic

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    Hi Guys,

    I'm trying to play Crysis 2 on Hardcore (basically max setting) and it works perfectly fine but once again my GPU temperatures creep up to 85-86 which I've read is the DANGER ZONE!

    I have recently totally disassembled fan and heat sink for cleaning and new heat paste was applied not too long ago. I also have a Cool Master cooling pad.

    So I'm thinking about modifying the cooling pad to include the cooling plate from a cheap usb fridge. It would be a massive bodge job but I would stick the cooling plate (with a spacer to allow air intake) below one of the fans on my cooling pad (below GPU).

    Any thoughts or ideas? The fridge is only £8 so I think I'm going to get it anyway.

    Thanks

    Mark
     
  2. daminibeast

    daminibeast Notebook Geek

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    Hmm, those temps are not that high. In my expreiance the temps would get to 93-95C until I would turn it off. (this was on my 9800m gt OC.) Putting new thermal pads on it this weekend, but most of the time it hangs around 83-85C. All in all, its a little high but hopefully they will drop when the new thermal pads go on. I like your idea for the usb fridge. Have a link?
     
  3. fatboyslimerr

    fatboyslimerr Alienware M15x Fanatic

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    Hi Damini,

    This is the fridge
    If you read about how it works, it just has a cool plate at the bottom. Actually sounds quite rubbish for keeping a can pool but even a 5 degree drop in my GPU temp would be super fantastic!
    I might also invest in some new heat paste just for fun :)
     
  4. fatboyslimerr

    fatboyslimerr Alienware M15x Fanatic

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    Ok so I finally bought the usb fridge and it would appear the cooling unit is actually a peltier cooler with a big heat sink and a little fan.
    Actually pretty cool and I managed to attach it to my cooling pad quite easily but I had to attach the cooling plate directly to laptop cooling pad so there was reduced airflow and so I don't think it benefited temps at all.
    Need to have a bit more of a play but the plate certainly gets very cool (as you can see from condensation on pic) and so I think it can work but anyone think of how I can make this work?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The little white sandwich is the Peltier cooling pad. The heat sink is actually a bit warm and the cooling plate is very cold.
    Really cool! Read here if you're not sure what Peltier cooling is.

    Any ideas would be appreciated.
     
  5. fatboyslimerr

    fatboyslimerr Alienware M15x Fanatic

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    For anyone struggling to work out what I'm talking about...this is my plan but I haven't found a way to attach it yet.
    Obviously that fan is underneath the main intake for the gpu fan on m15x.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. khetik

    khetik Notebook Deity

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    Interesting idea, but honestly to big of an undertaking for just a 5c drop in temps. Nonetheless, would be cool if you got it working. Honestly, 83-85c is not danger zone at all. going 93-95c is when you should start thinking of good ways to reduce temps. Anything above that and maybe let your laptop rest lol.
     
  7. Crazycrossing

    Crazycrossing Notebook Consultant

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    I don't understand, is it going to make that much of a difference if it's not hooked up directly to the components like a watercooling radiator? Putting it on the laptop cooler seems to be that it would have the same performance as any air cooling fan in cooling the laptop. I mean it's not even making direct contact with the chassis.
     
  8. chrisjohnharden

    chrisjohnharden Notebook Geek

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    By prior cooling the intake air the heatsinks will be cooled faster, thus reducing the load on the machine. You are right that it won't make much of a difference, but it may drop temps by a degree or two. In an energy equation it is rather a wasteful method of cooling, but if energy is not an issue then I see no harm in doing it.
     
  9. fatboyslimerr

    fatboyslimerr Alienware M15x Fanatic

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    Well this is exactly my point. I've seen examples of people using Peltier coolers placed directly on top of their processors or gpus with large heat sinks but I obviously don't want to get that technical.
    Even if I just place the cooling plate efficiently on top of the current heat sink, it would require either not having the bottom chassis cover on or modifying it (cutting it up) neither of which I'm particularly keen on doing.
    (has anyone got experience of running their m15x without the bottom chassis cover on???)

    I just thought by chilling the air going into the fan it might reduce temps a few degrees and actually energy usage is pretty low for the peltier cooler.

    Cutting a hole in the cover about the main gpu heat sink that could fit the plate in does seem to be the best option but not one I'm willing to do.

    Any other ideas? Thinking outside the box :)
     
  10. Crazycrossing

    Crazycrossing Notebook Consultant

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    If you could jerry rig it into the heatsink fan compartment, maybe it would be worth it. Not sure how you could go about doing that unless you had a workshop full of tools and the ability to know what you're doing with it. Good luck though, do some tests I'm interested in seeing how much of a difference it makes compared to just normal fan air cooling. Maybe you could attach it directly to the bottom intake vent GPU side with some washers or clamps? I think that would be far more effective than attaching it to your laptop cooler.
     
  11. junglebungle

    junglebungle Notebook Evangelist

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    I think those temps are fine tbh, mobile GPU's are designed to run hotter, mid 80's is fine, give your fans a clean out and re-apply some thermal paste, AS5 will be good, I've just redone mine and my temps don't exceed 75c now.
     
  12. loafer987

    loafer987 Notebook Consultant

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    I have the smaller version of the notebook cooler that you have. mine is an aluminum chassis. Why not sand the paint off the notebook cooler and use thermal paste between the peltier and the notebook cooler. The would essentially chill the body of the notebook cooler so the air that blows through the notebook cooler ends up being chilled by the aluminum its passing through which is chilled by the peltier.
    The problem you will have to work around, other than the peltier may not be big/powerful enough is the heat and fan on the peltier heating the air underneath your notebook. if you could channel that air out the back of the laptop as well you would have a drop in temps guaranteed!
    I'll try to make time to keep an eye on this to see what you do and if it works! Good luck!