Laptop fan question.

Hello,
Is it normal for my laptop fan to be nearly constantly running.?
It runs for about half a minute or maybe a bit longer nearly continuously and it drives me mad sometimes.
Any opinions or suggestions please as to how i cure this or is it just a normal operation that i have to live with.?
Thank You.

 

You can try and clean the fan. You will need to open the laptop for best results.

 

Also do not forget about undervolting, I can not imagine running any notebook without it. I even managed to combine undervolting with overclocking.

 

is it safe to keep the laptop connected to the mains all the time.?

 

As other have suggest you probably just need to clean the fan, you would surprised how much dust collects inside the cooling vents of your laptop. When they are not clogged with dust the air coming out should feel cool, when they get clogged it will be much warmer.

On some laptops you can access the fan by undoing a few screws, on others you need to pretty much take apart the whole laptop.

Also, open up task manager and see if there is any process using excessing CPU use, as this can cause the fan to run to constantly running as well.

 

Thanks for the advice roger m.

 

The back vents of your heat sink are clogged with dust. When they get clogged, air cannot move through them and so they are unable to dissipate heat. You need to clean them by blowing air through them. You do not need to disassemble your entire laptop, just take the back cover off so you can reach the heat sink vents. I recently asked a somewhat similar question and people gave me some good advice on how to clean the heat sink. See this thread, post # 9 onwards for relevant advice.

Yes it is safe to have your laptop connected to the mains all the time.

 

Thank you very much sincerely raza.Great advice and tutorials.

 

You are welcome.

 

Sadly, notebook makers do not make it easy for users to properly clean notebook interiors - but it still must be done periodically. You can open every access panel and bay cover to gain some access. From there, I recommend blasting with a canned of compressed dusting gas available at most discount, or home improvement stores. Note I said dusting "gas" and not "canned air". It is not air - and in fact is hazardous to inhale - so do it outside.

Depending on your particular model, you may gain enough access for adequate cleaning, but generally, the case needs to be disassembled. If you don't feel comfortable about that, take it to a reputable shop.

Also, while not a substitute for cleaning out the heat trapping dust, I recommend the use of a Notebook Cooling Pad w/ext. power supply. Powering the pad's fans with an external power supply (instead of through the notebook's USB port) does not increase the demands (and thus, generated heat!) on the notebook's battery and/or power circuits.

Sadly, in the interest of keeping their pads light (notebooks are primarily for "road-warriors", after all), pads with external power supplies are hard to find so you may need a notebook cooling pad like this one then use a small, lightweight USB wall-charger/adapter to power it.

 

hi bill,
Thanks for your great reply.
I use a toshiba satellite c660 laptop.Ive never delved into the innards before and i may just unscrew a few panels and use the compressed gas you suggested.
Thanks again bill.

 

Good luck. And do remember ESD precautions to prevent any static discharge from your fingers destroying your CPU, RAM or other ESD sensitive devices. Make sure the power supply is unplugged from the wall, battery removed, and you touch bare metal of the case interior before coming in close proximity with the electronics.

 

The fan on your laptop is not easily accessible.
There is a YouTube video on dissasembling and cleaning your laptop here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2AcFvd9qjc

 

Many thanks to you roger m.

 

When using canned gas, be aware that continuous or even repeated spraying will cool down the cannister fast.
Moist/water inside the cannister can result in a drop of almost frozen fluid. If it drops on your hand, it's just unpleasant but if it falls on a warm/hot computer part, it can cause serious damage. So use compressed gas with care and mind the potential fluid coming out.
Also, buy the cannister that comes with a plastic straw, so you can reach difficult parts more easily.

 

There's no water inside those cans. The problem is just simple Laws of Physics. When gases expand, they cool. That's how air conditioners and refrigerator compressors work.

The problem with cans of dusting gas is the contents are under pressure and in a liquid form. If the liquid is allowed to spew out, it will rapidly expand on the surface it is sitting, and if skin, can cause frostbite.

If spewed on hot electronics, it could cause the component to crack - though that is very rare since the components should be well cooled off by the time the PC is ready for clearing out the dust.

So it is important to ensure the can is kept level and upright to ensure only gases from the top of the can is expelled, and not the liquid contents.

 

it may be something many consider a "duh" type of thing but imo also do not use those cans on electronics that are turned on, turn them off and allow a minute to cool before using them dont laugh i have seen people do it and actual techs do it!!! big no no. i still prefer a air compressor with no oi and water filter at a medium pressure. and most laptops have at least a access port on the bottom that most can be sprayed out with if removed. also do not overspin the fan, make sure to hold the fan's middle gently while spraying it out just spray one area and then move the blades if need be to the next area and respray etc. make sure the metal fins on the heatsink are clear and avoid oil from fingers on copper as much as possible.

 

If you repair computers a properly fitted air compressor is the best bet. And of course, if you are a home owner, you can find many other uses for the compressor (painting, nailing, filling tires and more).

Well, as an actual tech, there are times when freezing a suspect component is a proper troubleshooting technique. But, there is a proper time, place, and method for doing that, and cleaning is not one of those.

 

correct but as you said this would not be one of those cases. especially for someone who is not a tech everyday and even some non experienced ones should really avoid this imo..what i was reffer. to though was when they literally drench the parts with the cleaner. i have watched actual techs open a fresh can and use the full entire can all at once to blow out a fan or blow off a board while it powered up the board was literally drenched / frozen from the amount they used, i was a bit shocked since they had been a tech "for many years" so they said.

 

I think "technician" is a title too often not earned. There are many reasons why it would be stupid to use cans of dusting gas in that manner. A real technician - someone who was properly trained through formal, accredited technical training, would never drench a live circuit board with chemical liquids.

For one - The gas in those cans is poisonous. It is not air, it is typically difluoroethane - a toxic gas that can leave you paralyzed or dead. The cans, as stated on the labels, should always held upright, used in short bursts and in well ventilated areas - like outside (with out an extension cord to keep it powered).

Two - The gas is a flammable gas that could ignite if exposed to a spark - like from a power connector coming loose, or a failing component arcing.

Three - DEADLY VOLTAGES and potential for much bigger sparks with 120VAC (220 - 240VAC in some countries) in the power supplies. Note in most cases, the PSU's air intake is right over the motherboard - ready to suck in a small dense cloud of flammables gases, no?

Four - The expanding gases being propelled out the nozzle tube is what creates the dusting power to blow away the dust. Not squirting liquid. ​

Those guys may be calling themselves technicians but you should have listened to your gut when you were "a bit shocked"! It was telling you something.

Anyone can call them self a technician, but that does not mean they are one.

 

After 2+ years, I noticed my T500 from Lenovo was running warm with the fan running more often than it used to. I did not want to take the laptop apart and simply held a small vacuum cleaner nozzle to the vents for a short bit and sucked the dust out that way. Running like it used to now.

Al

 

Yeah, you likely dislodged enough to let some air in and if that gets your temps down to a comfortable level, then great. But sadly, not all notebooks are designed to allow that.

 

I replaced my canned air with one of these little guys. It's noisier, but works great.

 

That looks great and the vacuum cleaner trick seems appealing.
I may have a delve into my laptop this weekend when im feeling brave lol.