Advertisement

04.17.2008 at 06:33PM PDT, ID: 23333002
[x]
Attachment Details
[x]
The Solution Rating System

With so many solutions, how can you tell which solutions are most likely to help you and which ones are not? To provide you with a tool to use, we rate our solutions based on various elements that most accurately determine if a solution is a quality solution. To explain what factors affect the solution rating, here are the elements we take into consideration when formulating our solution rating.

  • The Grade of the Solution
  • The Zone Rank of the Expert Providing the Solution
  • The Number of Author and Expert Comments
  • The Number of Experts Contributing
  • The Feedback of the Community

Your Input Matters
Because of the way the system is set up, the most important variable in this equation is you. As a member of Experts Exchange, you are able to cast your vote on the quality of the solutions in regard to how complete, accurate, helpful and easy to understand each solution is. When you provide your feedback, each rating is adjusted accordingly. So, if you see a solution that has a poor rating that you think is a good solution, let us know by rating it. As you do, the rating will be adjusted and will become more accurate for other members of our site.

If you have any suggestions that you would like to make for our rating system, please ask a question in the Suggestions Zone of Community Support.

Thank you!

Fan Speed control, Does changing fan speed constantly damage fan or reduce life?
The question is, at what rate can I SAFELY modify a fan's speed, and also how much less life expectancy am I expecting from a fan by constantly changing the fan speed?

For spec, its a MacBook Pro and I wrote a script that controls fan speed with temperature (Logarithmic growth with temperature), the program responds in 24seconds intervals (meaning the fan speed is changed every 24 seconds)

Is this damaging to the fan?

Thanks in advanced

Also please include links to support the claim if possible?
Start your free trial to view this solution
Question Stats
Zone: OS
Question Asked By: sakuya_su
Solution Provided By: Darr247
Participating Experts: 4
Solution Grade: A
Views: 25
Translate:
Loading Advertisement...
04.17.2008 at 09:18PM PDT, ID: 21383274

All comments and solutions are available to Premium Service Members only.

Start your 7 day free trial and see for yourself why Experts Exchange is the easiest and most proven technology resource in the world. Get Started

Already a member? Login to view this solution.

 
04.17.2008 at 09:42PM PDT, ID: 21383355

All comments and solutions are available to Premium Service Members only.

Start your 7 day free trial and see for yourself why Experts Exchange is the easiest and most proven technology resource in the world. Get Started

Already a member? Login to view this solution.

 
04.25.2008 at 11:51PM PDT, ID: 21444748

All comments and solutions are available to Premium Service Members only.

Start your 7 day free trial and see for yourself why Experts Exchange is the easiest and most proven technology resource in the world. Get Started

Already a member? Login to view this solution.

 
 
Loading Advertisement...
Microsoft
  • Internet Protocols
  • Applications
  • Development
  • OS
  • Hardware
  • Windows Security
Apple
  • Operating Systems
  • Hardware
  • Programming
  • Networking
  • Software
Internet
  • Search Engines
  • File Sharing
  • WebTrends / Stats
  • Spy / Ad Blockers
  • Web Browsers
  • New Net Users
  • Web Development
  • Chat / IM
  • Anti Spam
  • Web Servers
  • Anti-Virus
  • Email Clients
Gamers
  • Tips
  • Online / MMORPG
  • Puzzle
  • Emulators
  • Action / Adventure
  • Role Playing
  • Consoles
  • Game Programming
  • Strategy
  • Sports
  • Misc
  • Computer Games
Digital Living
  • Hardware
  • New Net Users
  • New Users
  • Software
  • Digital Music
  • Gaming World
  • Home Security
  • Apple
  • Networking Hardware
Virus & Spyware
  • Vulnerabilities
  • IDS
  • Encryption
  • Anti-Virus
  • Operating Systems Security
  • Software Firewalls
  • WebApplications
  • Cell Phones
  • Operating Systems
  • Internet
  • Hardware Firewalls
Hardware
  • Handhelds / PDAs
  • Displays / Monitors
  • Components
  • Networking Hardware
  • Peripherals
  • Laptops/Notebooks
  • Storage
  • Servers
  • Desktops
  • New Users
  • Misc
  • Apple
Software
  • System Utilities
  • Industry Specific
  • Network Management
  • Photos / Graphics
  • Page Layout
  • VMWare
  • Misc
  • Web Development
  • OS
  • CYGWIN
  • Voice Recognition
  • Message Queue
  • Quality Assurance
  • Security
  • Firewalls
  • MultiMedia Applications
  • Development
  • Database
  • Office / Productivity
  • Business Management
  • OS/2 Apps
  • Server Software
  • Internet / Email
ITPro
  • OS
  • Storage
  • Encryption
  • Operating Systems Security
  • Apple Hardware
  • Laptops & Notebooks
  • Servers
  • Networking Hardware
  • Peripherals
  • Devices
  • Displays / Monitors
  • WebTrends / Stats
  • Search Engines
  • Firewalls
  • WebApplications
  • IDS
  • Vulnerabilities
  • Email Clients
  • File Sharing
  • Spy / Ad Blockers
  • Web Browsers
  • Web Servers
  • Networking
  • Anti-Virus
  • Chat / IM
  • Anti Spam
Developer
  • Web Servers
  • Web Browsers
  • Game Programming
  • Dev Tools
  • Industry Specific
  • Office / Productivity
  • Database
  • CYGWIN
  • Web Development
  • Search Engines
  • File Sharing
  • WebTrends / Stats
  • Programming
  • Content Management
  • Application Servers
  • Protocols
Storage
  • Removable Backup Media
  • Storage Technology
  • Servers
  • Grid
  • Remote Access
  • Backup / Restore
  • Misc
  • Hard Drives
OS
  • Miscellaneous
  • Security
  • Development
  • Linux
  • VMWare
  • MainFrame OS
  • Unix
  • Apple
  • OS / 2
  • AS / 400
  • BeOS
  • Microsoft
  • VMS / OpenVMS
Database
  • Oracle
  • Miscellaneous
  • MySQL
  • Software
  • Sybase
  • Contact Management
  • PostgreSQL
  • Data Manipulation
  • Clarion
  • InterSystems Cache
  • Siebel
  • MUMPS
  • OLAP
  • SQLBase
  • SAS
  • GIS & GPS
  • 4GL
  • Berkeley DB
  • DB2
  • Informix
  • Interbase / Firebird
  • FoxPro
  • Reporting
  • LDAP
  • Filemaker Pro
  • MS SQL Server
  • dBase
  • MS Access
Security
  • Misc
  • Web Browsers
  • Software Firewalls
  • Operating Systems Security
  • File Sharing
  • Spy / Ad Blockers
  • Vulnerabilities
  • WebApplications
  • IDS
  • Anti-Virus
  • Encryption
  • Anti Spam
  • Email Clients
  • VPN
  • Chat / IM
Programming
  • Editors IDEs
  • Installation
  • Handhelds / PDAs
  • Multimedia Programming
  • System / Kernel
  • Algorithms
  • Game
  • Signal Processing
  • Project Management
  • Open Source
  • Database
  • Misc
  • Languages
  • Processor Platforms
  • Theory
Web Development
  • Scripting
  • Blogs
  • Web Servers
  • Software
  • Search Engines
  • Web Graphics
  • Images
  • Internet Marketing
  • Images and Photos
  • Components
  • Document Imaging
  • Web Languages/Standards
  • Illustration
  • WebApplications
  • Fonts
  • WebTrends / Stats
  • Authoring
  • Digital Camera Software
  • Miscellaneous
Networking
  • Protocols
  • Apple Networking
  • Network Management
  • Message Queue
  • Application Servers
  • Content Management
  • File Servers
  • Email Servers
  • Misc
  • Java Editors & IDEs
  • Wireless
  • Networking Hardware
  • Backup / Restore
  • System Utilities
  • ISPs & Hosting
  • Web Servers
  • Storage Technology
  • Removable Backup Media
  • Servers
  • Broadband
  • Grid
  • OS / 2
  • Novell Netware
  • Unix Networking
  • Windows Networking
  • Security
  • Telecommunications
  • Operating Systems
  • Linux Networking
Other
  • Community Advisor
  • Lounge
  • Community Support
  • New Net Users
  • Philosophy / Religion
  • Math / Science
  • Miscellaneous
  • URLs
  • Expert Lounge
  • Politics
  • Puzzles / Riddles
Community Support
  • Suggestions
  • New to EE
  • New Topics
  • Community Advisor
  • CleanUp
  • Announcements
  • General
  • Feedback
  • Input
  • EE Bugs
 
04.17.2008 at 09:18PM PDT, ID: 21383274
Fan speed control is widely implemented in other systems, and seems to cause no problems.  I'd argue (without a good support basis) that you are extending the fan life, because it will have less revolutions on average over time.
Assisted Solution
 
04.17.2008 at 09:42PM PDT, ID: 21383355
It might actually make the fan last longer running at less than full speed most of the time rather than running full speed for a few minutes then turning back off.

On my Dells I use i8kFanGUI by Christian Diefer. It holds the CPU and hard drive at a steadier temp and is much less noisy than it was when it would crank up to full speed every 5-8 minutes or so. See http://www.diefer.de/i8kfan/faq.html for some of his thoughts on the matter (question #11).

That program probably does not work on macs, btw... but I agree with his thoughts on how long the fans should last. I have a Win95 machine that's been running almost non-stop for about 10 years, and I've replaced the CPU fan in it once, about 18 months ago. All its other fans (one in the front, one in the back, and the 2 power supply fans) are still chugging along about the same as always. About every year or so I'll dab at them with a 1.5'' slant-tip nylon bristle paint brush with the crevice nozzle of the vacuum sucking up the debris... the brush works good at loosening debris from heatsinks, too. Don't free-spin fans with the vacuum - you can burn up the bearings (usually just a bronze bushing).

Even on my laptops I use the nylon bristle brush and vacuum to clean the fans and heatsinks. It doesn't take much buildup on the leading edge of the blade to drastically cut the flow.

Hope that helps.
Accepted Solution
 
04.25.2008 at 11:51PM PDT, ID: 21444748
The slower the fan revolves the longer it will last (less revolutions) and the longer it takes to clog with dust and the quieter the computer will be. However, the cooler a CPU runs the longer it will last. So there must be a compromise that has generally been correctly set by the manufacturer. If you experiment you may succeed in lowing the fan speed with no apparent harmful effects, however, as the vents slowly block the CPU temoerature will slowly rise. You may be lucky and notice this but if you don't then you run the risk of damage occuring. So considering the advantages/disadvantages leave the fan speed alone for a more reliable computer. We exclusively repair laptops and can confirm that most of the faults we see are overheating CPUs {link removed by Callandor}
Assisted Solution
 
 
04.26.2008 at 09:37PM PDT, ID: 21448157
Hey:
Hello, Darr247!
The question that you were participating in has been opened up for further discussion and a comment has been posted

--------------------------------------------------------------
Question:  Fan Speed control, Does cha...  
Zone:  Linux  
Comment From:  Callandor  
ID:  23333002  

--------------------------------------------------------------

Where'd that comment go?
 
 
04.27.2008 at 05:19PM PDT, ID: 21450867
It was my cut of fredsfreds link to his own website, which I saw as advertising.  I changed it to a deleted comment so that admins can see what was deleted (though regular people can't).  EE policy is that you can't post links to websites you make money from, unless there is a specific comment addressing the specific problem at hand.  I have a few other comments I am going to have to clean up.

Callandor
Hardware Zone Advisor/Page Editor
 
 
 
20080236-EE-VQP-29 / EE_QW_2_20070628