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My iMac fan is always running at max speed

My iMac is a: iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017, 4.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 with a Radeon

Pro 580 8 GB).


The fan is always running at 2700 RPMs (used Macs Fan control app) in the auto mode. The Macs Fan Control app tells me that the CPU cores have a average temperature of 84-94 degrees C, and the fan is running at its max of 2700 RPM. I can lower the fan down manually in the app to a lower number (1700) but the temps will go up a little to 88-98 C with them mostly around 92. Ambient was 38 C.


I don't know what the temps should be, and why in auto the fan is always running at max.


Thanks for any help you can give. Louis





iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Aug 13, 2022 9:55 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 13, 2022 11:47 AM

To add to den.thed's wisdom on the subject, actions you have done so far without helping can suggest a positioning issue that is causing overheating. All iMacs have two critical areas that CANNOT be blocked or allowed to get dirty.


Cool air intake vents are one the bottom edge of the case:



1) They WILL get dirty and should be checked for build-up of dust bunnies and other workspace dirt at least twice a year, more if you live in a dusty environment. Do NOT blow it off with "canned air;" that can drive crud deeper into the computer where it is even harder to evict. I place a soft towel on the kitchen table, then set the iMac on it screen-down with vents slightly hanging over the edge. Then I use a static-free pastry brush to flick the dirt toward a vacuum cleaner nozzle held about an inch away. You may need an assistant to make certain the iMac remains safely stable on the table.


2) Even if very clean, the intakes cannot do their job if you stack stuff under the computer case or do anything that reduces the roughly 2.8 inches between the vent and the work surface. Consider this "sacred space."


The exhaust vent is hidden behind the stand:

It is not as critical as the intakes but, in helping another here with an iMac overheating a couple of years ago, I found a position in which the exhaust was almost fully occluded and caused documented high temps. That happens when you tip the display fulling forward.


The poster I helped had mounted his iMac 5K above the monitor of another computer. Tipping the screen down to avoid glare blocked the exhaust and the temps rose quickly. I was able to duplicate that with my iMac.



6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 13, 2022 11:47 AM in response to Louis in VA

To add to den.thed's wisdom on the subject, actions you have done so far without helping can suggest a positioning issue that is causing overheating. All iMacs have two critical areas that CANNOT be blocked or allowed to get dirty.


Cool air intake vents are one the bottom edge of the case:



1) They WILL get dirty and should be checked for build-up of dust bunnies and other workspace dirt at least twice a year, more if you live in a dusty environment. Do NOT blow it off with "canned air;" that can drive crud deeper into the computer where it is even harder to evict. I place a soft towel on the kitchen table, then set the iMac on it screen-down with vents slightly hanging over the edge. Then I use a static-free pastry brush to flick the dirt toward a vacuum cleaner nozzle held about an inch away. You may need an assistant to make certain the iMac remains safely stable on the table.


2) Even if very clean, the intakes cannot do their job if you stack stuff under the computer case or do anything that reduces the roughly 2.8 inches between the vent and the work surface. Consider this "sacred space."


The exhaust vent is hidden behind the stand:

It is not as critical as the intakes but, in helping another here with an iMac overheating a couple of years ago, I found a position in which the exhaust was almost fully occluded and caused documented high temps. That happens when you tip the display fulling forward.


The poster I helped had mounted his iMac 5K above the monitor of another computer. Tipping the screen down to avoid glare blocked the exhaust and the temps rose quickly. I was able to duplicate that with my iMac.



Aug 13, 2022 12:20 PM in response to den.thed

Thanks, I didn't even know the app had that setting, but I found it and set it to your recommended setting. The fan went down to 1200 RPM, much better sounding! Should I pay attention to the CPU temperatures and make sure they don't get too hot? With my ambient now a 36 C my CPU idle temp is (for all cores average) 90 to 98 C right now. I have the CPU PECI (whatever that is?) running at 100 C all the time. And the one or more of the 4 cores sometimes reaching 100 C. But never higher.


Again, thanks for your quick reply! Louis

Aug 13, 2022 1:30 PM in response to Mal-S

Thanks I'll try that also. Even using the iMac system fan setting and not the app (always on max speed) my CPU chips are running what I think is hot at ~85-95 degrees C. Sometimes up to 100 C for a second or two. So I can see why the fan is on high, but maybe the fan is not the problem, the chips or something else is the issue.


Regards, Louis

My iMac fan is always running at max speed

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