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Please help: secondary heatsink in iMac i7 2010 gets as high as 91*Celsius

Hi everybody, as i said in e subject my iMac runs extremely hot, and when the heatsink reaches 90 degrees celcius I noticed that is the point when it just shuts itself down?

Any idea what could cause this, any suggestions?

Cheers,
Dorin

macbook ealry 2008, iphone 3g, Mac OS X (10.6.6), 16gb samsung

Posted on Jan 16, 2011 6:17 AM

Reply
5 replies

Jan 16, 2011 11:49 AM in response to dorin_boca

d. boca:

I have a 3.06 GHz. iMac and my secondary heat sink runs from 40C- 44C. Although yours may not be in the same range, it is too high even if it didn't shut down. The fact that it shuts down by itself it means, obviously, the temperature is too high. It could be the cooling fan is not working, a temperature sensor is not working, or the logic board is not working. My suggestion would be to get in touch with Apple, describe what is happening and what you have done to find out what is wrong, get a case number, and bring it into an Apple store. Since you bought it during 2010, your one year warranty may still be in effect, or better yet, you may have the extended warranty. Do you have any idea about your fan RPMs? Do the hardware test using the disc that came with the computer. You can't fix it yourself and you shouldn't. One thing that I am against is software that one can use to adjust the RPMs of the fans. Adjusting the fans only covers the problem-it doesn't solve it.

Jan 16, 2011 12:36 PM in response to dorin_boca

Thanks Edward, I'm relaxed since it is in warranty till august. It always ran hot, only now is the first time I enabled the temperature sensors(istat menu), and no, I dont have any fan software enabled.

Googling it may seem that the culprit must be 16gb of NuRam, I spoke already with the sillier and I will try 16gb of samsung. For example now is on 12gb (8nuram and 4 orig) is a little less hot, max was 83celcius but it didn't shut down anymore. On Wednesday I will receive the samsung modules, I torture the Photoshop and I'll report what is happening!

As far as I understood the secondary heatsink is the whole back of the iMac, to report only a 40 degrees mine never did, I was always unbearable to hold hand on top of the screen...now I wonder if that is normal...

Jan 20, 2011 8:30 PM in response to dorin_boca

The problem is you are in Europe. Your voltage is different and some readings may be o.k. for your system. Also, you have an i7, mine is a smaller one: a 21.5", 3.06. I'm using Hardware Monitor and I don't know what you are using. For example, is your primary heat sink and secondary heat sink readings refer to the same as mine. Even if they do and the temperatures are different, your readings may be normal for your system. You should compare with someone in Europe who has the same system as you do and also the software for measuring the temperature,etc. although I don't think having the same measuring software is that important compared to having the same computer. You have to, somehow, have it checked by an authorized Apple technician.

Please help: secondary heatsink in iMac i7 2010 gets as high as 91*Celsius

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