new iMac user, can you use a fan to cool the back?

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new iMac user, can you use a fan to cool the back?

Hi everone,

I'm a new iMac user, a new mac user full stop. I recently was given one for college because I'm dyslexic so I recived one to help with college work. I'm a P.C girl mostly so i'm very new to this system, but we do use these at college thou I avoided them like the plauge because I just didn't know how to use them.

ANYWAYS....I noticed that the back get's very hot, my desk is by the window of my room because it gets a little hot in my room at time's and I know my P.C would heat but so the window it was.

i was wondering if used an external fan behind the mac might help with the temp, nothing big just a small fan for the back of the computer like the one's you use in an office but allot smaller? is this a good idea or not?

thank you for takeing the time to read my post, I did read the other about hot mac's but it didn't have the answer I was looking for.

Cap'Pixie xox

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Sep 30, 2012 8:24 AM

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Answer 1

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den.thed

Level 9

77,044 points

Sep 30, 2012 8:58 AM in response to captainpixie

Keeping in mind that the rear case acts like a big heat sink and will always feel warn to the touch. Yes a small fan blowing across the back would help to reduce the iMac's over all temperature, but really shouldn't be necessary unless the room is unbearable hot.

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Answer 2

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Sep 30, 2012 9:05 AM in response to captainpixie

Just be sure it's fixed low enough to be aimed upwards. That way it won't prevent the hot air escaping from the upper exhaust by blowing it back in. It will be blowing dust around too, so keep the area as dust free as possible. Whether I need to run this fan depends on the intenal temps and how hot the back feels. But can aid considerably in cooling. Get iStat Pro.

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Answer 3

captainpixie Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 30, 2012 2:09 PM in response to captainpixie

Thank you very much, very helpful 🙂

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Answer 4

seventy one

Level 7

27,424 points

Sep 30, 2012 2:32 PM in response to WZZZ

Impressive picture Wzzz.

Just thinking, surely it depends on how hot is hot and what is causing the heat. The sun is one thing but if it is an internal fault you may not learn the consequences until it is too late if the effects are disguised by the fan.

But as I said, just thinking.

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Answer 5

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Sep 30, 2012 2:46 PM in response to seventy one

Hardly think so. If an internal fan died, running a fan at the back of all that tightly enclosed hardware would hardly matter. Would be like trying to bail the Titanic with a thimble. Helpful no doubt, but the fan at the back can only make a marginal contribution to cooling. Besides, I have iStat Menus and smcFanControl up in the menubar, and I'd see right away.

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Answer 6

seventy one

Level 7

27,424 points

Sep 30, 2012 2:52 PM in response to WZZZ

Thanks Wzzz,

Glad I asked the question because not everyone knows of or has iStat menus and smcfancontrol. Something captainpixie (love the name) may consider necessary to have.

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Answer 7

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Sep 30, 2012 2:55 PM in response to seventy one

Not really necessary. Depends on how fussy you are about heat. I am fussy about heat and keeping this machine going for as long as possible. Maybe way past when all a desktop computer will be good for will be for access to the cloud.

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Answer 8

captainpixie Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 30, 2012 3:31 PM in response to captainpixie

I down loaded the heat program, I had something like it on my P.C to keep an eye on the heat, I ran my P.C. 24/7 because I used to be on it allot and I used to do allot of photoshopping and graphic's stuff as well as going on the net, a night i used it as an mp3 player to play audio book's and music. poor thing.

so the iStat and smcfancontrol are really helpful.

thank's for your help people 🙂

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