Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!asuvax!hrc!xroads!tosh!starta
From: starta@tosh.UUCP (John Starta)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: Mac temperature, fan, dust.
Message-ID: <6910N3w162w@tosh.UUCP>
Date: 22 Aug 90 00:18:16 GMT
References: <9013@ur-cc.UUCP>
Organization: Before Computing, Phoenix, Arizona
Lines: 51

carlo@osprey.cvs.rochester.edu (Carlo Tiana) writes:

> I wonder if there is anything one can do to improve the cooling and reduce
> the dust intake in a Mac (a IIci specifically).

I'm not sure what can be done to improve the cooling as my IIci has always
been cool to the touch, but after reading your message I took a quick look
(flash light to the front and rear) and sure enough, I can see plenty of
dust forming in the vents and in the rear where it is exhausted.

> I have had my IIci for about 9 months now.

Eight months come the twenty-third. (I know, you were dying to know that
right? I mention it merely for comparison purposes.)

> Since the largest hole in the case is the floppy drive hole at the front,
> I wondered what the floppy heads felt about this, since they probably have
> accumulated as much dust as everything else (maybe this has some relevance
> to the floppy read/write failures people complain about every once in a
> while??).

Actually, the largest overall holes in the case are the vents to the left
of the floppy drive and those on the top and buttom of the case. You are
right however, the floppy has sucked in its equal share of dust. With my
brief flash light inspection, I could see dust on several outer pieces.
The internals may be protected if there is no air escape, but I can't be
certain of that. You might have something there with your theory, maybe an
engineer or two from Apple can comment on it further for us. Please!

> So I decided to turn the fan around, so as to have control over where
> [...]
> Is what I am doing a big no-no?

Yes. Return the fan to its original position at once. It was designed to
cool the machine. In the configuration you have it in, it is currently
heating it.

> Also, I am sure my Mac was a lot noisier after 6 mo than it was when new,
> and I can only attribute this to dust (maybe lodging itself in the fan
> assembly?)

Come to think of it, I have noticed that too. I attribute some of it to
recent hard drive troubles, but the rest can likely be attributed to the
dust shrinking the size of the vent holes and beginning a low "whistle."

> Anyone else tried to fix this? Anyone else worried about this?

Not yet, but with the brain power of this net, I'm sure a logical solution
will come about soon. I am worried, yes. My first step will be to give the
machine a thorough cleaning this week.

John