Laptop cooler for DVRs

[Hall]

In the other thread about temperatures of the 622, people inquired about the temperature readings and how to reset them or how often they're recalculated. After getting this laptop cooler, I also had a window/box fan blowing on the 622 (right to left, just like the unit's own cooling). Overnight, that brought my low temperature down from 103' to 93'. The high hasn't changed but more importantly, the average didn't recalculate based on this 10' drop.

Has anyone determined the logic with the temp readings ??

I used the box fan because I effectively want to "start over" with the 622's temperatures to see how well the laptop cooler does at maintaining reasonable temperatures.

 

[pro96]

I happened to have one for my 710m and plugged it into my HR20-700's USB input and temps dropped from 122f to 118f ..

I placed it on top, since the bottom of the HR20 has very little vents.
Here is the jpeg right off my cell phone.

When watching from the DVR, temps run at aprox 127f with the fan off.
Now with the lappy fan, it drops to about 113f.. so 14 degree drop is kinda cool... get it? Cool!!!!

 

[SmityWhity]

Has anyone determined the logic with the temp readings ??

I haven't done a government sponsred test on this, but it appears that the "average temp" either adjusts every 24 hours, or when there is change to report.

I did notice my "average temp" went down a degree, and then the next day it went back up a degree. I suspect it was because the low temp when down a few degrees, and then back up slightly.

 

[Hall]

No way my average temp recalculates every 24 hours. I dropped my low temp 10' overnight yet the average stayed where it was before and is still at the same average 1-2 weeks later.

 

[stone phillips420]

my temp was in the low120's range for hr20 i checked it today after 4-5 days of having laptop cooler and its now dropped to 107

 

[Kandiru]

My Targus ChillHub is going on it's 7th month of 24/7 use. However, it is showing signs of aging. It had run silently when I first installed it and now the fans' whirring and bearings' grinding can be heard, although faintly... I expect I'll be picking up a new cooler within the next month.

On a more positive note, the cooler dropped temps in the box by 10-20 degrees.

Mine started whirring too, i took it off ready to trash it, but on a second thought pressed gently over the center of both fan hubs until one gave out a click. It basically clicked into place on the shaft and voila, no more whirring Targus.

 

[Allin4greeN]

Mine started whirring too, i took it off ready to trash it, but on a second thought pressed gently over the center of both fan hubs until one gave out a click. It basically clicked into place on the shaft and voila, no more whirring Targus.

Thanks for posting that, I'll give it a shot tonight : I was also thinking about trying a few WD40 sprays in stratigic locations.

 

[whatchel1]

Destroys plastic

Thanks for posting that, I'll give it a shot tonight : I was also thinking about trying a few WD40 sprays in stratigic locations.

WD-40 melts some types of plastic.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

My 622 runs around 107 with a Targus Chill Matt plugged into the read usb port.

 

[Anole]

WD-40 is not a lube.
I'd suggest a very light silicon oil, if you can find some.
Maybe what's used on fly-fishing reels?

I took apart a number of similar fans, cleaned off the dried gunk, lubed 'em, and put them back together.
They were hard drive coolers.
Turned out, the "refurbished" units had a run-life of about a week!

Good luck.

 

[bhelms]

There's really no good way to lube those fans. They're designed with "frictionless" surfaces to run indefinitely (or at least for the stated lifetime, like 10K hours, or whatever) without a lubricating agent. What often happens is the surfaces wear enough that the close tolerances are no longer maintained, the rotating part wobbles (causing audible noise) causing more wear, etc. until the unit eventually fails. Sometimes one of the surfaces gets damaged by a piece of grit or such and that accelerates the damage. Adding a lubricant is only a temporary "fix" at best. The lubricant will get contaminated with dust and debris and thicken and perhaps even burn onto the surfaces as a glaze that is difficult to remove. A noisy fan is generally the first sign of the imminent failure...

 

[Frank Jr.]

ditto on what bhelms said. these cool plates use cheap sleave type fans that are not very reliable. If one was made with bearings it would last a long time. Maybe there is one out there but I don't know. Could make one . hmmm........

 

[Allin4greeN]

ditto on what bhelms said. these cool plates use cheap sleave type fans that are not very reliable. If one was made with bearings it would last a long time. Maybe there is one out there but I don't know. Could make one . hmmm........

I've just been living with the low-level noise these past couple of weeks and haven't gotten to the point where I was ready to take the cooler apart. So, I didn't realize no bearings were involved...

It sounds like WD40 is not the way to go. Thanks everyone, for the feedback.

 

[troublefan]

I'll throw in my success story: I use 2 of these Thermaltakes,

http://www.thermaltake.com/accessories/mobilefan/mobilefan2.htm

one blowing in on the right and the other drawing on the left. Use a splitter to run both of them off the same rear USB. VIP622, in an enclosed credenza and on 3/4 risers, is at 101F average. The way it's set up, you can't see or hear the fans, and I think it's gotta be helping the guts of this thing.