"Homemade" Laptop Cooling System

[thowle]

Update:
I decided to make my own custom laptop cooler tonight, so I did so -- attached are pictures.

Temperature Without "Homemade" Cooler:
Hard-Drive: 114.8 Degrees Fahrenheit

Temperature With "Homemade" Cooler:
Hard-Drive: 98.4 Degrees Fahrenheit
The only temperature probe I could read through software is the hard-drive -- unfortunantly.

Notice:
The average motherboard USB port supports 500miliamps, or 0.5amps -- while the average 80mm fan draws around 130miliamps. Beware to not exceed the rating limit of the USB port!

My fans are 150miliamp, while my USB port is 500miliamp rated -- therefore I am utilizing 450/500 which is 90%.

What I used to make the cooler:
x1 Plexiglass / Lexan from Lowes (18" x 11")
x1 8" of 1/4" PVC pipe
x4 1/4" PVC End Caps
x3 80mm, 34.5 CFM fans with LED's
x1 USB Extension Cable
x2 22AWG Twist-Tie connectors
x1 Extra-Small Zip-Tie
x10 1/8" self-tapping sheet-metal screws (two for each fan, and one for each end cap)

What to do with the parts:
- Jig-Saw and blade
- Drill and various Drill Bits
- Skill-Saw and blade
- Screw Driver
- PVC Piper Cutting Tool
- Wire Strippers
- Wire Snips
- Razor Blade
- Lighter

What to do with the parts:
Step 1
Take the plexi-glass and measure it to fix your laptop, and then transpose the fan areas on the plexi-glass so you know where to cut.

Take the plexi-glass and use a skill saw to cut it to size, or just etch and break -- depends on how thick it is (mine was thick).


Step 2
Take a drill bit the size of (and a bit bigger) the jig-saw blade and drill on the edge of each fan cutout area.

Take the jig-saw and cut the fan cutout area circle out of the plexi-glass. A word of advice, spray oil or water on the saw and drill as you use them else the friction will produce enough heat the plexi-glass will fuse together again, making the cut almost useless and making a tacky looking cut).


Step 3
Next you are going to want to find the center of your hole for each fan cutout area, and the center of the fan measurements and transpose the edge lines on the plexi-glass so your fans will be on the exact center of the fan cutout holes (just make it look nicer if everything is lined up and added detail).

Use a marker to draw the top and right edges of the new fans on the plexi-glass using the measurements obtained.

Take the drill and a drill bit a bit smaller than your screws and drill a hole through the plexi-glass lined up with the new (to be installed) fan at the upper-right fan screw-hole, and the lower-left fan screw-hole.

Secure all of the fans to position on the plexi-glass using at-least two screws per fan.

Make SURE to pay special attention to the arrows on the fans, and the fan direction of the laptop -- if the fans on your laptop bring air in the bottom (sucking air) then you want to ensure the fans on the cooling plexi-glass are pushing air to them and not pulling -- follow the drift?


Step 4
Take the wires from all of your fans and run them to the center in the exact route you will want them to run; then cut them to length, ensuring you leave a bit of room to strip and splice at the ends.

Take the purchased USB cord and cut the end off (make SURE you LEAVE the USB connection end to plug into the computer).

Strip the wire ciating and shield off of the USB cable near the end you cut, exposing approx. one-inch. You will then need to seperate the metal shielding wires, and cut them with wire snips, and then fold the aluminum shield and burn it away with the lighter.

You now have a RED, BLACK, GREEN and WHITE wire exposed -- cut the GREEN and WHITE wire off at the base, and strip the coating off of the RED and BLACK wires leaving approx. 1/4" of wire exposed.

Do the same for the fan wires, strip the coating off.


Step 5
Now we are ready to attach the USB cable wires to the fan cables using our 22AWG twist tie connectors. Simply attach all RED wires to the RED USB wire, and all BLACK wires to the BLACK USB wire.

Next, route the USB wire to the back of the plexi-glass, shoving a bit of slack between the end of the plexi-glass and the junction area where we connected the wires.

Now make a mark with the marker (to drill two holes) around the USB cable at the back, center of the plexi-glass. Use a larger drill bit that you will be able to fit a zip-tie through so you can secure the USB cable to the plexi-glass, preventing it from accidently being pulled and messing with the junction we just established.

As always "tuck your tails", but not exactly "tails" -- just tuck all of the wires at the junction under the fan guard so they are not in the way. Hopefully if you followed directions you trimmed the wires to the exact length so you don't have any extra and it is tight to the board.


Step 6
We now have the wiring complete for the fans -- next we need to build the stand.

Take the PVC pipe we have and cut it to length -- I cut my pieces all around 1 1/2" long -- you need to cut 4 pieces.

Take the PVC end caps and use a drill bit slightly smaller than your screws to drill through the CENTER of the end cap at a LEVEL angle, and then transpose to 1"x1" from the edge of the plexi-glass at all four corners.

Take a screw and secure the end caps to the plexi-glass, and then take your 1 1/2" long PVC and secure them into the end caps.

You now have a elevated cooling system for your laptop that has positive induction air-flow.

Took a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes to make it.

 

[thowle]

 

[puglet]

Pretty cool mod/project but i'd rather just buy one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-3-fan-Light-Laptop-Notebook-Cooling-Cooler-Pad-K18_W0QQitemZ170288756642QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item170288756642&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1300|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1309

 

[overclockingrocks]

looks cool and very professionally done. Only thing I'd change is using something that's black for the feet. and like Puglet said with prices being so cheap it's hard to jusify putting in 2.5 hours to build one

 

[frozenlead]

That's a fairly tall stand - I think you should have made it tapered, too. But, overall, very nicely done. Notebook coolers are really cheap though, I don't know if I'd put so much time into making one...but it looks way cooler.

 

[dwellman]

I might not take the time, either, seeing as how I choose to use a notebook that doesn't get hot. . . heh heh heh.

That OP was more entertaining than I expected it to be.

 

[no_one]

it's ok, but I think it was greater if it was a little bit lower

 

[cheaptofix]

good work. but you can buy these anyway

 

[cheaptofix]

very good but you can buy these ready anyway. but maybe next time you can come'up with an invention where you might make a built-in cooler for laptops slim enough to support (quad) or uses liquid .. nice start

 

[xaelee]

sweeeeeeeeet, been lookin for a post like this. im planning to build my own laptop cooler as well. ive gone a lil nuts and i wanna attach 6x120mm fans and power it via usb haha. possible? thinking power-wise, as for design, ive already thought it through and have a good idea.

 

[djdatta]

It's really well done, looks very professional....but u need to get the drills ands saws to start working in the first place, and if i did it, .....well,,it would be nice tinkering with gadgets, but i really wonder what the end product would be............so the best bet for me would be to buy one with fans

 

[mbfx0066]

Wow, this worked wonders. I have an old Compaq Presario 2500 (yes a dinosaur) and I swear when all the internal fans are running it sounds like a Boeing 747 Taking off. I just used two old exhaust fans from a desktop similar to this, and attached them together with the USB cord, Now my internal cool intake fan is right beside the exhaust fan all on one side of the laptop (stupid idea in my opinion) but anyway I just propped the back of the laptop up and stuck on fan sucking in as close to the intake fan as possible and stuck the exhaust fan in the middle on the back. and within less than 3 minutes I heard the internal exhaust fan just quiet right down to nothing. Now my laptop runs faster and doesnt sound like a 747. I would have never thought of this idea. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to keep this old thing cool. And I didnt spend a dime on anything. all things I had around the house and garage.

 

[vc2216]

This is my custom made laptop cooling pad...6 unit cooler master fan(slim type 12v 0.30amp silent type)..cooler master type..green lamp...enjoy! vc2216@gmail.com

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[Guest]

this is rubbish !!!! cant take your laptop to the bed after your mod

i have msi gt725 ati 5850 8gb ram 2x 500 gb seagate momentus CPU quad core q9000 windows 7

without cooling:

idle GPU 55 C load 70 C when use maya
idle CPU 50 C load 65 C when use MAYA
idle HDD 50 C load 65 C when use maya

with my custom made cooling

GPU load 45 to 60 when playing with 3ds max or MAYA
GPU idle or when internet only 40 C
HDD idle and load the same 30 C
CPU idle 30 C
CPU load 40C when playing with 3ds max or MAYA

my original fan never switch on, no matter how much the cpu gpu is loaded. total cost about 60£

i bought alu cooling pad cost me 20£ bought air buster fans x 4 cost 20 £ bought AC/DC Multi-Voltage 3600mA 3 to 15 volts easy regulated. now if you want really quiet use 3 volts and you wont even hear fans if you doing hard work use 12 volts the noise isnt more then from the original laptop fan when the cpu is loaded.

attached fans to the bottom of my pad, pad had already plug to plug power supply and on the top is my laptop screwed with 4 screws to the pad. total hight latop and pad 6cm weight dont know really but about the weight of two laptops. easy can take it to my bed put on the desk or if i dont want to use pad unscrew 4 screws done.

 

[MarvelousMarvin]

Really cool
2 years ago my Turion x64 was hot as a pop corn fart

I went and got a wooden 4 foot 2"x2" cut it in half

Took some rubber round stick on pedestals I get wth something can't remeber what,,,anyway placed them on the bottom of each 2"x2",, 2' piece so it was stable on the table.

Took a small personal desk fan I got for father's day. It's a lasko, looks like a white vented in front air duct, it channels air flow right to your face.

Anywho, plugged that puppy in putting it just behind the Turion so air flowed beneath me lappie WORKS LIKE A CHAMP MAN. when you lay your mits on the bottom or top of the computer there is hardly any heat.

I like the looks of yours much better. Nice job very creative

Peace Man
Marv

 

[Deleted member 362816]

This is my custom made laptop cooling pad...6 unit cooler master fan(slim type 12v 0.30amp silent type)..cooler master type..green lamp...enjoy! vc2216@gmail.com

That looks amazing.

 

[warezcoxtrong]

Haha, you must have a RROD Xbox 360, too. (noticed the plate with the x-clamp indentions on it.) I've still got mine sitting in a box somewhere, now I can put that part to use to make a cooler for my G60 lol

This is my custom made laptop cooling pad...6 unit cooler master fan(slim type 12v 0.30amp silent type)..cooler master type..green lamp...enjoy! vc2216@gmail.com

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Lovely piece of work but totally useless when anyone can buy one for £20...sorry...

All the best Brett

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey