Question Vacuum Cooler Fans ?

karasahin

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Sep 28, 2014
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Hello,

I've been using a vacuum cooler fan for about a week to lower temps for my laptop.

Is there any reason/danger why I shouldn't be using it? Would it damage a laptop's fan or collect static electric or anything like that?
It causes some vibration on my laptop at medium to max fan settings.

It looks similar to the product below. Thanks!
 
Is there any reason/danger why I shouldn't be using it?
Depending on how fast (CFM) and how hard (mmH2O) the suction operates, it can actually damage the internal fans inside the laptop. By forcefully spinning them faster than they were designed to. And also make the entire cooling actually worse, than what the default setup is.
A fan can spin fast enough that it may effectively block airflow. This phenomenon occurs when the fan blades move at such high speeds that they create a significant amount of turbulence, which can disrupt the smooth flow of air.

At extremely high RPMs (revolutions per minute), the air being pushed by the blades can become turbulent rather than flowing smoothly. This turbulence can lead to a decrease in the fan's effectiveness at moving air, resulting in a situation where the airflow is restricted or even blocked.

In practical terms, most fans are designed to operate within specific speed ranges to avoid this issue. If a fan spins too quickly, it can also lead to mechanical failure or damage.
 
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Depending on how fast (CFM) and how hard (mmH2O) the suction operates, it can actually damage the internal fans inside the laptop. By forcefully spinning them faster than they were designed to. And also make the entire cooling actually worse, than what the default setup is.
Thanks. So how do these vacuum cooler fans actually work? Do they force the internal fans inside the laptop to spin at a higher rate? Say, if a laptop's internal fan works at 800 rpm at 70 celsius degrees to cool down the laptop, would a vacuum cooling fan working at 2000 rpm cause the internal fan to work at 1000 rpm or higher at the same temp? What would be the safe rpm range for a vacuum cooler fan to not cause harm?
 
So how do these vacuum cooler fans actually work?
Based on the image you linked, it spins and sucks air from the exhaust duct, thus creating negative pressure inside the laptop.

Do they force the internal fans inside the laptop to spin at a higher rate?
It can, since if the idea is to create negative pressure, airflow inside the laptop increases, which in turn, pulls internal fans to spin faster as well.

Say, if a laptop's internal fan works at 800 rpm at 70 celsius degrees to cool down the laptop, would a vacuum cooling fan working at 2000 rpm cause the internal fan to work at 1000 rpm or higher at the same temp?
In theory and more-or-less - yes.

In practical terms, we need to know the vacuum fan's RPM, CFM and static pressure, laptop internal fans RPM, CFM and static pressure and ALL airflow paths inside the laptop. And even then, there's some leeway at which RPM the vacuum is forcing the internal fans to spin.

What would be the safe rpm range for a vacuum cooler fan to not cause harm?
Since none of the fan specs are known and there isn't any info about airflow paths inside the laptop, this question can not be answered.

I would not use that vacuum at all.
Not all gadgets must be used. Many of them are actually useless and some are even harmful.

Or answer me this; does the vacuum fan brand reimburse you when their product (that vacuum) damages your laptop?
If not, then why even use that gadget?

Also, there are other ways to make the laptop run a bit cooler.
 
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Based on the image you linked, it spins and sucks air from the exhaust duct, thus creating negative pressure inside the laptop.


It can, since if the idea is to create negative pressure, airflow inside the laptop increases, which in turn, pulls internal fans to spin faster as well.


In theory and more-or-less - yes.

In practical terms, we need to know the vacuum fan's RPM, CFM and static pressure, laptop internal fans RPM, CFM and static pressure and ALL airflow paths inside the laptop. And even then, there's some leeway at which RPM the vacuum is forcing the internal fans to spin.


Since none of the fan specs are known and there isn't any info about airflow paths inside the laptop, this question can not be answered.

I would not use that vacuum at all.
Not all gadgets must be used. Many of them are actually useless and some are even harmful.

Or answer me this; does the vacuum fan brand reimburse you when their product (that vacuum) damages your laptop?
If not, then why even use that gadget?

Also, there are other ways to make the laptop run a bit cooler.
Much appreciated for your reply.

To answer your question, I haven't seen any guarantees about reimbursing. But they are saying none of their products would damage a laptop.

IETS and KLIM are well known and reliable (?) brands among laptop cooling solutions and they offer these kind of vacuum cooling products too. I have yet to read a comment that a vacuum cooling fan broke somebodies laptop's fan/s, either.

So I'm leaning towards that they should be safe to use if used not aggressively rpm-wise, though long term effects yet to be seen. I don't know since when these type of products became available so I kinda feel like a lab rat at the moment.

I could buy a cooling pad from those same brands that blows air into a laptop's bottom vents. This is a safe route but more than three times expensive if I were to buy a good one.

What other ways that you could recommend please? I have already tried repasting and cleaning. With the vacuum cooling fan working at 2000 rpm I can get about 10 celsius degrees drop in both CPU and GPU. Maximum CFM is said to be 23.15.
 
With the vacuum cooling fan working at 2000 rpm I can get about 10 celsius degrees drop in both CPU and GPU.
Do the CPU and GPU reach their thermal throttle temperatures without the external fan? If not, I'd be inclined to run the laptop without additional cooling. When all said and done though, it's your laptop and you can do whatever you like with it.

I've used similar fans to cool 3.5" hard disks in close-fitting USB3 enclosures (WD Elements, Seagate, etc.) but my cheap fans were so badly constructed, I worried about vibrations affecting the hard disk read/write operations. I've stopped using these noisy, buzzy, little fans and point a large 12" desktop fan at the external drives instead.
 
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What other ways that you could recommend please? I have already tried repasting and cleaning.
1. Do not place your laptop onto soft surface, e.g blanket. Since that holds heat in and restricts bottom airflow considerably (or even block it completely).
2. Place your laptop on hard surface, e.g glass or wooden table.
3. Repaste thermal paste and cleaning the innards of dust. Which you already did.
4. What helps quite a bit, is the elevated laptop stand. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Laptop-Stands/zgbs/pc/3015409011
5. Active cooling laptop stand is better, IF it is the one that is specifically made for your laptop model. Sure, it is more expensive than passive cooling laptop stand, but it also offers better ventilation for whole laptop.
6. Limit the performance of CPU/GPU if you don't need to use it at it's fullest. Less performance = less heat.

Due to the inherit nature of laptops, only thing that laptop is good for - is it's portability. In EVERY other aspect, desktop PC does it better, including cooling.
So, you seeing 70-80C out of CPU/GPU for a laptop, is actually common place. Now, if you would have desktop PC, and well ventilated one, you can see temps from ambient to ~60C (depending on hardware, of course).
 
1. Do not place your laptop onto soft surface, e.g blanket. Since that holds heat in and restricts bottom airflow considerably (or even block it completely).
2. Place your laptop on hard surface, e.g glass or wooden table.
3. Repaste thermal paste and cleaning the innards of dust. Which you already did.
4. What helps quite a bit, is the elevated laptop stand. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Laptop-Stands/zgbs/pc/3015409011
5. Active cooling laptop stand is better, IF it is the one that is specifically made for your laptop model. Sure, it is more expensive than passive cooling laptop stand, but it also offers better ventilation for whole laptop.
6. Limit the performance of CPU/GPU if you don't need to use it at it's fullest. Less performance = less heat.

Due to the inherit nature of laptops, only thing that laptop is good for - is it's portability. In EVERY other aspect, desktop PC does it better, including cooling.
So, you seeing 70-80C out of CPU/GPU for a laptop, is actually common place. Now, if you would have desktop PC, and well ventilated one, you can see temps from ambient to ~60C (depending on hardware, of course).
Thanks again, the first three things are what I already do and I agree with the rest. I have disabled Intel Turbo Boost since I don't like temp rise when it's on.

Of course I know desktops are superior to laptops. But this could also mean they are more fragile than desktop parts too. So I believe it's better not to push temp limits to the very high to ensure longevity. Less heat is better.

So, either I must gamble on using this affordable vacuum cooler to cool down my laptop, or buy an expensive cooling pad that actually works the same (hopefully).
 
Do the CPU and GPU reach their thermal throttle temperatures without the external fan? If not, I'd be inclined to run the laptop without additional cooling. When all said and done though, it's your laptop and you can do whatever you like with it.

I've used similar fans to cool 3.5" hard disks in close-fitting USB3 enclosures (WD Elements, Seagate, etc.) but my cheap fans were so badly constructed, I worried about vibrations affecting the hard disk read/write operations. I've stopped using these noisy, buzzy, little fans and point a large 12" desktop fan at the external drives instead.
No they don't, it's just that I'm uncomfortable with the CPU running higher than 80C under load at a room temp under 20C. Less temp is better. The GPU is running cool already.

You're right, it would have made me uncomfortable using it because of vibrations as well but since I have got only an SSD running, it is better.

Looks like I gotta find a sweet spot between cooling and safety. It appears that using my vacuum cooler at the maximum speed could be bad for the laptop's internal fan in the long term so I'm planning to use it more conservatively. Or spend more $$ and buy an expensive cooling pad. I don't know exactly.