d8b Forum

Anybody here run their d8b without a CPU fan, using just a heatsink? I've seen it suggested as a noise management measure. I'm just wondering if anybody here actually does it and how their CPU is holding up.

I wouldn't try it. Gets hot as sun without cooling. Too risky.

Peter

anyhorizon wrote:I wouldn't try it. Gets hot as sun without cooling. Too risky.

Peter

What about with one of these?

Maybe water cooled?

Is that actually a CPU heatsink?

Maybe water cooled?

Apple tried that on their old dual 2.7gHz PPC G5's. It was all they could do (in addition to the 9 (yes, 9) fans they built in, to keep the damn thing from bursting into flames. Nine years later, there have been reports of the liquid cooled radiator breaking down and leaking all over the motherboard. Apparently, whatever they used as a coolant is highly corrosive to CB traces. Nice.

As a footnote, it was at this point (and IBM's subsequent failure to get the CPU's to clock at 3gHz) that Steve Jobs told IBM to stick it and changed over to Intel processors.

FrankH wrote:Is that actually a CPU heatsink?

Yeah, for real. Socket 370 and 462. Zalman CNPS-3100. Just the copper fins though, no liquid cooling.

I've been hot rodding the d8b CPU/PSU chassis lately and using the Compact Flash instead of the hard drive and a Seasonic fanless power supply instead of the Sparkle, the only thing I hear is the 50mm fan spinning above the CPU chip. If I unplug the CPU fan and boot the system, the only way I know it's on the the power rocker LED, the Num Lock flash on the keyboard, and the momentary floppy seek at startup, and then the OS 5.1 GUI is presented in complete silence. It's almost orgasmic. I'm afraid to run it any more than a few minutes though because I don't trust the stock aluminum heat sink to keep the Celeron sufficiently cool all by itself.

If I ultimately go completely fanless I'm going to replace the solid sheet metal chassis cover with perforated sheet metal so the thing can vent.

I have seen another forum member recommend disconnecting the CPU fan (among other things) as a quieting measure. I just wonder if that's really OK. I found a couple of 300/66 Celerons on eBay for cheap to squirrel away as spares, just in case the CPU can't take the heat.

Yeah, for real. Socket 370 and 462. Zalman CNPS-3100.

It looks like it could do the job. Two questions: (1) Will it fit the D8B CPU and (2) how much $?

a Seasonic fanless power supply instead of the Sparkle

I read your story about this in the other thread. Are you now running just the Seasonic? When I last read that thread, you hadn't figured out how to get the D8B's chassis power switch to route 115vac to the power distribution board.

Two questions about that: (1) What specif model Seasonic did you use? and (2) if it is only the Seasonic running the D8B, would you be a lamb and post some detailed wiring pics?

FrankH wrote:It looks like it could do the job. Two questions: (1) Will it fit the D8B CPU and (2) how much $?

It'll be close. The longest dimension 3.9" runs side to side. I have to make a cardboard template and see for sure. The unmodified Zalman CNPS-3100 will be very close to the graphics card. About $32.

Frank wrote:Are you now running just the Seasonic? When I last read that thread, you hadn't figured out how to get the D8B's chassis power switch to route 115vac to the power distribution board.

Two questions about that: (1) What specif model Seasonic did you use? and (2) if it is only the Seasonic running the D8B, would you be a lamb and post some detailed wiring pics?

Kinda just running the Seasonic. I haven't done any permanent wiring change yet so the mains through the Sparkle are still supplying the front panel rocker, however, no DC from the Sparkle. But I have a plan for the AC wiring. A new IEC 115vac receptacle on the back of the chassis will accept 115vac from the wall going directly to the power distribution board (J1 and J2) as normal. And the return from the rocker switch would land on J4 and J11 as normal. The power supply feeds from the power distribution board (J5 and J6) will feed a new switched outlet on the back of the chassis, into which the Seasonic will be plugged with a standard but short length IEC power cord. At least that's my plan at the moment.

I thought about intercepting the 115vac from inside the Seasonic but the componentry is too dense, too much to go wrong there.

The model is the Seasonic X-400 Fanless; the +5vdc rail is a bit less than the Sparkle but I think it's sufficient. Right now the project looks like a fire hazard, but if/when I get it all lashed up properly I'll post the details.

but if/when I get it all lashed up properly I'll post the details.

I look forward to this. Thanks for the info.