Running a P3 600 without a fan?

[langelgjm]

Hello,

I'd like to run a Slot 1 P3 600 MHz processor without a fan, in order
to cut down on noise (very important in my application). Currently it
has an OEM heat sink 1.5 cm in height and a small fan on top of that; I
was considering replacing that combination with a taller (3 cm) and
wider heat sink, and not using the fan. The OEM heat sink is really
pitiful (far fewer fins, etc.) compared with the one I want to attach.

The system runs 24/7, and needs to be fairly reliable, but the machine
rarely does any real work, most of the time it's simply serving static
webpages. Can I get away with this, or am I being dumb by asking to run
a P3 without a fan?

Thanks,

Gabe

Specifications for this system:

Pentium 3 600 MHz Slot 1
448 MB PC100 RAM
30 GB HDD
Three 100 Mbps Ethernet NICs
One 11 Mbps WLAN NIC
ISA VGA Graphics card (no joke!)

 

[Thagor]

Hello,

I'd like to run a Slot 1 P3 600 MHz processor without a fan, in order
to cut down on noise (very important in my application). Currently it
has an OEM heat sink 1.5 cm in height and a small fan on top of that; I
was considering replacing that combination with a taller (3 cm) and
wider heat sink, and not using the fan. The OEM heat sink is really
pitiful (far fewer fins, etc.) compared with the one I want to attach.

The system runs 24/7, and needs to be fairly reliable, but the machine
rarely does any real work, most of the time it's simply serving static
webpages. Can I get away with this, or am I being dumb by asking to run
a P3 without a fan?

Thanks,

Gabe

Specifications for this system:

Pentium 3 600 MHz Slot 1
448 MB PC100 RAM
30 GB HDD
Three 100 Mbps Ethernet NICs
One 11 Mbps WLAN NIC
ISA VGA Graphics card (no joke!)

Won't know till you try it and for what it's worth, those PIII's won't
handle the heat as well as the newer CPU's will. Problem with your theory
is that heatsinks (without heatpipe technology) get hot too and without
the air to carry the heat away, it will just sit there and get hotter.
Providing that you increase the sink surface by a multitude and keep the
CPU workload at a minimum, you may get away with it for a time until the
surrounding M/B components start to fry from the stray heat.

 

[Michael C]

Hello,

I'd like to run a Slot 1 P3 600 MHz processor without a fan, in order

I believe some of the systems like Dell or other manufacturers did this so
it should be no problem with the right heatsink. Hot air rises so the heat
will be drawn away from the CPU via natural convection. You will have to
make sure there is a good path for the rising air to escape from the case.

Michael

 

[Chris van Bladel]

I believe some of the systems like Dell or other manufacturers did this so
it should be no problem with the right heatsink. Hot air rises so the heat
will be drawn away from the CPU via natural convection. You will have to
make sure there is a good path for the rising air to escape from the case.

Michael

Not intyrely true, yes they use a fanless heatsink on the slot 1 but, if
you check the surroundings op the processor there is often a large fan
(80mm with compaq deskpro cel 500) that blows cool air to the processor.

Chris

 

[kony]

Hello,

I'd like to run a Slot 1 P3 600 MHz processor without a fan, in order
to cut down on noise (very important in my application). Currently it
has an OEM heat sink 1.5 cm in height and a small fan on top of that; I
was considering replacing that combination with a taller (3 cm) and
wider heat sink, and not using the fan. The OEM heat sink is really
pitiful (far fewer fins, etc.) compared with the one I want to attach.

The system runs 24/7, and needs to be fairly reliable, but the machine
rarely does any real work, most of the time it's simply serving static
webpages. Can I get away with this, or am I being dumb by asking to run
a P3 without a fan?

Thanks,

Gabe

Specifications for this system:

Pentium 3 600 MHz Slot 1
448 MB PC100 RAM
30 GB HDD
Three 100 Mbps Ethernet NICs
One 11 Mbps WLAN NIC
ISA VGA Graphics card (no joke!)

P3 600 slot 1 was a very hot running chip for it's time.
You likely won't be able to simply remove the fan. Taking
the heatsink off of one of those isn't really hard but not
necessarily easy either, be carefull prying off those
spring-loaded clips if you do so.

With a taller 'sink you can direct passive airflow through
the 'sink by attaching a snorkel-like tube to the power
supply intake, providing the power supply is sealed enough
that the vast majority of it's intake is through that
snorkle.

Easier would be to simply replace the heatsink and use a
lower RPM fan, or a fan controller to reduce the speed of
the fan. It is much easier to keep a heatsink cool with a
fan turning slow enough that it's inaudible, rather than
getting rid of the fan entirely. Towards this end the
largest, thickest fan possible will provide best cooling at
low noise... but of course it has to still push most of the
air through the heatsink, it's not so useful to strap a 92mm
fan on a 'sink only 40mm wide.

 

[philo]

Hello,

I'd like to run a Slot 1 P3 600 MHz processor without a fan, in order
to cut down on noise (very important in my application). Currently it
has an OEM heat sink 1.5 cm in height and a small fan on top of that; I
was considering replacing that combination with a taller (3 cm) and
wider heat sink, and not using the fan. The OEM heat sink is really
pitiful (far fewer fins, etc.) compared with the one I want to attach.

The system runs 24/7, and needs to be fairly reliable, but the machine
rarely does any real work, most of the time it's simply serving static
webpages. Can I get away with this, or am I being dumb by asking to run
a P3 without a fan?

use as large a heat sink as you can...
then carefully monitor the temp. under full load...
you might have to underclock the cpu...
or use a large, low rpm fan

 

[Michael C]

Hello,

I'd like to run a Slot 1 P3 600 MHz processor without a fan, in order
to cut down on noise (very important in my application).

You could also get one of those VIA fanless boards. The 500MHz boards cost
$160 australian. They run on a standard ATX power supply and will fit into a
standard atx case. The disadvantage is they only have 1 or 2 memory slots
(depending on model) and only 1 PCI slot although you can get a riser for 2
PCI.

Michael

 

[DaveW]

You will most likely fry the CPU if you run it without a fan. Slot 1 P III
processors run very hot.

 

[langelgjm]

P3 600 slot 1 was a very hot running chip for it's time.

You likely won't be able to simply remove the fan. Taking
the heatsink off of one of those isn't really hard but not
necessarily easy either, be carefull prying off those
spring-loaded clips if you do so.

I found a site describing how to remove the OEM heat sink:
http://www.1coolpc.com/install/p3.htm

I ended up replacing the OEM heatsink with the larger one, and
retaining the fan. As you suggested, I could attach a potentiometer to
regulate the fan's speed.

Thanks to all for the tips!

Gabe

 

[kony]

I found a site describing how to remove the OEM heat sink:
http://www.1coolpc.com/install/p3.htm

I ended up replacing the OEM heatsink with the larger one, and
retaining the fan. As you suggested, I could attach a potentiometer to
regulate the fan's speed.

Thanks to all for the tips!

Gabe

Well, a rheostat... typical POT can't handle the current of
a fan, unless it was a fan that had the speed-control lead
instead of RPM lead (if not both), though those are less
common in the PC industry.