Can you turn the CRT in an iMac off to reduce heat output whilst the computer is on?

Hogster · 03-19-2005, 08:32 PM

Hi guys,

Question is more or less in the title. The CRT in our old iMac belches out more heat than anything else in the room at the moment, and with the days getting hotter it would be nice to 'sleep' the CRT instead of it being permanently on all the time showing nothing (black).

Any thoughts are welcomed.

Cheers,

David

DeltaMac · 03-19-2005, 08:51 PM

Sure, set Energy Saver preference pane so the display goes to sleep after a specific period of time.
If your computer is not in use (screen saver or whatever) then just put the computer to sleep. This powers off the video, turning off the display and any drives. The iMac will consume almost no power, but will wake up within 3-5 seconds, at least when running OS X.

acme.mail.order · 03-19-2005, 08:58 PM

Didn't know it go that hot in Surrey.
Do what DeltaMac suggested. DON'T install hacks to shut things down. The iMac is convection cooled, it uses the rising heat from the CRT to draw in cooling air from the bottom. Upset the balance and you might solve your heat buildup by getting a flat-panel version.

Hogster · 03-20-2005, 04:32 AM

Delta - Yup the display is set to go to sleep after 10 minutes, but the CRT remains on and hot. I can't really put the computer to sleep as it's sharing our broadband internet connetion ...

Acme - Hehe, it's not too bad outside, but inside it can get pretty sticky. We can't open the window (to let fresh air in) because we'll get a swarm of moths coming ... lovely ... that'll soon be fixed though as I'm installing a net over the window .... Anyway that's way off-topic - good point about the convection drawing the heat from the other components through the casing ... hadn't thought of that.

Oh well .... Oh and we have got a flat-panel iMac and that gets quite warm too, being a G5 et al ...

acme.mail.order · 03-20-2005, 05:01 AM

Go pick up a 40 pound (currency, not weight) router with a built-in hub and use that to share the internet connection. For an extra tenner you can usually get built-in wireless. Then use the sleep function (quick push of the power button) when the machine isn't in use. No more unnecessary heat buildup from either machine.

Hogster · 03-20-2005, 11:24 AM

Money is quite short here and this setup still works fine. We could sell the iMac as internet sharing is all it's really used for as we now have the G5 .....

Good idea though! I thought they were much more expensive? ....

styrafome · 03-20-2005, 01:00 PM

In the USA, cheap wireless routers can be found for less than $30. Good ones are $50.

CAlvarez · 03-20-2005, 01:35 PM

You could pick up one of those USB fans and set it to blow into the bottom of the case...

styrafome · 03-20-2005, 03:31 PM

Of course, a USB fan is already 1/4 to 1/3 the cost of a router, which would have lower space and power cost requirements than an iMac + USB fan.

acme.mail.order · 03-20-2005, 06:20 PM

Turn things around and use the G5 to share the connection. It will probably put out less heat when the monitor is off than the iMac.

03-19-2005, 08:32 PM	#1
Hogster Major Leaguer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 295	Can you turn the CRT in an iMac off to reduce heat output whilst the computer is on? Hi guys, Question is more or less in the title. The CRT in our old iMac belches out more heat than anything else in the room at the moment, and with the days getting hotter it would be nice to 'sleep' the CRT instead of it being permanently on all the time showing nothing (black). Any thoughts are welcomed. Cheers, David

03-20-2005, 01:35 PM	#8
CAlvarez Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 4,975	You could pick up one of those USB fans and set it to blow into the bottom of the case... __________________ -- Carlos Alvarez, Phoenix, AZ "MacBook Nano" (Lenovo S10) Atom 1.6/2GB/160GB Mac OS X 10.5.6 Gigabyte Quad Core 2.83GHz Hackintosh 4GB/500GB Mac OS X 10.6 MacBook Air 1.8/2GB/64GB SSD http://www.televolve.com

03-19-2005, 08:51 PM	#2
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 8,531	Sure, set Energy Saver preference pane so the display goes to sleep after a specific period of time. If your computer is not in use (screen saver or whatever) then just put the computer to sleep. This powers off the video, turning off the display and any drives. The iMac will consume almost no power, but will wake up within 3-5 seconds, at least when running OS X.

03-19-2005, 08:58 PM	#3
acme.mail.order League Commissioner Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 6,334	Didn't know it go that hot in Surrey. Do what DeltaMac suggested. DON'T install hacks to shut things down. The iMac is convection cooled, it uses the rising heat from the CRT to draw in cooling air from the bottom. Upset the balance and you might solve your heat buildup by getting a flat-panel version.

03-20-2005, 04:32 AM	#4
Hogster Major Leaguer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 295	Delta - Yup the display is set to go to sleep after 10 minutes, but the CRT remains on and hot. I can't really put the computer to sleep as it's sharing our broadband internet connetion ... Acme - Hehe, it's not too bad outside, but inside it can get pretty sticky. We can't open the window (to let fresh air in) because we'll get a swarm of moths coming ... lovely ... that'll soon be fixed though as I'm installing a net over the window .... Anyway that's way off-topic - good point about the convection drawing the heat from the other components through the casing ... hadn't thought of that. Oh well .... Oh and we have got a flat-panel iMac and that gets quite warm too, being a G5 et al ...

03-20-2005, 05:01 AM	#5
acme.mail.order League Commissioner Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 6,334	Go pick up a 40 pound (currency, not weight) router with a built-in hub and use that to share the internet connection. For an extra tenner you can usually get built-in wireless. Then use the sleep function (quick push of the power button) when the machine isn't in use. No more unnecessary heat buildup from either machine.

03-20-2005, 11:24 AM	#6
Hogster Major Leaguer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 295	Money is quite short here and this setup still works fine. We could sell the iMac as internet sharing is all it's really used for as we now have the G5 ..... Good idea though! I thought they were much more expensive? ....

03-20-2005, 01:00 PM	#7
styrafome Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,818	In the USA, cheap wireless routers can be found for less than $30. Good ones are $50.

03-20-2005, 03:31 PM	#9
styrafome Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,818	Of course, a USB fan is already 1/4 to 1/3 the cost of a router, which would have lower space and power cost requirements than an iMac + USB fan.

03-20-2005, 06:20 PM	#10
acme.mail.order League Commissioner Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 6,334	Turn things around and use the G5 to share the connection. It will probably put out less heat when the monitor is off than the iMac.