Re: OT: soundproofing my Mac?

["Tom Ritchford" <tom@swirly.com>]

Wow, this is very cool.

The unit isn't under warrantee unfortunately -- on the other hand,
that makes for the option of hacking it more attractive.  On the
other, other hand it makes the downside of blowing it up much greater.

Now, I did a bunch more fiddling around last night.  I found a very
nice temperature monitor program called, er, Temperature Monitor
http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html

Interestingly enough, all my temperature sensors are between 34 and 38
degrees C -- except that CPU B Core 2 runs about 47 degrees, the
memory controller at 52 and the graphics chip at a sweltering 57 --
while according to "top" or "Activity Monitor" the CPU is 90% inactive
and my house is a little chilly today.

I don't believe that these sensors are correct.  I don't believe the
temperatures are so very high, and therefore I don't think more fans
are going to fix it (though the idea of physically muffling the sound
will work I think and I also think that the sensors will definitely
prevent me from runaway overheating).

A little more research led me to the idea of "thermal recalibration".
Apparently, a batch of these G5s went out without their power sensors
being recalbrated (I suppose I should consider myself lucky if this is
in fact the cause -- I could have had it badly calibrated the other
way).


Now supposedly you need to run a special program called "Thermal
Recalibration" (clearly written by a friend of "Temperature Monitor")
that only Mac techs have -- and a store would charge you $50-100 to
run (it's not just the money -- but bringing my whole machine in, UGH
-- can't I just pay $100 and get the program?)

However, a friend of mine might have it, or I might be able to get the
techs at work to get it.  Stay tuned!!!!  And thanks for the data.


This might well have been John's problem or some variant thereof.
>From what I've gleaned, running Thermal Calibrator would get done
after the mother board was replaced...


On 10/23/07, van Sinn <vansinn@post.cybercity.dk> wrote:
> Tom Ritchford wrote:
> > My Mac Quad G5 would have been the greatest machine ever except it's
> > completely loud -- the fan goes on no matter what and trying
> > everything online was hopeless.  I've tried for a year to fix it and
> > nothing working.
> >
> > I've been looking to find a case to put it in that will suppress the
> > sound but everything I search for, I find PC-style cases that you
> > build a computer in, not a larger case that I can put the machine in.
> >
> > Any ideas as to where to find such a thing?
>
> Sound-proofing boxes does exist; be creative with your Google searches..
>
> You may be able to silence your G5.
> It has lotsa slots on it's sides, letting noise out. In car accessery
> stores you can buy self-adhesive foam pads which does a great job
> sucking fan and harddrive noises. Here in DK two versions are available.
> One is made of a somewhat dense multicolored material, which is good
> against rumble noises, and a softer gray pad which is good at sucking
> fan hiss and drive whining. the latter works better for computers.
> Simply cut it to size for i.e. the sides, buttom and top of the box, rip
> off the protective plactic foam and stick it to the surface.
>
> However, do ensure good airflow through the box.

Yeah, I saw a Sun workstation killed in my youth that way.  :-(

> I don't remember how the front and rear of the G5 is layed out. IMO, a
> good box should have 120mm fans both front and rear. While I'm sure the
> G5 doesn't have this, hopefully it has decent venting holes/grill on the
> front and suitable fans on the rear. If not, you may have a problem when
> you cover the venting at the sides of the box with the foam stuff.
>
> Noisy harddrives (if they are so..) can be replaced.

I got the drives myself, they're quite quiet.

> Fans can be replaced. When shopping look for the CFM/dBa params.
>
> The real problem is small (50/60/80mm) diameter PSU/CPU/box fans et al..
> Pabst makes some of the best 9/12dBa 80mm fans, but they still have ball
> bearing noises. Mounted on rubber, they work fine. I simply glue them on
> using a thick layer of glue for diving wetsuits. Can be ripped-off
> again, so no problem..
>
> Because the G4/5 series use PowerPC CPU's, the usual PC world heatsink
> replacement parts doesn't apply; here creativity is a must ;)
> I can solve most drive and fan issues in my G4 dual 800, but have to
> build some duct over the CPU module heatsink to fix the 50mm fan noise.
>
>
> A few examples of lownoise 120mm fans:
>
> http://studiedata.dk/shop/noctua-nf-s12-800-blaeser-6024p.html
> http://studiedata.dk/shop/noctua-nf-s12-1200-blaeser-5993p.html
>
> Yup, danish, so a  few explanations; CFM/dBa.. should be understandable.
> They feature SSO-bearings (Self Stabilizing Oil pressure bearings).
> The dBa ratings are with/without the noise adaptor thingy.
>
> --
> rgds,
> van Sinn
>
>


-- 
     /t

http://ax.to ......... extreme NY arts and music calendar
http://ax.to/tr ....... my secret little little...
http://ax.to/radio ... my little radio station (on intermittently)