[cobalt-users] fans and CPU temp, thanks Brandon

[jale@xxxxxxxxxx]

A quick note on my CPU temp, new fans, install tips, etc.

Several days back I had posted a question about my CPU be overloaded, I had 
copy/pasted the message from my Monitor screen about it. Someone noticed on 
it (I was looking at CPU load, not CPU temperature) that my CPU temp was 
too high. I was not familiar with where it should have been so the 58C - 
63C that I had been running didn't strike me as bad.  Now whoever noticed 
that (I don't remember) THANK YOU  THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Brandon had written me privately offering to gets fans (and a spare hard 
drive bracket) right out to me which I took him up on (no, I don't even 
know him, so this plug is not monetary :)  - when I put in the new fans I 
was totally shocked at the amount of air flow compared to what I had.

Now I'm not sure if the RAQ original fans just are low volume or they were 
worn out and just not spinning at full speed (one was noisy, but both 
appeared to be running at the same speed). But the fans I got from Brandon 
are like a hurricane hitting the Yucatan compared to what was in the box. 
He may know if his fans are higher volume than the original, or if they are 
just new and running well. Either way, my thanks to him (publicly) for 
getting them right out to me before I crashed and burned (probably burned 
and crashed is more like it).

The difference - before I put them in tonight, I was at 58C, now after an 
hr of running, I'm at 38C. THAT IS ONE HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!!! I cannot 
remember the last time I saw a temp so low.

Some install notes: the fans came with bare wire ends so I had to make use 
of the original plugs for the mother board connection. Brandon had 
suggested soldering but instead I used the Scotchlok UR2 connectors, those 
little squeeze gel thingees that you put unstripped wire in and just 
squeeze with a small pliers to close them. Worked like a charm - was able 
to replace both fans in about 15 minutes. If you are planning on replacing 
your fans, go to your local electric supply and buy some of the Scotchlok 
connectors (usually used for phone lines), they made the job SUPER easy. 
Note to Brandon - great service trick, include 2 (maybe 3 for safety) with 
each fan you send out, people will appreciate it and they cost next to 
nothing, really cheap.

Couple of other install tips - when I put the fan in by the CPU, the one 
that was noisy, I realized I needed a torx driver to open the power supply 
cover to get to the other fan. So I wasn't going to do it right away, until 
I felt the air flow difference. Fortunately, the owner of our cohost 
facility was in working and had a set of torx drivers in his desk, so I 
replaced both. I am REALLY happy I did, I am truly resting more comfortably 
knowing the system is in much better shape, heat is a BAD thing for computers.

So the short quick list if you are replacing fans:
1) replace both fans at the same time
2) get the Scotchlok connectors in advance
3) bring a small torx set with you.
4) for safety, cut the wire off the old fan in the middle, not near an end 
- they are not long to begin with and if a new fan should happen to be a 
DOA you can still put the old fan back; if you cut the wire too close to 
the old fan you won't be able to reattach anything to it should you need to.

Well that's it. Oh, and before you drive to your server, be sure you put 
the Scotchloks in your toolbox, otherwise you will take the machine apart, 
get all ready to do the job, and realize you can't, you will drive back to 
the office, get the parts, and head out to do it again. Fortunately, I had 
not cut the old fan wire as yet :)

Hope this helps someone out there,
Jale