IMac - What Temperature Should The Fan Kick On At?

robotboy175 · Jan 20, 2011

i had a power supply go bad around christmas.

in the thread i posted here, a gentleman was kind enough to post a link to istat . since downloading istat, i have a couple of temps around 120f.

i don't have a clue if this is too hot or not.

just wondering if the fan should be coming on or am i good?

i have had the computer just over a year and i have NEVER had the fan come on.

thanks

ClockworkWorld · Jan 20, 2011

Rest assured, the fans run constantly

If you write down the fan speeds that iStat shows, and check them as you're using the computer, they will increase and decrease with the temp. They should not "kick up" to full blast, ever. If they do, something is not right. It should get to a certain temp if you're doing light tasks, such as browsing, emails, word processing, photos, etc. and not go above that. When you're doing harder tasks, rendering videos, gaming, things like that, the temps will go up some, but the fans will keep them in safe ranges. Without getting to a noisy level.

Now. Some people are uncomfortable with the temps that Apple has engineered these machines to run at. You'll hear disputes that they get too hot for the HDD for example. The studies and things I have read and seen, show that they stay (or at least my model) stays well within safe ranges. But some feel that lower temps are better, and wish to manually control their fan speeds. There are programs out there that can make it so that you control the fans. One example being SMC Fan Control. I am sure there are others but I don't know them. I'm by no means recommending that. If you use it, and decide to go back and let the system manage itself, you'll have to uninstall it and reset the SMC. Research before you try something like that, and remember that there's always a risk when you use programs like that. (I don't know of any problems caused by it, but to be fair it would be wrong to say it's risk free

)

Personally, I think you're probably fine. Post which temps you specifically worry about, if you want? But in my opinion, Apple knows what they are doing. The fans do change speeds, but they do not, and should never have to, get to full speed unless your computer is getting WAY beyond the temps it should be at. If your iMac ever gets so hot that they automatically kick on to full speed, you're using something that's just beating it to death. I've done some heavy duty tasks for hours on end and they barely become audible, and the temps stay far below danger levels. And if they ever get to a dangerous level, your iMac will shut down automatically. Apple tests these things under conditions they normally would not and should not ever experience in the end user's home or office.

Sorry this was so long. I used to worry about my iMac too. It's the late 2010 model, all aluminum, and sometimes the back of it and top, feel very hot/warm. But it's designed that way for a reason. Some worry, and for them, they can use a program like SMC Fan Control. But again, research the program before you try something like that.

pigoo3 · Jan 20, 2011

robotboy175 said:
i have had the computer just over a year and i have NEVER had the fan come on.

Go to "You Tube"...and watch a bunch of You Tube videos...this usually gets the temps up...and get the fans running.

- Nick

robotboy175 · Jan 20, 2011

thanks for the replies.

i would rather not do anything if i don't have to!

maybe the fact that they are very quiet is what is throwing me. my old pc would make a bunch of freakin noise when the fans would kick on.

right now - power supply 2 is 119f northbridge is 121f

feeling the top yesterday is what prompted me to download the ista and post today. it seemed a little warm.

i'm just wanting to be sure..thanks!

ClockworkWorld · Jan 20, 2011

Sure! In my opinion, you don't have to do anything. Some feel differently. They are indeed very quiet. There are a few factors that help with that. One, the (well on the newer ones) case is aluminum. It is an excellent heat conductor, and it literally absorbs the heat from the internal parts, and transfers that heat to the air in the room. That's why the case gets hot/warm. The vent the fans blow out of, is at the top of the case, the slit that runs along the entire back of the top. Heat rises, of course. These things combined, means the fans have to work much less, to move just as much heat. Some argue they should move more, but in my opinion, Apple designed it how they designed it for a reason. They are not idiots, they have been at it a long time, and unless you are really stressing the machine, you should be completely fine

I'm not at the iMac right now, so I can't compare mine, but your temps don't sound off at all

robotboy175 · Jan 20, 2011

thank you!

chas_m · Jan 20, 2011

PS. Those temperatures you mentioned are PERFECTLY NORMAL. They seem hot to you, but only because you're a human. Metal and silicon are perfectly comfortable at such temperatures.

Please try to relax and forget about your temperatures. This is another example of what I call "PC management syndrome" -- users are convinced they have to keep an eye on every aspect of their machines and "manage" them constantly.

You're on a Mac now, and you simply don't have to do all that crap and can just get on with whatever you actually bought the computer to do. Nice.

robotboy175 · Jan 20, 2011

chas_m said:
PS. Those temperatures you mentioned are PERFECTLY NORMAL. They seem hot to you, but only because you're a human. Metal and silicon are perfectly comfortable at such temperatures.

Please try to relax and forget about your temperatures. This is another example of what I call "PC management syndrome" -- users are convinced they have to keep an eye on every aspect of their machines and "manage" them constantly.

You're on a Mac now, and you simply don't have to do all that crap and can just get on with whatever you actually bought the computer to do. Nice.

gotcha - thanks

pigoo3 · Jan 20, 2011

robotboy175 said:
i would rather not do anything if i don't have to!

Going to You Tube and watching some videos is not a problem...it's just an internet page!

But watching a few videos...increasing your iMac's internal temp a bit...and speeding up the fans...will just prove that your iMac has fans!

- Nick

jhencken · Sep 9, 2012

Apple seems unable/unwilling to supply what are the "safe" temps

Thank you for your temperate (pardon the expression) and helpful explanations. However, how does one know what are the safe temps? I've had two totally frustrating conversations with Apple support, and they give me only some info about the CPU temp (and frankly what they said sounded like gobbledy-gook to me; I had no confidence in their explanations)... but I could get absolutely no info from them about what temps the HDDs should be at or the DVD drives (disks come out of the optical drive quite hot on my system).

When you say the fans will (or should) keep things in safe ranges, is that an act of faith, or do you know (or know how to find out) what the safe ranges are?

I was getting HDD of 134F and SSHD of 113F readings from DiskDrill (a utility that monitors drive temps) until I installed smcFanControl this afternoon (I'm down to 96F and 89F presently).

But, of course, now (being the fretful type), I'm worried about burning out my fans or overtaxing the power supply because I increased the fan minimum speeds...

Any thoughts? (If you're even still tracking this thread...)

ClockworkWorld said:
Rest assured, the fans run constantly If you write down the fan speeds that iStat shows, and check them as you're using the computer, they will increase and decrease with the temp. They should not "kick up" to full blast, ever. If they do, something is not right. It should get to a certain temp if you're doing light tasks, such as browsing, emails, word processing, photos, etc. and not go above that. When you're doing harder tasks, rendering videos, gaming, things like that, the temps will go up some, but the fans will keep them in safe ranges. Without getting to a noisy level.

Now. Some people are uncomfortable with the temps that Apple has engineered these machines to run at. You'll hear disputes that they get too hot for the HDD for example. The studies and things I have read and seen, show that they stay (or at least my model) stays well within safe ranges. But some feel that lower temps are better, and wish to manually control their fan speeds. There are programs out there that can make it so that you control the fans. One example being SMC Fan Control. I am sure there are others but I don't know them. I'm by no means recommending that. If you use it, and decide to go back and let the system manage itself, you'll have to uninstall it and reset the SMC. Research before you try something like that, and remember that there's always a risk when you use programs like that. (I don't know of any problems caused by it, but to be fair it would be wrong to say it's risk free )

Personally, I think you're probably fine. Post which temps you specifically worry about, if you want? But in my opinion, Apple knows what they are doing. The fans do change speeds, but they do not, and should never have to, get to full speed unless your computer is getting WAY beyond the temps it should be at. If your iMac ever gets so hot that they automatically kick on to full speed, you're using something that's just beating it to death. I've done some heavy duty tasks for hours on end and they barely become audible, and the temps stay far below danger levels. And if they ever get to a dangerous level, your iMac will shut down automatically. Apple tests these things under conditions they normally would not and should not ever experience in the end user's home or office.

Sorry this was so long. I used to worry about my iMac too. It's the late 2010 model, all aluminum, and sometimes the back of it and top, feel very hot/warm. But it's designed that way for a reason. Some worry, and for them, they can use a program like SMC Fan Control. But again, research the program before you try something like that.

TattooedMac · Sep 9, 2012

jhencken said:
.

Any thoughts? (If you're even still tracking this thread...)

Have a read of http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-notebooks/194862-official-my-macbook-air-pro-overheating-what-do-i-do-guide.html as there is some good info in that thread.

In short  have a built in FailSafe where if your temps get too high the Mac will shut down so there isnt an damage done. Temps can come from a lot of factors, but read the thread i linked too as you will get a better understanding of them.

Cheers

chas_m · Sep 10, 2012

Again: FORGET ABOUT IT.

Stop worrying about the temperatures. Seriously.

Apple employs THE best engineers in the ENTIRE WORLD to make their computers. They did not "forget" about the cooling system. It is as thoughtfully engineered as the rest of the machine. I know it's hard for some switchers to let go of this concept, but you DO NOT have to manage the hardware. Really, you don't.

The iMac -- almost alone among modern computers -- uses an extremely clever ventilation method known as "convection cooling" to minimize fan use. Result: a quiet computer. It's that kind of revolutionary attention to detail and innovation that makes them better computers.

Stop looking a gift horse in the mouth. Get on with your work and enjoy the silence, as someone once said ...

PatM · Sep 11, 2012

I would not recommend using a third party software to control the fans of your Apple computer.

I do photo renderings quite a bit and while my MB Pro's fans will get a scooting while doing these processor intensive functions they quickly revert to normal once the process is complete. It is perfectly normal as others have stated in several posts.

Don't worry about things you don't need to worry about. LOL Your computing experience will be much more enjoyable.

IMac - What Temperature Should The Fan Kick On At?

robotboy175

ClockworkWorld

pigoo3

Well-known member

robotboy175

ClockworkWorld

robotboy175

chas_m

Guest

robotboy175

pigoo3

Well-known member

jhencken

TattooedMac

chas_m

Guest

PatM

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