Macbook pro retina 13 2015early - fan running at 0rpm

[maikeebery]

hi, i dont even know whether it is an issue, but still..

My macbook is running istat menus and that app is showing 0rpm for the fan. after i turn it off and on again it shows normal value like 1200rpm but in 5 minutes or so it is again 0rpm. i have also noticed that when i run a game, it heats up (due to higher usage of cpu), but the fan still sometimes doesnt raise the rpm. it normally did in the past. but that is not always.

i tried to run hardware test, but when doing so the fan fires up normally. i also heard that those macs do not run fans when only idle or doing something low, but i dont believe that.

i appreciate any response.

 

[pigoo3]

Sounds like something is really messed up on this computer if you're getting 0 fan rpm's. Either something software related was installed & messing things up…or there's a hardware issue (fan clogged with dust, fan bearings worn out, fan bearings dry, loose fan wire or connector, damaged fan wire, etc.).

- Nick

 

[maikeebery]

it is about 6 months old, no veteran is there a possibity of the app being wrong, i.e. showing some crap or?

 

[pigoo3]

It's been my experience that the fan on Apple laptops is always running (even if it's just at a low rpm). Unless something has changed with 2015 MBP's…I would think 0 fan rpm is unusual.

When you say the computer heats up…what sort of temps are we talking about?

- Nick

 

[harryb2448]

Have you installed any fan modifying software at all?

 

[maikeebery]

i cusually start a game (euro truck sim. 2), then it goes to about 75 due to the games usage and the fan starts to be faster in order to cool it down.

new thing: i have 0rpm and when i hit about 50 in casual using (web or so) it starts at the lowest rpm like 1200-1300

 

[maikeebery]

i had scm fan control and one other i cant remember the name + as ive said i run istat menus

 

[pigoo3]

i cusually start a game (euro truck sim. 2), then it goes to about 75 due to the games usage and the fan starts to be faster in order to cool it down.

new thing: i have 0rpm and when i hit about 50 in casual using (web or so) it starts at the lowest rpm like 1200-1300

I'm going to assume you're talking °C and not °F.

- Nick

 

[maikeebery]

yep, sorry about that

 

[pigoo3]

I did some research. And I found various other folks mentioning the same 0 fan rpm situation with 2015 MacBook Pro's. The consensus seems to be that the fan/fans are always running (my understanding as well with almost all Apple laptops). And the problem is most likely there's a glitch or incompatibility with the software that reads the fan rpm's.

- Nick

p.s. This of course does not include the new 2015 MacBook. Which has no fan.

 

[chscag]

i had scm fan control and one other i cant remember the name + as ive said i run istat menus

Try both a NVRAM reset and a SMC reset. I suspect the fan control software you installed has altered something. It appears that has affected the iStat menus reading. If your fan was completely stopped, the machine would quickly overheat and shut down.

 

[techiesteve]

The first time I powered on a new rMBP with the base off and the fan didn't run I thought there was a fault, but it was normal. It came on later, and behaved the same on subsequent repairs. When I ran MRI the fan came on, tested at different speeds and passed all tests. The new rMBP's are different from earlier models.

 

[maikeebery]

personally, i do think, there is no BIG thing to worry about, but still it is kinda uncomfortable to see that .. and also in istat you can adjust rpm whether you want it high or mid or so, but when it say it is 0rpm it cant be done, only if it is running (according to istat) you can set the rpm.. it all seems like some sorcery to me

 

[pigoo3]

The first time I powered on a new rMBP with the base off and the fan didn't run I thought there was a fault, but it was normal. It came on later, and behaved the same on subsequent repairs. When I ran MRI the fan came on, tested at different speeds and passed all tests. The new rMBP's are different from earlier models.

Thanks for that Steve. I searched for some Apple specific info on this…but came up dry. This does make some sense. Since Apple figured out a way for the new 2015 MacBook to run at acceptable temps with no fan…it would seem that Apple incorporated some of this temp. control tech. into 2015 MacBook Pro's.

Heck…iPhone's & iPad's have no fan (and they can do some pretty amazing stuff). I guess in low demand situations…a MacBook Pro can run without a fan running as well. Maybe saves a little on battery-life too.

- Nick

 

[maikeebery]

update: new sitaution.. i was doin something and my macbook started be a bit hot so i went for high fan rpm to make it less warm, so i was cooling it and cooling it then suddenly, no noise and fans at 0rpm. i dont think anything is damaged, but it is just.. weird.

 

[dtravis7]

Seems normal. Here are two threads about the Zero RPM Fan speed on new rMBP.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...48A6yZAeL4yd6sC4w&sig2=KfRYUSySKhqUawfk6_mnkQ

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...BxSPxi8iblsAKD8_w&sig2=ULBQyCBwR4s59q3gSkzi9g