Fanless LCIII/ LC475?

[beachycove]

Does anyone know whether it is advisable to run an LCIII or an LC475 constantly (24/7), without a case fan?

The reason for the question is that I want to replace a Powerbook 520 that I presently run as an Appletalk router, using the old Apple Internet Router software. I use this to keep some old LaserWriters in service, as well as to bridge localtalk and ethertalk generally.

I find that the 520 is a bit unreliable for these purposes because of the state of the battery (after a power cut, it will not automatically restart, and this wreaks havoc with the home network). Having a PowerBook with a battery that old constantly plugged in is also a safety concern. So I am wanting to replace the 520 with something well able to do the simple business at hand, but that is energy efficient. An LC pizzabox looks like the solution, and I have suitable machines in my collection.

The machine chosen would be otherwise stock, running from a RAM disk with the HD spun down via Sleeper, and with a pds ethernet card installed. It would be located in a basement room where the temperature tends to a constant 18-22ºC, depending on the season.

Silence is the goal, along with an absolute minimum of moving parts — old scsi drives in particular do not like to run 24/7. I could cope with the noise from the case fan, but I would prefer to avoid it too if possible.

Has anyone run one of these machines long-term without a fan?

 

[Byrd]

I'd keep it going, as the fan it actually very quiet in the pizza box style cases - even more if you re-oil and clear out all the dust from the unit. The '040 can get fairly warm, along with the HD without some sort of basic cooling.

 

[Mk.558]

The reason for the question is that I want to replace a Powerbook 520 that I presently run as an Appletalk router, using the old Apple Internet Router software. I use this to keep some old LaserWriters in service, as well as to bridge localtalk and ethertalk generally.

...using the old Apple Internet Router software.

Apple Internet Router

Do tell more. All I could find about Apple Internet Router 3 was almost zero. Do you need a 300 page manual to set it up? It strikes me as rather unfriendly to configure.

On topic, I found that the 68030s are actually rather cool, unless you really push them. A simple thermal pad and aluminum heatsink should be a solid solution. Take for instance, the Duo 2300c -- no fan, can run fairly hot, but is generally OK. A 68030 is capable enough in this situation to handle the tasks you describe.

 

[beachycove]

Not difficult at all, really. There is a text-only manual available from Apple's archives. As it dates from the era of the 68030, it doesn't need much horsepower to run, and it is very stable.

The "Internet" part refers to something other than our internet, of course. The idea seems to have been to bridge more than one AppleTalk network, and hence it was an internet router.

 

[uniserver]

i would say yes as long as the top case lid is off.

 

[Mk.558]

Not difficult at all, really. There is a text-only manual available from Apple's archives. As it dates from the era of the 68030, it doesn't need much horsepower to run, and it is very stable.

Link? I couldn't find anything via Google.

 

[beachycove]

http://www.wedophones.com/Manuals/AppleComputer/Apple%20Internet%20Router.pdf

Include "localtalk" in the search and you get past the current associations of "internet" and "router".

 

[Mk.558]

Great. I'll review it and probably throw it up on the Guide. Doubt I'll play with it though...I found that it requires 7.0/7.1 >only< and will ruin a 7.5+ (I first had a go at it with 7.5.3) install.

/thread hijack

 

[NJRoadfan]

Weird, that product didn't even come with MacIP routing capabilities. If the machine in question is just routing Appletalk, you could switch to a dedicated Localtalk-to-Ethernet bridge. No fan and uses less power/space. If you need multiple Appletalk zones for some reason or MacIP capabilities for the Localtalk side, only the high end routers like the Fastpath and Gatorbox provide them.

 

[James1095]

With the lid on, I don't think you'd want to have the fan not running at all. You may be fine to put a resistor in series with the fan to slow it down a bit, reducing the noise but still keeping a bit of air moving. Otherwise leave the lid off and it'll be fine with no fan.

 

[beachycove]

I have two router boxes, neither of which is nearly as robust as Apple Internet Router. My Asante box, e.g., needs restarted regularly, whereas AIN is rock-solid. The setup needs to be reliable or I have unhappy family syndrome.

I just need a rock solid machine to run it on, just as quietly as it runs from the RAM disk on the 520.

Mind you, I suppose I could just fix the 520's battery....

 

[uniserver]

you could … or you could just, buy a battery back up APC from walmart for 28.88 just keep your 520 plugged into that.

That would probably run your 520 for 30 to 45 min from battery.

 

[uniserver]

After 7 years the Big 12v AGM batteries went bad in our APC 1000xl (runs the servers/router/cable modulator|de-modulator), I realized it was nice enough to let me change the battery hot

 

[onlyonemac]

I wouldn't recomend it long-term. I disconnected the fan once or twice while listening to bad-cap screech from the loud-speaker. During those five minutes, I managed to burn my fingers on the CPU.

But when I used to run the Mac from a RAM disk I had a bit of fun once or twice by disconnecting the fan for short periods of time. It was rather weird using a completely silent computer.

 

[68kAlex]

Has anyone tried fitting a heatsink (maybe an old 486 one) to the CPU to see if that makes any difference?

The way I see it, the problem here is airflow. If the iMac can manage it through convection alone I'm sure it can be done on a pizzabox Mac. I think a few strategically placed vents, and an adequate heatsink for the processor, should do the trick.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Flies in that ointment: the iMac almost posseses enough vertical space to produce an adequate chimney effect for convection cooling, much like the 128k. Neither was adequate for long term serviceability from what I've seen. In the LC/605 'zaBox form factors, vertical dimension for convection cooling is conspicuously absent on the one hand and on the other, the horizontal offsets of entry/exit and CPU pose what I'd consider insurmountable obstacles to proper cooling via convection.

Hacking a proper MacChimney or turning the case on end for a blade config might change that, however. }

 

[uniserver]

yeah , interesting jt, that is a good idea make a chimney and attach it to the vents in the middle of the case. then you would get chimney effect cooling.

or make a new case out of wood that stands vertical, that also has a nice chimney They did it pretty nicely with the G4 cube. jt. do you have a G4 Cube?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

No slots = no gots }

 

[Macdrone]

G4 cube with SSD would be silent and fanless.