DIY laptop cooling

The lifespan of the battery, processor and other laptop components directly depends on the temperature at which they operate. The factory cooling system, consisting of mini-fans, in most situations does not cope with its task, so the inside of the computer suffers from temperature changes. Temperature changes cause parts to expand and contract at a small amplitude, which contributes to wear.

Why do you need a laptop cooling system?

When the mini-computer operates, the parts heat up, and the more complex the work, the more severe the overheating will be. High temperatures have a detrimental effect on the architecture of the system unit: parts can become deformed or even fail. Timely cooling of parts will help extend their service life and even improve laptop performance.

Installing additional cooling will allow you to reset the temperature once again and, if the cooler runs constantly, will ensure temperature stability for the processor.

Description of how to make a cooling system with your own hands

Contrary to expectations, a homemade laptop cooling system will not require complex engineering solutions. The design is simple and accessible. Necessary materials and tools to assemble your own cooler:

• Scissors;
• Insulating tape or tape;
• Universal glue;
• Cardboard (not necessarily very thick, but enough to hold its shape);
• A standard processor fan measuring approximately 120 mm, powered by a USB cable;
• Resistor suitable for the fan. This element plays the role of additional equipment created for convenience. When combined with a cooling system, the fan will also be quieter. There will be additional insurance against burnout.

Attention! To provide additional insurance against burnout, you need to purchase a standard power adapter to power the cooling system from a regular outlet. The fan will be tied to the wall, but the laptop will not be in danger of burning out from a power surge.

Step-by-step steps to assemble a homemade cooler:

1. Cut out of cardboard two pieces of equal size in the shape of a right triangle with a truncated end at one of the sharp corners (that is, formally it will be a quadrilateral). The height of the cut end should match the height of the fan vent. The height of the side opposite this end should be equal to the height of the fan used for the structure. On the same side, you need to continue the outlet, equal to the thickness of the cooler, so that it fits tightly into the future case. The length of the base (the distance from the cooler to the radiator) should be approximately one and a half times the height of the fan, but this is not critical.
2. Cut a rectangle out of cardboard, one side of which will be equal to the length of the base of the previous part and the width of the fan.
3. The last cardboard rectangle is designed to “close” the upper part of the structure; its length depends on the sum of the lengths of the upper sides of the first two parts.
4. Glue together the four sides of the figure with tape, making them in the shape of a “horn”.
5. Glue the fan into the wide opening of the structure using universal glue. You can secure everything on top using insulating tape. It is advisable to use the same method of attachment to make all connections from the outside and inside to provide the entire system with additional strength. The fan should be positioned in such a way as to “remove” hot air from the bowels of the laptop.
6. The USB output from the fan must be routed outside to the laptop. If you previously decided to use a resistor, then it is important to install it at this stage.

How to use: tips

After you start working with the laptop, you should connect the cooling system to the USB input located on the surface of the board. The block with the cooler itself should be placed near the ventilation hole at the bottom of the laptop, placing the narrower part (truncated corner) against the grille. The fan will draw excess heat from the processor and other elements of the mini-computer, which will significantly reduce its operating temperature, and the factory cooler will not turn on at all.