On 22/05/2012 01:35 PM, scott wrote:
>> Unfortunately, as I say, the probe for the thermocouple is very long and
>> thin. It would probably work great for measuring the temperature of the
>> air in a room, or of a flask of liquid. (That's probably what the lab
>> guys want it for.) I'm not sure how appropriate it is for measuring the
>> surface temperature of a solid object.
>
> You need some of these:
>
> http://www.eurodidact.co.uk/images/nicrni-01.jpg
>
> That's what we use, you can then just glue or tape several of them onto
> whatever you want to log (and leave 1 or 2 dangling around for the air
> temperature).

Hmm, yes, that looks far more suitable.


> although it entirely depends on how much heat the CPU is dissipating. If

> which sounds about right. I woudl have thought the exhaust would be

> that's probably affecting the exhaust temperature significantly.

The exhaust measurements were taken with the laptop fully assembled, and 
placed in a normal operating position. (I.e., resting on a flat surface. 
I note the air intake is on the underside. Since it was resting on a 
/hard/ surface, it should still be getting good intake.) This was also 


The CPU heat-sink measurements were taken in a room a few degrees 
warmer, obviously with the case off, and with the laptop resting on its 
side with the exhaust vent upwards. I'm sure that's not a configuration 
the manufacturers will be expecting you to try.

> Besides, isn't your job to send it back to Dell when it's broken, not
> try and repair it yourself?

Yeah, but then I'd have to talk to that Asian guy who doesn't speak 
English...

Basically I want to determine whether the hardware is actually doing 
something abnormal before I send it back. Although running the fan 

laptop isn't even DOING anything sounds fairly abnormal to me...

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