Laptop Wall adaptor cooler

[kalor_alros]

So I don't know about any other brands, but I've had 2 AC adaptors for my Dell Inspiron 1501 (a terrible purchase, for future reference!). Both of them have had the same problem: excessive heat. Currently the thing feels hot enough to make sand into glass with at least to the touch. (And my T key works sporadically, so forgive me if some words are missing them.)

My idea: take a long section of USB (since it's the only cable I can just plug in, unless I can power it from the VGA plug?) to power a small unit. This unit would be something like a pair of very small rads, each capped with a small (tiny, even) fan. More or less semi-active cooling. I don't know how difficult this would be, or if there is a better way to cool my power supply, I'm all for it.

The unit could be enclosed, for aesthetic's sake, in a vented aluminum or copper hard drive case, which could be lit (provided power issues could be fixed). This would also make the mounting of the rads and fans easier.

Any further ideas on this? I'd like some input, but when I can, I think I might try to build this.

[rithunder916]

you could open the inverter up, and hook a 12volt fan with a resistor right to the inverter, then just get yourself an old heatsink and make it work that way.

[kalor_alros]

hmmm. hadn't thought about that... always try to avoid playing with the internals on power boxes and such. Are there any capacitors or anything in there that need to be avoided while it's unplugged?

[chaksq]

I'd just see about making a more passive thing first, fit metal fins to it to act as heatsinks or something like that.

[rithunder916]

as for capacitors, yes, but as long as the led isn't lit up, you should be fine, i'd just say leave it unplugged for a few hours, and you should be ok. THe only issue i have with fitting aluminum fins to the outside is that the case is plastic. So the heat transfer won't be that good.

[kalor_alros]

one reason that i thought of a sleeve. the problem there is a metal casing surrounding an electrical component that I have to touch, or the my animals might touch. So it might come down to just drilling a small hole for wires, and wiring a small fan in. Unless I can think of a way to coat a heat sink with a non-insulating material that would allow heat transfer, and prevent getting the crap shocked outta me for touching it. Still workin on that.

[rithunder916]

humm, I don't know. I have an HP adapter that gets pretty warm. I just leave as is, and if it blows, I get a new one. you could always try it, mount a heatsink on the outside, use some thermal paste or thermal silcone glue, and see if that helps. I would try to stay away from cutting the adapter up until all else fails. I just looked at my sisters dell's adapter and it looks very hard to get into.

[Jack06]

Laptop Cooler’s are designed in such a way that they are usually helpful to reduce the heat which comes from the bottom of the device. These coolers have their own fans which drive power from the power adapters. However, the most up to date versions of a chill pad use the USB port on the laptop. There are certain other devices which are more advanced and offer an insert for memory sticks or key drives. Laptop Cooler is an attachment that helps to reduce operating temperature when the existing fan device of the laptop is insufficient in reducing the heat. The speed of these fans can be controlled manually or automatically and for some the speed remains constant.

[rithunder916]

Yes, I do know that, however they dont make things to cool laptop power adapters....

[billygoat333]

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