Controlling fan speed on Macbook Air (handling noisy fan, by decreasing the fan speed)

Hello all!

Recently I've purchased Macbook Air mid 2011, I very like it so far.
However, I've noticed when I'm watching movies or YouTube videos, the fan is spinning really fast, iStats shows me something like about 6400 (!) RPM.
I've tried to use fan controlling apps like smcFanSpeed or Fan Control.
However, both of those apps doesn't allow you to decrease fan speed (probably it's designed that way in order not to burn the laptop in inexperienced user hands)

I'm kinda experienced user, so I took a risk and wrote simple script that allows you to set fan speed manually.
The instructions are pretty easy:
1) Download it setFanSpeed2011.tgz
2) Open the Terminal, go to folder where the file was downloaded
3) Extract it: tar xf setFanSpeed2011.tgz
4) Go to inside extracted folder: cd setFanSpeed2011
5) Run it: sudo ./setFanSpeed XXXX (Where XXXX should be needed RPM)

P.S. When I'm gaming or watching movies, I found that 3600 RPM work for me pretty well, the CPU stays on ~174F (~79C) temperature.
The same temperature as when fan was spinning at 6200 (!) RPM, but now it's not such noisy!
P.P.S Created and tested on OSX Lion 10.7.1

Disclaimer,
Note, I'm not taking any responsibilities if you will burn your laptop by using my tool! Decreasing the fan speed is very dangerous!
Since, if you don't watch the CPU temperature it might be overheated!
  • 0
  • September 11, 2011, 11:20am
  • t0lkman

Comments (4)

RSS Collapse / Expand
+
0
Hey, nice one! Maybe I won't return my MBA anymore now ;)

I was wondering, do you have a way to make this change permanent? I have to run the script each time I start or wake the MBA up.

Cheers!
avatar

etique

  • October 3, 2011, 11:25am
+
0
Yeah I've noticed it too, sometimes I have to run it each 3-4 hours ;(
It looks like OSX somehow resets SMC values occasionally…
avatar

t0lkman

  • October 3, 2011, 11:44am
+
0
Не нашли нового решения?
avatar

R3Y

  • November 25, 2011, 4:39pm
+
0
not yet, sometimes it works though, but sometimes being reset each minute;[
avatar

t0lkman

  • November 25, 2011, 9:31pm

Only registered and authorized users can leave comments. Login or Register