Dell Dimension 8400: How Safe as a Space Heater?

[nicole]

Long ago I added two storage HDDs to this ancient creature and used it with a Dell 8300 for redundant backups. Some weeks ago upon powering up the 8400 it flashed something on the screen for an instant (no BSOD) and then nothing but beeping and a revving fan. I figured it was a system drive, motherboard and/or video card failure. In any case, while I’ve no wish to spend a cent getting that dinosaur troubleshot and repaired, I’d like to use it under my office desk as a “space heater”. I briefly did this once with my second Dell 8300 and it heated my ~ 11 ft x 8 ft office quite well especially if I closed the door. And it was also delightfully quiet yet producing just the right amount of relaxing white fan noise. But that 8300 works fine as a pc and will instead be using that with my other 8300 for backups.

So I removed the system drive and the two storage SATA HDDs from the 8400 and installed three ultra ancient WD Caviar IDE drives to help heat up the clamshell case. I left the video card in there-whether or not that caused the initial 8400 failure. But when I tested my new “space heater” it again beeped about 4 times but the fan kept on revving much too fast and loud for my liking.

I thought about unplugging the fan but feared that even without a system drive to tell it to do anything that the Prescott CPU would get too hot without a fan and might be a fire hazard. True? If yes, then I thought about unplugging the CPU-if it can be unplugged. Or is it soldered into the motherboard? If no, then how do I unplug it?

BUT as I do not want to have to remove the motherboard, does the CPU and the heat sink on top of it unplug together from the top of the motherboard?

Any other precautions I should take to insure safe operation of the Dell Dimension 8400 space heater?

 

[Kshipper]

Infrared space heaters are even quieter:

Infrared Heaters - Electric Heaters - The Home Depot

Get free shipping on qualified Infrared Heaters products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Heating, Venting & Cooling Department.

www.homedepot.com

You need the cooling fan on the CPU or it will heat up and shut the whole machine off for safety reasons (thermal protection). You can remove the cooler fan which is attached to the cooler assembly (typically a block of aluminum) and there is thermal paste between the CPU and the cooler (so that seal needs be broken...might have to use dental floss if it is stuck on good). FInally you will see the CPU package in a retention bracket held down by a retention lever. Once that arm is up you can remove the CPU package.

I have a sneaky feeling without the CPU it won't do much of anything because there is 'No logic' there so fans and lights will go but no draw therefore not heat. Let us know how you make out....Home Depot or did you plow ahead.

 

[captaincranky]

Quite frankly, I'd abandon the old saw about how Prescott P4s are "space heaters", and buy something both designed for, and more suitable for the job.

For your small room, a low wattage oil filled heater would be ideal They have safety features, (tip switches, etc,), and are dead silent, due to the heated oil in the unit, which gives off heat after the thermostat shuts off, room temperature remains reasonably constant

I'm not plugging for Amazon, but here's something worth considering:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076J929TG?&tag=traininghvac-20

In a reasonably tight smaller room, and assuming a 50% duty cycle, you'd only be using 1/3 kilowatt per hour.

My experience with fan forced electric heaters has been disappointing at best. Noisy and failed fans, and unnecessarily high energy usage. (1300 to 1500 minimum draw).Plus room temperature is less stable, since you get a ton of heat quickly, then an extended cool down

 

[nicole]

Infrared space heaters are even quieter:

Infrared Heaters - Electric Heaters - The Home Depot

Get free shipping on qualified Infrared Heaters products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Heating, Venting & Cooling Department.

www.homedepot.com

I have a sneaky feeling without the CPU it won't do much of anything because there is 'No logic' there so fans and lights will go but no draw therefore not heat. Let us know how you make out....Home Depot or did you plow ahead.

Quite frankly, I'd abandon the old saw about how Prescott P4s are "space heaters", and buy something both designed for, and more suitable for the job.

I'm not plugging for Amazon, but here's something worth considering:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076J929TG?&tag=traininghvac-20

In a reasonably tight smaller room, and assuming a 50% duty cycle, you'd only be using 1/3 kilowatt per hour.

My experience with fan forced electric heaters has been disappointing at best. Noisy and failed fans, and unnecessarily high energy usage. (1300 to 1500 minimum draw).Plus room temperature is less stable, since you get a ton of heat quickly, then an extended cool down

Thanks and everything you said makes good sense, including switching to another heating solution. I'd definitely go with one of those suggested heaters, though the office manager gifted me one of those ~ 1200 w models. It rarely makes my office too hot unless I keep the door closed for long periods, which I don't because the building's ventilation isn't the greatest. So I'm good for now.

 

[Kshipper]

Glad to hear you are good =)