[wonderwall]

I have two Seagate external HDDs, a 500GB and a 1TB which is less than a week old. Both are very warm to the touch when powered on. I can't gauge the temp exactly but let's just say a human would be dead if they ran a temp that high. It's not warm enough to burn but not very pleasant to the touch either way.

I was just wondering if this is normal. I'd really hate for either of them to burn up on me if there's a problem. I do have an upstairs bedroom which tends to get pretty warm when the central heat is on and there's really nothing I can do about that unfortunately. The vent is all screwy so it doesn't close, tho I suppose I could duct tape it. Would be the first time I used duct tape for something actually involving a duct! But it would still be pretty warm in here either way, just how the house is.

So yes, please ease my mind of the subject. Or send me into full blown panic, whichever.

 

[Arainach]

Yes. Hard drives run incredibly warm; internal ones usually dissipate some of their heat to the case itself, while external ones simply become warm to teh touch.

 

[csroc]

HDDs have a fairly wide operating range and your Seagates should probably be fine up to 55*C or so (if you were at that temperature you would expire rather quickly). Still, even if a HDD is rated to operate at up to 55*C, the higher the temp the shorter it's lifespan is generally expected to be.

This is why a lot of third party (in other words empty, you put the drive in 'em) enclosures have fans. First party ones often do as well but if your Seagates don't then they will probably feel warmer and possibly run warmer. In either case they're relying on the case to dissipate their heat and so the case will feel warm. That doesn't mean the drive is necessarily warmer than a case which doesn't feel warm (and probably relies on airflow to cool the drive). Generally though I prefer a good solid case with a fair amount of mass (metal like aluminum, not plastic) and a fan.

 

[wonderwall]

Thanks guys, good to know. I'm not sure exactly what 55 celsius is in farenheit (the only temp measurement I understand, sadly) but from what you've told me, it seems like I'd know.

Well that's good. At least I know I won't come home to melted plastic and all my videos lost forever. =)

 

[csroc]

All you have to do it type "55C in F" in to google and it will tell you that it's 131F

 

[chesebert]

however preferably under 40c for longevity

 

[wonderwall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by csroc /img/forum/go_quote.gif All you have to do it type "55C in F" in to google and it will tell you that it's 131F

Will remember this for future reference. =)

 

[csroc]

Google will do a lot of basic math for you as well

 

[csroc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif however preferably under 40c for longevity

Agreed... the cooler the better and if they're under 40C I'm generally happy with it.

 

[FrederikS|TPU]

Google did an analysis of their drives a while back. They found that the hard disk that lasted the longest where the once kept at a constant temperature. The greater the difference between hot and cold the greater chance of failure, however, running disk constantly over the rated temperatures can have drastic results causing disk to stop working relatively fast.

 

[fameh]

Agreeing with csroc, the operating temperature is 55-60°C. After that, risk starts, you can be OK or simply it can crash someday. It's risky.

Can't you open the HDD case? Maybe you can install an small fan or at least have them not entirely closed, it will help to the refrigeration.

 

[krmathis]

Too hot to touch seems too hot!
50-60°C is fine, but more than that is directly harmful to the drive itself.

 

[ethan961]

From what I have read and heard, externals are usually lesser quality internals put in an external case, so they shouldn't be trusted, especially if they are getting hot and cold all the time.

 

[vagarach]

That's just nonsense. They're off-the-shelf drives from the big manufacturers in custom cases. Nothing else.

If you're seriously worried about temps, OP, dismantle the thing and put the drive in an enclosure with lots of space and a fan. This way you can even put a thermal sensor on it and check how hot it's actually getting, rather than just impressions of heat. That said, if it's in a sealed-off enclosure that's basically the same size as the drive itself, you can expect for the entire case to act as a heatsink.

 

[Quaddy]

funny, the wisdom is to cool hard drives, and i agree to a certain extent, i have a hitachi deskstar 13GB drive from late 1997, the biggest you could order back then

and its been used and abused, been through so many systems, caddies, and it always ran really hot, but is just indestructable seemingly, its heat was literally uncomfortable to the touch, and i have asbestos hands (not literally!) heh.

still going strong! contrary little thing.