Computer Ventilation and Desk

First, the not all roll tops are created equal bit. Your roll top appears to be newish 1970?? Vintage. That means it's oak plywood or particle board veneer.

Suggest taking a razor to bottom of drawer front rails, your going to see picture grain laminate.

If you put your desktop atop desk or in kneewell your fine.
Same with monitor, otherwise you'll need to power down, and then power off.

Have seen the glue on tambour re-melt from heat generated by monitor in rolltop.

Have had more than enough enclosed spaces in 48 years of computers.

Laptops cool, desktops with 750watt or greater
PSU you need ventilation or power strips to kill heat.

My rolltop is circa 1900, The Hyde glue on the tambour doesn't like heat. It's applied hot, and can liquefy again.

Just trying to give you a warning. Even my bookcase build heated up when powered down but not powered off. Had to remove door and knock vents in that one.

Where did you plan on putting the desktop computer.

New or old the heat from desktop computer will separate the joints and panels if left powered on for long time.

Frozenoem1 said:

First, the not all roll tops are created equal bit. Your roll top appears to be newish 1970?? Vintage. That means it's oak plywood or particle board veneer.

Suggest taking a razor to bottom of drawer front rails, your going to see picture grain laminate.

If you put your desktop atop desk or in kneewell your fine.
Same with monitor, otherwise you'll need to power down, and then power off.

Have seen the glue on tambour re-melt from heat generated by monitor in rolltop.

Have had more than enough enclosed spaces in 48 years of computers.

Laptops cool, desktops with 750watt or greater
PSU you need ventilation or power strips to kill heat.

My rolltop is circa 1900, The Hyde glue on the tambour doesn't like heat. It's applied hot, and can liquefy again.

Just trying to give you a warning. Even my bookcase build heated up when powered down but not powered off. Had to remove door and knock vents in that one.

Where did you plan on putting the desktop computer.

New or old the heat from desktop computer will separate the joints and panels if left powered on for long time.

I planned on putting it on the desk top, itself. If it will fit, that is. I mean... I could put the desktop on our old sewing machine as it is open, but really wanted to leave it on the new desk.

@Frozenoem1, so you don't think it's a good idea to put it on the desk top itself or do you?

I wouldn't have a problem putting a pc on the writing surface of desk but, closing the roll top on any residual heat from that desktop computer that I'd have a problem with.

Atop or beneath no problem whatsoever. Plenty of air movement.

My only true issue is when that roll top comes down, that's when things/joints cook.

Your call though.

Frozenoem1 said:

I wouldn't have a problem putting a pc on the writing surface of desk but, closing the roll top on any residual heat from that desktop computer that I'd have a problem with.

Atop or beneath no problem whatsoever. Plenty of air movement.

My only true issue is when that roll top comes down, that's when things cook.

Your call though.

Okay. Thanks. It will only be closed when the computer is powered down.

Unfortunately, the monitor is too tall for the top to be closed. So, we're just going to leave it open all of the time. I will post pictures of it in a little while.

Looks good[emoji41], haven't seen the right side of my desk in the last 6 months.
Way too many laptops in that side[emoji1].

spunk said:

The only time you need to worry about good ventilation is when the computer is turned on. If it is off, it will not overheat because, it's not on.

I agree. Although the computer will be warm immediately it is turned off and the fan would not be running to cool it, I think the resudual heat would probably not be enough to cause general overheating problems after the roll-top lid is closed. Oops! Just noticed that desk cover will have to be left open, but here goes anyway.

However, lets look a bit more closely from the point of view of a non-computer electrical amd mechanical engineer. Most of the heat generated in a computer comes from within chips and similar, especially the microprocessor. The heat is generated within the body of the microprocessor itself. That heat is conducted away to the heat sink, and the heat there is in turn conducted away by the air from the fan. Immediately the fan is turned off the air stops and it is likely that the heatsink will rise in temperature. This results in it not conducting away as much heat from the chip (because the temperature difference between the chip and the heatsink will become lower and so will the rate of heat flow fall.) The temperature of the chip will therefore rise.

But that would happen if the comp. was shutdown when not in a closed desk. The microprocessor and its cooling system is already enclosed in the computer case and I don't think an additional enclosure (the desk) would make any significant difference. (Wrapping the computer in a thick blanket might not be wise!)