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Hot Plate

Hot Plate
This is a very easy and cool project to do with a dead CPU.

A CPU is a very beautiful piece of a computer that you won’t through away even if it was dead. Among many other things, simply, you can drill a hole in it and use it as your key chain.

This project will show you how to make a hot plate for your Mug from a dead CPU.
 
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Step 1Tools and Materials

Tools and Materials
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  • 3.jpg
  • USB-cable.jpg
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1. A dead CPU.

(Ofcourse you can use a working one but it won’t be feasible.)

2. A USB cable

3. A Fan grill with screws.

4. Any box (I used a wooden tie box cover)

5. A rotary Tool (the best tool ever invented)

6. Epoxy

7. A creative artistic mind.

 
 
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197 comments
1-40 of 197next »
Jan 16, 2012. 1:34 PMdavelectronic says:
Do you really want to connect that to a fully functioning pc's usb port, use a power resistor copper plate and tap the 5 volts atx rail, idea.
Dec 1, 2011. 3:44 AMarchieburden says:
everyone keeps trying to say its wrong but it worked for him so folow it exactley because then it might not work and you cant complain
Nov 9, 2010. 2:09 PMJohn_Edward says:
....Okay.
Lets get these things straight.

First, a CPUs SAFE temperature range is, depending of the CPU, between 30 and 55.
The MAXIMUM temperature (exceeding this usually means the computer shuts down forcefully) is between 60 and 100, depending of the CPU.
You do not, under any circumstances, want to run your CPU at those temperatures, as they will get damaged over time.
Source : http://www.pantherproducts.co.uk/Articles/CPU/CPU%20Temperatures.shtml

Second, the voltages of CPUs vary, a lot.
Old Pentium 1 runs at 5v. my Core 2 Duo runs between 0.85 and 1.5 volts.
So, if you use an old pentium 1 processor, it will work perfectly.
Stick a C2D, and it will fry and you will get very nasty smoke.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors

Third, for this project, the USB port will give 5volts at 100mA, as that is the maximum power for a single device.
A smart device, like an external HDD, can REQUEST the computer to give it more power, by asking to take additional places in the USB bus, to the max of 5 devices, or 500mA.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus#Power


Fourth, power is always proportional to voltage and current.
At 5v and 100mA, power is 0.5 watts.
A CPU can use over 130watts in normal use, so you will not be getting the +100c temperatures here because of how the heat is released normally.
It is because the transistors and such act as resistors, resisting the 0.5watt power and turning it to (some) heat.

Source(s) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt%27s_law and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_CPU_power_dissipation

Unless you use an older CPU that can handle the 5volts, you will fry your CPU.
So try to find a Pentium 1 or such, do not try this with a C2D :)
Dec 1, 2011. 3:40 AMarchieburden says:
people are saying they have done it with a pentium 1. and you can stop the computer shutting down forefully when it exeeds these temperatures and you can change allmost everything about it in the BIOS (i think)
and dont go so nerd rage ((:D)
Jan 23, 2011. 2:05 PMjakebaldwin says:
Isn't the point of this to use a CPU that is already trashed? Just wondering....
Jan 24, 2011. 12:32 AMJohn_Edward says:
Fry it in a wrong way, making it go up in flames.
Nov 18, 2011. 4:03 AMComputothought says:
Nice presentation.

I first remember seeing this hack years ago with old amd and p1'schips.
http://liveweb.archive.org/http://rabidhardware.net/id=44
http://www.bit-tech.net/news/modding/2006/09/18/usb_hotplate_cooks_dinner/1
Could not find the oldest article.
Nov 30, 2011. 2:58 PMNicola Tesla says:
what are with all the usb cables?!
Nov 30, 2011. 7:09 PMComputothought says:
Exactmundo, they are all being use for power to heat the cpu(s).
Nov 30, 2011. 4:57 PMTechnochicken says:
USB ports can only supply 500 mA each at 5V, so just one would only be able to generate 2.5 watts of heat, at most, which is not enough to get anything very hot.
Dec 7, 2011. 5:15 PMNicola Tesla says:
i never knew a pc had some many usb ports...
Dec 1, 2011. 3:37 AMarchieburden says:
what if you were heating a little peice of metal with a low melting point (no, im not saying that it would melt) what was already warm?
Nov 30, 2011. 6:59 PMHeisenburg says:
thanks
Nov 30, 2011. 2:37 PMHeisenburg says:
Wouldn't the epoxy melt when heated???
Jul 17, 2010. 1:55 PMemilsegna says:
Do anyone have pinout for Pentium 4 socket 775
Nov 18, 2011. 3:40 AMComputothought says:
You might try the Intel web site as they usually have the details on all their cpu's.
Nov 3, 2011. 8:59 AMbhuot says:
Check on the CPU itself, the model number and have it correspond to the page on that URL:
http://www.intel.com/support/processors/pentium4/sb/CS-029963.htm
Nov 17, 2011. 11:57 PMoanderson says:
Did household hacker copy you?
Oct 26, 2011. 2:19 AMnaufanmaker says:
Is not hot (not working) i use a intel pentium w/mmx tech or my soldering pins are wrong (sorry my engish)
Jun 28, 2011. 10:23 AMageorge-1 says:
I made mine with a Pentium 4, til now not fried! In place of the box I used a dead HDD and in place of the fan grill I used the metal cover of HDD!
Aug 27, 2011. 8:22 PMjamesona says:
which are the correct pins for the p4? I've been trying AD22 and AD20, as per a datasheet I found, but it isn't working.
Jul 18, 2011. 1:06 PMlmijacevic says:
Pop corns! :DDDD
Mar 1, 2011. 3:29 PMmatstermind says:
my pentium 1 has numerous voltage amd ground pins, does it matter which ones i connect?
Nov 22, 2010. 2:46 AMrudipetya says:
I made it for my leopard gecko, just some differences:
i used two CPU-s in collateral contact, and cellphone charger for the power. It's working! She loves it. THX! :)
Oct 12, 2010. 8:02 AMnakayanGD says:
how to locate ground pins and voltage pins in Intel pentium 133
Sep 24, 2010. 5:27 AMdeamonlord says:
PLEASE can someone tell me which are the ground and voltage pins on a pentium 1 processor? I found a datasheet through google but it went over my head. If someone understands that techie language, please help me!
Sep 10, 2010. 2:47 PMRAMZI_PC says:
hello
can i use an old CPU, like 368 one or 486
Aug 14, 2010. 12:32 AMnakayanGD says:
how to locate the voltage pins?
Jun 5, 2010. 9:43 PMTRAXXX says:
work good at 10v 1A :D hehehehe it s hot
Jun 12, 2010. 6:51 PMM4industries says:
0.o How did you get 10v 1a from a standard USB port?
Aug 12, 2010. 10:26 AMnopalboy says:
maybe with 2 usb ports
Jul 11, 2010. 4:34 PMjamster545 says:
I think he means he hooked it to a different power supply. That would blow that processor pretty quick, i'd think.
Aug 3, 2010. 9:11 AMChu Guk says:
Hey! does anyone round there know the voltage pins for an inteldx4 or an AMDk6? Great instructable, just have to solve this small problem!
Jul 14, 2010. 6:47 AMwatermelonhead says:
This is a great instructable! Awesome for college :D
Jul 11, 2010. 5:57 AMthreepwood says:
Hello! I Have an old amd duron 800 cpu, and I want to make that, but I have a little problem...: can´t find the voltage and ground pins. I´ve searched the datasheet, but all i could was lots of names and numbers... it would be very nice if anyone could help me! :) Thanks! (and sorry for mi english) ;)
Jun 27, 2010. 3:41 PMmr monoply33 says:
Pure awesomeness. I can make like 20 of these! My system is made from discarded parts of other systems, on top of that I fix older systems of a charity, so not only do I go though these and hard drives like candy, I get dead ones delivered to my door every so often too lol
May 29, 2010. 10:16 PMtinstructable says:
 couldn't you do the same thing but more effective with a peltier chip?
May 26, 2010. 8:33 PMMaruaderFox says:
I did one of these before But I used a Slocket and  p3 which didn't get very hot :(
So I followed this one but used a dodgy phenom which always run hot :D
Cool instructible
May 23, 2010. 11:30 AMzack247 says:
could i run 5V through 2 different + & - pairs to get it twice as hot?
Mar 4, 2010. 6:18 AMsora says:
i have a question...is there any way to adjust the temperature on the hot plate?
1-40 of 197next »

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