unconventional cooling system, with air conditioning Options

[Olonese]

During this hot summer I was tempted by liquid cooling. Then I preferred install my rig into a big board ( packaging of an old CRT) and I forced the air of a portable AC unit into it. I switch on /off both the pc and the the AC unit. The shape is awful but it works great. Bye

[ESR211]

THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA, NO ONE SHOULD DO THIS EVER.

If you create a large temp difference between fresh and existing air what happens?

What happens when the sun comes up in the morning and suddenly heats the world?

What happens to a cold glass of water on a hot day?


If you have a temp of 40c at 35% relative humidity your dew point is 22c, anything under 22c will make water condensate in your PC.

How many of our temps run over 40c? I live in 80% RH environment...

Most of our properly ACed houses are at 35% RH and 24c, which has a dew point of 7c



This post has been edited by ESR211: Sep 9 2009, 10:15 AM

[Floyd_SLI]

Turn the AC unit on and blow the cold air into the room not into your PC. Low ambients will lower your PC temps and not ruin it.

[ExtremeGrandpa]

Turn the AC unit on and blow the cold air into the room not into your PC. Low ambients will lower your PC temps and not ruin it.

+1

I agree if the room or area around the rigs cooled as well then you shouldnt have any issues....I have seen quite a few servers that were inside air conditioned boxes....And this kind of setup works well for high heat units.....

[Olonese]

+1

I agree if the room or area around the rigs cooled as well then you shouldnt have any issues....I have seen quite a few servers that were inside air conditioned boxes....And this kind of setup works well for high heat units.....

I don't use air conditiong in my house. Condesate is not a threat. .The board, I have coated with polystyrene, works like an insulator. After switching both rig and AC unit on, inside the box temperature goes to 8 - 12 �C (about 10 F) in a few minutes. My rig makes a lot of heat when gaming but inside the box all is at the same temperature.
After swithing off, into the box (about 10 cm/ 5 in. larger than each side of my rig) temperature gradually rises very slowly and water can't condensate.

[ExtremeGrandpa]

I don't use air conditiong in my house. Condesate is not a threat. .The board, I have coated with polystyrene, works like an insulator. After switching both rig and AC unit on, inside the box temperature goes to 8 - 12 �C (about 10 F) in a few minutes. My rig makes a lot of heat when gaming but inside the box all is at the same temperature.
After swithing off, into the box (about 10 cm/ 5 in. larger than each side of my rig) temperature gradually rises very slowly and water can't condensate.

I hope you have tested your theory well...I do know a thing or two about extreme cooling and what you are doing is risky....I wont say dont do it because if you look around the forums you will see a thread I started about the cooling mod I did to this rig...I had my rad mounted in a fridge....But 1 thing i can tell you is that using compounds to insulate the mobo will also work against you by not allowing heat to escape as rapidly as it normally would....I am all for thinking outside the box myself and about pushing the limits.....I just wanted to warn you of the possible consequences....A toasted mobo from a single drop of watter, a toasted card.....But in certain situations you will cross certain thresholds and reach phase change and get moisture....There are allot of factors at play here and in a room thats has no ac like mine allot of times the windows open and the outside humidity will effect things as well.....But if it all works out for you then good work....But always be careful doing mods such as this...As a matter of fact If it was me I would want to install a device to check the overall Humidity content within the box itself....Just as a fail safe...

But good luck....


As a matter of fact I am a visual person how bout post a couple of pics of that setup of yours...

This post has been edited by ExtremeGrandpa: Sep 9 2009, 08:45 PM

[billy66bare]

+1

We like shiny things. Show us some pics!

[Heedless_0ne]

I used to take cheap ac units with dual 200mm fans that you put in your window, turn it sideways and shoot it into the mesh front. Lowered temps 4-5 degrees in the surface-of-the-sun like canadian summer.

[Olonese]

+1

We like shiny things. Show us some pics!

OK. You''l find my device so funny (need only time)

[Olonese]

OK. You'll find my device so funny (need only time)

Here I am.

Test [attachment=7267:Cattura10.JPG]

Overclock OFF[attachment=7265:left_overclock_OFF.jpg]

Overclock ON [attachment=7266:left_overclock_ON.jpg]

Bye O.2

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[MrInfinit3]

Is that MDF? (compressed fiber board)

[ExtremeGrandpa]

I doubt anyone is trying to make fun of you dude.....That setup you have is very similar to allot of server cooling boxes I have seen....And is the exact way I have talked about before.....And like MRINFINIT3 asked is that compressed fiber board.....It seems to be just plain cardboard to me.....But i would have built it out of plywood myself....But as I stated before Good job on thinking outside the box....Or as in this case inside the box.......


But really you could improve your design with a little work and probably get slightly better overall temps.....

Like I said good idea if it works well for you in your situation..And good luck hope to see you around the forums.....Also there is a thread around here where we are testing different liquids in cooling system loops.....And there are a few of us into extreme cooling, but the majority of the forums will say no dont do it....I will only try to educate you as to what could possibly happen...Would want anyone to say that I implied there wasnt any risk involved....

[Floyd_SLI]

I don't use air conditiong in my house.

WTF?! Im not really in a hot climate area and we use the AC all the time.

[ExtremeGrandpa]

WTF?! Im not really in a hot climate area and we use the AC all the time.

Floyd I wish I had central AC myself would be nice....But trying to get AC installed on 5000 heated SQ ft thats sitting on a 2500 sq ft basement and totals 3 stories on most of three sides would cost me as much as some peoples houses......

[Xeromist]

THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA, NO ONE SHOULD DO THIS EVER.

You do realize that this is what happens in thousands of server farms every day, right? They're just big air conditioned boxes.

Condensation occurs when warm moisture saturated air comes into contact with relatively cooler temperatures. The air inside his box is going to be at or below the temperature of the components it is cooling. That's actually the opposite of a condensation causing situation. So any condensation occurs inside of the A/C unit. Unless the A/C unit is spewing mist (due to the lack of a collection unit) there should be no more moisture inside his rig than any other rig being operated in cold weather.

ExtremeGrandpa's cooling solution is different and much more susceptible to condensation because he is spot cooling to sub ambient temperatures inside the case. This means that the air inside the case can be warm and moist while there is a cooler surface for it to condense on.

Either solution will work but you just have to be aware of the differences and plan accordingly.

[ExtremeGrandpa]

You do realize that this is what happens in thousands of server farms every day, right? They're just big air conditioned boxes.

Condensation occurs when warm moisture saturated air comes into contact with relatively cooler temperatures. The air inside his box is going to be at or below the temperature of the components it is cooling. That's actually the opposite of a condensation causing situation. So any condensation occurs inside of the A/C unit. Unless the A/C unit is spewing mist (due to the lack of a collection unit) there should be no more moisture inside his rig than any other rig being operated in cold weather.

ExtremeGrandpa's cooling solution is different and much more susceptible to condensation because he is spot cooling to sub ambient temperatures inside the case. This means that the air inside the case can be warm and moist while there is a cooler surface for it to condense on.

Either solution will work but you just have to be aware of the differences and plan accordingly.

+1 and as always I would advise against doing what I did ....Being that for the cooler months this rig runs great on air and being that I just got my rig back together yesterday I wanted to try out my new cpu cooler so I wont be back on liquid until the spring..Just like no AC in the summer I wont heat this room this winter and will see how far I can clock this rig as the ambient temps fall as winter comes on...Gonna be interesting......By then I should have improved upon my method and design of my liquid cooling setup....But you are correct I have seen many servers inside a insulated plywood box with a AC sticking out the side.....But as always when you are doing extreme cooling projects there is a risk factor involved....So anyone who is even thinking about doing something like this do your homework first.....

[Olonese]

...It seems to be just plain cardboard to me.....But i would have built it out of plywood myself....But as I stated before Good job on thinking outside the box....Or as in this case inside the box.......

Yes plain cardboard. I made the box in a hurry using stuff around in my house. I'll post a pic of the right side, also this it's meaningful Bye O.2

[billy66bare]

I gotta give props to someone that determined. Put your rig in a box, with an air-conditioner. Thnkin, pure and simple. lol

Good luck with your "hobo" case!

[Floyd_SLI]

Floyd I wish I had central AC myself would be nice....But trying to get AC installed on 5000 heated SQ ft thats sitting on a 2500 sq ft basement and totals 3 stories on most of three sides would cost me as much as some peoples houses......

Wow thats insane, Ive never been to a house with no AC installed!

[ExtremeGrandpa]

Wow thats insane, Ive never been to a house with no AC installed!

This house is a 129 year old house located in the historic district.....And it is HUGE......But back when this house was built there was no central AC....lol


The smallest room we have is slightly larger than 20ftX20ft with a 15ft ceiling.....Now some of the rooms have 220V window units in them....But there isnt a good way to cool this whole house that we can afford right now....We are still restoring the outside of this house...And we are so far over budget that its not even funny.....

I know this is off topic but heres a link to my flickr where we have documented some of the work that has been done to this house...And you still cant tell the shear size of the house from the pics...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/originala52/