Dumping the heat OUTSIDE

[scalar]

The first thing that annoys me is a noisy computer.

The second thing that annoys me is a computer that heats a warm room up to unbearable temperatures.

Not all of us have air-conditioned homes, so in the summer when it's 80 F outside, it's probably 90-100 F indoors by the fast 1.0+ gHz computer that's on all the time.

I am starting to think that what I really need is a way to literally throw the heat out the window. Put together a water-cooled system, but don't mount the radiator in the PC. Instead, use about 20 feet of 1/2" hose, and put the radiator outside.

That's what I really want. A silent water-cooled PC that is not only silent, but dumps the heat outside where it won't make the room hotter than it already is.

It's just a question of how to do it. The process looks like this:

1. Frame that can be hung outside with the room window closed
2. Weatherproof fan to blow air through radiator, even in rain/snow.
3. Some type of shiny reflective sun shield around radiator, so sunshine won't heat up the radiator.
4. Some type of frame around the hoses and fan power lines, so that you can close the window tight around the hoses without wind/rain/snow blowing through.

[Rusty075]

Or you could try something like this:
BladeRunners Project Stealth


Alittle more labor intensive, but fewer moving parts.

[herosformula]

Geothermal cooling. http://www.waterfurnace.com/geothermaltechnology.asp Dig a well and put the radiator down there.

[rpc180]

I saw someone use a toilet as a reservoir for a WC system. Flushing worked and kept the system clear of bacteria as well as kept the water temp WAY down.

[DryFire]

you could always use one of those IceProbe TEC's i;m not sure ont eh link but i can find it if you don't know what i;m talking about.

[Yomat]

Why dont ya build a small reactor or dynamo or something that can convert the computer heat into energy again. Perpetual galore! The information work the computer does has no energy conserving factor so it could be possible.

Joke aside.. and sanity stable: One could build an enclosure around the computer that is airtight (= no noise). Cool the culprits with direct watercooling and some kind of internal radiator for air only cooling. Pump would be inside the enclosure. Only thing outside would be the radiator. Almost as done here: http://www.silentpcreview.com/modules.p ... =62&page=1
.. except that he doesent have aircooling inside, but some ventilation instead.

[Bat]

About a year ago I read about someone doing something like this.
There's an article about it: look for RADBOX in the water cooling section on www.overclockers.com

It seems to work, but I'd worry about it in the long term: dew could lead to corrosion inside the PSU in that outside box, and it looks as though the reservoir is uncovered so water would evaporate.

The other concern would be water freezing in winter, especially if the computer isn't running all the time.

You could buy a heat exchanger: a box containing a fan and radiator, designed to be outdoors.

[scalar]

Winter is not a concern. Simply mix up some antifreeze used in car engines to the proper ratio, and you have -50F freeze protection. It may need a slightly larger pump though, because the antifreeze will make the liquid somewhat harder to circulate.


To prevent evaporation, such a system should be sealed, or with a labrynth air vent to reduce moisture evaporation. Your printer's ink cartridge uses a labrynth design to vent the cartridge but keep it from drying out. Peel off the sticker on an empty Epson ink tank and note the tiny, twisty channels under the label...)


-Scalar

[fractal]

Couple of little things to think about.

Your monitor generates more heat than your system unit.

but more importantly..

YOU generate more heat than your monitor ... which generates more heat than your system unit.

I agree that ducting heat outside is a good idea where feasable, just do keep things in perspective before you go and expend large amounts of effort on something that will have minimal benefit.

[TRC-13]

I have a friend who took a few pieces of dryer hose and attached it to the exhaust fans on the back of the PC (one on the PSU and one on an exhaust fan) The hoses attached to a plate with two 3" holes in it that fit in a hole he made in the drywall. The hot air vented into the attic via a few 2" holes in the stud at the top of the wall. His computer was only 5” from the wall so the hoses are short and have good airflow. It kept his room very cool and the hose also kept the noise from the fans down. If you own your house don't mind the holes (that can be patched) and don't plan on moving your computer around this may be a cheap alternative. Also a flat panel would put out less heat than a CRT. I noticed a big difference in room temps when I got my LCD. I am considering this technique myself considering how hot my system gets folding 24/7.

[FishaOfMen]

I've thought about this seriously and may one day take on the same project. I just don't know if I want to invest the time required for it. Anyway, here are some ideas:

• Use a pump and radiator fans that are 110/120V. You can get the fans at www.jameco.com. It will eliminate the need for a PSU outside. Either that, or just get some 22 gauge or so wire and run the fans off the PSU in your computer.
• The box doesn't need to look ugly. Given that I live in an apartment complex, mine couldn't look ugly 'cause management would get mad. I planned on making my box look like a birdhouse.
• If you protect your fans well enough, you can just go with plain-jane 120's that aren't waterproof.
• If you're worried about freezing, I think adding methanol to your distilled water will work better than anti-freeze.
• Keep that sucker outside during the winter and overclock the living crap out of your processor ... just make sure that you insulate well so that condensation does not form.

[scalar]

Well, if the thing were mounted outside, I'd probably go with a standard 110V fan. I'm somewhat doubtful a PC brushless fan would be appropriate outdoors, even the 120mm ones. It either may not be powerful enough, or it'd strain the PC supply too much. But Panasonic and Papst do make standard 110/220V appliance fans too, y'know...

Fan/pump control is quite easy with relays. A 12v coil relay with 120v 15A DPDT contacts is only a couple dollars, as is a plastic project box to hold the relays and keep everything nicely electrically isolated and insulated...



When the computer turns on, the relays will also click on and activate the outdoor fan... and maybe an outdoor pump as well -- why listen to the pump indoors?

This, actually, is how whole-house air conditioners work, and why they are so quiet inside the building. All the big noisy crap is outside the building (giant radiator with fan, refrigerant compressor) and sitting on a cement pad to absorb the noise. Inside is little more than than a fan to blow across the cold evaporator coils. But the outside stuff turns on via a relay inside the building.

[frosty]

I know this is a terrible way to respond but all these ideas seem so fascinating to me. Maybe just go buy a small swamp cooler type air conditioner and have it near YOU when your in that room or better yet do what i did DIY, I replaced the standard black hose on my swamp cooler, water cooled pads with blower, I replaced the stupid default factory black hose with 1/2 inch clear plastic and put a high speed output water pump & used two 3/8 each diverters for the water on each pad, now the cooler keeps the home at 72 in in 98 weather on low speed! :}

[Yomat]

scalar: Perhaps a blower fan, instead of axial fan. More expensive.. but fans of such type one can find at spare parts dealers or junkyards.