any way to keep heater core from corroding?

OCn00b · Nov 2, 2004

By my estimation, the window where I'm moving this computer to in a few weeks will hold 4 of my radiators. I'm trying to build a little rack or something to put the cores in to mount in the window for the winter. Will direct contact with the cold and whatnot affect them? I could probably build some sort of shelter around the outside of the window to keep the snow and other precipitation out if that would help.

NovaShine · Nov 2, 2004

If you're radiators are cooling water down to below ambient temperatures in your room, you're gonna get condensation forming in your system.

As for exposing the radiators to the elements, i wouldnt especially reccomend that cuz they WILL corrode unless you coat them in something, which will reduce the efficiency of your radiators anyway. But to slow down the process, just dont let rain get on it and dont let wind blow on it directly i guess.

OCn00b · Nov 2, 2004

If I only put one radiator in the window, would that still cool temps to below ambient? I guess that depends on how warm the room is. The room will probably stay around 45 or so all winter with average temps outside around 35-40. With a hot cpu(say around 2v vcore) will that keep the water temps above ambient?

OCn00b · Nov 2, 2004

Actually, what about 50ft of copper tubing? I've got enough room where I could maybe coil it up or maybe make like a big radiator out of it. I could use a big box fan or two to blow across it if that would help too.

Sean Lindstrom · Nov 2, 2004

It would take a long time for weathering to corrode a hole in a heatercore. Depending on the pollutants in your local rain, they could tarnish pretty rapidly though and so become less efficient. In Japan, copper turns blackish in a few weeks. In Vancouver, it stays bronzy for years. Virginia, I don't know.

Are your Virginian winters dry or humid? Here in Vancouver we have almost nonstop rain but houses are dry because humidity constantly migrates out of the heated interiors. We don't see condensation even on a single pane window, for example, except in the kitchen while boiling water.

If your window does not get condensation then it's unlikely or impossible for your cooling loop to.

OCn00b · Nov 2, 2004

Occasionally there's a touch of frost on the windows but for the most part, they stay clear year round. Winters here are usually not very humid but we do get a decent amount of rain. Would is help if I made the enclosure for the cores in such a way so that they're maybe 6" inside the window with a screen or some sort of filter between the cores and the outside?

NovaShine · Nov 2, 2004

If you're willing to do a bit of work, you can dig up your yard and lay down several loops of copper pipe forming a grid say 15ft by 5ft

That is definately a passive system and will get your temps down really good.

OCn00b · Nov 2, 2004

I had thought about that but it's not possible

The side of the basement where the computers will be stays around 65-70F in the summer and i'd guess 40ish or so in the winter when it's cold but if I'm here it will be at least 65 in the winter, but would 50 feet of copper tubing be enough to keep temps right at ambient or just below?

Sean Lindstrom · Nov 2, 2004

Geothermal cooling is an excellent option, consistent year-'round.

In cold months a window box is just as well. If it were my window, I would build something like an upside-down planter box, or frame, more to keep pipes out of sight than to keep the harmless rain off. Dew will drench everything anyway every morning. The cover would be well vented to exploit cross breeze sliding along the exterior wall. I would bracket this box below the window - why block the sunlight and view? I would drill two holes through the wall for pipes and pack them with goop, and insulate the pipes indoors until they enter the case.

Without antifreeze or continuous circulation the water will freeze and split the heatercores.

JimCaleb72 · Nov 3, 2004

Well the A/C condenser and rad in my 87 Mazda 626 was rust and leak free, and I live in Canada....

That's like 17 winters and countless rainstorms they went through and came out fine.

Typical rad is copper/brass mix. Modern rads are usually aluminum.

I would think that with decent plating/anodization, they should last for very long.

OCn00b · Nov 4, 2004

How much would anodizing affect the cooling?

Alacritan · Nov 4, 2004

Not very much. It's so thin it's effect is not even measurable. But you're not going to annodize a heatercore. It'd be too expensive to do just one. Get some Krylon or Rustoleum and spray it and you'll be fine if you don't put too much on. The biggest difference in temps will be 1C, only more if you gunk up the fins by using too much paint and impair air flow. But considering you'll have it outside, your temps should improve considerably. I'll be doing the same with my transmission cooler. If it gets too cold outside, just take the fans off it and use it as a passive radiator.

OCn00b · Nov 4, 2004

Considering it will be outside, should I go ahead and invest in neoprene and dielectric grease, just in case?

any way to keep heater core from corroding?

OCn00b

Member

NovaShine

Member

OCn00b

Member

OCn00b

Member

Sean Lindstrom

Member

OCn00b

Member

NovaShine

Member

OCn00b

Member

Sean Lindstrom

Member

JimCaleb72

Member

OCn00b

Member

Alacritan

Member

OCn00b

Member

Similar threads