anything wrong with a fridge?

idoru97330 · Nov 4, 2004

I have built many systems, but never WCed. I am thinking about watercooling, and am wondering why I don't see anyone using a dorm fridge to cool an external rig. I want quiet, and obviously don't need portable. is this a valid option for relatively high performance cooling?

CandymanCan · Nov 4, 2004

When you reach temps that are colder then the Air around you, you get condensation that means water starts to form, thats why no one uses fridges to cool thier cases

Alacritan · Nov 4, 2004

Nope. A mini fridge does not have the cooling capacity to keep your computer at operating temperatures. Your system just puts off too much heat. If you were talking a full size refridgerator, you might get away with it, but then you'd probably cause the compressor to stay on all the time and likely burn out.

Alacritan · Nov 4, 2004

CandymanCan said:
When you reach temps that are colder then the Air around you, you get condensation that means water starts to form, thats why no one uses fridges to cool thier cases

Actually no. It's actually quite popular to take apart air conditioners and use the compressor to directly cool the processor to subzero temperatures. The alternative method is to immerse the the compressor's evaporator in a reservoir used for your coolant and chill it to subzero temperatures. All you have to do is insulate it properly. There are dual cascade systems that get to -100C on the CPU.

People don't use refridgerators because they aren't capable of cooling sufficiently.

idoru97330 · Nov 4, 2004

No. i don't mean put the case in the fridge, I am familiar with the danger of condensation. I mean, put an external reservoir in the fridge with a traditional watercooling setup. Thanks for the replies

Alacritan · Nov 4, 2004

It's been tried before. It just doesn't cut it. Mini fridges can't remove the heat fast enough to reduce your temperatures. Refridgerators aren't designed to continually remove heat. That's why they cycle on only for short periods of time. Your computer continually puts out a rather large amount of heat (enough to make my room 5F warmer, even with my monitor and speakers off). A refridgerator can't deal with that.

idoru97330 · Nov 4, 2004

Ah. Now that settles it. Thank you for your input, appreciate it.

CandymanCan · Nov 4, 2004

Alacritan said:
Actually no. It's actually quite popular to take apart air conditioners and use the compressor to directly cool the processor to subzero temperatures. The alternative method is to immerse the the compressor's evaporator in a reservoir used for your coolant and chill it to subzero temperatures. All you have to do is insulate it properly. There are dual cascade systems that get to -100C on the CPU.

People don't use refridgerators because they aren't capable of cooling sufficiently.

You dont understand what i mean, it causes condensation, and no not everyone uses a fridge or fridge parts to do this. Only a very few handfull of people do this. I already know you have to unsulate iv used pelts and stuff before, to bad my 226w pelt died or i would be shooting i nthe sky with this cpu right now

If you stick a computer in a fridge thats already been pre cooled even if the frideg dies in the long road cuss of its constant running, as soon s u put that computer in the fridge when its cool you will get imediate condesation on EVERYthing that is warm or hot in the computer.

crimedog · Nov 4, 2004

if the fridge could get the water temps down below ambient you'd have to worry about condensation on the lines, but more importantly it won't happen with most mini-fridges

CandymanCan · Nov 4, 2004

Unless you stick the rad in the freezer portion

Alacritan · Nov 4, 2004

Until you kill the fridge.

MODdaBOX · Nov 4, 2004

Iv seen a few threads where people have done it. ill look for a few and post them later.

anything wrong with a fridge?

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