Will this fridge work?

[AntmanMike]

I have a mini fridge that has a door on it. The door has a rod going across (plastic coated steel), and the motherboard fits perfectly on it (the RDRAM locks fit right on it). Would it be safe to place my motherboard on it. For effective cooling, would the fridges wattage need to be higher than the motherboard/CPU? If so, how much does an OCd P4 put out, and how do i find the fridges?

[Warlord2]

I think you can do something like that with a p4 but for a AMD you cant

I think a p4 puts out like 40watts or so

[Christoph]

You'd kill the fridge if you tried to use it to cool your mobo. Fridges aren't designed to handle an active load, and unless you had a walk-in freezer, it would die and take your mobo with it.
Sorry to be the bear of bad gnus.
It might be possible to mod the fridge to take an active load, but you'd have to know what you're doing very well.

[Menardsguy]

I would worry about condensation. I say a modification of a fridge online and it worked fine while it was running, but after he turned it off there was condensation on the hardware inside. He reccomended that if you turn it off wait until everything dries off. I myself wouldn't mess with the possibility with exposing my hardware to condensation. I would just use the fridge for a resivoir.

[flounder43]

I say, go for it!!!
http://www.pcrivals.com/projects/computerator/index.shtml

[Christoph]

The method flounder mentioned is great. I may even do it sometime (not anytime soon, though).

What won't work is just putting your mobo, HSF and all inside a fridge without any special mods.
Thanks for the link flounder!

Now where did I put that blowtorch...
It's a shame they only used a celly. An XP 1900+ would look so much better (probably like an XP 2400+).

[Tiger]

Here's another one for you done by a student in New Zealand;

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~insanex/

I am also running refrigerated cooling, but using the under counter unit to cool the coolant. Water cooled and running the coolant through a res inside the fridge. To those that say that fridges cannot handle these loads you are wrong. This setup I am using handles the load with no problem. I am just getting it set up and the fridge is on its warmest setting (1) and the coolant is -8C and the fridge is cutting in and out all the time. No climb in temps at all.

[Diggrr]

I just want to run geothermal cooling on a good peltier. I've also designed a new super bong, but these guys are nuts! Too much time and/or disposable income.

Anyone know where to find a cheap aluminum tank?

[nil_esh]

Originally posted by Tiger
I am also running refrigerated cooling, but using the under counter unit to cool the coolant. Water cooled and running the coolant through a res inside the fridge. To those that say that fridges cannot handle these loads you are wrong. This setup I am using handles the load with no problem. I am just getting it set up and the fridge is on its warmest setting (1) and the coolant is -8C and the fridge is cutting in and out all the time. No climb in temps at all.

That's pretty smooth.. I've got a mini-fridge that's not being used.
How big is your fridge? Is the CPU in any danger of freeze damage? (Like when using Peltier)

Sounds like an interesting idea, I'd like to hear how it goes..

Those fridges can run up your electricity bill, though.

[Tiger]

Its 110W motor but I am not sure of the BTU's. The CPU is insulated as per a Pelt and all the pipes to and from the w/b are all insulated with standard pipe insulation. The exposed areas of pipe are coated in ice. The insulation around the cpu seems fine as there is no sign of any condensation at all.
As to cost (above post - more money and time than sense); well it was cheaper than a cheap HSF. Paid £5 for the fridge from the local recycling centre (if it breaks I'll go and get another there are dozens of them there) £1.50 for the lagging and £2.50 for the tank. Piping I had from the water cooling. So far it cost me £11 and I paid £15 for my FOP 32-1!
As to the future I am going to crank it up and should get -25C by the time I have the thermostat on 4. The one thing I am a bit nervous about is the effect of these temps on the plastic tubing. I know that garden hoses get quite brittle in the winter frost. Any suggestions?

[Yodums]

I think you can go for it, although you have to prepare awhole lot like spray the mobo with some spray that doesn't create condensation etc.

[ptcg]

Once again... I spoke with several HVAC techs when setting up my phase change cooling rig.. They all agreed that running a compressor non-stop is fine as long as it is not trying to handle more heat than it was designed for. I have a 3000BTU unit & my cpu at over 100watts is under 400BTUs... They also told me that (just like a lightbulb) turning the compressor on/off is what kills it. The best situation is having it run 24/7 (you'll get the most life out of it). They even mentioned a compressor that was returned for replacement.. They tested it to see what was wrong with it & it ran fine.. They left it running 24/7 to see how long it would go.. IT RAN OVER 27 YEARS!!

Here's (http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=8442) a link to the forum discussion about compressors running 24/7...

As far as putting the mobo inside the fridge, I don't know much about that, but it seems like a major hassle.. running the wires, keeping everything insulated & air-tight in the fridge, etc.. Not very compact or portable either.

Good luck and let us know how you make out!

Oh! Almost forgot.. My elec. bill is only about $45/month.. I think it went up about $5/month or less with the PC on almost always.. not bad at all.

[AntmanMike]

So, what is it. is it safe if the PC watts out is lower than the fridges watts out?

[AntmanMike]

The fridge doesnt say any wattage on it. It says some stuff on the back. How can I find out what wattage it deals out? Its a Samsung Model SR-050GA.

Also, how many watts would a Pentium 4 w/ a Geforce 3, and all other motherboard components put out?

[ol' man]

I have seen where some people use a fridge as a cooling device but you will need a desicant.

Have you seen what I did with a fridge?

http://hhrol.bobsville.com/cryo.jpg

I got -10 deg. C temps under load with the watt load around 50~60w. I know my CPU was getting cooled below 0 deg. C also cause it had real icicles hanging from the capacitors underneith:eek: i should have never ran it like that without good protection under the cpu. I used it every where else.

[drunkmonkey]

All you guys need now is to rig up a fountain drink system(like a gas stations to it but much smaller).lol. Have you favorite drink being cooled in your fridge-computer and then when you hit the Pause/Break button on your computer it pours you a glass of your favorite drink through a tube into a cup by your computer.
I could build a good one for $210(a bit expensive).
Here is a diagram:
http://www.drunkmonkey.barrysworld.net/stupididea.bmp
The RCX is used to convert digital computer commands to analog(to power the pump). A VB program can then run the pump for as long as you hold the Pause/Break key(Break, get it :D )
LOL
Seriously, it could work!

[Sir-Epix]

Originally posted by Menardsguy
I would worry about condensation. I say a modification of a fridge online and it worked fine while it was running, but after he turned it off there was condensation on the hardware inside. He reccomended that if you turn it off wait until everything dries off. I myself wouldn't mess with the possibility with exposing my hardware to condensation. I would just use the fridge for a resivoir.

I would second that. I have a mini fridge, and condensation is huge. You should not do it, unless you have money to blow. I personally don't think it would work that well.

[AntmanMike]

:( shucks...

[Tiger]

Originally posted by AntmanMike
:( shucks...
I wouldn't give up that easily. Have a look at the link I posted above again here;
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~insanex/
This man has done it. In the write up he explains how he overcame the condensation problem. His explanation is actually very simple and logical. Condensation will only occur if warm air is blown over a cold object. The reason is that the cold object causes the the Relative Humidity of the air to increase thereby causing the water in the air to condense. If the mobo is inside the unit and the temp is taken down then the coldest part of the unit is the cooling plate/fins of the refrigeration unit and therefore condensation forms there. Provided the unit is kept air tight condensation is not going to occur. Go and have a good read. Contact him, I am sure he will be more than willing to assist you.

[AntmanMike]

Ill try that. If it doesnt work, though, youll replace my parts? Im using a Mac G3 to test, so nits only like a $80 replacement

[Christoph]

Originally posted by AntmanMike
Ill try that. If it doesnt work, though, youll replace my parts? Im using a Mac G3 to test, so nits only like a $80 replacement

Certainly worthy of being a guinea pig, IMHO.

[AntmanMike]

Hmm... the silicon sealant seems to prevent it from booting. Seems Apple hates fridges... Please start using the thread called "Silicon Sealant"

[drunkmonkey]

One quick idea about condensation.
Could you hook a dehumidifier up to the fridge? and also a relative humidity monitor that would shut down your comp .if the relative humid got to high have a way to easily take the door off of the fridge and set it somewhere to keep it dry?:mad: :D :cool:

[AntmanMike]

I already started the project. Details are in thread "Project Condensation". Please consider this thread CLOSED, as is the thread "Silicon Sealant".

[ol' man]

Originally posted by drunkmonkey
One quick idea about condensation.
Could you hook a dehumidifier up to the fridge? and also a relative humidity monitor that would shut down your comp .if the relative humid got to high have a way to easily take the door off of the fridge and set it somewhere to keep it dry?:mad: :D :cool:

Ummmmmmmmmm, once again again again again you need to seal the whole unit air tight and then have a dessicant at the bottom to collect moisture. It is called damp rid. The tighter your seal the better it will be at keeping everything condensation free. I said forget it and used the fridge to cool my coolant although this method of using the fridge as the housing may work pretty well also for mediocre cooling if the right procedures were taken.


I love it when people answer....


Uhhhh, dude, uhhhhhh it won't work cause uuuuuuuuhhh uuhhhh fridges are not made to cool computers uuuuuuuhhh they are like only for beer uhhhhhhhhh yeah uhhhhhhhh.

[eh?]

Originally posted by IdeaMagnate
The method flounder mentioned is great. I may even do it sometime (not anytime soon, though).

What won't work is just putting your mobo, HSF and all inside a fridge without any special mods.
Thanks for the link flounder!

Now where did I put that blowtorch...
It's a shame they only used a celly. An XP 1900+ would look so much better (probably like an XP 2400+).
any small fridege should work... There was someone that posted a link a while ago in here to a website that did it just by cutting holes for the cables, then taped up the holes, it ran at 9 or 10 C, it have condensation but just as long as you never turn of the fridge then you should be ok...thats what the site said