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Freezer cooling with radiators?

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Peeved Kitten

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Location
San Luis Obispo, CA
Ok, so I don't want to upset anybody. I DID read the "Why a mini fridge won't work" thread. I have a slightly different approach that I would really appreciate some input on. This is more of an extreme water cooling rig than anything but I'm open to advice.

My plan would be to pick up a freezer in the 3-6 Cu. ft. range. I would drill through the side and mount thru-ports for my hose 1 in 1 out. Inside the freezer I would build a mounting system for 2 140mm quad fan radiators and the resevoir.

The resevoir would run to a thru-port and then back to the computer and into the pump. So it would go Res-Pump-CPU-GPU-Rad-Rad-repeat ad-nauseum. I would think that moving up to a larger unit as well as the radiators would help disperse the heat a bit better, they could be set up with a push/pull setup pulling from the cold air vents from the freezer.

So far this is 100% speculation and in the future. I don't even have the GPU's I would want to cool. The idea on this kind of hinges on the fact that I can replace the freezer cheaply and easily if it dies. All that would be needed is to pull the thru-ports and put them in the next freezer. I would design some kind of stand alone racks for the radiators.

I would think after a bit of experimenting I could figure out a happy medium as to the freezers best cooling ability. I would say the freezer, fittings etc. wouldn't run over $200 more than just a standard 2 rad watercooling build. (I would Craigslist a freezer as I've found them for under 50$ in my area in good shape)

:chair:
Don't flame me too badly please, just a cooling noob :)
 
A fridge/freezer is not meant to handle that heat-load. If the fridge/freezer is shut then air flow is reduced to ~0. That means that the heat will build inside the insulated box and heat up the rads, which in turn would heat up your system. You could buy one and then strip it down and build your own phase system and just run that 24/7 though. Just my thoughts on the matter.
 
you would be better off buying a window AC unit and mounting the rads in front of the cold air vent.
 
True, but then you would have to insulate your board against condensation. Frankly, if you are considering anything beyond regular water cooling then insulate your board. Condensation + motherboard = bad
 
True, but then you would have to insulate your board against condensation.

No you wouldn't, many people here have already done it. There are several enterprise class server cooling systems using direct case AC as well.

And just to add to what mrgett said, the AC unit will offer more cooling capacity, I'd do that before messing with any referigerator. That's not to say you wouldn't see some benefit from your plan Kitten, I just think your efforts would be better spent on some AC.
 
It depends on what the dew point is.
If the liquid in the loop after being cooled by the AC unit is below the dew point, then yes, need to protect from condensation, if not then no worries.
 
I have no experience with this, but what about cutting a hole in the side of the freezer for some fans to move cold air from inside the fridge out? (please don't flame meh, I haz no experienceses!!!)
 
It depends on what the dew point is.
If the liquid in the loop after being cooled by the AC unit is below the dew point, then yes, need to protect from condensation, if not then no worries.

Not really, air cooled by AC is more or less stripped of moisture passing the coils. Ever turn on your AC when the windows in your car fog up...if not try it sometime.
 
As higdon mentioned earlier, they are not built for that kind of heat load...if your are just going to cut a radiator sized hole on the side and pull cold air out, through the rad and into the open air...it would be cheaper and quicker to get a AC unit and mount brackets on cold air vent and mount the rad to it.
 
:thup: got it! I like reading this section of the forum, but I knew there was a reason I'm not involved in any of this stuff
 
Not really, air cooled by AC is more or less stripped of moisture passing the coils. Ever turn on your AC when the windows in your car fog up...if not try it sometime.

Its not the air comming out of the AC unit I am worried about, its the rest of the air in the room. Where I am at it gets really humid...and the AC makes the air around it cool, but not the entire apartment. And condensation still forms on glasses etc even with the AC on...your car on the otherhand is a much smaller and enclosed space than a house or apartment. Try using the AC to de fog your windshield with the windows open. Doesnt work really well.
 
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