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Condensation

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Mull

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2002
Location
northeast ohio
Need some help. When you cool the water just above freezing how do you control the condensation. I have read all the high tech stuff on OC. I know what causes condensation, I just don't know how to stop it, or control it. Is there anybody running frig. that can help me. Koolance PC2-601
Thanks Mull
 
You cannot control condensation except by very sophisticated and expensive techniques like forming a vacuum around the object or using drying agents in a sealed enclosure around the object.
The cheapest and easiest route is using neoprene or closed foam insulation. The thickness required is proportional to the temp. I have found through practical experience that a double layer of neoprene that is used on mouse pads ( about 4mm) will insulate to temps down to -10C and I use an additional 10mm pipe lagging around my w/b for temps down to -25C and have had no problems.
 
If you don't want to use closed-cell foam around your
cooling system, you could get radical by placing your
entire PC in a fish-tank like enclosure and very slightly
pressurize it with dry nitrogen. Dry nitrogen is available
commercially everywhere. So, no moisture in the chamber,
no possibility of condensation! :)

If you don't need to go all the way down to freezing you
can still cool a lot below ambient before condensation
can form. Check out the chart.
 
whoa, nitrogen... what about CO2? I don't know if Nitrogen is heavier than regular air, but I know CO2 is... would that work? it seems that CO2 is more readily available than nitrogen, or at least I already have a CO2 canister...

But if you're going to seal off your system, you might as well use dessicant anyways... seems like a feasible thing, if you built a system around it... I think it would be easier if we didn't use a case in the normal sense of the word, kinda build an open case that the motherboard rests on... Just put the CDRoms, Hard drives out of the box, use a rubber grommet around any wires that had to go out of the system. I'm not sure why this would be so hard, I realize you would have to ground the motherboard to the new case, but besides that, what's the reason for even having a case? (besides ease of mobility). Bill
 
I can't think of a major reason you couldn't use C02. I have
never heard of anyone using a lightly pressurize inert
atmosphere chamber using anything but dry nitrogen, however.

I probably would have built such a system except for the
difficultiy of buying/building hermetic seals for all the
stuff that must have cables running outside the box.
 
could you get wires that permanantly go through the box/case? like buy an extender wire for PS2 ports, IDE cables, USB cables etc... and just seal them in? I mean, that would be the hard part, finding wires to extend everything , but it would make it alot easier I think in the long run cooling things, at least you wouldn't have to prevent condensation... to me it just might be worth it... I'll think about the whole process...

can you buy a motherboard tray that you could mount the motherboard to, so like it would be grounded with the power supply? or would I have to take apart a cheap old case to do that? Bill
 
im thinkin of doing this.... but have it just covering the cpu area with hosebarbs on it for my waterblock and just pelt it


just make a plex box put a thing to put in some co2 or nitrogen and make an outlet so you can get all other air out of it so air only goes out and not in except thru the connector and seal the back the same way so the air can flow thru them little holes or just do it the same as front with the nitrogen in the back also

that way you could go VERY cold and no condensation

when i get the money i think ill try something like that....

hehe i got a lot of things i wanna try! i dont know if ill get around to them all
 
A good insulation job along with silicone and a conformal coating is all you need to prevent condensation from forming. No reason to get crazy.......on the other hand I have been accused of that more times then I can count :D
 
Ocelaris, there are companies which specilize in hermetic
seals. My guess is that it would cost $500 each for a run
or standard PC cabling "windows." This is just too much.
Making your own is probably beyond the capabilities of
even a well equipped shop.

ken257, I agree we don't want to get crazy, but I don't
want to use silicone, conformal coating or closed-cell
foam on my server farm. Heck, it's bad enough to have
to shut them down every few months to dust 'em out.:D
Of course, getting rid of the fans would get rid of the dust!!:D
 
I have lots to learn

Thanks for all the info. Boy do I have a lot to learn. I'm going to print all this and do some home work. Thanks again.
Mull
 
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