Using home ducted zone for pc cooling custom pc desk case

[Luno papi]

First post here, and I think I’ve found the place to ask my ridiculous questions!

Background - I overdo everything mostly because why not.

Im starting to plan and draw my next house. And you know, new house new pc makes sense. I want to build a custom desk which will be my case, glass top and all of that. I’m always dubious of water cooling. But I want to do something to a higher level considering what I plan to put in there (it’s still about 1-1.5 years off) so there may be some better hardware then. But I was wondering what if in the house plans I add an extra duct/zone for the aircon to plumb into the desk/case. I would have to include an exhaust fan to remove the hot air/humidity. I always use extraction fans controlled by humidity sensors for my aquariums I don’t see why I could down scale this for the desk/case.

Anyone see any reason why this couldn’t be an effective cooling system?

 

[Luno papi]

Or would it not make much of a difference if the room runs at a stable cool temperature and the desk/case has a good ventilation?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Only one issue I see with this... What happens in the winter when the heat is running

 

[Luno papi]

Only one issue I see with this... What happens in the winter when the heat is running

I can change the temperature of each zone, so that zone can stay at it’s cool temperature while others can be a warmer temperature. However I always leave my aircon at room temp.

Well I can on my current one so I assume the new one will be able to do that as well but super smart thinking didn’t even consider it

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I can change the temperature of each zone, so that zone can stay at it’s cool temperature while others can be a warmer temperature. However I always leave my aircon at room temp.

Doesn't matter, unless you have a zone, thermostat, and HVAC unit only for the PC room. Just because you have a zone set to cool, doesn't mean it will always be getting cooled air. An HVAC system is one or the other, heat or cool, not both, it just depends how much it sends to that zone.

 

[Luno papi]

Doesn't matter, unless you have a zone, thermostat, and HVAC unit only for the PC room. Just because you have a zone set to cool, doesn't mean it will always be getting cooled air. An HVAC system is one or the other, heat or cool, not both, it just depends how much it sends to that zone.

Hmm I’d have to ask the company that does it if that’s the case. I live in a hot environment, our winter is probably others summer haha. So my aircon hottest temp is ever on would be 25c (77f) but atm I can set one room to 22 and another to 24 (I like it cooler in my games room but fiancé gets too cold so doesn’t handle it and it works well for that) but I get what your saying it can’t cool while heating.

I’d imagine that even at 25c (77f) would still be cooler than what the temp would get inside the desk/case?

Really appreciate your thinking man, it’s definitely things I hadn’t considered

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Hmm I’d have to ask the company that does it if that’s the case. I live in a hot environment, our winter is probably others summer haha. So my aircon hottest temp is ever on would be 25c (77f) but atm I can set one room to 22 and another to 24 (I like it cooler in my games room but fiancé gets too cold so doesn’t handle it and it works well for that) but I get what your saying it can’t cool while heating.

I’d imagine that even at 25c (77f) would still be cooler than what the temp would get inside the desk/case?

Really appreciate your thinking man, it’s definitely things I hadn’t considered

The thing is though just because you may have the HVAC set to 77°F if the heat is running the temperature coming out of your ductwork will be more like 97°F, which is HOT for a PC intake air.
Conversely, the opposite is true of when cooling is running and set to 77°F, you'll be getting more like 57°F out of the ductwork.

 

[Luno papi]

The thing is though just because you may have the HVAC set to 77°F if the heat is running the temperature coming out of your ductwork will be more like 97°F, which is HOT for a PC intake air.
Conversely, the opposite is true of when cooling is running and set to 77°F, you'll be getting more like 57°F out of the ductwork.

Hmm sounding like might not be the good idea I had in head!

 

[Mandrake4565]

Luno papi, it is doable. I have done crazy experiments with running a dryer flex tubing outside and had fans drawing the cold air during the NY winter into the case. It works, but honestly you're likely better off just running water cooling.

 

[Luno papi]

Luno papi, it is doable. I have done crazy experiments with running a dryer flex tubing outside and had fans drawing the cold air during the NY winter into the case. It works, but honestly you're likely better off just running water cooling.

I just don’t like the idea of water cooling haha anything to avoid it.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I just don’t like the idea of water cooling haha anything to avoid it.

This forum has some of the best knowledge resources available for you to be successful if you want to give it a try.
Done correctly, it will be as reliable as air cooling, but with cooler temperatures and a quieter PC.

 

[Luno papi]

This forum has some of the best knowledge resources available for you to be successful if you want to give it a try.
Done correctly, it will be as reliable as air cooling, but with cooler temperatures and a quieter PC.

I’m just concerned with the customization of it all. If it was something that was off the shelf different story. But with this thing it’s gonna take a fair of custom work to be how I want it.

I’ll definitely be working over the search function through here though. Looking forward to when I get to actually start on it, but as I said still a fair bit off. I like to start planning early so I have as much info possible to make things right.

 

[Mandrake4565]

Considering the custom work you are already planning to do. Building a water cooled rig isn't a big deal at all.

 

[GunnerMan]

I would be a little concerned about condensation. Yes, HVAC units take out lots of moisture at the evaporator already but no matter how fast you pull air through it with an exhaust fan the humidity can drop to no less than what it was leaving the evaporator.

In the right conditions, condensation can occur on an object at any point where that objects temperature is lower than the ambient air temperature.

The math can be done to find out how fast the air needs to move such that condensation can not form because it would evaporate as soon as it did.

You can also insulate the components housing.

It sounds cool. I’m coming up with the same kinds of ideas all of the time.

At the end of the day water is likely going to be cheaper in both operating and construction costs, even if you screw up and fry some stuff a time or two. It’s also going to perform better.

 

[Luno papi]

I would be a little concerned about condensation. Yes, HVAC units take out lots of moisture at the evaporator already but no matter how fast you pull air through it with an exhaust fan the humidity can drop to no less than what it was leaving the evaporator.

In the right conditions, condensation can occur on an object at any point where that objects temperature is lower than the ambient air temperature.

The math can be done to find out how fast the air needs to move such that condensation can not form because it would evaporate as soon as it did.

You can also insulate the components housing.

It sounds cool. I’m coming up with the same kinds of ideas all of the time.

At the end of the day water is likely going to be cheaper in both operating and construction costs, even if you screw up and fry some stuff a time or two. It’s also going to perform better.

Yeah I think from the sounds of it will be too much of a headache to get it right. May have to just water cool it! I’m now contemplating keeping my original pc which is actually a fairly beast of a rig but pulling it out of case putting it on one side and building another with the next gen parts coming out. So I will have two inside the same desk.

 

[Ben333]

You'd need a bypass intake option for winter. ATM is right. No reason to even bother pulling room temp air through a 20 - 30 ft duct & losing CFMs... Use louvers for both HVAC & bypass / fresh room air... (latter is easiest option IMO)