outdoor cooling solutions

[splat]

I've seen pictures of people running water cooling thru a radiator that was placed outside, and I've seen people modify window air conditionign units to run phase change cooling, but has anyone ever modified an outdoor, central AC cooling unit to cool their desktop computer?

just wondering. and if the answer is yes, I'd love to see a howto and pictures....not that I'm going to do this anytime soon, but just out of curiosity.

 

[darkcow]

i dont think many people do it because those ac units are expensive and they are hella loud.

 

[greenmaji]

LOL.. central air units condensing capsity could very well do well with modifying it into a non-moble cascade CPU cooler
They make them in 3-5ton+ capasities

The thought has crossed my mind on how you would go about doing this, and no they are not that expensive, and loud.. the thing is outside!

To the best of my knolege, no this hasn't been done, not even a single stage (what alot of builders are intrested in but the capasity is overkill and its completly imoble so that would deture people from looking into this for that purpose as well)

putting a rad outside is more watercoolling IMHO.

 

[knightwolf6543]

ooooo i have one of those out door air condtioners. actually two of them
mabey if i talk to my dad i can try something

 

[splat]

obviously, a used, old air conditioner system would be the best idea.


how about a evaporator for a chill water system?

 

[greenmaji]

You would be using a heat exchanger (HX), and plate HX's would be most effecent and a pipe in pipe used to be cheaper (before the price of copper went through the roof) for a chiller (instead of an "evaporator" )

Or did I misunderstand the question?

 

[Dell_Axim]

A "minisplit" unit would be more appropriate for what we use. (That is, unless you're running a large Beowulf cluster/folding rack, in which case a standard central A/C unit makes more sense.)
BTW, for a tube in tube heat exchanger used in a chiller, you can use PEX or even low pressure plastic tubing for the outer tube. That'll cut the cost a surprising amount.

 

[El<(')>Maxi]

The best one was the guy who had a well in his cellar (very chilled water) and pumped it thru his loop.

 

[greenmaji]

So.. a ground loop (a very good one) is all you need to beat

Converting a central AC unit to a cascade would woop up on that