i just found out that a computer case fan will work submerged in water

[amdguy]

i have a few old 80MM fans and decided to mess around with it. I placed it in a empty ice cream container, powered it on and to my amazement, it works!! It has been running for a few hours submerged now..

interesting, i thought it would short or something, maybe u watercooling guys can think of some good use for this

 

[Yolner]

How about a computer boat?

 

[Mik3y]

Originally posted by: Yolner
How about a computer boat?

dude, that is such a coool idea!

 

[MichaelD]

I'd say "you need a hobby" but you obviously already HAVE one! Cool. Pics?

 

[Kenazo]

I wouldn't expect that fan to work for too terribly long. The corrosion would kill it in the long term. Put it in salt-water, and it'll last even less.

 

[mechBgon]

Got it! A workout tank for your goldfish! :Q

 

[Budman]

You found a new way to clean those old dusty fans.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

will distilled water keep back corosion? maybe you can set up one huge water block that cools the whole compter and is circulated by fans instead of a pump.

 

[screw3d]

Wow...

Why does it work? As OP states, shouldn't it short out something?

 

[Yanagi]

make a case of glass, pour distilled water in it and install your mobo, cpu and everything along with the fans (I've actually seen it done, looks awesome!)

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Yanagi
make a case of glass, pour distilled water in it and install your mobo, cpu and everything along with the fans (I've actually seen it done, looks awesome!)

Uh.... oury-ay antsp-ay are on iref-ay.

 

[yhelothar]

No, distilled water will short out the system.
They used mineral oil.

 

[dudeman007]

A fish chopper

 

[Kenazo]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
No, distilled water will short out the system.
They used mineral oil.

Though really distilled water doesn't conduct electricity all that well.

 

[DeeKnow]

Originally posted by: Yanagi
make a case of glass, pour distilled water in it and install your mobo, cpu and everything along with the fans (I've actually seen it done, looks awesome!)

you're kidding, right ???

 

[Safeway]

"all that well" is too good. Mineral oil or that special 3M supoer thermal conductive, 0 electrically conductive, stuff.

 

[ZZDMAN]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Got it! A workout tank for your goldfish! :Q

LOL
more like a death tank for ur goldfish (they might swim into the fan and die)

 

[Chronoshock]

Case fans are meant to run under very low drag so I imagine having them churn through water will put a lot of strain on the motor and kill it pretty quickly.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: amdguy
i have a few old 80MM fans and decided to mess around with it. I placed it in a empty ice cream container, powered it on and to my amazement, it works!! It has been running for a few hours submerged now..

interesting, i thought it would short or something, maybe u watercooling guys can think of some good use for this

That's ... pretty funky. I'm with the guys that said that shouldn't work. I guess it must have some sort of sealed bearing assembly or something.

Can you post what the brand/model is? Maybe some of us want to "try that at home", Mr. Wizard.

 

[amdguy]

heh..i ran it for about 4 hours yesterday. I unplugged it as i am afraid of shorting something and causing a fire. When i get back from work i'll plug it in again.

yes the fans turn quiet slowly in water and its a 7000RPM fan.

btw..i dropped a few drops of water on a old computer's mobo while turned on and it didn't short it lol

 

[mobobuff]

Slap an air filter on it and you're gold. Fish that is.

 

[Polishwonder74]

Are you %$#@ SERIOUS???

OMFG, when I get out of school and get a real job, I am going to make a fishtank computer!!! I'll fill up a fishtank with all the normal stuff (little stones in the bottom, some bubble machines, a little diver guy with the big metal helmet, pirate treasure, lights, the WORKS!!) and distilled water!! I'll bet you wouldn't even NEED a CPU fan! Hell, hook the water up to a refirgerator, or run a hose outside and back in during the winter and I'll bet you'd have a silent computer that looks hillarious!!

I got a lot of good ideas, trouble is, most of them suck
--G. Carlin

 

[WebDude]

I don't think it will burn out all that soon. Yes, you're putting a heavy load on it, something it was not designed for. But motors usually burn out because the heavy load creates heat, and the heat kills them. In this case the water will prevent the heat from building up. You might put a thermometer in the water and see how fast the temp climbs.

I believe these fans are brushless DC motors. If it were the brush type I think the brushes would wear out more quickly in water. What might give out are the bearings. Whether the bushing type or ball bearing, I doubt they are water sealed. It wouldn't be that hard to engineer one of these fans to work well in water. But you'ld probably want a good reason to do that before you invest the time in it.

 

[Davegod]

Somehow the OP reminded me of my friend telling me he was lying in semi-darkness, when his eye caught on the replacement lightbulb, which he stood up and grabbed. he caught himself with his hands an inch away from the socket, and was feeling a bit concerned as he sat back down in the bathtub.