WILL THIS WORK ???????

[ripper7]

Just wondering if this will work. I have a few questions so please let me know your opinions and/or expertise.
How about a totally enclosed tower stuck in a freezer? The enclosure could be 1/4" plexiglass or similar, totally sealed with silicone, as well as the holes needed for cord pass through. Holes in the freezer would also be sealed with silicone.
Questions... 1. Will the computer even work with no air?
2. Will condensation form inside, possibly frying the CPU and MB?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Peter D]

Condensation is gunna be present if you do that..

EDIT: Do you mean you want to put the computer in the freezer and rely on the cold air to cool the CPU or would you also have a CPU cooler?

 

[User1001]

I can't remember but there was some site that provided instructions for insulating to avoid condensation.

 

[ToxicWaste]

Will it work without air? Is that a joke?

1) They don't breath so they don't need "fresh air"
2) They do need air, because that is how heat is removed from the cpu and other components.
3) Freezers don't suddenly evacuate all the air inside when you close the door.

Assuming you can control condensation, there is absolutely no reason you couldn't modify and old freezer and put a pc inside.

I'm not sure how much of a problem condensation would be. If you just start out with a dry environment inside the freezer. The entire PC would be contained inside the environment, so relatively speaking, it would be at a uniform (and cold) temperature.

So, I say, dry out your freezer, get a few huge bags of dessicant and give it a whirl.

Let us know if anything shorts our or not...

 

[Ness]

We'll let you be the first to do this.


Seriously man, if someone wanted to bad enough, they would... but you have to consider that even the fastest processors have been OCed to hell and back and are still easily cooled.

So, if you want to spend a few hundred on a fridge, cut some holes in it to run your cables to and drop down the money to build the enclosure for it, that's fine.

 

[mechBgon]

I don't think you want to refrigerate your hard drive. They're not made for low-temperature operation, and when you get a drive that's been in a cold environment, such as a FedEx truck in winter, you're supposed to let it acclimate for a certain number of hours or days, depending on the temperature differential (yes really). Condensation on the platters... NOT good. The benefit-to-risk ratio ain't lookin' too high here.

 

[EeyoreX]

Computer's have been built in mini-fridges before. Maximum PC had a "Rig of the Month" that was built in a mini-fridge at some point. I'd wager Google will be helpfull too. Not sure about freezers though.

I'm not sure how much of a problem condensation would be. If you just start out with a dry environment inside the freezer. The entire PC would be contained inside the environment, so relatively speaking, it would be at a uniform (and cold) temperature.

Condensation would be a serious problem. Serious to worry about, though I am not sure how serious the condensation would actually be. It doesn't matter that everything starts in the "dry" interior of the fridge. Since the air in the freezer would be cold, and the CPU would still be hot, that is where the condensation comes from. Since, as you mentioned, the computer in the freezer is not in a vacuum, condensation will likely form and needs to be defended against.

\Dan

 

[sodcha0s]

Condensation would be a serious problem. Serious to worry about, though I am not sure how serious the condensation would actually be. It doesn't matter that everything starts in the "dry" interior of the fridge. Since the air in the freezer would be cold, and the CPU would still be hot, that is where the condensation comes from. Since, as you mentioned, the computer in the freezer is not in a vacuum, condensation will likely form and needs to be defended against.

Not exactly true. Heat itself does not produce moisture, however warm air is able to hold more moisture than cool air.

Dehumidification is a natural by-product of refrigeration/ air conditioning. When you install the PC in the freezer just do it when the freezer is off and the inside is at room temp. Close and seal the door and make sure all the holes are airtight. Turn onj the freezer and let it run for say 24 hrs. or so before turning the PC on. There is no need to put the PC in a case inside the freezer, it won't make any difference. But if you do it this way you shouldn't have any problems with condensation, because the evaporator of the freezer will have pulled all the moisture out of the air. Just remember, it MUST be airtight!

Now, I can't say whether you CPU fan will like those kind of temps, but moisture won't be a problem.

 

[KF]

Yes its been done, but they don't even have the computer in a case, since it doesn't help anything. As has been said, refrigerators/freezers have already been dealing with possible condensation since self-defrosting and frostless versions have been around, which is probably before you were born, and you probably have never seen a refigerator that isn't frostless. There are some freezers-only that are not self-defrosting.

The problem is going to be that refrigerators are high efficiency, which is achieved by having a very low ability to remove heat per hour. Nothing in the refrigerator generates heat, so having the refrigerator on long enough is sufficient to cool the stuff inside down. Computers generate a lot of heat, so it will probably get warmer and warmer in the refrig even while it is running, if there is a computer inside. What people have done is to get the refrig cold first and then put the computer equipment in. They try to OC until it warms up inside. Air conditioners OTOH do remove a lot heat.