Air Conditioning

[Banditman]

What do you guys know or think about computer case air conditioning? I have searched and found 2 models but no price info.

[Quakindude]

A good water-cooling rig is less expensive and performs better in the "Bang-for-your-buck" category. It sounds like a good idea and effectively, it is for what it is. But for outright performance, water-cooling done right will reach better overclocks and not subject your rig to the possibilities of condensation.

That's MHO on it.

[pc_guy]

If the case used a true air conditioning unit to cool the inside, wouldn't there have to be some kind of exhaust pipe for the hot air? I don't think a true air conditioned computer is possible (practical), unless you mount it on your window sill like a regular air conditioner.

I have seen refrigerated units that basically are a computer mounted on top of a portable refrigerator. Giving sub-zero temps on the CPU, they are an overclockers dream.

[Capper]

there are actually a couple cases, which are pretty highly rated....but it just isn't cost effective to use it. I've gotten to the point where I typically don't even recommend W/C kits as the non-Prescott processors O/C very well with good air

[Banditman]

I have thought about water cooling but an just too afraid of leaks. I am on a tight budget and can't afford to fry my system.

You would have to have a fan in the rear paired with PSU fans to vent hot air, that is a given. I don't think condensation would be a problem if you kept the air temp to around 40 deg. I was just wondering abount the idea of taking and old refrig apart and somehow incorporating the cooling system in a pc case.

I have also thought about taking the wall apart and taking some PVC through a drilled hole in the 2x4 into the attic for the vented air and doing the same for the intake but running it through the floor in the wall to pull cold air from under our house (pier and beam house). Then cutting 2 holes in sheetrock/paneling to run the PVC to the PC case. Finally installing a high rpm fan (inside) both the intake and exahust pipes for semiquiet operation.

What do you guys think?

Edit: Whith the Zalman CPU cooler, the 4000+ runs at 32 to 38 deg idle and never above 48 loaded unless it needs cleaning. I am trying to compensate for the new 7800 gs video card and the heat it will produce. I already have one 120mm fan in front bottom pulling air in, 2 100mm fans on side pulling air in, 1 120mm fan in rear for exahust as well as 2 100mm fans in PSU pulling air out. If I can get colder air in the case, the Zalman will keep my CPU colder so I could overclock it a little as well as video card (SAFELY). My mobo has options that allow overclocking of the memory bus as well as AGP buses. Too scared to play with those settings at this time.

[polobunny]

Condensation will be a problem, trust me.
At the moment, my CPU at 1.4v does 41C full load. I'm with el cheapo thermal paste and a Thermaltake Big Typhoon, so i'm sure you can do something about it. ;D

[pc_guy]

It sound like a lot of trouble to cool a regular system. What's wrong with the current cooling? The 3800+ I'm running is getting 35C (44C full load). with the stock AMD cooler, with a good Zalman cooler, I could probably lower it by a few more degrees.
Your system doesn't seem to run that hot, and I personally don't see the point of going through so much trouble to cool it unless you are OC'ing it a lot.

[Quakindude]

The venting through the house would probably do a better job of it. However, depending on your location, the summer months would prove to be worthless in this regard. Also, it would restrict your PC's location to one spot.

There is a least one case with actual refrigeration. Maximum PC magazine did a review on it. For $300 though, that's one heck of a noisy way to cool your PC.

Like Capper said above, if you were running a Core2Duo, air is all you need. But if you plan on keeping that AMD CPU in your sig, then it's up to you on how much that case is worth.

Me personally, I wouldn't worry about refrigerators or refrig PC Cases. I'd overcome your fear of water-cooling, it's come a very long way, and for $300, you could be doing a hell of a lot better than any refrig hack job or the refrigerated case.

But hey, prove us all wrong and come up with something exotic. The limit to PC cooling is only controlled by your wallet and imagination.

[polobunny]

Originally Posted by Quakindude

The venting through the house would probably do a better job of it. However, depending on your location, the summer months would prove to be worthless in this regard. Also, it would restrict your PC's location to one spot.

There is a least one case with actual refrigeration. Maximum PC magazine did a review on it. For $300 though, that's one heck of a noisy way to cool your PC.

Like Capper said above, if you were running a Core2Duo, air is all you need. But if you plan on keeping that AMD CPU in your sig, then it's up to you on how much that case is worth.

Me personally, I wouldn't worry about refrigerators or refrig PC Cases. I'd overcome your fear of water-cooling, it's come a very long way, and for $300, you could be doing a hell of a lot better than any refrig hack job or the refrigerated case.

But hey, prove us all wrong and come up with something exotic. The limit to PC cooling is only controlled by your wallet and imagination.

Huh.... AMD64s don't heat that much either. I'm sure his air cooling setup could be fine tuned to give better results. Going watercooling is a fun experience, and as much as I want to run one again in my rig the wallet stops me. I would get only a few degrees of, almost nothing compared to my current air cooling system for $300.

[Banditman]

Originally Posted by pc_guy

It sound like a lot of trouble to cool a regular system. What's wrong with the current cooling? The 3800+ I'm running is getting 35C (44C full load). with the stock AMD cooler, with a good Zalman cooler, I could probably lower it by a few more degrees.
Your system doesn't seem to run that hot, and I personally don't see the point of going through so much trouble to cool it unless you are OC'ing it a lot.

No it is not a problem right now. But I would like to experiment with overclocking but want to be sure that I have the cooling nessesary to boot. Besides, the whole PVC idea might be a fun project!!..lol Thought about installing 2 Tornado fans in intake and exhaust inside the wall and just splice the wires and extend them through the PVC itself and through the case with the connectors outside the case so they can be disconected with the PVC from case. That setup seems like it would force alot of air into and out of the case. With the fans being inside the wall with the insulation around them, it shouldn't be too noisy. It is just a fun cooling mod that I pulled out of my brain.