COOL carputer with AC?

eduardovdr · 05-21-2005, 09:44 PM

Hi,

I have been investigating through this forum and cant find any member who is cooling his/her caputer using the AC car system, am I wrong?

Im from SPain and summer is about to start... and this summer is said to be the hottest summer in 60 years more or less... so i better find a better way of cooling down my carputer.

So, is there anyone who has done it with positive results?

Thank you all

bergeron76 · 05-21-2005, 10:03 PM

What kind of humidity to you have in Spain? If you're in an area where the humidity is high, you should be careful when forcing cold air onto the hot computer compents. Moisture could accumulate, and damange the mainboard, the support components, etc.

I'd be incredibly impressed to see a water cooled CPU that uses the vehicle's cooling system (antifreeze), pumped through it.

The hard part is the tubing, the pumps, and running it all back to the trunk. I say trunk, because if you can put it in your dashboard, you're probably running an embedded system and not maxing out an overpowered CPU.

numbers · 05-21-2005, 10:27 PM

Humidity shouldn't present a problem. The great thing about a/c is that the moisture is removed from the air as it is cooled. If it didn't, you'd have one hell of a time defogging your windshield.

I have seen designs for a watercooling setup that used a radiator mounted up by the engine radiator. I don't know if it was ever built though.

-zip- · 05-21-2005, 10:39 PM

I cool my lilli with the A/C

justintime · 05-21-2005, 11:03 PM

So what do you do in winter? I assume you would have no choice but to pump HEAT to it?!?!

Quote: Originally Posted by -zip-

I cool my lilli with the A/C

bergeron76 · 05-22-2005, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Humidity shouldn't present a problem. The great thing about a/c is that the moisture is removed from the air as it is cooled. If it didn't, you'd have one hell of a time defogging your windshield.

Not necessarily true. Humidity forms when there is an extreme difference between temperatures and there is moisture in the air. If your carputer is in the trunk, and if it's hot (with high humidity) back there, your carputer could develop moisture.

Of course, I was assuming that the original poster has a sedan/coupe and not a hatchback.

bergeron76 · 05-22-2005, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Humidity shouldn't present a problem. The great thing about a/c is that the moisture is removed from the air as it is cooled. If it didn't, you'd have one hell of a time defogging your windshield.

When you say that, you're assuming a closed environment. If you have your windows/sunroof open in a high humidity environment, your AC isn't going to "remove moisture". In fact, it's going to act as an accumulator and help it develop moisture. Try driving around in the Southeast USA (known for high humidity) with windows down and AC cranking - you'll quickly see water all over your AC vents.

The same thing would happen to your CPU/Mobo.

numbers · 05-22-2005, 01:29 AM

To be honest I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to say. The a/c system removes moisture from the air it cools and that's a fact.

KimaX · 05-22-2005, 01:35 AM

from what i can remember of my science classes, the accumulation of moisture is going to be dependent on the level of humidity. the difference in temperature will cause water droplets to form, which is related to the humidity level. i live in atlanta (which is pretty hot and humid) and when i blast my a/c during the summer, i don't get any kind of moisture in the car, but i can see water dripping from the exhaust pipe and from underneath the engine compartment (i assume its condensation from the compressor). so the amount of moisture you'll get in the cabin will be dependent on how humid it is in there.

kirbycope · 05-22-2005, 02:42 AM

The dew point is what your most concerned about. The closer the dew point temp and the actual temp are the more likely moisture is to form, i.e. humidity or the level of moisture in the air. So when its hotter the air contains more moisture and running AC with than amount will be asking to pour water on you compy. Sweat cools your body down and so does cold, denser air with a high dew point as AC run in the summer. I say no AC. Use an independent source, fans are used for their reliability and proven record. Want to get fancy? Use lighted water cooling an put it as a type of display like the car audio guys.

Cœur d'Arcy · 05-22-2005, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Try driving around in the Southeast USA

When I lived in Alabama (read: where all the Jerry Springer guests live), you'd often see the AC spitting moisture out due to humidity if you were on a good beat down I-65. Don't even ask what happens if youre in the bayous down in Louisiana.

From what I've been told about the climate in Spain from folks I know that went over there, it's a drier hot than Alabama. Probably similar to what Australia has (well, maybe not that dry). I mostly agree with kirbycope on this one; get some quiet fans and good copper heatsinks. Make sure the heatsinks have some thermal paste between them and the chips you're cooling to ensure efficient heat conduction as well. There are always the closed fluid systems for cooling too. And if you really, _really_ want to get into it, take a tip from a Kiwi.

xBrady · 05-22-2005, 04:25 AM

I can't remember who it was (must have been at least 9 months ago), but someone did this in a very ghetto fashion. They ran a thick plastic tube back to the back (yep right across everything).
My best protection for my computer in the summer is I underclock my CPU. If I don't it will just keep overheating and reset. I've got my 2600+ underclocked to 1800+ for the summer.

0l33l · 05-22-2005, 04:36 AM

1 word: peltiers.

justintime · 05-22-2005, 09:00 AM

Im being ignored!

Seriously though... when winter comes around, woudn't your HEAT start shooting down that same 'tube' or 'duct' or whatever you have placed next to the computer?

dmcdlrn · 05-22-2005, 09:55 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by bergeron76

I'd be incredibly impressed to see a water cooled CPU that uses the vehicle's cooling system (antifreeze), pumped through it.

Now I could be wrong, but your antifreeze is going to be a whole heck of alot hotter then your computer. Engines can run upwards of 220 F inside the cooling pockets. According to This Article optimal coolant temps range from 200 - 230 degrees. It also says that engines put out 5,000 F in the chambers which is devided up among HP, Coolant, Oil ...

If you want to cool your computer with ac, try This Thats a liquid cooling kit for your computer from tiger direct for 141... I'm sure there are others, cheaper, and others better... but you could put that unit inside an ac duct to cool the water pocket module, and that would pipe super cool water back to your cpu... I wouldn't mess with the humidity argument... its just plain too risky either way.

Well I felt I had to edit this as I took another look at that kit and the radiator would be kinda big to put in your ac duct...

but you could pipe the cold air through it or place the pump in your duct as it should be small enough, but you may over cool the pump causing it to fail prematurely. Youd definitely have to look further into it, but atleast I have offered my opinion. I have a laptop, so this unit wouldn't do me any good, and I havn't had problems with cooling yet.

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