A question about water cooling in winter

[Chiyawa]

Hi,

 

I've always curious what will happen to your water in your water-cooling build, be it custom loop or AIO.

 

1st. Will the water freeze in your radiator and reservoir (provided that you forget to switch on the heater in your room while you're away)?

2nd. Will it begin to condense along the pipe when you're stressing your PC if your room is too cold?

3rd. Do you normally add anti-freeze to your liquid in winter?

 

This question has been in my mind since at 1 night, I dreamed that my room was freezing because the heater was broken and for some strange reason my system is water-cooled (and also Elsa from the animated movie Frozen was in there for no apparent reason). I know it's just a dream and there's no way this can happen, but I do wonder, do any of you encountered or try using your water-cooled PC in freezing environment?

 

Regards,

Chiyawa

[JohnnyCowboy_21]

The water can freeze, yes, but it has to get cold enough for long enough, which in a home is unlikely, as for the other two questions, I dont know, im a water cooling noob, i also cant speak for the special coolant liquids that are sold

[Demonic Donut]

1: only if your room gets below the freezing point of the liquid in the loop.

 

2: No, because the tubing will not get sub ambient and below dew point. Plus when you stress your system it will warm the loop above room temp.

 

Edit: you could theoretically get condensation if your room (and pc) were very cold and you raised the temperature of the air in the room a lot and very quickly. Leave something outside in the cold then bring it into a warm room and this can happen. This happens to your glasses (if you wear them) sometimes in the winter.

 

3: only add antifreeze if you expect to go below 32F/0C. Antifreeze lowers the water's ability to transfer heat.

[Blue4130]

6 minutes ago, Chiyawa said:

Hi,

 

I've always curious what will happen to your water in your water-cooling build, be it custom loop or AIO.

 

1st. Will the water freeze in your radiator and reservoir (provided that you forget to switch on the heater in your room while you're away)?

2nd. Will it begin to condense along the pipe when you're stressing your PC if your room is too cold?

3rd. Do you normally add anti-freeze to your liquid in winter?

 

This question has been in my mind since at 1 night, I dreamed that my room was freezing because the heater was broken and for some strange reason my system is water-cooled (and also Elsa from the animated movie Frozen was in there for no apparent reason). I know it's just a dream and there's no way this can happen, but I do wonder, do any of you encountered or try using your water-cooled PC in freezing environment?

 

Regards,

Chiyawa

The coolants are basically antifreeze. BUT if your house is that cold, you have other issues, such as the house waterpipes freezing/death. (common in rural Canada)

[HanZie82]

Most of the times an AIO has more in it then just water.
Chances are it will stay liquid under 0 degrees. (Celsius ofcourse)
But if your room gets to that low temp you have other troubles.

 

Condensation is all about dew points.
You can read up on it here as its to much to explain. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/condensation/

 

As for question 3 i dont personally own any water-cooling, as its superfluous and useless for most systems.
Its only for ascetics or if you like making a custom loop the work itself.

I have however fixed many water-loop of people that thought they needed it.

[CWALD]

As others have said, if the ambient temperature in your room is bellow freezing then you have other problems to contend with. If on the other hand you were to take your system out onto a frozen lake while ice fishing or something, then I would say that an air cooler would be the way to go. At those temps even a basic air cooler would preform really well.  

 

[thrasher_565]

ocing time????