Potential issue with "Whole Room Watercooling"

[atomiku]

Please, please, please, tell me if I'm being an idiot, but my understanding of thermodynamics tells me I'm not, for whatever that means.

 

When I was first getting into computers, I had an ambition to strip an old mini fridge of it's cooling components and then rig up a computer that was cooled with refrigerants, thereby achieving otherwise impossible temperatures, but after months of fantasizing about it, I mentioned it to a friend who directed me to a page that explained the issues with it, mainly, that by having liquid in the tubes/pipes in my computer that was cooler than the ambient temperature, I'd be opening myself to the potential for condensation to form on them inside my computer, which could drip off and then damage my components. I quickly scrapped my ideas and am now happy with my H100i.

 

But this all came back to my mind recently when watching the first video about LMG's whole room watercooling project. I know Canada is known for it's pretty cold winters, hell, even here in the midwest US (pretty far south from where Linus is) our winters can see nights that drop to below -50 degrees F. So what should happen, if while moving through the outside radiators, the liquid cools down to temperatures below that of ambient inside the building? Would condensation not form on the piping, which would drip, thereby potentially ruining their extremely expensive rigs? 

 

Perhaps they have some plan in place for reheating the liquid to ambient when it comes back into the house, so that the component heat is left outside, but the water isn't too cold when it gets back to the components, but they haven't mentioned anything along those lines.

 

So I don't know, perhaps I am crazy, and I kind of hope I am, but is this not a potential outcome here? 

[BurgerBum]

Please, please, please, tell me if I'm being an idiot, but my understanding of thermodynamics tells me I'm not, for whatever that means.

 

When I was first getting into computers, I had an ambition to strip an old mini fridge of it's cooling components and then rig up a computer that was cooled with refrigerants, thereby achieving otherwise impossible temperatures, but after months of fantasizing about it, I mentioned it to a friend who directed me to a page that explained the issues with it, mainly, that by having liquid in the tubes/pipes in my computer that was cooler than the ambient temperature, I'd be opening myself to the potential for condensation to form on them inside my computer, which could drip off and then damage my components. I quickly scrapped my ideas and am now happy with my H100i.

 

But this all came back to my mind recently when watching the first video about LMG's whole room watercooling project. I know Canada is known for it's pretty cold winters, hell, even here in the midwest US (pretty far south from where Linus is) our winters can see nights that drop to below -50 degrees F. So what should happen, if while moving through the outside radiators, the liquid cools down to temperatures below that of ambient inside the building? Would condensation not form on the piping, which would drip, thereby potentially ruining their extremely expensive rigs? 

 

Perhaps they have some plan in place for reheating the liquid to ambient when it comes back into the house, so that the component heat is left outside, but the water isn't too cold when it gets back to the components, but they haven't mentioned anything along those lines.

 

So I don't know, perhaps I am crazy, and I kind of hope I am, but is this not a potential outcome here? 

idk what they got, but its covering it. dun wurry. someone like linus wouldnt over look that. >_<

 

also tis beenrunning for months no problem now. so dun wury.

[Jerakl]

Would be cycling through to quickly to go through such a drastic temperature change.

Not to mention such a Large quantity of liquid would require A LOT of energy to cool down that much.

[Glenwing]

In a water cooling loop, the water cycles quite fast.  It's not like it goes through the tubing warm, leaves the house, gets chilled to below room temperature while outside, and then re-enters the room.  The entire loop is basically the same water temperature, and with the heat from 5 high-end workstation this probably won't be an issue for the entire loop sitting below zero all the time.

[BurgerBum]

Would be cycling through to quickly to go through such a drastic temperature change.

Not to mention such a Large quantity of liquid would require A LOT of energy to cool down that much.

well, they have enough of a radiator setup to be that strong. however the heat from the computers alone is enough to combat it.

[Imabigmac]

Well if they kept them running the heat would keep the loop above freezing. - It doesn't get that cold on the West Coast. We might see a stretch of weather going as low as -5 © and at the extreme -10, © but it would only be like that for a day or two. 

[Picklenuttz]

You must not be very familiar with this part of Canada... Cold isn't a problem in the Lower Mainland.

[BurgerBum]

In a water cooling loop, the water cycles quite fast.  It's not like it goes through the tubing warm, leaves the house, gets chilled to below room temperature while outside, and then re-enters the room.  The entire loop is basically the same water temperature, and with the heat from 5 high-end workstation this probably won't be an issue for the entire loop sitting below zero all the time..

^^^ this shit is smart and it reminded of either barnacules or jayztwocents talking about fluid dynamics. ^^^

[Jerakl]

well, they have enough of a radiator setup to be that strong. however the heat from the computers alone is enough to combat it.

Wait. I don't think it gets that cold in Vancouver.

[atomiku]

Okay, so my takeaway is, I'm not nuts, it's just not as big of a deal as I made it out to be?

 

I'm hoping they don't run into any issues, I was just concerned. 

[BurgerBum]

Wait. I don't think it gets that cold in Vancouver.

im sayin in the even of it ever snowing... (i always look at worst case senerio... it can only get better. )

[LamboLaddy]

You must not be very familiar with this part of Canada... Cold isn't a problem in the Lower Mainland.

Eh, what? Where you from that cold isn't an issue? Probably Toronto, I remember when my uncle called freaking out one day that it was -15 degrees Celsius outside

[Picklenuttz]

@LamboLaddy

 

Um.....as you can see i live in Vancouver...

[BurgerBum]

Eh, what? Where you from that cold isn't an issue? Probably Toronto, I remember when my uncle called freaking out one day that it was -15 degrees Celsius outside

oregon and candaian climate are pretty much the same.

coldest its ever gotten in the past five years here is -2

average winter is around +12 or above. farenhireght

[Ryoku]

You must not be very familiar with this part of Canada... Cold isn't a problem in the Lower Mainland.

Wait. I don't think it gets that cold in Vancouver.

 

It doesn't get very cold in Vancouver, It rains in the winter time there.  Now If they lived Here in northern Alberta they'd have issues where the outside temp can reach -50C (usually doesn't get that cold but it can).

[Jerakl]

It doesn't get very cold in Vancouver, It rains in the winter time there.  Now If they lived Here in northern Alberta they'd have issues where the outside temp can reach -50C (usually doesn't get that cold but it can).

>Lives in Edmonton

[Trik'Stari]

Just a thought.

 

 

For the refrigerator case, couldn't you just use a powerful desiccant or dehumidifier to combat condensation? Perhaps coupled with some kind of absorbent wrapping around the tubing?

 

 

Just a thought. or keep the system at such a low temperature that water can't form inside the box, just ice?

 

OR...

 

Use an air cooler inside the refrigerator and keep the temp excessively cold?

[BurgerBum]

>Lives in Edmonton

>lives in my room and never elaves it

[LamboLaddy]

@LamboLaddy

 

Um.....as you can see i live in Vancouver...

So you're not actually from the mainland.

 

oregon and candaian climate are pretty much the same.

coldest its ever gotten in the past five years here is -2

average winter is around +12 or above. farenhireght

You're joking right? I'm from Winnipeg mate, it's only about -15 outside right now (winters being a real slouch so far this year) but the temperature here this time of year will easily break -30 degrees Celsius in the winter, I've seen it drop below -50 consistently come January and February.

[Picklenuttz]

So you're not actually from the mainland.

 

 

Are you smoking something? 

 

Google Lower Mainland .... here i'll help ya. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Mainland

[LamboLaddy]

Are you smoking something? 

 

Google Lower Mainland .... here i'll help ya. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Mainland

Apparently I am, shame since I was so good in Geography, I had Victoria and Vancouver mixed up, I am so sorry.