Subzero Watercooling.

[ArtoriasEdgeworth]

Good evening. I've got an issue. I live in the frigid north and would like to watercool my system. My room hovers at about -20C in the winter. Basement rooms are just dandy, aren't they. I'm curious to know if my custom watercooling loop will freeze itself apart.

[Bananasplit_00]

add anti freeze and it should be fine, just make sure that it wont corode anything like tubeing or the O-rings first  

[suchamoneypit]

Well the temp is below freezing, so yes, it would definetly freeze. Maybe not a ton if the water moves very fast, but it would probably become like a slushy, be a general mess; and if you turned off your PC it freeze solid very quickly. Condensation would be a big problem.

 

Why would you want to watercool it if ambient is already -20C? And what the hell do you wear when your using your PC lol. I picture you if full antartic gear, with huge mittens trying to use your PC. "Okay I played for 10 minutes now for a 15 minute break to warm my fingers".

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, ArtoriasEdgeworth said:

Good evening. I've got an issue. I live in the frigid north and would like to watercool my system. My room hovers at about -20C in the winter. Basement rooms are just dandy, aren't they. I'm curious to know if my custom watercooling loop will freeze itself apart.

Put in a heater for that area your going to have issues with not only freezing the fluid but condensation from sub ambient temps and the components. 

[SpaceGhostC2C]

8 minutes ago, W-L said:

Put in a heater for that area your going to have issues with not only freezing the fluid but condensation from sub ambient temps and the components. 

I don't think he'll be able to get any component below -20, so sub-ambient temps it's unlikely to be an issue for him  

[W-L]

1 minute ago, SpaceGhostC2C said:

I don't think he'll be able to get any component below -20, so sub-ambient temps it's unlikely to be an issue for him  

It will condensate, if the ambient temps are below freezing very readily. 

[Dash Lambda]

Do you use your computer in full thermal gear?

[SpaceGhostC2C]

23 minutes ago, W-L said:

It will condensate, if the ambient temps are below freezing very readily. 

Yes, I was just referring to the sub ambient part, I think you meant sub-zero instead

 

However, it is worth noting condensation will happen with or without a PC. The problem of running a PC isn't condensation of existing humidity, as the air will be very dry at -20. The problem is evaporation induced by the PC's heat, locally increasing the air humidity, which will then condensate back as soon as it gets a little further from the heat source. Hence, condensation will be an issue unless you can keep the whole PC (especially the case) warmer than the steam produced by the PC (I'd love to see that steamy PC though ).

[xgn]

2 hours ago, Dash Lambda said:

Do you use your computer in full thermal gear?

That would be awesome