Server water cooling.

[Shadow_Storm56]

So I have 2 servers, which are basically just 2 computer towers in a closet that are setup as servers, both are water cooled on 1 loops and this works well for temps. The only issue is the closet gets like...40c and I had the idea of having a radiator sitting on the roof with fans. What I don't know is if the coolant would freeze or get to cold at some times of year and cause condensation? also whare I would get waterproof fans and radiators that could be outdoors. Maybe it would be better to just leave it alone but I like to do some data processing like folding or boinc somtimes and it gets so hot in the closet that I almost cannot go in there. what do you guys/gals thinK?

[Electronics Wizardy]

You can do this, but its a huge pain in the butt. Look at the whole room water cooling project on ltt, your gonna run into lots of the same problems.

 

Id just get a little air conditioner, or a little custom evap cooler if you want want to pay for the compressor power. Then have a raditor in the room to cool the air. You can also just have a vent to pump air from outside in.

[themctipers]

just open the closet door.. or dont care. it'll stabalize at some point, and that point wont be over 45c.

[Shadow_Storm56]

2 hours ago, themctipers said:

just open the closet door.. or dont care. it'll stabalize at some point, and that point wont be over 45c.

Opening the door means all the heat goes into my bedroom. My 13000 btu floor a.c. is already working hard enough to keep the room cool so not good. 

2 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You can do this, but its a huge pain in the butt. Look at the whole room water cooling project on ltt, your gonna run into lots of the same problems.

 

Id just get a little air conditioner, or a little custom evap cooler if you want want to pay for the compressor power. Then have a raditor in the room to cool the air. You can also just have a vent to pump air from outside in.

Thanks for the advice but  I still wonder whare to get a fan and rad that  would be ok outside, if you know? See the closet has a blanket as a door so it keeps the heat in there but it leaks through and thus heats my room. I remember that experiment linus did which was cool but much more complicated than anything I would plan. 

[DocShay]

Need more information to help you - You never mentioned where you live or what temperatures it reaches at the low points.

 

Radiators are generally made from copper/brass and painted. I'd worry more about long term exposure to rain rusting/corroding them unless you shield them.

Depending how cold it gets, i'd worry about plastic fans becoming very brittle and breaking if they freeze.

Coolant, if you use an anti-freeze mix I wouldn't worry.

The big worry here is condensation IMO. How you would solve that, I do not know.

[AnonymousGuy]

My server room / mechanical room / laundry has gotten up to 49C.  Computer parts don't give a shit.  I was actually starting to wonder if the paint on the walls was going to fail but nope.

 

I would probably look into running the rads to another room, attic, or basement before the roof.  Outdoors adds a lot of difficulty.

 

Rads don't really give a shit about water on the outside.  I had mine submerged underwater for a few years and the outside cases rusted a bit (XSPC uses a really thin coat of paint) but the fins and such were fine because copper and brass doesn't really care much about being underwater.  I ended up repainting one of them and left all the rest alone and they're still in service today.

 

You'd have to run IP-57/62 (I'm going off the top of my head) fans to handle rain.  If you built a miniature shed to shield them from rain, you'd probably be able to get away with any fan but watch out for insects and waterproofing the power supply for the fans.

 

If it gets really cold where you live, you'd have to have some sort of quick disconnect system to move it indoors when it gets below the indoor dew point (dpcalc.org).

[Shadow_Storm56]

4 hours ago, DocShay said:

Need more information to help you - You never mentioned where you live or what temperatures it reaches at the low points.

 

Radiators are generally made from copper/brass and painted. I'd worry more about long term exposure to rain rusting/corroding them unless you shield them.

Depending how cold it gets, i'd worry about plastic fans becoming very brittle and breaking if they freeze.

Coolant, if you use an anti-freeze mix I wouldn't worry.

The big worry here is condensation IMO. How you would solve that, I do not know.

I'm in Canada so like..... temps get as high as 34c and as low as like..... -25c. I like the ide of piping to another room.