Computer in hot garage.

[toadpad]

I am installing a computer/ small server in a garage. It will be subject to temperatures between 50* F and 110* F. It will be left running 24 hours a day. It will record video to a hard drive often, and be accessed over the internet rarely.

What can I do to keep the computer cool? Without spending lots of money$?

[Scott]

Lots of case fans. If you do not have a hole in the top of its case you may want to make on for a fan.

[AJ.]

Get the biggest most powerful fan(s) you can fit in your case. Since you probably won't care about the noise the fans make your options are pretty open.

[ghidora]

What do you mean by "lots of money"??? The term is relative. To some $100 is a lot, while others may think that is a drop in the bucket.

In any event, you could try to obtain a small AC unit (either used or new) and pipe the cold air right into the case, then you won't need so many fans and the system will run much cooler than with only fans. It may even lengthen the lifespan of the machine. ;)

[toadpad]

Assuming that I install several fans, will the computer be ok in 110* weather? Or am I required to cool it with an air conditioner?

[Miker]

Some parts of your PC run at 200f +. 110f wont really be bad, just make sure you have good airflow and lots of fans.

[joz]

As OP's have said (lots of fans)
but to keep something cool in that kinda heat.....
you can also try tec cooler, compressor, biggest heatsink you can find, etc...

[bobletman]

Get a massive vacuum cleaner and reverse it from suck to blow. :smile: Nahh im just kidding just get lots of case fanse or just get rid of the side panel of the case all together and have a nice fan blowing on it.

[Andrew1990]

Maybe water cooling? "or" you could submerge your case in oil...... :ahhhhh:

[toadpad]

Maybe water cooling?
This would be great but I don't want to spend $200+ on cooling.

You could submerge your case in oil......
Interesting, would oil move heat away faster than a standard fan/heat sink?

[NoRest4wkd]

If you have any other option instead of putting it in a garage, do it. Otherwise, invest in a small air conditioning unit. Unless you can cool the air around the computer, regardless of how many fans it has installed, it's still going to get really hot. All you'll end up doing with a bunch of internal fans is recirculate hot air through the unit.

What's the server for anyway - a security system? As I see it, one of the main problems here is that your hard drive could fail because of the heat, effectively wiping out any video recorded to it. If you can explain what you're trying to accomplish, maybe we can provide better suggestions...

[PP Mguire]

What are the system specs? Depending on what the parts are and im guessing your not OCing just proper airflow with some good fans will be good.

Oh and dont mount an AC unit to it. Im sure he was just kidding cause that + lots of heat will cause lots of condinsation meaning fried computer later on.

[peti1212]

Well here is my garage experience. My dad had an old system in the garage for about a few months. The computer went through a bunch of 5C air to maybe up to 40C. A few months later the hard drive failed. I don't know if it is the temperature or if the hard drive was bad.

[ghidora]

What are the system specs? Depending on what the parts are and im guessing your not OCing just proper airflow with some good fans will be good.

Oh and dont mount an AC unit to it. Im sure he was just kidding cause that + lots of heat will cause lots of condinsation meaning fried computer later on.

No, I wasn't. The condensation is taken out by the heat exchange in the AC unit, that's why the unit drips water outside your window. You won't get any on the parts.

AC units are not just air coolers. They lower the humidity. The cold air coming out of the unit is dry.

If what you said was the case, every PC in a house with AC would collect water.

A few years back, there was someone on this board who actually did what I am suggesting and it worked great for him. I don't remember who it was or if the thread survived the many forum changes.

[sushrukh]

Better invest in a good ( well ventilated ) case that supports side and/or top 250mm fans.Install two 250mm fans (top & side),two 120mm fans on front (Drawing air into the case) & rear (Exhausting hot air) & you should be ok.

[PP Mguire]

If what you said was the case, every PC in a house with AC would collect water.

A few years back, there was someone on this board who actually did what I am suggesting and it worked great for him. I don't remember who it was or if the thread survived the many forum changes.
__________________Yea but in a house the temp is controled from insulation and a thermostat. Its like pouring cold soda into a glass in a warm room. If the parts are hot and you start putting cold air on them it will create condensation because of the hot air mixing with the warm air. Now if you mean putting just an AC in the garage to cool the ambient temps well thats fine. But i thought you meant directly putting an AC unit on his PC and the cold air blowing right on his parts.

[Xero (1)ne]

Take all of the fans out except for the cpu fan and take hte side pannel off of it and put a box fan against it. :icon_tiphat:

[joz]

Take all of the fans out except for the cpu fan and take hte side pannel off of it and put a box fan against it. :icon_tiphat:
Been there, done that, dint work to well /w stock intel cooler.

might work well with thermaltake V though,

[PP Mguire]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/pp_mguire/Cars%20and%20PCs/100_0670.jpg

I didnt take my fans out but works for me.

[ghidora]

Yea but in a house the temp is controled from insulation and a thermostat. Its like pouring cold soda into a glass in a warm room. If the parts are hot and you start putting cold air on them it will create condensation because of the hot air mixing with the warm air. Now if you mean putting just an AC in the garage to cool the ambient temps well thats fine. But i thought you meant directly putting an AC unit on his PC and the cold air blowing right on his parts.

Yes, pouring cold soda in a glass and exposing it to warm moist air causes condensation. Exposing hot parts to cool dry air does not. It's simple physics.

As I said before, AC units remove the moisture from the air (dehumidifying it). And I did mean piping the cold "DRY" air directly into the hot system.

[Arctic88]

My AC sits about 3 feet away from my computer, blows at the closed side of my case. My temps get pretty low.. 24 C idle. Hopefully won't have any issues and i agree with ghidora that its all dry air, so I am not very worried.

[PP Mguire]

The warm air in the garage isnt though. Come here to Texas, get in my friends garage where i currently have my car (Do this in July when its the warmest) point a window unit at your PC and see if condensation dosent form on your parts. The AC may be sucking the hot air in and blowing cold dry air out but unless he vents that hot air being released outside his garage will only get hotter.

Also, a window unit is probably way over his budget and getting a good water cooling setup would be cheaper.

[PP Mguire]

Roflcopter, im an idiot i apologize. I got that backwards. Condensation occurs when something is below the ambient temp. *facepalm.jpg*

[ghidora]

I got that backwards. Condensation occurs when something is below the ambient temp. *facepalm.jpg*

Ah, finally, you now understand what I am saying. ;)

[MtDew]

I think that water cooling will be the best answer. Here is my reason why. Being this computer will be out in the garage, it will be subjected to not only temperture extremes but also the any dust that will be carried in when the garage door is open. Unless you are planning on putting filters on each fan that is blowing in, you could be causing the case to fill with dust. This will happen very quickly and could bake itself.

I really think that it would be cheaper in the long run to place the CPU in the house and extend the cable to the camera. This may not work though if you are planning on using a USB camera without using a USB extender hub. Here is a link to one that I have seen on Newegg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812101157

This uses inexpensive Cat 5 and can extend you USB up to 150ft.


Thoughts....

[joz]

water cooling wont work that well in a realy hot enviroment, unless the radiator and pump are on 24/7(while the garage is hot) your just gona get a bunch of hot water going through the system when you start it up, and prob wont work to well like that. However, what you could do, is hook it right up to a garden hose, and have the output in the garden or something. garden hose water is nice and cold once all the above ground flows out.

[srpeters18]

Yeah, going through a few gallons per minute would be soooo cost effective.

[joz]

Yeah, going through a few gallons per minute would be soooo cost effective.
man, i cant belive I forgot about that lol.

my garden hose is pumped from a lake.

[tyle6]

LOL. Same here I am on a private well. I always forget my boss's hose on and he snaps. To me its just running back to where it came from, to him its cash out of his pocket. Damn, I would hate to have to pay for water.

[PP Mguire]

Yea i gots a well too. But then what you have to worry about is the pressure inside your well tank. If you leave a hose on to long you start to drop pressure and your toilets and sinks inside the house start to act up. Also, when on a well if your power goes out your screwed!! Still nice thing though that we have. Id rather drink my tap water then drink bottled or city water any day.