Oil Cooled PC. I'm going to do this.

[Trace]

Check this out!

http://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php


Over the years, we have seen many projects on the web that cooled a computer using common vegetable oil, including a very popular video by Tom's Hardware.

We felt that by building a computer in an aquarium using clear mineral oil, that we would be able to accomplish a much more attractive result, with less work. We were happy with the results!

We are pleased to present this page showing you the system we built, and giving you the information you need to make one of your own!


PtufuXLvOok

[Quakken]

Just remember to keep the hard drives and the DVD drives out of the liquid, and you'll be fine.

This has been on here before, and I would think that you could hook up a radiator and pump set up to to cycle all of the liquid (be it mineral oil or distilled water) continuously, and depending on how you do it I think that it could be very effective heat management (and you can tell your family and friends that you have your computer submerged in an aquarium).

[Trace]

I was going to use a huge rad and pump with it.

(I didn't see it but thanks)

Yep, DVD and HD must stay out lol

[crenn]

This idea isn't new. An australian magazine (Atomic) has done it before.

[Quakken]

But TCBS has never had a mod like this, If you have the resources I say DO IT. And post numbers, too like Air cooled vs oil cooled vs distilled water cooled. You could have big fanless coolers on all of your stuff, I am betting it would be very effective.

[halcyonforever]

Actually we do... I have one started, I have been loathe to post a work log because I am insanely slow (basically I get to buy 1 part a month).

I just set up a hosting page last night, so I will get something started today.

[Quakken]

Well, we have not had a completed one yet. I'll look at that worklog when you do it, halce!

[Trace]

I realize the idea isn't perfectly new, but tell me, wouldn't it be cool to say that you have a submerged computer?

I already choose the P.C. to start with. 900MHz AMD, 512MB Ram.
Now it's just a short matter of collecting materials and a short build and we should be done. :)

[halcyonforever]

Oh definately a cool idea... It is also one that hasn't been exlplored very deeply yet so there is lots of blue ocean for mods and ideas.

My mod will definately be long in comming. I've got the first round of supplies down (primary coolant vessel, auxilary coolant tanks, re-inforcing structure for hyperbolic natural draft cooling tower) but I pretty much only add 1 buy per month so my time line is right around a year.

I am anxious to see what your idea will be. I have pretty much only seen 2, the fishtank PC and the oil filled acrylic case.

[halcyonforever]

Well, we have not had a completed one yet. I'll look at that worklog when you do it, halce!

To be honsest, my largest hang up was finding someplace where I could post pictures and be able to do updates from work. (image hosting services all blocked).

I ended up building my own FTP server out of a spare computer with a dynamic DNS. Now I am not going to let that be my stumbling block any more.

The thing that I think is ironic is that this is kind of going full circle, early supercomputers were immersed to deal with the high temperature...

[crenn]

I realize the idea isn't perfectly new, but tell me, wouldn't it be cool to say that you have a submerged computer?

I already choose the P.C. to start with. 900MHz AMD, 512MB Ram.
Now it's just a short matter of collecting materials and a short build and we should be done. :)

It would be interesting. I'd recommend before you start that you clean all components before submerging them.

[Okele]

I didnt read through the whole thread, but a friend of mine and I did this last year right before vista came out(we had a hijacked copy of vista). It installed in around 45 minutes on a 800MHz CPU with 1gb of RAM.

Personally I think if all of us put our heads together we could get a prototype for a commercially viable way to cool our computers without the 3-400.00 expense of water cooling kits out these days. The problem we had was figuring out how to keep the oil in, after awhile the mineral oil started to degrade the compound we were using to seal up the fish tank we were using.

If there is enough circulation I personally think an overclock could get some pretty unique scores on 3dmark. Im sure there would also be a way to filter out the oil to keep it clean.

[Spawn-Inc]

I didnt read through the whole thread, but a friend of mine and I did this last year right before vista came out(we had a hijacked copy of vista). It installed in around 45 minutes on a 800MHz CPU with 1gb of RAM.

Personally I think if all of us put our heads together we could get a prototype for a commercially viable way to cool our computers without the 3-400.00 expense of water cooling kits out these days. The problem we had was figuring out how to keep the oil in, after awhile the mineral oil started to degrade the compound we were using to seal up the fish tank we were using.

If there is enough circulation I personally think an overclock could get some pretty unique scores on 3dmark. Im sure there would also be a way to filter out the oil to keep it clean.

no, i don't see that happening, dunking your system in oil is something only a few would do even if it was commercially available in kits for 100 and under. its to much of a mess to deal with, and changing out any hardware would make more mess. plus i believe water cooling yields better results