[sdiy] All this cooling and noise stuff

[Tim Parkhurst]

On 12/10/06, Tonelismulas V <tonelismulas at gmail.com> wrote:
> I have a P4 machine wich I use for recording and editing. Is a good
> computer -for the purpose i use- but is repulsive and vomitively noisy
>
> I have an idea, but i need someone to sacrifice, someone else body to
> experiment with...
>
> I have this AMD K6/266 that i don't use anymore.
>
> Its mothercrap have everything (audio|video|lan) onboard, the only thing
> not soldered to main pcb is a 32Mb dimm.
> I'm planning to replace all connectors -power|kbd|video|etc- with directly
> soldered cables and cover everything with acrylic laquer -several layers
> or by immersion if its necesary- then to a bucket full of water.
>
> Another bucket for the HD. It have a vent orifice, is it necesary?
>
> I still don't know what to do with the PS, water and 220v scares me.
>
> If it works then i will be inventing the bucket brigade computer?
>
>
> Victor
> Argentina
>

Okay, I know you said you're going to coat the whole mess in acrylic,
but the idea of dunking a PC motherboard and power supply in water
sounds like a recipie for disaster. Please note that water cooling
systems work by using circulating water to cool a metal surface / heat
sink, thereby letting the heat sink get away without using a fan. I
think the idea of making the biggest possible heatsink (i.e., several
pounds of aluminum) and either water cooling that (on the side
farthest away from the electronics) or using a big, slow fan is a much
better concept. If done right, a big, finned heatsink might actually
look cool as a PC case.

BTW, the open ports on a hard drive are for air pressure compensation.
The hole is typically covered with a Gor-tex vent, which lets air in
and out, but blocks dust, dirt and water vapor. Covering this vent
might be okay as long as the drive doesn't heat or cool significantly,
or get taken up or down in altitude (either case will cause the air
inside the case to expand or contract, and an extreme condition might
break the seals on the case).

Tim (know any big Finns with big fins?) Servo
-- 
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein