How to cool your PC for under $20

DJShamrock

All you need is a PC, some tubing and an air conditioner. LOL. I still am getting some blue wraps to clean it up. I basically went to Lowes and got some flex tubing in the plumbing (yes plumbing) department. My machine already had a lit fan on the side of it, liquid cooling it it, and about 4 other fans.

The parts cost me $15 the duct tape was free since I had it.



My specs...
Vista Ultimate 64 Edition
AMD FX-60 dual core OC'ed to 2.76 ghz. Asus A8R-MVP Mobo. ATI X1900XTX single card cats 7.4 with overdrive turned off. No soundcard, I went through 2 X-FI's and they were crashing my machine so I got onboard until a week or so. I want the Azuntech Meridian.



This is from the temp guage on the top of my pc. It used to be around CPU 33 degrees Celsius, HDD 30 degrees Celcious, and system 33 degrees Celsius.

The air conditioner is still cooling my house fine.

I will run some benchmarks soon.

Lowfat

I've always wanted to do that in the Winter from the window, but never got around to it.

DJShamrock

My main concern was condensation. But usually air conditioners take condensation out of the air, that's why you see water dripping out of the back of them. So I think this may be better. If it's hot and humid (I live in TN) its going to blow condensation into the box anyways.

CDsDontBurn

that's freakin' cool!

but yea, my concern is the condensation. any way you can do a mod for that as well? like a drip chamber or some kind of condensation filtration system.

DJShamrock

Most condensation happens outside the AC unit. I don't think cold ac air will hurt the PC. It is venting in and out. If my window starts fogging up, then I will stop. If anything the condensation would be on the outside of my case if the case inside is colder than it is outside. I did some googling about this.

I also did this on a PC that was over heating at work before and it ran fine for years.

CDsDontBurn

that's freakin' awesome man. i'd do that if i could, but i have central air. the vents begin to leak after some time due to the condensation build-up.

DJShamrock

I guess they did someting similar at HARDOCP and they said sondensation wasn't a problem.
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=820425

DJShamrock

I could only find 1 video benchmark tool that would work with Vista. Codecreatures (made in 2003) 3DMark06 wouldn't load to some Open AL issue.


Test setup.






I need a better benchmark utility. Any suggestions? 3dmark05-06 won't work cause I am using onboard sound with no vista drivers. I am getting a soundcard next week.

DJShamrock

OmegaRED

I wouldn't be able to stand the noise from an air conditioner right beside the PC.

DJShamrock

Oh and I use noise isolator headphones (pic of them above) for gaming and music production, so the sound of the AC is 0%. If I turn off the AC I use my 5.1 sound fine and the PC is still at a stable 30 c. But I live in TN so I will have the AC going. It's cooling my room and my PC!

DJShamrock

before AC2PC Mod


after AC2PC Mod.

DJShamrock

Well it's been going for over 2 months with no problems. I bought these little sticker they put in cell phone that turn color of their is water on the phone. You cell phone should have one in it where the battery is. The decals stickers are in 5 spots inside my machine and I have had no condensation, temps without AC on are 33 celsius for the processor (with coolermaster cooling). With the AC turned on not only is my office cooled, but my machine runs at 12 degrees celsius. I live in hot ass TN.



The only thing I have done different is unhooked the hose from my pc so I can take the cover off. The fan takes in the cold air.


Above are my current temps, with my ac on low. If I turn it on high and put on headphones I can't hear it. If I tuen it off the temps stay about 35 c.

kris23

you are the sickness man...... awesome mod

ChaosMinionX

I wouldnt be too worried about condensation since its passing through an fan and filter the moisture has more than likely evaporated....If your worried about it, put a coffee filter or something on the end of your pipe to catch any moisture that could be in the air, none the less nice mod

OmegaRED

Now that summer is here and my Opty was running at 72C the other day I'm jealous of this mod

H3X4D3C1M4L

Ahahaha that's awesome. Though running one of those things in addition to my central air would kill me for power bills.

CDsDontBurn

it wouldn't have to. you would just need to place your PC close to one of the vents, and attach a tube like the one the OP has done, and run it to your PC......and VIOLA!!!!

The_Neon_Cowboy

Air co's pull some mosture out but not much...

depends on the air temp and humidity, if the humdity rose really high for a while
you might have a seriuos problem. other wise you should be ok but its one of those
i look at and go naaaa .... not going there

H3X4D3C1M4L

You know what they say man... if its too extreme you're too old

DJShamrock

No moisture in my machine and it's been months. Their is moisture on the tube sometimes. It gets cold and the warm air causes condensation, but I have a moisture detector stckers that turn blue when their is moisture (they use them in cell phones) and it's still white. And it's been 6 months!



My gaming/Recording Studio in all it's glory.

If you email me at djshamrock@gmail.com I will send you a dirct download link to my latest Mickstape. DJ Shamrock: The Mick's Master (I'm from NY so it is basically NY style hip hop remixed)

Zardon

nice one. my friend has done this for 4 years. he has moisture in the air but he uses a filter on the end of the unit to catch it. never caused a problem.

DJShamrock

Well I am just learning about this overclocking thing. I managed to get these scores with my "AC2PC" mod. My x1900xtx and Crossfire cards Rivatuned to 715 core / 864 mem. My FX-60 has a hard time getting past 2.90 ghz. Is this a good score?

ChaosMinionX

Its certainly not bad for that setup

DJShamrock

Spring is here and I just put the AC back in. Still working like a charm.

DJShamrock

Oh I rebuilt my machine. Pulling 20k 3dmarks now in 05.

DJShamrock

Oh yeah condensation develops on the tube gping to the machine but not in the machine. The warmer air condenses and turns to water. No condensation has ever been in my machine. I have 3 fans blowing out (back top and front) and 2 fans blowing in (bottom of case and side where cool air is coming in).

I still have the condensation buildup stickers inside the PC and they are still white so no condensation inside for over a year. Some times condensation builds on the outside of the case but rarely. Only if it is hot in my office.

matthew_davao

Too dangerous to do in the tropics.

DJShamrock

Holy shit it's been one year today since I posted this.

kris23

lol