Cooling the case with A/C

[i_jester]

Has anyone tried just using an A/C unit to cool the air inside the computer case?

Seems like if you sealed the case up fairly well, and installed the A/C system in a loop where it was constantly recooling the air it pulled from the case and circulating it back into the case that it could get the inside of the comp fairly cold.

Wouldn't that also help alleviate some of the condensation problems cause by cold components contacting warmer air? The air flowing inside the case would be getting colder and colder and the circuit boards would never be colder than the air.


Just a thought.:confused:

[madsam]

I used a 21,000 btu a/c in my living room, and my pc desk was only about 2 feet away from it. One day I set the pc on the desk, and opened the side panel, and I had the a/c blowing directly into the case. In some time, I began to see some condensation, and I quickly shut down, and turned a fan on the pc to help dry any moisture.


It seems the condensation has a lot to do with the ambient humidity, and temps...of course. If it's a dry day, or you are in a dry climate, I would think this would work better for you. If you live where it gets humid, like here, you are looking at condensation.

[HawainPanda]

it def depends on the humidity but having a fan blowing in would def help, i don't think with an a/c will get cool enough for u to actually insulate ur comp, u'll prob end of overheating ur mobo if u do

[i_jester]

ok, first off.

1. If you just put the A/C blowing in but not recirculating, it always has to cool new air each time. Think about it like a car. The A/C is constantly re-cooling the same air over and over so my car A/C can eventually make the car too cold to stand. If the input air to the A/C is from the inside of the case, it would just keep making it a little colder each pass through the evaporator.

2. 5200 BTU is way more capacity than the computer will produce heatwise. Would definitely NOT overheat the computer, since the fan and airflow is much higher than the little puny 12 volt fans usually produce.

[i_jester]

I am going to fab up some ducting, seal my case, add one of those 'Dri-Z-Air' dessicant holders and try it.

[madsam]

Originally posted by i_jester
ok, first off.

Think about it like a car. The A/C is constantly re-cooling the same air over and over so my car A/C can eventually make the car too cold to stand.

I believe this is how an a/c works for buildings and homes, but, the blower in a car doesn't recirculate the cool air, it keeps blowing in new air. Most cars have vents somewhere in the back, to allow for air exchange, so you don't get carbon monoxide buildup, and so on. There is no vent that takes air from the seating area and sends it back through the a/c.

Other than that, I can still agree with most of what you said.

[i_jester]

Many cars do, in fact, have the option of recirculating the passenger compartment air instead of pulling air from outside.

Our honda civic does, as do most of the cars I have owned.

The A/C units in autos would have to struggle mightily if they kept having to cool 100 degree air coming in while driving in arizona.

[Gary Lloyd]

On car A/C's, the "Max Cool" setting recirculates the air. The "Normal Cool" setting brings in fresh air.