Dehumidifier Chiller questions

[Gimmpy224]

First, if there are any posts that have a tutorial just link it and dont bother to answer any questions :D .

Alright, Ive been thinkin about different ways to cool my comp below ambient and today I was discussing with my father, would there be some way to make a sealed case with a dehumidifier sucking all the moisture out of it so no condensation forms?

But my main question here is, what kind of dehumidifier would I need?

I cant afford all the tools and such to make my own custom setup so I was told that a dehumidifier was the only way to make a chiller without needing all the refrigerant tools etc.

Im not looking for some crazy temps just want like -10 ish, but crazy would be awesome as long as I dont need all those tools 0.o.

[SexyMF]

Hi,

You will need some tools. And then you will need more tools when you break something. Then you need the things you didn't know you'd needed. Then you catch the bug and want to do a custom build. Sell a kidney now.

;)

An airtight case is possible but very difficult due to the cabling and lack of cooling to other components. If you manage to seal the case then throw in some dessicant gel to soak up moisture.

BTW I like the quote in the your sig :)

[Frozendeath]

Silica gel works very good for removing moisture from the air as well, check the airtight link in my sig for the project I did to achieve a similar result to what you are asking :)

[bazx]

First, if there are any posts that have a tutorial just link it and dont bother to answer any questions :D .

Alright, Ive been thinkin about different ways to cool my comp below ambient and today I was discussing with my father, would there be some way to make a sealed case with a dehumidifier sucking all the moisture out of it so no condensation forms?

But my main question here is, what kind of dehumidifier would I need?

I cant afford all the tools and such to make my own custom setup so I was told that a dehumidifier was the only way to make a chiller without needing all the refrigerant tools etc.

Im not looking for some crazy temps just want like -10 ish, but crazy would be awesome as long as I dont need all those tools 0.o.

i am doing somthing similar read here

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=420654

[epion2985]

You dont need an air tight case, all you need to do is remove the moiture faster then it can get in.

Silica gel once saturated is useless and wouldnt remove it fast enough anyway.

make a case that is not 100% airtight just make it decent, use some soft rubber seals and duct tape to make sure no big amount of air is freely going in and out. Then make an inlet and an outlet duct, and pump the air though a dehumidifier.

Should work just fine. Run the dehumidifier for a while to dry out the air before turning whatever it is that will drop the air temp in the case below ambient.

[RussC]

Can any dehumidifier really remove enough water vapor to be effective enough to keep condensation off the socket area, pins, water head ect??????????????

RussC


You dont need an air tight case, all you need to do is remove the moiture faster then it can get in.

Silica gel once saturated is useless and wouldnt remove it fast enough anyway.

make a case that is not 100% airtight just make it decent, use some soft rubber seals and duct tape to make sure no big amount of air is freely going in and out. Then make an inlet and an outlet duct, and pump the air though a dehumidifier.

Should work just fine. Run the dehumidifier for a while to dry out the air before turning whatever it is that will drop the air temp in the case below ambient.

[Axylone]

lately I have been think about this too. I was thinking that if you put the very first part of the evap in the sealed box (the coldest because its right after the cap tube), it would gather all the condensation just like a dehumidifier would. Does anyone think this would work?

Edit: I guess this wouldn't work in your case though because im builing a custom chiller.

[epion2985]

a dehumidifier can do that, its just a matter of getting the one that will remove the amount of moisture you want at the rare you want. Which boils down to money, noise and size. I never said it was the most cost effective way. Question was if it is possible with a dehumidifier and the answer is yes. Not to say that its not cost effective, I have no idea what dehumidifiers cost for what amount of moisture they remove and how fast they do it. Do some research.

[RussC]

Umm,
I thinking about this some more, it can work, and for low temps, not -25c temps, but for sub ambeint, it can. The air would have to be recycled like a refrigerator, in essense. Whether the dehumidf'r was in the air tight box or not, the air would be recycled across the evap, which would extract the water vapor from the air.

You would need to run the system sealed for an amount of time to extract enough water for the temp your trying to run. Then you can use silica to extact any leftover the dehumidf'r doesn't get.

It seems it would be easier to put the dehimid unit in the air tight box. But it can be outside, but more care needs to taken for 0 air leaks.

Overall, I think this is a very complex system, that is beyond noobs.

RussC


a dehumidifier can do that, its just a matter of getting the one that will remove the amount of moisture you want at the rare you want. Which boils down to money, noise and size. I never said it was the most cost effective way. Question was if it is possible with a dehumidifier and the answer is yes. Not to say that its not cost effective, I have no idea what dehumidifiers cost for what amount of moisture they remove and how fast they do it. Do some research.

[epion2985]

I agree. Also sounds pointless and ineffective and overpriced.

Much cheaper and effective to just make an air tight box and fill it with dry nitrogen.

[Frozendeath]

Don't forget, in closed loop air systems, or air tight boxes, the air gets hot after a while (ram puts off heat, gpu, nothbridge, etc...)

Need to keep that air around ambient or lower.

Thus I chill the air in my box. And you say that silica gel wont remove enough moisture? In a nearly airtight box, I can put lets say half a cup of silica gel in it, and not have to change the crystals for 1 month or more.

I think thats much more effective than running a dehumidifier with the pc.

I am running -30C coolant around my system with no insulation at all inside the box, all the while not a single drop of condensation forms :)

Silica gel at 1 pint for $5 (reusable by heating after it gets saturated) is much easier to work with than dry nitrogen. When I open my box for whatever reason, I do not have to deal with pumping it full of nitrogen after I am done.

[epion2985]

Yes you do have to cool the air somehow

I didnt say it wont remove enough, I said it wont remove enough fast enough given the case is not 100% air tight.

My definition of practical is convinient and fast, nothing else. Silica gel is less convinient then a dehumidifier or filling the case with dry nitrogen.

If you run a dehumidifier setup its all set, dont need to change anything like silica gel even if it is once a month. Also you dont have to have to stick it in the oven to dry. Not as convinient or fast as flipping a switch.

If you run a case filled with dry nitrogen its also more convinient then silica gel because if you do open the case all you have to do when you are done is turn a valve on the nitrogen tank that is conviniently hooked up to the back of your computer and flush it untill air is out and replaced by the nitrogn. Much more convinient and faster then baking silica untill its dry.

But if you open up your computer every five minutes none of these solutions are convinient for you. The most convinient seems to be insulation. Actually in my opinion insulation is the most convinient solution for 99.9% of people.

[Gimmpy224]

was just a thought :) cause it would be pretty neat getting the whole comp ( mobo, ram, etc ) cooled just like frozen did with his.
I was just trying to think of a way that would be less hassel ( not changing the silica gel every month ).

When I make my chiller though Ill insulate it, Im just unsure of how to pick a dehumidifier.
I was talking with maxxx and he said making one from a dehumidifier would be the only way around having to buy a vacuum pump, refridgerants, etc.
Cause I dont know anyone in the HVAC industry and dont have 3 grand laying around to buy all the tools ;).

[RussC]

It dosn't cost $3k to get what you need. It can cost ~$500. $50 oxy/mapp torch, swedge tool, flare tool, $200 vac pump, $100 mainifold. Thats all new stuff, you can get it cheaper if you source used equipment.

RussC


was just a thought :) cause it would be pretty neat getting the whole comp ( mobo, ram, etc ) cooled just like frozen did with his.
I was just trying to think of a way that would be less hassel ( not changing the silica gel every month ).

When I make my chiller though Ill insulate it, Im just unsure of how to pick a dehumidifier.
I was talking with maxxx and he said making one from a dehumidifier would be the only way around having to buy a vacuum pump, refridgerants, etc.
Cause I dont know anyone in the HVAC industry and dont have 3 grand laying around to buy all the tools ;).

[da-key]

Ghetto !

[epion2985]

very :stick:

[SexyMF]

My concern about about an airtight rig is that when it's compromised you run a good risk of destroying everything rather quickly. I see airtight or even close, being much more difficult than foam and petroleum jelly.

[epion2985]

mmmmm jelly

[Gimmpy224]

yea but you would have to change out the jelly wouldnt u?

[Gimmpy224]

dang bazx, what your doing is exactly what im after.
but me being 17 I dont really have the knowledge or access to the tools lol.
but im hoping to eventually do the same thing your doing, cool the whole computer, but hopefully wont suck energy.

[Gimmpy224]

can i ask where you got the beer chiller?