Condensation prevention

[neyoung]

I've got one of the swifty 226 watt pelted water blocks that I'm getting ready to install. I was looking for good guides to preventing condensation. I've read the guide at www.octools.com. Is there anything else that I should consider doing that isn't in this guide?

[tMQ]

http://www.phase-change.com/index.php?action=Articles_page&cat=Guides&id=25&page=1

:)

[neyoung]

www.octools.com recomended Dow Corning Conformal Coating to fill in the center of the socket, arround the socket and on the back of the mobo, then dielectric grease in the pin holes of the socket. But Bowman recomends using dielectric grease for the whole job. What do most people use? Seeing that bowman is the man I would imagine that most people follow what he does.

Thanks

[TheDude]

What do most people use?

I use a small cut to fit piece of tight celled foam insulation inside the cpu socket and then I seal around the edges of it with dielectric grease. Then dielectric grease on pin holes. You can reuse the piece of insulation and it saves on the amount of dielectric grease you need to use. The insulation is very similar to the material that mouse pads are made of. I have even cut up mouse pads to use for this purpose.
I also use the insulation on the back side of the mobo behind the cpu. Insulating sticky sided tape also works well for the back side, just cut to fit and stick it on. The foam tape can be found at local heating and cooling dealers and hardware stores. The brand I use is "Virginia Foam Insulation Tape"....1/8" thick by 2" wide.

[neyoung]

Thanks Dude! I want to get this swifty block on, but I'm pretty nervous about condensation. I just need to put plenty of grease on there and make sure air can't touch any of the components around and behind the socket correct?

[TheDude]

Correct....when you boot up, just watch it for a while. Look for water droplets or moisture and make sure if condensation does form that it does not drip on your video card, or other components....shut it down, unplug and add more insulation. Just take your time, do a good job, pay attention to it and you will be fine. At first check it from time to time to make sure it's ok. After a while it will become 2nd nature to you. ;)

[wolfgang]

I ran the same block the other day on a dead mobo and cpu. With the stock gaskets for about 2 hours and tore it apart real quick no contensation except the back of the mobo.

[Jabo]

The best and the safest way is as follows:

1. Cover your mobo and verey extensio card in two layaers of conformal coating of your choice (doesn't matter what you use as long as it described as a product for protecting pcb's and electronic equipment - there are silicone and laquer based products, some are more difficult to remove if needed then others, some could be soldered through-volt modding- and there are some which are UV reactive-testing use). Spray one coat, wait for it to dry 100% (oh, almost forgot :) to avoid rendering your mobo and cards useless cover ALL connectors, sockets, jumpers, ip switches and whatever the like is there with some masking or other type of tape, also cover mosfets, and any other 'electronic chips' on your equipment, you may want ot stick some heatsinks later on it :) and if you don't you won't be hampering existing heat dissipation properties).
Repeat with as many layers as you like but two-three is usually enough.

2. Get some closed cell neoprene with very good self-adhesive backing and as thick as you can find and cut -shape to fit perfectly around capacitors and any other elements of your mobo. Cover as large area around your socket as practicably possible.
Do the same with the back of the mobo. I wouldn't use any grease on the back since it's very flat and good self-adhesive backed closed-cell neoprene does the job so much better since dielectric grease only adds thermal mass and by preventing neoprene to stick properly creates air pockets.
When you done with fitting all the neoprene it's time for air 'proofing' it.
Simple cover all meeting points of neoprene and mobo with grease to prevent air from getting in.

Explanation:

Using 'excessive' amounts of neoprene aims not only for condensation prevention but also performance improvement. Think about it in this way.
Lowering your CPU temps below ambient will have the same knock-on effect on the rest of your mobo's PCB pt simply - cold will spread beyound CPU socket and soon enough your pelt will be cooling not only your cpu but moo as well. If you insulate you'll make it's ob easier :)

Have fun, m8 :)