This was my concern as well.  If air from outside is cold enough to cool any
parts of your computer to below the inside of house dew point, you'll get
condensation.  Just like the outside of a glass containing an iced drink.

Usually the only way to use refrigeration to cool a system below room
temperature is to isolate the cold plates from the air with insulation.  I
understand that not what you're trying to do, but I'm just pointing out the
extreme care that is taken when the cooling process involves temperatures
less than room temperature.

In terms of what you described wanting to do, I would think that you would
have to enclose your main box within a sealed compartment with the only
intake and exhaust through ducts to the outside.  This would be to prevent
the infiltration of warmer and moister air from inside the house, which
might cause condensation.  Of course, you may still have a problem with
condensation on the outside of the ducts and the enclosure, if they aren't
insulated and the outside air is much colder than the outside temperatures.

I did see pictures of a water cooling setup that you used an underground
system of pipes as the heat exchanger, but this was in a climate warm enough
that freezing in the pipes was not a major concern.  Just mentioning that as
the kind of wild things people have tried in making use of outside
temperatures to help cool their systems.

John Sproule


----- Abbreviated Original Message -----
From: "David Gillett" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 4:01 AM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] Creative or Crazy Cooling Idea ?


>  Condensation normally occurs when warm, moist air hits a cold surface.
> It
> shouldn't be a problem with cold, dry air hitting a warm surface.
>
> David Gillett
>
>
> On 28 Sep 2004 at 14:07, Al Thompson wrote:
>
>>
>> Now here's what I'm thinking - why not take advantage of all that cold
>> air outside? Is there a good reason why I
>> should not run a 4" metal dryer duct thru the wall into the enclosed part
>> of the desk where the tower is? At this
>> point I'm thinking condensation will come into play - it seems to me that
>> frigid air might actually create frost in
>> the case, or worse, on the Mobo.
>>

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