At what point is it considered extreme cooling

[Aleslammer]

You live here

 

1, Computer outside on a table, air cooled, winter

 

2, Computer outside on table, liquid cooled (glycol added, fan on the rad), winter

 

3, Computer inside, outside winter air ducted through box, cooled by example 1 or 2

 

4, Live in warmer climate, use ac in closed environment to cool air, cooled by example 1 or 2

 

5, Live in warmer climate, use ac as liquid chiller

 

6, CPU cooled by single phase.

 

Some form of glycol is already present in the Corsair H series closed loop water coolers, where I live my average winter lows are Stanley’ average summer lows.

 

Yea I know, just get in the OC league and don’t worry about it.

[El Gappo]

Would say once you get onto a water chiller and yeah you should

[Aleslammer]

Would say once you get onto a water chiller and yeah you should

 

After this winter season, going to make the move.

[Mr.Scott]

Would say once you get onto a water chiller and yeah you should

Water is water, chilled or not.

[knopflerbruce]

I'm not THAT sure about this, but here is what I THINK we decided:

 

If a compressor is used, for example as a part of a water chiller, then it's thought if as a type of phase change unit, and therefore goes into the extreme cooling category. AC units are exceptions to that rule... I thiiiiiink They're usually just used to cool the room to decent ambients anyway, and we have to draw the line somewhere. Having an AC unit in a room is a very passive way of using it, but of course, if you can use them to get -20c air blown directly on a heatsink... it's a bit different.

 

We could to not have the enthusiast league at all... We can't verify all cooling solutions or prove what's correct and not, unless it's REALLY obvious. Common sense and trust are key in the enthusiast league

[M.Beier]

I'm not THAT sure about this, but here is what I THINK we decided:

 

If a compressor is used, for example as a part of a water chiller, then it's thought if as a type of phase change unit, and therefore goes into the extreme cooling category. AC units are exceptions to that rule... I thiiiiiink They're usually just used to cool the room to decent ambients anyway, and we have to draw the line somewhere. Having an AC unit in a room is a very passive way of using it, but of course, if you can use them to get -20c air blown directly on a heatsink... it's a bit different.

 

We could to not have the enthusiast league at all... We can't verify all cooling solutions or prove what's correct and not, unless it's REALLY obvious. Common sense and trust are key in the enthusiast league

 

Let me translate Mr.Statoil here ;-P

"compressors are bad, tec is good"

 

How does that work for you Knut?

[knopflerbruce]

I don't know where to place TEC. Personally i feel it's extreme, but could be that we've decided otherwise before. A good tec can give temps where you need insulation to avoid condensation - that kinda speaks for itself IMO. I'd probably throw in an exception for the V10 air cooler, though:p

[K404]

I think people using the V10 should be given 10 HWBoints out of sympathy/pity

[Aleslammer]

I'm not THAT sure about this, but here is what I THINK we decided:

 

If a compressor is used, for example as a part of a water chiller, then it's thought if as a type of phase change unit, and therefore goes into the extreme cooling category. AC units are exceptions to that rule... I thiiiiiink They're usually just used to cool the room to decent ambients anyway, and we have to draw the line somewhere. Having an AC unit in a room is a very passive way of using it, but of course, if you can use them to get -20c air blown directly on a heatsink... it's a bit different.

 

We could to not have the enthusiast league at all... We can't verify all cooling solutions or prove what's correct and not, unless it's REALLY obvious. Common sense and trust are key in the enthusiast league

 

Thanks for the answer.

 

I was expecting a few more comments to draw from but here goes. The first three examples are dependent upon air temperature, so would it be acceptable to assume that the medium being used to remove the heat was the deciding factor, or artificially cooled air Yes, water No.

 

Taking example 3 from the first post and replace the nature cooled air by creating a recycling loop with an AC unit’s evaporator(I've seen examples of this in the mid -20c), as long as new warm air was blocked from entering the cycle it would negate the need for board prep, creating the same benching environment present in the example.

 

Looking at this as cold clamite, warm climate.

[Gav777]

Hoping someone can clarify this... if a person in the enthusiast league submits a score with tec/peltier cooling are they moved to the OC League?

[Massman]

Yes, TEC/peltier should automatically be moved to OC League.

[Gav777]

Yes, TEC/peltier should automatically be moved to OC League.

 

Thanks!

[Moose83]

But its still an good question about Aircooling outside with temps at -40:D Still count as Aircooling?

[thebanik]

But its still an good question about Aircooling outside with temps at -40:D Still count as Aircooling?

 

Why not? Heat/Cold is getting transferred through air, isnt it? I guess we have had this discussion quite a few times.

[Massman]

But its still an good question about Aircooling outside with temps at -40:D Still count as Aircooling?

 

Yes ...

[nachtfalke]

extreme cooling is that cooling that is NOT dependent of ambient

 

air cooling/watercooling is dependent of ambient temperature

[IanCutress]

TEC/Peltier is definitely OC League category.

 

If the thing touching the CPU is less than 0 when ambient is above 0, then it's OC League.

So a water chiller at 4C is not OC League, it's competing against others with sub-zero ambients.

Putting in a water/ethanol mix to drop the liquid below 0C is OC league. So 0C == OC.

[Mr.Scott]

 

If the thing touching the CPU is less than 0 when ambient is above 0, then it's OC League.

So a water chiller at 4C is not OC League, it's competing against others with sub-zero ambients.

Putting in a water/ethanol mix to drop the liquid below 0C is OC league. So 0C == OC.

 

Devil's advocate

 

How would you prove that your chiller temp is above or below 0?

[IanCutress]

That's where the whole trust bit of the community comes in.

 

For some situations, it is clear: the Hailea brand water chillers (for aquariums but can be rigged for OC) will work down to 4C and have a temperature readout.

 

As long as it's water in the pipe, and not a blend is really the defining factor. The best chiller can't keep water liquid below zero (unless you're screwing around with pressures). Even in sub-zero ambient you could use a blend and get below zero, but that's going to some extreme lengths. I've seen HKEPC use a blend to get -40 in a loop, but they were also LN2ing other stuff, so it doesn't really apply.

[Mr.Scott]

That's where the whole trust bit of the community comes in.

 

 

Trust here is over hyped.

Trust no one.

Sorry it has to be that way. People you 'trust' at HWB may not be as you think. Not saying all of them......but more than you think.

 

Agree on the chiller though. I can get to about -20 but as soon as I load it I'm back above 0.

[knopflerbruce]

I'm using EK Ekoolant in my server loop, and it works down to -7c AFAIK. It's very common to use additives, so that alone is not a reason to be moved up a notch here.

 

I think those with access to really low ambient temperatures have an advantage, but that's just how it has to be.

 

Also: Ambient temperature simply means "the temperature of the surroundings" - quote from wiki. Because it is precisely the ambient temperature that's mentioned in the rules (I checked), it's perfectly fine to lower the ambient as much as you want to. AC perhaps? Not sure if there are any storage places with -30c or so everywhere

[GENiEBEN]

Building a refrigerator room would be an obvious step, but then what kind of coolers would you use? They'd have to be w/o heatpipes, just masive chuncks of copper/gold.

 

But then again using LN2 would be cheaper :nana:

 

@Massman. You won't be moved to XOC unless you have LN2 sub. SS/Tec do not move you automatically, seems like a bug. If someone else could confirm...

[Aleslammer]

My idea of winter ambient without the extra layers of clothes, or winter in a box as I explain it to my friends, most of the components are assembled and have all the sheet materials on hand just need the area in my garage to construct the actual box and stand. Upside no board prep for condensation, down side is going to be the warm up time to change out components.

 

 

Images of concept plans