I deep fried my computer, literally!

Sc4freak · Sep 29, 2006

(click on the thumbnails for a larger pic)

I'm not sure which forum to post this, but I just wanted to share one of my stories with you guys . I had recently read a few articles on submersion cooling, where you take your computer and dump it into a tub of non-electrically-conductive oil. It seemed to work really well, and was cheap. So I saw it as a type of poor man's water-cooling.

I bought a large aluminium oven tray and 9 litres of canola oil.

Since I didn't really want to screw up my good computer, I tested it out on an old Pentium II 266 with Nvidia Riva TNT2 Ultra. I placed the motherboard in the tray, and began pouring canola oil all over it, until it was partially submerged.

And it worked. The computer booted into Windows 98 fine, and I even started up good old Quake 3 and started playing.

But I soon became hungry for a fried snack - and since I had used all the oil in the house I couldn't fry myself anything. Then I had a brilliant idea. Why not use the oil that the computer's in?

I placed an electric stove under the aluminum tray, and turned it to full blast. Soon, the oil reached frying temperature and I dumped a few chips into there. Meanwhile, the computer was still happily chugging along running Quake 3.

Eventually, though, the strain of 120 degrees C ambient temperature and the load of Quake 3 caused the computer to overheat and crash. I rebooted it, and it loaded back into windows. Although Quake 3 still crashed when trying to play. At that point, the chips were ready. I turned off the heat and enjoyed my snack while I waited for the oil to cool so I could use the computer again.

Mmmm... toxicated fries...

EDIT: reuploaded pics

EDIT2: Reuploaded pics again

EDIT3: 5 years later, reuploaded pics to imgur. THE INTERNET NEVER FORGETS.

JinxyBoi · Sep 29, 2006

lol that is awesome. Cooking with computers... I don't think I could approve any more.

Xaeon · Sep 29, 2006

You are freakin' weird.

Thanks for one of the most entertaining posts I've read in a long time.

enginurd · Sep 29, 2006

you have too much time on your hands, lol. anyhow, how were the fries/chips?

KodiakStar · Sep 29, 2006

One of a kind... I'll say that much

digitalxdna · Sep 29, 2006

that would be an awesome HS science project.

good stuff, OP!

drizzt81 · Sep 29, 2006

wow, this is cool! I am impressed.

Boyo · Sep 29, 2006

Now that was one weird post. I like your shoe collection though.

modi123 · Sep 29, 2006

Sc4freak said:

Soon, the oil reached frying temperature and I dumped a few chips into there. Meanwhile, the computer was still happily chugging along running Quake 3.
Click to expand...

I hate to always be nay-saying, but those "chips" look suspiciously like french fries.

InorganicMatter · Sep 29, 2006

Darnit. Now I'm going to have to try this over the weekend.

Also, I hope you realize that those fries most likely have a lot of lead in them. You didn't eat them, did you?

Sc4freak · Sep 29, 2006

modi123 said:

I hate to always be nay-saying, but those "chips" look suspiciously like french fries.

Click to expand...

Bah, I live in Australia. And in Australia, we go by the UK system and call them "chips".

Faction · Sep 29, 2006

if you where a real man you would eat the chips!

Nice little experiment. bored?

Order · Sep 29, 2006

I'm starving...do we have any chips around?

Oldie · Sep 29, 2006

This is front page material if I ever saw it. Nice man....Nice.

Baredor · Sep 29, 2006

This thread has broadened my horizons. Thanks.

AMD[H]unter · Sep 29, 2006

This thread makes me waffle.

Awesome stuff, dude!

Paul_Johnson · Sep 29, 2006

Imageshack has killed your high res versions

Aelfgeft · Sep 29, 2006

Excellent idea. Let's see this on Hard's front page for pure innovation

What is that in the upper left corner of your second-to-last picture? Looks like a Commodore

modi123 · Sep 29, 2006

Sc4freak said:

Bah, I live in Australia. And in Australia, we go by the UK system and call them "chips".
Click to expand...

Kiss a koala for me...

~snoogiens~

Heliocentrical · Sep 29, 2006

Thats cool. Did you do any temp comparisons? Air vs. Oil?

98EXL · Sep 29, 2006

best friday thread I've read today

Mike160 · Sep 29, 2006

You are out of control,... in an out-of-control like fashion !!!

darktiger · Sep 29, 2006

Wow that is all I have to say...

Dan_D · Sep 29, 2006

Sc4freak said:

Bah, I live in Australia. And in Australia, we go by the UK system and call them "chips".
Click to expand...

Then what do you call chips?

Heliocentrical · Sep 29, 2006

Dan_D said:

Then what do you call chips?
Click to expand...

They call them fries. Duh!!

belmicah · Sep 29, 2006

I think we (Americanos) are actually the only ones who call them French Fries. Everyone else calls them chips. Kinda like football. Why we call football football, I don't know, everyone else calls Soccer football. We just gotta be different, and illogical too. Everyone else (almost) uses the metric system, but we use feet, pounds, dyn, horsepower, etc. Dumb if you ask me.

Aelfgeft · Sep 29, 2006

belmicah said:

I think we (Americanos) are actually the only ones who call them French Fries. Everyone else calls them chips. Kinda like football. Why we call football football, I don't know, everyone else calls Soccer football. We just gotta be different, and illogical too. Everyone else (almost) uses the metric system, but we use feet, pounds, dyn, horsepower, etc. Dumb if you ask me.
Click to expand...

We want to be different from everyone else. I thought that was always a good aspiration.

m3ta1head · Sep 29, 2006

thread of the week, anyone?

Doomwookie · Sep 29, 2006

Awsome, but.......

....SICK!!!!

That is just WRONG!!!!!!

My hat if off to you and being used to fry chicken. What a wonderful idea.

MetalX · Sep 29, 2006

m3ta1head said:

thread of the week, anyone?
Click to expand...

Has my vote.

Bandwidth limit exceeded on the pictures, got another host?

Riddlinkidstoner · Sep 29, 2006

Riddlinkidstoner approved.

Sc4freak · Sep 30, 2006

MetalX said:

Has my vote.

Bandwidth limit exceeded on the pictures, got another host?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I uploaded them to a new host. Hopefully it allows for higher bandwidth usage.

tisb0b · Sep 30, 2006

classic, we aussies always come up with the good ideas

JPOnion · Sep 30, 2006

That, sir, is excellent! I love the way you think, its so...outside the box.

4keatimj · Sep 30, 2006

belmicah said:

I think we (Americanos) are actually the only ones who call them French Fries. Everyone else calls them chips. Kinda like football. Why we call football football, I don't know, everyone else calls Soccer football. We just gotta be different, and illogical too. Everyone else (almost) uses the metric system, but we use feet, pounds, dyn, horsepower, etc. Dumb if you ask me.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but you Americans are just weird... Its funny, we have at least 3 ball sports that are called football, not including soccer (which we call soccer, oddly enough).

Awesome post dude, where exactly do you live? Was it fairly cold room temp to keep the system running, or a fairly normal? Love the theory work, you just made my night I wonder what kind of system is needed to deep fry foods without any external heating...

Crosshairs · Sep 30, 2006

4keatimj said:

I wonder what kind of system is needed to deep fry foods without any external heating...
Click to expand...

Anything with a Prescott would do just fine

OC_LeGeND · Sep 30, 2006

thats crazy

JaYp146 · Sep 30, 2006

Slow computer, fast food.

heh

WarMace · Sep 30, 2006

Need some sort of prop to circulate the oil automatically, overclock, and volia, no need for the hotplate. Nice modd

OC_LeGeND · Sep 30, 2006

makes me a lil hungry for somethin deep fried....

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I deep fried my computer, literally!

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