Summer is comming: Cooling your setup!

JermWerty

Weaksauce
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
80
So I have four rigs pulling 300-600w each in my 2000sq ft house, and I'm concerned of the heat load when it gets hot this summer. The AC costs are going to be killer. Any ideas on economical ways to cool things down?

I know most window units are only rating like 9-10 SEER, and I think my current system is rated about 10 SEER, so theoretically adding a split unit ductless heatpump that was rated around 20 SEER could really cut my cooling bill, but the payback would still be too long-term.
 
The highest efficient PSU you can get your fingers on should be a starting point.
Best to make as 'lil heat to begin with.

Basements are awesome

If I didn't have a basement I would look at trying to port the hot air outside. This may or not be possible.

Move to Alaska
 
The highest efficient PSU you can get your fingers on should be a starting point.
Best to make as 'lil heat to begin with.

Basements are awesome

If I didn't have a basement I would look at trying to port the hot air outside. This may or not be possible.

Move to Alaska

Or somewhere with dirt cheap electricity.
 
I don't know if there are many long-term folders here who air condition that much power all summer. You can upgrade to a more efficient multi CPU server or downsize/shutdown for the summer. If you upgrade you put future power and cooling money towards expensive hardware that saves money in the long term. You could also try running the hardware in a basement or garage and letting it get a bit warm. Make sure everything can handle the summer heat.

One disadvantage of a costly heatpump unit for folders is that folding boxen already provide winter heat so there is no money savings during the winter. My dad spent way too much money on a spilt head unit last year and it sucks because it is cheaper to run the pump than heating the house with boxen. I would go for a smaller windows/portable unit for cooling folding hardware during the summer if you want AC.
 
meh.... I ACed a 1500 sq foot house with 1800W of computers (total) in Hawaii with electricity at $0.29 a KWH.

I'm fairly happy with ACing my 1500W of computers here in NY with electricity much less than that.

 
My main problem is I only have one vent from the AC into the computer room.
 
min split units are nice but keep in mind that you have to pay and ac company to install it so it wont be cheep, and don't go to a 20 seer unit its a waste just go whit a 13 seer the unit will cost 1/2 as much as a 20 seer unit but your still looking at $500-1000 to install it + price of the unit. if your main ac is and old 10 seer unit then you might want to look at changing it out as you looking at a unit that's over 10 years old and most likely its not cooling as well as it should. depending where you live you could get a 3ton Goodman installed fro the $5000 range vs the 2000ish for just 1 room. if you dont care about looks and noise just get a window unit for like $200
 
I think you are looking at this wrong. Its not a cooling problem, its a getting used to the heat problem. If you are overweight, losing weight can help. Running during the hottest part of the day is another way. Also if you eat a lot less then that helps too. Drink lots of water too.
 
I plan on putting some rocks in the basement with the systems, sprinkle some water on the rocks, and charge cheap rates for a sauna room :D
 
It would be beneficial if we knew what your living conditions were like, because the environment plays a major part in the recommendations, such as:

1. House with basement? Apartment? Trailer in Missouri?
2. Las Vegas? New York? Juneau?
3. Computers in the same room or diff rooms?

I'm also surprised people here didn't recommend swapping out 4xUni systems pulling 400-600W each for a quad socket system.

1. Pulls fewer watts -> Less heat
2. Cheaper than buying a new AC unit
3. MOAR PPD
 
It would be beneficial if we knew what your living conditions were like, because the environment plays a major part in the recommendations

Good point. I'm Bitcoin mining mostly with F@H occasionally. As I live in the Pacific Northwest I can't complain about power costs (yay for <$0.06 KWH) but I happen to live in a semi-arid desert and we hit 90/100F regularly in the summer. AC is mandatory here unlike most of the NW (get >300 days/yr of sunshine on avg where Seattle gets that much in cloulds/rain!)

My main unit is in the attic, and with the direct sunlight on the roof the radiated heat makes the attic super hot. On second thought if I could just keep my current unit as-is perhaps I can help by cutting down that heat source. I was thinking of adding heat reflecting foil bubble thermal insulation between the attic joists, but have no idea how to calculate the expected savings from that.

At this point I'll probably just insulate the garage on the cheap and see if I can throw a couple rigs out there, and just cut the clocks way down to handle the heat. I've just been spoiled all winter with "free heating" the way it is now. If it gets too hot I just open the window and let 30-60 degree air pour in the room.
 
Good point. I'm Bitcoin mining mostly with F@H occasionally. As I live in the Pacific Northwest I can't complain about power costs (yay for <$0.06 KWH) but I happen to live in a semi-arid desert and we hit 90/100F regularly in the summer. AC is mandatory here unlike most of the NW (get >300 days/yr of sunshine on avg where Seattle gets that much in cloulds/rain!)

My main unit is in the attic, and with the direct sunlight on the roof the radiated heat makes the attic super hot. On second thought if I could just keep my current unit as-is perhaps I can help by cutting down that heat source. I was thinking of adding heat reflecting foil bubble thermal insulation between the attic joists, but have no idea how to calculate the expected savings from that.

At this point I'll probably just insulate the garage on the cheap and see if I can throw a couple rigs out there, and just cut the clocks way down to handle the heat. I've just been spoiled all winter with "free heating" the way it is now. If it gets too hot I just open the window and let 30-60 degree air pour in the room.


You'll think I'm nuts, but...

I live in Phoenix. The heat in my office was crazy. So I moved two of my 4p into my garage. Probably got to 120 or 130 in there. But they kept cranking all summer long. I'm using Noctua's. I figure it isn't too much higher than a case with only moderate airflow.

SWMBO was much happier with the situation as well.

I thought of putting a swamp cooler into the garage, but it didn't become necessary.
 
You'll think I'm nuts, but...

I live in Phoenix. The heat in my office was crazy. So I moved two of my 4p into my garage. Probably got to 120 or 130 in there. But they kept cranking all summer long. I'm using Noctua's. I figure it isn't too much higher than a case with only moderate airflow.

SWMBO was much happier with the situation as well.

I thought of putting a swamp cooler into the garage, but it didn't become necessary.

I'm with you. Once I piece together a 4p it's going into the garage.
 
Air Conditioner -> Dryer Tube -> PC Case


DONE

I was considering the negative air pressure version of that and tie into an existing dryer vent. There's have to be a filter to keep lint from getting into the pc.
 
Open a window at night put a low speed box fan in it. I kept myself cool all last summer without A/C even though it hit 110*F occationally. Most of the time it was 90*F+ during the days, but here in the mountains of California it would be between 40-60*F at night.
 
Open a window at night put a low speed box fan in it. I kept myself cool all last summer without A/C even though it hit 110*F occationally. Most of the time it was 90*F+ during the days, but here in the mountains of California it would be between 40-60*F at night.

yep thats how it is here in eastern washington.. 90+ during the day 40-50 at night.. but luckily our summer is about 3 weeks long. :D
 
God, 300-600w PCs???? I shit my pants when my LP PC is over 110w folding with a GT430
 
I think dwdawg and Untitledone have the right ideas.

Attics get smoking hot and it is difficult to cool them.

If your garage is insulated, it would be easier to open the door (much bigger than a window) to let the cool air in at 10PM. If you have a window in your garage you can put a window AC unit in during the day to make sure the garage stays at a reasonable temperature.

This would be far easier and cheaper than installing a second AC unit, especially if you're running your machines in the attic.

I've got mine in the basement since the heat is nice during the winter, and it is easily 5C cooler down there in the summer. Then again, we rarely need to turn on the AC at any point during the summer (and I have no concept of how hot 90F is...)
 
or some where, where you can build your own solar panel/wind farm :D
This, too, is my dream. They just installed 750 solar panels at my job (rail equip. maint. facility) and I was hoping they would leave some behind for me to take.;)
But I rent so that's out the window.:(
 
You are in a arid environment so you have lots of dry air outside your house.

So assuming you can run some coolant lines outside why not do what data centers do and use an evaporative cooling tower setup. You water cool your rigs and then run the cooler outside to dump the heat outside. This process uses quite a bit of water so you want to set up an auto fill system and make sure your water rates aren't to high.

Many people worry about the gunk the evap water will pick up so you could do a two loop system with a heat exchanger (or several heat exchangers (one per PC)) in a cooler or something.

A couple of lengths of PVC pipe 6 to 8 inches wide and some form of blower to send air up the tower. You could also go with the standard pad system like a swamp cooler. Heck living where you do you might be able to find an old swamp cooler. You could swamp cool your garage and use the water that runs off to cool your rig.
 
Move to Alaska
Works for me! :D


On the side of mountain in Eagle River, Alaska, looking 600 feet down on a wild river (currently flowing under the ice).
 
Works for me! :D


On the side of mountain in Eagle River, Alaska, looking 600 feet down on a wild river (currently flowing under the ice).

If they hired computer nerds.... I mean software developers I would seriously consider moving to Alaska.
 
The two best approaches I've seen would be.

- Watercooling: Mount the radiators in a window exhausting outdoors.
- Hot Boxing: Build a closet in your garage around a window (or a small room will work), mount a window AC and place all the folding gear inside. The AC unit will have a much easier job keeping that small air volume cool.
 
^^ hot boxing works quite well.

Works for me! :D


On the side of mountain in Eagle River, Alaska, looking 600 feet down on a wild river (currently flowing under the ice).

want to babysit harbringer for the summer lol...
 
I am re-arranging my house so that the computers are in the master bedroom. Which happens to have the most AC dump vents in the ceiling.

A lot more difficult without an extra set of hands.
 
+1 for venting the air to the attic or outside with the dryer type vent. Cheap too.
 
Works for me! :D


On the side of mountain in Eagle River, Alaska, looking 600 feet down on a wild river (currently flowing under the ice).

I am currently working on that. If this opportunity happens, i'll be ditching my limo business and moving into the Mat-Su valley region. If this all happens, i'll be back folding again hopefully!
 
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