W-C my Telescope PC (Wise to run at Below Freezing Temps?).

[Taradino]

For years now, I have been using all fan cooling for my telescope computer, but I am going out and purchasing a watercooling setup.

I am wondering if watercooling a computer that will be used outdoors in below freezing tempreatures would be a good or bad idea.

I have done this before with simple fan cooled parts and it worked fine, but liquid cooled?

My mixture would be like 40% Distilled water, %50 Non Concetrate Ethylene Glycol, and a little water wetter.

So, what do you think, can be done?? I am thinking just kill the fans and let the CPU and GPU keep the liquid warm, and let the outside air do the cooling.

** NOTE: I take the computer outside in stages to allow for slower cooling of the components, not an instant inside to outside environment change.
I go from House, to garage, garage to outside (usualy leaving the garage door open a little bit).

 

[ikellensbro]

It should work fine because of ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) doing it's job. It's called anti-freeze for a reason

 

[Top Nurse]

I think it is a waste of time because what you want to cool is your CCD astro camera, correct?

 

[Taradino]

Cool the CCD, nah, I use a modified webcamera for my vocal point on the telescope.
It works wonderfully well. Just line it up and take the picture/movie.

 

[Top Nurse]

In that case then I think if you just cut some slots in your case everything will be copasetic. So why do you want to watercool the box? If I was going to do this I would get a Koolance EXOS so I could have some major portability. So why don't you just use a laptop?

 

[Erasmus354]

So this is a computer that you move back and forth or is it always outside in cool temperatures? If it is always in cool temperatures I dont see that you will be getting a whole lot of benefit from watercooling it. That being said, if you transport it back and forth and just want a watercooled computer, you can use a watercooling system in subambient temperatures just fine.