Mini Fridge Mod Anyone?

S

setite

New member
http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/article.asp?CIID=26054

I have a mini-fridge that I got at a swap meet for 25$. I kicked my pepsi habit so I don't need it anymore. Seeing his mod makes me relive my Idea of sticking a rad in the fridge and seeing what kind of temps I get. I figure this would make for a fun, unique mod that isn't as expensive or labor intensive as TEC's or phase change cooling. I think it would also have a lower margin for error. I don't plan on submersing my pc, just sticking one or two double/triple rads in it. I was thinking the first one in the bottom of the fridge to cool the air a little and the second one in the icebox. If you are familiar with mini-fridges you'll know that the icebox is really just a metal tray that has an extra cooling element to keep frozen stuff cold

to explain how well this fridge might work even with warm water running through it know that I have a habit of putting soda's from McDonald's, Burger King or Taco Bell in there so they retain the ice and surprisingly a good amount of their carbonation until I am ready to drink them. This plan is for a rig I plan to build in about 3 months time. I figure if this works as planned I can make an almost silent PC by waterblocking everything that needs cooling.

My question, besides what has already been said, is will I have condensation issues? I can't imagine I will.
 
No but you will have overheating issues.

Fridges are in no way a plausible means of cooling your computer. THey are not designed for any real load, much less a constant one.
 
I think the only thing u could attempt to do would be to lower the system temp in an air cool setup.

Even then, a regular fridge is gonna work pretty darn hard.

Them mini cool things aren`t exactly ice-buckets. Mine worked for about a week in this room, ending up heating cans rather than cooling.
 
if you read it, i think he us just putting the rad of a water cooling system in the fridge. Not adapting the fridge.
 
Right but the fridge will be sealed or closed with this in there to have any effect, and its going to overheat both the comp and the fridge.
 
name='NoL' said:
No but you will have overheating issues.

Fridges are in no way a plausible means of cooling your computer. THey are not designed for any real load, much less a constant one.
Click to expand...

Yes. I've said this time and time again on this forum, and many others.
 
name='NoL' said:
Right but the fridge will be sealed or closed with this in there to have any effect, and its going to overheat both the comp and the fridge.
Click to expand...

curious how it would overheat

name='NoL' said:
No but you will have overheating issues.

Fridges are in no way a plausible means of cooling your computer. THey are not designed for any real load, much less a constant one.
Click to expand...

name='Rastalovich' said:
I think the only thing u could attempt to do would be to lower the system temp in an air cool setup.

Even then, a regular fridge is gonna work pretty darn hard.

Them mini cool things aren`t exactly ice-buckets. Mine worked for about a week in this room, ending up heating cans rather than cooling.
Click to expand...

name='nathan' said:
if you read it, i think he us just putting the rad of a water cooling system in the fridge. Not adapting the fridge.
Click to expand...

you are correct. the idea is to use the fridge as a way of creating a new lower "ambient" temperature. I wouldn't be opening the fridge ever. I would be using two 120mm fans still so that it would force the cooler air over the rad(s). I do understand what you mean by it not being designed for a load. I was thinking though that any cooling it would give would definitely offer me an advantage over just using the rooms current ambient temperature.

Now I ask, are you saying that the fridge is so ill-equipped to take a constant load that even using fans the air in the fridge would heat up due to the heat being taken off the rad(s)? In that case I understand what you mean despite the fact I cant see that happening. On my rad as it is the air coming off the rad is barely different from what is going in. Also I think that I could sort of getting a running start by leaving the pump on when the PC is off which should cool the water pretty well, although I fear cooling it like that for too long might create condensation... although I don't know. I figured I would do this to counter-act the heat from multiple blocks.

I am not attempting to reach the temps he did with the oil and dry ice. His use of the fridge simply reminded me of what i wanted to do. Another idea is this. Could I add in a metal coil at some part in the system, encased in a block of ice and stick that in the icebox of the fridge to sort of force cool the water before or after it hits the rad. I think putting the block of ice in the system after the rad to lower the water below ambient.

One last note. How would this work with passive systems. If something cools passively then sticking it in a fridge should cause it to be lower yet, right? I understand that there may be legitimate reasons why people don't use mini fridges. Hell if I could combat condensation I would try to turn the whole fridge into a pc case.

In summation, I can't see how I couldn't utilize my spare mini-fridge to at least supplement my water system somewhere along the line.
 
Easiest way to summarize it is simply, your meat and vegetables don't keep themselves warm in the fridge.
 
@setite - I thought about doing the same thing a while ago but unfortunately as everyone else is saying you'll just end up dissapointed with the results.

A domestic fridge has a small compressor that's only powerful enough to remove heat from the groceries you just bought and to compensate for the heat that gets in due to imperfect insulation (plus anytime you open the door). In a watercooling loop you can easily dump 100W, say, of heat into the water depending on your CPU, GPU, etc. The fridge just can't get rid of that amount of heat fast enough so what you end up with is a net increase of heat inside the fridge. As a result the temperature in the fridge will shoot up (thanks to the insulation) and so will your water temps. And if you're really unlucky you'll burn out the compressor and kill your fridge. This applies whether the rad is actively or passively cooled.

What many people who want to chill water do is modify a dehumidifier or a AC unit, but that's way over my head :)

I have seen people put their reservoir in a small fridge (or some sort of container) and then put plastic bottles of frozen water in the res. Once the water melts you just replace them. However, I don't know if the results you'd get would be worth the bother.
 
It looks like everyone pretty much has this one covered, all that's left to say is: Hi Setite, good to see you again :)
 
name='limqareb' said:
what about trying a freezer not a fridge , putting the rad in the freezer?
Click to expand...

Pretty much the same deal. It might work a little better but at the end of the day you'll still end up busting the freezer.
 
name='XMS' said:
Pretty much the same deal. It might work a little better but at the end of the day you'll still end up busting the freezer.
Click to expand...

yeah but a freezer can go lower temps than a fridge like minus 21
 
I have no doubt there is some way u could maybe dremel an in and out flange to a freezer section, run a pipe through it, and completely seal it and be sure u`r fluid is anti-freezed.. and with a little more adaption may work.

However, u`r gonna strain that freezer section to an extent, so although so peoples may`ve got something like this up and running for a while - in the long term the freezer may pack in. Some1 explained to me it was semi-equiv to leaving the freezer door open. U find u`r food defrosts, although remains semi cold. ... and condensation all over the shop, ice buildups.

Saying something like it`s more proficient to have a standard water cooling setup, that will run for a whole long time, with ~some~ maintenance.

The diy`er in me, that has more ideas than physical prowess, still thinks there`s something to be had from a fridge/freezer, but the limitations are probably lowering the air intake to a system as a whole. Like in my room atm it`s 30+, whereas I may lower that at the point air goes into the pc. Probably need a drip tray tho >.<
 
U find u`r food defrosts, although remains semi cold. ... and condensation all over the shop, ice buildups.
Click to expand...

That doesnt make a lick of sense honestly.

A freezer and fridge removes cold from the sealed insulated box, and dumps it into the room. If the box is open, the room will not get colder, but hotter, as the heat from the compressor dump will be added and added and added.

Bottom line is, it won't work guys, and Freezer's are the same thing as fridges, just because their colder would imply they actually have less capacity.
 
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