>> Hi Everyone, >> >> My flatmate wants to build a "case mod" computer (don't ask >> why.. same Lawrence> thing as people putting ridiculous air >> spoilers cars I guess). So silly me suggests that he build a >> completely Perspex case and fill it with a clear mineral oil for >> cooling and effect and add some bubblers/lights/plastic fish >> whatever.. Kind of a homage to the old Cray super computers I >> guess. >> >> He is actually contemplating this.. So I though I should check to >> make sure that mineral oil isn't going to damage any of the >> components on the boards.. I have heard of it being used in tesla >> coil capacitors so I have no doubt that it can withstand the >> voltages, but will it attack any components? >> >> Obviously We'd need a "dry" area for CDs, Hard disks and floppy and >> to remove all the fans and arrange some kind of large heat sink to >> the air from the oil, possible with a small pump to circulate the >> oil.. The CPU would have its heat sink still, but no fan (probably >> wouldn't have one anyway..) >> >> Is this do-able? has anyone tried it before? >> >> Strange I know, but it keeps him amused.. >> >> Cheers, >> Ash >>>>> "Lawrence" == Lawrence Lile writes: Lawrence> Lawrence> We used silicon oil for this kind of thing. Inert, can't Lawrence> burn, doesn't attack plastics. It is used to fill high Lawrence> voltage transformers. You (uh) won't be needing a cooling Lawrence> fan on your chip. The silicon oil will set up coonvection Lawrence> currents and carry away any heat fromn a heat sink. Just be Lawrence> sure the heat can escape the case. Lawrence> Lawrence> Be sure to put some plastic fish, and little plastic Lawrence> pinwheels over the heat sinkl for effect. Using mineral oil in overclocking/cooling is a pretty standard. A lot of people have done it. The most famous example (probably just because the pictures are on the 'net) is Dr Ffreeze: http://www.drffreeze.com/Test2.htm I presume it would work just as well if the mineral oil was room temperature, in fact when it is cold one of the problems you have is frost or condensation getting into the oil and carried down to the electronics. If the oil is hot it should evaporate the moisture out. This is another oil cooling experimenter: I mention that URL only because I love the quote: "After playing around with mineral oil, I found that it gets too gooey to pump at about -30C, which pretty much rules out using it as the coolant if you need to go down to those temperatures." A little searching around on overclocking and liquid cooled computers on the net can reveal some pretty crazy schemes. --Rob -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics