Gill..

OK Fellow OCN'ers. For the record, I did search the forum - similar topics - but not quite this one..

We're almost at September, and the New England fall and winter are almost upon me.

Through my first watercooling experiment, I found the heat dissipation coming off my rig - and particularly the rad to be quite significant. It certainly increased the room temperature - which was fine in the winter. Needless to say, it was a monster keeping it cool this summer - so as to not fry my fish in the adjascent fish tank as well (also a heat source).

So, I have electric heat - which is super expensive - and figured... let's dual purpose a PC to create the heat and do something positive at the same time. The positive would be crunching for BOINC constantly when not using the system as a HTPC.

So I have a plan and a question.

PLAN: Build a HTPC for downstairs - use that to heat the downstairs (relatively small area= 1/2 of a 2 family home). Worst case scenario I'd still have to put the heat on sometimes - best case scenario it will stay at a reasonable temperature all winter without having to use the actual heat (minus a couple REALLY cold days). I would accomplish the heat through the crunching by using all 4 cores at 95% constantly.

QUESTION: What do you think will create the most external heat (outside of my case)??? Would an air-cooled system with incredible venting? Or should I build another water loop with 2x120MM fans and rad????

Other variable worth noting: I'm thinking repurposing my 4870 (which definitely cranks out heat) to the HTPC would be much better for this heating purpose than using the onboard graphics - thereby allowing me to grab one of the 5800 series cards when they're out - and that would be in the new rig upstairs in my home office.

So what do you guys think???? Good plan?

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2 TB's are Explosive!!

Album of the Watercool build

Run this album as a slideshow to see the plane explode from Left for dead while I was playing 1900 by 1200

JerseyDubbin

I think an air cooled system with some HIGH cfm fans would heat the room quicker, more efficiently. The heat is dispersed throughout the entire rad and cools off quicker.

I only have experience with air cooling but i know it heats my room up very quickly.

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rpm666

No.

Buy a handful of Swiftech 220 rads, a lot of cheap tubing, and a handful of 355 pumps. Route the tubing around your entire house stopping in each room to drop off a 220 rad.

OR, just setup your rads near, not on, your AC/Heat vents with decent 88CFM+ fans in push/pull.

WC each system in the house.

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Darkknight512

It doesn't matter, 100 watts is 100 watts however you dissipate it. If you mean get the air outta the case, cheaper way is air coolers with the case open, air flows right out.

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Gill..

Thanks, didn't even consider the heat loss within the rad..

However, seeing as you haven't water cooled...the water itself is what is hot, and hence it heats up the rad - which is much larger than a standard or aftermarket cooler...

so while it might not get AS hot as those pieces of metal - it's still pretty hot... and the air in the fans pushing through the rad should be ambient temp anyways - pushing the hot air from the rad - right into the room (increasing ambient)...

I'm thinking it would add a dopplar effect to the heat...higher ambients trying on the same hot rad...

ps... just accidentally unsubscribed from my own thread - hope this re-subscribes me

__________________
2 TB's are Explosive!!

Album of the Watercool build

Run this album as a slideshow to see the plane explode from Left for dead while I was playing 1900 by 1200

Gill..

decent plan rpm... but too much... think of this as a space heater - single unit just pushing out heat into the room....

__________________
2 TB's are Explosive!!

Album of the Watercool build

Run this album as a slideshow to see the plane explode from Left for dead while I was playing 1900 by 1200

Gill..

and to dark - also thanks, but again the point of the thread is what do you think will provide the best dual purpose use where I won't lose it inside the case...

in your example - with that 100 watts... what in your opinion is better to toss it into the room, a rad on back - or air with decent vents

__________________
2 TB's are Explosive!!

Album of the Watercool build

Run this album as a slideshow to see the plane explode from Left for dead while I was playing 1900 by 1200

rpm666

Watercooling removes the heat more efficiently from the system, and you can AIM a rad - try aiming a heatsink fan lol

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RAND0M1ZER

Exactly... I doesn't matter how you cool it, the heat will still disperse itself through out your room.

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Gill..

so we're at - open case or an aimed rad...but both will essentially dual purpose the same wattage due to energy never being lost or destroyed - just changed in form....

AND if that does seem to be the case, air is definitely cheaper - but water would be quieter...but I'm not too keen on having an open case in that room with my 1.5 year old daughter who I'm modding the case for anyways (she would definitely try touching the heatsinks etc) OR pull plugs...

pulling USB's out are one of her more favorite activities

__________________
2 TB's are Explosive!!

Album of the Watercool build

Run this album as a slideshow to see the plane explode from Left for dead while I was playing 1900 by 1200