[Cerbera]

My Inspiron can become quite hot. So I decided to use my air-conditioner air to cool it. Simple enough.

Bought some 3" aluminum flex tube pipe and a 3" plastic tee to divide the air because I wanted to cool my power amplifier as well.

At first, it was working well, but then condensation became a problem after an hour.

I figured I have to buy some fiberglass insulation to wrap the pipes. I warn you that FIBERGLASS IS VERY DANGEROUS. You should cover your whole body and wear protective gloves, glasses, and mouth guard. So after sealing the fiber glass with duct tape, condensation is not a problem anymore.

I found that Home Depot had everything I needed (duct, clamp for the wall mounting, fiberglass insulation). All can be bought for less than $40. Their 3†by 8’ is quite short because you only get 6’. You’re going to have to buy the big bag of fiberglass but its only $10.

I found my notebook's HD, CPU, and video card temperatures dropped about 7C with 21C (70F) air coming from the air condition.

What do you guys think about this setup?

UPDATE 0.5

I have removed my Bytecc notebook cooler and added height with a USPS Priority Mail box. I found that the air from the duct can flow right underneath the notebook without any interference. My temperatures have not increased without the cooler.

UPDATE 1.0

Rearranged my setup and now I have it like this!

The left vent is for my PS3. I would sit it up vertically and let the duct provide cool air for the bottom front vents.

UPDATE 2.0

I rearranged it again, because the placement of the bracket was slipping because I had one side with duct tape and the other screwed in with drywall anchors. The new arrangement has two drywall anchors and a different location on my wall. I also have my PS3 here in the picture.

This cooling helps when I'm folding with the PS3

UPDATE 2.5

I changed the location of the duct for the PS3 after looking at this site for the location of the fan intake. I also positioned the duct to cool the hard drive as well. I plan on getting some dry ice to test the airflow.

UPDATE 3.0

Okay so I've removed this contraption because my friend would always complain of having a headache.

I though he was being a whiny prick but he had a point because we have identical equipment (other than this duct) in our rooms and yet he doesn't have a headache at his house.

So I pretty much devised a test where I would remove it for a week and invite him back to see if he had a headache and he didn't have a headache.

I have to see that when I finally removed the duct, I did noticed my head feeling lighter than usual.

I can only think of two reasons behind this:

• Reduced air capacity
  
  The duct had taken half of the air coming out of the unit. With that as my only source of air, obviously it would be harder to breathe.
  
• Aluminum bits
  
  If you ever tried to handle bare aluminum or tried to polish it, you know it's a dirty business. I figure those black bits may be the cause of it.
  

I wouldn't thought that I've done a bad job with the fiber glass, but I would've been coughing blood left and right by now.

Also, there really isn't an "intake" to the PS3. After dissecting it to clean it and replace the thermal paste (link), I found that the front is a shroud and maybe the lower exhaust in the back MAY be the intake, but I feel hot air exiting that hole.

 

[Dezixn]

Lol very excessive especially for a laptop. But very cool. Probably the best job of AC cooling that i have seen.

But i don't understand where the air is being funneled to. One tube seems to go into some foam on something... The other goes to the laptop obviously but how? Do you just stick the pipe right next to laptop intake, or what?

 

[Cerbera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dezixn Lol very excessive especially for a laptop. But very cool. Probably the best job of AC cooling that i have seen. But i don't understand where the air is being funneled to. One tube seems to go into some foam on something... The other goes to the laptop obviously but how? Do you just stick the pipe right next to laptop intake, or what?

LOL it is quite excessive, but I thought its a good learning experience for me and I was quite bored.

The air is going towards the video intake and hard drive side, but I have a notebook cooler on the bottom and the fans on the bottom can suck up that cool air. The position of the duct is not ideal. I should have made it longer and made it directly shoot underneath the notebook cooler.

The other duct is hitting the intake of the power amp. The "foam" is a filter I got from Lowe's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightningfr what a waste of time how stupid

Thanks.

 

[lonnie5000]

Been there, done that! lol.

http://www.overclock.net/cooling-exp...g-again-d.html

 

[hvacgaspiping]

Go to an HVAC supply house and pick up a duct boot that adapts from your size duct (4" ?) to a square or rectangle opening the size nearest the one for your lappy vent opening.

 

[lookitsharis]

why buy a cooling system when your house COMES WITH ONE

 

[Bal3Wolf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightningfr what a waste of time how stupid

I agree with others stay out if you are just out to flame someones thread. Nice idea I bought one of them laptop coolers has 3 fans on bottom it works ok but i usualy just underclock my laptop to make it run cooler.

 

[ENTERPRISE]

Its rather simple.

If you have nothing nice or constructive to say then just dont post.

If you are really confused by this perhaps you should read this : http://www.overclock.net/suggestions...n-members.html

 

[USlatin]

I would have already tried something like this but I only have the central air to play with... I have the vents set to make the room colder than the rest of the house though, Michelle complains all the time when she walks in, heheh... almost bought a window unit but not sure how it would work in my place...

what about condensation? I love the rig but I heard you could have condensation problems an such when using this method, and you will have to run that window unit while using the rig the whole time... planning to set it to low or freezing ur self solid?

 

[Cerbera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by USlatin I would have already tried something like this but I only have the central air to play with... I have the vents set to make the room colder than the rest of the house though, Michelle complains all the time when she walks in, heheh... almost bought a window unit but not sure how it would work in my place... what about condensation? I love the rig but I heard you could have condensation problems an such when using this method, and you will have to run that window unit while using the rig the whole time... planning to set it to low or freezing ur self solid?

Well I have considered that to be a problem since there was condensation on the ducts before I wrapped it in fiberglass. I tested condensation with a few materials before I tried my notebook. The items got very cold, but they don't generate heat like a notebook does. So I tested my notebook by running it for about an hour and immediately shutting it off to inspect the heatsink and I found no condensation. I even checked the motherboard and it appears to be fine.

The air conditioner has replaced the window so I pretty much have the unit on whenever I'm in the room.

 

[USlatin]

sounds like you took proper precautions... keep an eye on humidity though...

I really want to do this and being that it hasn't rained in 4 months I prob should hehehe... muahahaha... lol

 

[Cerbera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by USlatin sounds like you took proper precautions... keep an eye on humidity though... I really want to do this and being that it hasn't rained in 4 months I prob should hehehe... muahahaha... lol

Well I live in Hawaii and what's even worse is that it always rains where I live. I haven't had ANY problem with humidity and electronics. Although with instruments...that's another story.

 

[rsfkevski]

In the not-so-near future, I'm going to build a case with an A/C built right in. Hot air will be sucked across the coil on the rear of the case and the cold air will be pumped in the front of the case. Will be done using normal refrigeration components and R-12 Freon. Don't worry, I will make a build log for your viewing pleasure. It will probably be at least 6-8 months though, because I will be building a quad system to OC the hell out of!

 

[Cerbera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsfkevski In the not-so-near future, I'm going to build a case with an A/C built right in. Hot air will be sucked across the coil on the rear of the case and the cold air will be pumped in the front of the case. Will be done using normal refrigeration components and R-12 Freon. Don't worry, I will make a build log for your viewing pleasure. It will probably be at least 6-8 months though, because I will be building a quad system to OC the hell out of!

That's great! Can't wait to see it.

BTW, I updated my setup. Check it out on the first page.

 

[hvacgaspiping]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsfkevski In the not-so-near future, I'm going to build a case with an A/C built right in. Hot air will be sucked across the coil on the rear of the case and the cold air will be pumped in the front of the case. Will be done using normal refrigeration components and R-12 Freon. Don't worry, I will make a build log for your viewing pleasure. It will probably be at least 6-8 months though, because I will be building a quad system to OC the hell out of!

Hey Man,

You will probably have to use a reheat coil to keep from recirculating moist air into your rig. You will need some way to control the electric reheat strip via a humidistat. You will also need a hygrometer that will give a constant readout of humidity. This may add up to lots of $$$$$$$$. R-22 will work better for air conditioning and humidity control.

 

[Cerbera]

Made a final update on the front page (Update 3.0).

Check it out!

 

[astro2]

can't you use smaller tubes and blow the cold air under a laptop stand so the metal stand (heatsink) will become cold allowing the whole laptop be cold ?

also you should put it on a pad anyways since it covers the vents if you just put it on a table

 

[SMK]

Wait so your friend has his own place, comes over, cries about a head ache, then you take it down? Id tell him to shove it.

Sent from my AT&T Samsung Galaxy S2 using Tapatalk.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Wow. Turning a 80w laptop into a 880w laptop so it doesn't run as "hot".

 

[Inverse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMK;15473564
Wait so your friend has his own place, comes over, cries about a head ache, then you take it down? Id tell him to shove it.

Sent from my AT&T Samsung Galaxy S2 using Tapatalk.

You sound like an awesome friend.