Cupboard to Attic: Extractfor fan for heat removal?

CryptKeeper

CryptKeeper

CryptKeeper

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I'm planning to put my new build PC in a cupboard next to the study. I'll make a small hole in the wall to run USB/fibre DisplayPort cables. The main issue I think I'll have is the heat in the cupboard. I was considering installing a bathroom style extractor fan in the cupboard to remove some of this heat. Is this a viable option?

Ideally, I'd have some kind of temperature sensor in there and some smart control for the extractor fan, but that's just a nice to have.
 
cant see why not
only thing i would wonder is would it be audible
and where the heat gets extracted to
my bathroom extractors quite loud
my kitchen ones severely loud though thats one that electrically
opens louvres when its on
 
How about some temp controlled case fans, like the Arctic F12 TC, fed from the PSU? They'll just tick over silently, ramping up when things get toasty. Have the fans extracting high up and provide a passive inlet for cooler air lower down. Treat it like a big case.

I used the 80mm version for years to cool a multi-amped car hifi system, hidden under a false boot floor
 
The key is airflow and just having an outlet won't do a lot without an intake.

Personally I'd add some vents into the cupboard door / wall at low level. I'd then wire up a 12v extract fan to the ceiling directly to one of the PC fan connections so it can be controlled using the motherboard / PC software. That way you can control the fan to come on when the PC temperature starts to rise as oppose to worrying about the ambient temperature in the cupboard.
 
Seems like a lot of effort and risk of shortening the life of the PC, why does it need to be sealed in a cupboard?
 
Duke said:
Seems like a lot of effort and risk of shortening the life of the PC, why does it need to be sealed in a cupboard?
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My office gets very hot when I'm filming videos / podcasts. I was planning to install AC but moving the PC to the cupboard seems like a cheaper and easier option.
 
Quartz said:
You're running just one PC, not a server rack. Just have an exit for the hot air at the top and natural convection will take care of it for you.
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I wouldn't be relying on natural convection. I have a 5mx3m room used as an office, the PC is left on 24/7 with the monitors/printers/speakers etc all going into standby when not in use. The room gets quite toasty even with the window cracked open and the door adjar as the heat gradually builds up. I certainly wouldn't want to be gaming on a PC that's in a cupboard with no forced ventilation.
 
CryptKeeper said:
My office gets very hot when I'm filming videos / podcasts. I was planning to install AC but moving the PC to the cupboard seems like a cheaper and easier option.
Click to expand...

Is the cupboard in a different room? The heat has to go somewhere so you need to think where it will be extracted to, as others have said it also needs to pull cooler air in so a vent of some kind might be needed as an intake.

I thought about this myself as the gaming pc heats up the room in no time but I can't be cutting holes in the ceiling to extract.
 
Also noting that a powerful PC will kick out some heat, mines around 800W of heat at full chat
 
Puzzled said:
Is the cupboard in a different room? The heat has to go somewhere so you need to think where it will be extracted to, as others have said it also needs to pull cooler air in so a vent of some kind might be needed as an intake.

I thought about this myself as the gaming pc heats up the room in no time but I can't be cutting holes in the ceiling to extract.
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There is a 3m long cupboard next to my study. The door to the cupboard is in the hall upstairs. There is a drywall between the cupboard and the study. The cupboard also shares a wall with the wall of the house, so I figured it would be easy enough to get some ventilation installed.
 
arknor said:
how small is your office that a pc can heat the room
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It's a standard 3.5*3.5 meter double bedroom facing Northwest, so it really heats up when the sun hits in the afternoon. Since I'm recording, I often shut the windows so I don't pick up noises from the street outside. I have a thermometer on my desk and it can reach 32/33 degrees in the room on a sunny day, and we haven't had any real heatwaves yet this summer.
 
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CryptKeeper said:
It's a standard 3.5*3.5 meter double bedroom facing Northwest, so it really heats up when the sun hits in the afternoon. Since I'm recording, I often shut the windows so I don't pick up noises from the street outside. I have a thermometer on my desk and it can reach 32/33 degrees in the room on a sunny day, and we haven't had any real heatwaves yet this summer.
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my living room faces south with a big balcony door to let the heat in.
it gets stupid hot , my pc will get stupid hot compared to winter.

but I doubt it's really heating up the room much the air coming out the back never feels all that warm.

if you really want to do it the easiest way is probably to use some pc fans or do kitchen extractors have a temperature kick in? mines ancient and one of the clicks of the string to turn it on seems to make the fan go on and off as the heat in the kitchen increases from boiling potatoes or whatever.
I doubt it's sensing moisture
 
my pc rooms about 12 feet by 8 feet
the pc can without a shadow of doubt heat my room up
even though the air coming out the pc doesnt really feel that warm
its obviously still warmer than the air in the room
obviously how powerful a pc it is and how long its turned on for
will have some bearing
but yeah just common sense if the pcs using hundreds of watts and dumping the heat
in a small confined space heat will build up
 
Keep the curtains/ blinds closed on a hot day along with the windows.

That will reduce the heat build up on a sunny day by quite a lot.
 
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