Low operating temps

mangobreeder

mangobreeder

mangobreeder

Soldato
Joined
3 Mar 2008
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Hi

I've just built a garden office, which is fully insulated (wall, ceiling floor), and ill be keeping my PC in there. I have concerns that over the winter it might get too cold in there, and might break a component when I turn the pc on. Am I worrying over nothing, or should i consider heating it over the winter (oil rad with frost setting / thermostat)

Thanks
 
The cold is not the problem it's moisture in the air so fully insulated office it should be fine though i would still have some sort of heating in there if temps drop to far and for comfort.
 
I built a PC for a friend which they put in an unheated conservatory. I told them I was worried about condensation with the temperature changes and I wouldn’t be responsible if it failed due to moisture. That was about seven years ago and it’s still going strong.

The bottom line is there’s going to be a risk but you’ll probably be ok. I’m not sure I’d risk it without some kind of heating if it were me though.
 
It should be fine. The issue of moisture tends to come from when a surface is cold and gets moist warmer air hitting it, leading to condensation on the colder surface, and more so when the air temperature change rises sharply above the surface temp. As mentioned above, an insulated room should counter this fine as the air inside is stable and tends to be drier than outside stuff.

I notice in my barn that I get moisture on the cobbled floor after we've had a cold spell where the floor temp has cooled over time. Warmer air flows through the barn and the floor looks like its sweating. After a short while it clears again once things heat up. That being said, all the items in the barn dont' get moisture on them, its just the floor which is staying colder for a lot longer due its thermal mass.

For example, I have a rack server in the barn space running 24/7 and it stays perfectly dry.
 
If you have control of the PC fans, switch the case fans off until the CPU say reaches 30 degrees. In other words let the CPU warm up the insides without drawing air in to the case.
 
Keeping temperature little above outside temperature would keep humidity and condensation away.

Though in case of mechanical drivers there would be certainly risk of extra wear and tear from higher thermal stresses, if PC isn't running constantly.
 
mangobreeder said:
Hi

I've just built a garden office, which is fully insulated (wall, ceiling floor), and ill be keeping my PC in there. I have concerns that over the winter it might get too cold in there, and might break a component when I turn the pc on. Am I worrying over nothing, or should i consider heating it over the winter (oil rad with frost setting / thermostat)

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you won't be using the pc in the winter just take it inside the house? Cover with blankets or put in a cupboard someplace dry
 
BUDFORCE said:
I wouldn't be worried.

It would need to be some serious moisture to cause any problems.
Click to expand...
I once lost a pc to moisture in a garden summer house. Wouldn't say it was serious moisture. In fact the pc might have even created the moisture/condensation lol
 
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