Water filled PC

Blue Cypher · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:47

I am wanting to build a pc with a case with no fan holes in or anythin like that that is see through. I will then fill it with water. I was wondering how would i go about this, i think you have to use de iodised water but i am not sure, and i take it the PSU cant be in the case at all! has anyone done this as i would like some tips? Or even if you havent done it but know the theory your help would be great. Would i leave the fans in so they move the water around or would i leave them out cos they may break from pushing all that water?

Workshed · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:56

I don't think filling it with de-ionised water will work as i think it still shorts out (having had a small leak, as in a couple of drops, onto my graphics card i know it shorts out

) if you have a look on Toms Hardware they tried it recently and it would only stay on for 5 minutes. I think they ended up using mineral oil or something...

Blue Cypher · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:58

thx for that, surprised it would short out though as de-ionised water isnt ment to conduct, but i will look on toms hardware now thx

Jameslee · 16 Jan 2006 at 15:04

I think it was cooking oil they used on tomshardware, and plenty of it

Dutch Guy · 16 Jan 2006 at 15:19

At first it will not short but very soon you will get contaminants in the water from contact with the air.

Oil is much better and it has been done before like in the Tomshardware article.

Zefan · 16 Jan 2006 at 15:22

D-ionised water is exactly what it says it is, DE-IONISED. That means the conductive partciles in standard tap water have been extracted. De-ionised water does NOT conduct electricity.

The way it shorts stuff in PC's is by mixing with dust (And thus conductable particles) on the surface of your components and case. Do do the water PC firstly you'd have to completely clean every component until it is totally free of dust (Not far off impossible) and then seal it 100% air tight as to proteect it from conductive particles in the air. This would make upgrading somewhat of a pain with having to unseal, drain, re-clean and fill.

There is no reason why the PSU shouldn't be in the case.

:edit: too slow

|Ric| · 16 Jan 2006 at 15:38

is it just me that thinks you're crazy?

Tute · 16 Jan 2006 at 16:16

|Ric| said:
is it just me that thinks you're crazy?

No way, if I had an old Duron rig and a penchant for risky computer setups i'd definitly try this!

daz · 16 Jan 2006 at 16:28

De-ionised water becomes ionised after any length of time though.

Use what a lot of generators use to cool - oil.

a1ex2001 · 16 Jan 2006 at 16:31

the other trouble is to do this the water will have to be completely de-ionised and believe me the stuff you get from halfords isn't! You're much better off doing this with somethin like Oil but even then it's abit pointless now it's been done.

lay-z-boy · 16 Jan 2006 at 17:47

i have a silent 24/7 internet/downloads rig, it is a fishtank full of oil and a rig with all the fans taken off/out, however i advise oil as deionised water its too easy to contaminate to become conductive.

if you have the money you can angle a few high pressure pumps at hot parts so you can oil cool a high end rig in total silence.

daz · 16 Jan 2006 at 17:57

What type of oil did you use, and what temps did you get?

Do natural convection currents form in the oil?

Cold_And_Miserable · 16 Jan 2006 at 18:45

Zefan said:
D-ionised water is exactly what it says it is, DE-IONISED. That means the conductive partciles in standard tap water have been extracted. De-ionised water does NOT conduct electricity.

:edit: too slow

I'm sorry to say you are incorrect. Water has a pH of around 7 as at 20 degrees H+ ions are present at 10^-7 concentration, this increases with temperature so water is technically a conductor and digital signals will certainly be affected.

Blue Cypher · 16 Jan 2006 at 21:09

Well i guess waters out of the window then, what about a pc full of lubricant

welshtom · 16 Jan 2006 at 21:16

built one with veggy oil, now we're making one with baby oil.

threads on next page i think.

Tom

p4radox · 16 Jan 2006 at 21:28

PanMaster said:
I'm sorry to say you are incorrect. Water has a pH of around 7 as at 20 degrees H+ ions are present at 10^-7 concentration, this increases with temperature so water is technically a conductor and digital signals will certainly be affected.

Correct, even water with all 'impure' ions removed can still dissociate a few H+ ions (actually H3O+ but nvm). Even this small amount of charge carriers can enable a current to flow.