Computer cooling discussion... too much?

[Kisskerven]

As I read so many pages of "how to cool your PC" "more effective ways" and the like.. the issue does come to me... mostly with this "Phase Cooling" that has been newly introduced (ok "reletively new") to PC computing...

A nice system can easily cool your CPU -20 C, which is a crazy amount of change from the normal heatsink and/or heatsink and fan method, even from Liquid cooling.

If you don't know what Phase cooling is, its like this- a Refrigerator or AC- it turns a liquid into a gas,which is then heated by your component and transfered around to be re-cooled and it cycles- frankly I think this idea is great- but rather dangerous.

The problem with these is.... Can you cool your computer TOO MUCH?
Metal can only take so much and given that parts vibrate and reverberate even without fans present scares me to think about cooling your parts to negative C degrees.... think about it... it'd be like sub-chilling anything in liquid nitrogen.. then tapping it against something hard... (it would shatter if you didn't know) ... wouldn't your PC do the same thing?

Not only that.. but can you just imagine the damage and danger of installing something like this IMPROPERLY or your PC is jarred/moved while in use? Coolent could leak out and freeze things randomly.. including living things.

I know theres not a huge market for Phase cooling devices- I see normally only about 2 brand names- even then they are pretty secretive with what they have.

Sure the idea to super overclock your pc with NO limits based on heat is a great one.. but what will it cost you.. 800 dollars.. a finger... an arm.. an eye?

Please input here... I really want to know if you can "over cool" your parts...not that Iam personally interested in Phase Cooling any machine- just so that the information is out there.

 

[Akubane]

Well from what I know. Some guys somewhere (sorry, this is just from word of mouth/forum and I don't know the source, nor can I remember who) cooled a processor near down to the absolute zero mark to see how they could overclock it. Just what I heard. i think it was someone here that brought it up. As far as coolign Too much I dont think its possible.. That might also depend on the part. And of course if you freeze somethign to a certain temperature It will be more fragile physically. So you might nit want to throw it aroudn the room like your other laptop lol. You dont just throw around a phase cooler, it weighs 40 or 50lbs anyway. So taking careful steps and stuff, properly mounting and insulating and all that jazz. Not to mention just turning it off and on takes like 6 ro 7 min or something. So if it's just casual use its probably a waste of time and money.
Phase cooling isn't for the average guy doign the average stuff. It's for someone who want's guarenteed cold temps without the hassle and mess of watercooling. Its also a great overclocker. 4.5GHz and stuff. I seen a Q6600 B3 (yes B3) OC to 4.0 somewhere. I'll try and find the link and post back but I don't know if I can. Thats the main reason I want the phase cooling. I got stuck with a B3 which throws off tons more heat than G0, maxing OC temps at like 3.2 which IMO isn't satisfactory XD I wont be happy under 3.6 lowest. I'd rather sell it on ebay and save for 2 more weeks to buy a QX6850 or Penryn 9650 Guarenteed G0.

Also remember that it draws way more electricity than your normal PC even with watercooling. Its 1000$ new. And Can be a bother with all the thermal insulatign greese and such, but nowhere near as troublesome as Leak testing, cleaning out the rad and waterblocks for 24hrs and all that junk.

Thats my 2cents from that I know about it anyhow. Someone with some solid info, sources, links could agree/add/disagree and whatnot. I've only looked into it mildly, not like i've studied water. I just seen a good deal thrown at me (cheaper than my water) so I'd love to latch on if I can.

Edit~ In fact can someone verify that Near-absolute zero test? I think its feasable but it would be interestign to read it lol.

 

[FireFox]

I think you all worry too much.

 

[Kisskerven]

meh Iam still seing gamers getting handicapped by a machine they made to make sure there games were NOT handicapped.

"How you going to play Counterstrike with no fingers fool!"
""I dunno.. but my CPU temp is -35C at full load""

 

[Akubane]

hm? I'm not worried in the least. I skateboard for a pass-time. I've broken ankles, foot, wrist (dont drink and skate). had 3 concussions and a few nasty cuts. Also live in canada, was a boyscout, so I'm no stranger to cold, hypothermia, near-frostbyte XD winter camping ftw. ; ;

If something happened and I blew off a finger or froze something. It'd be my own stupid fault for not taking precautions/doign it properly in the first place. It's noones fault but their own.

Unless some kind of short makes the unit explode or soemthing.. In which case you could probably sue and live in comfort for the rest of your life.. Which wouldnt be so bad imo.

Edit~ In fact. Id be able to live with a missing finger or some dead nerves if I can get a few million out of it. lol

 

[Kisskerven]

Iam seeing more devestating effects like your 4 fingers or the thumb... and not being able to play your games or type well.. sure the money might be ok- but its not going to pay the 1.2 billion dollars youll need to make a fully cybernetic hand that will work just as well as your real one-just not feel a thing.

or even spraying into your eyes and blinding you....

 

[Akubane]

Guess I'll wear safety goggles and rubber gloves to minimize damage. I may not be old but at 22 I'm not too young to understand the possible consquences. Though losing that many would suck ; ; or the thumb.. darn XD ah well XD

crap happens I guess. you could get seriously crippled walking down the road by a drunk driver. I work in a warehouse, I could be crushed or run over at any time. I'm waiting on surgery for a torn shoulder ligament and the impingment between the joints right now XD.

Live fast die young. Ok so I'm sittin on a computer building tech forum haha I'm not livin fast anymore XD oh well lol you get the idea.

That being said I'm gonna go smoke a cigarrette.. possibly give myself cancer in the process ^^

Edit~ And my typing already sucks. I edit these posts 3 or 4 times each because I don't take the time to read before posting lol. I should have taken a proper typing class. sad really ; ;

 

[killians45]

Phase cooling is especially useful for large servers and supercomputing grids that run VERY hot. Not only do they employ phase or liquid cooling, but also external heat control via cold air convection (close to what you see in movies with visible cold air in a enclosed room). Most phase cooling would be useless for most systems currently used in the home.

 

[phucng_10]

I think you all worry too much.

I agree. As long as your CPU doesn't reach past ~60°C and your VGA doesn't reach past ~75°C, then everything will be fine. Just get a monitoring system. Unless you guys are talking about something else, then I'm totally out of it.

 

[Akubane]

yeah noone was really advocating phase cooling.

summary:
-Kiss wanted to know if you can ruin your CPU by cooling it too much.
-was concerned about the possible health risks and physical dangers.
--Leaking coolant on yourself
--your eyes
--losing some fingers
--frying yourself along with some computer parts

I say if you get blown up its probably your own fault in the first place. It's not a kids toy. Work carefuly, install it properly. Safety first.

And as far as I know you can bring your CPU to as low a tempurature as humanly possible, because I believe its been done. Correct me if I'm wrong.