Hello all. I live in Arizona where the temperature is often times quite hot. Using AC is not often times a suitable solution, as utility costs can be less than appreciated. Using fans for the most part is not suitable either for several reasons. First and most importantly, most computers do not offer a reasonable amount of airflow due to internal obstructions caused by hardware and wires. It simply does not matter much that there is a fan in front and in back, or one on the side as well due to such problems. Another problem is the idea that often times, the ambient air temperature is not enough to allow suitable thermal transfer to occure at the speeds at which the air is passing over the heated surfaces. There simply is not enough time to allow proper thermal transfer due to lower air pressures inside the case.
I have found that there is a suitable solution to computer system cooling that is less expensive than one might think. I am sure you are all familiar with those electric coolers you can purchase to keep a six-pack cold. They utilize a thermo-electric cooling system that is both economical to run, takes up relatively little space and works like a charm. Coolers such as this range in size from six-pack sized, all the way up to large coolers.
What a person can do, is basically turn their computer case into a dust free, sealed refrigerator. Don't waste time with fans. All they do is pump air in and out of the system, causing a great deal of dust to accumulate which further hinders cooling, not to mention the amount of time and difficulty keeping the computer components clean for efficient thermal transfer. Not only is component placement an air flow obstruction, but it also creates eddy current all over the place in the computer housing, which creates hot pockets that don't move anywhere, even though the air flow is present elsewhere.
What I plan to do, is to seal up the computer housing and install a thermo-electric cooler in the housing wall, just as it is mounted in the six-pack cooler. Turn the computer housing into a refrigerator! No air passes from the outside to the inside, so the interior always remains clean. All thermal transfer occurs directly inside the case where it comes into contact with the thermal plate mounted in the housing wall. The fan and heat sink are on the outside of the computer housing. It is a good idea to keep some moisture absorbing packets inside the case to absorb any moisture, preventing condensation on any components. Since the system is sealed, no more moisture can enter, so the inside stays dry. There are other details to doing such a mod, but for those who have an imagination, such things are easy to see and solve. RTV is a good solution for those who wish to seal wires that lead to the outside. Not only is it a good way to seal things up, but it is not permanent either. You can peel it off when you need to change things. Foam sheet about an inch thick can be used as insulation, etc. Has anyone tried this?
