News Core i9-13900K and RTX 4090 Run at Sub-Zero Temps Outside

[Admin]

Gaming PC equipped with the latest Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU survives subzero temperatures for a night.

Core i9-13900K and RTX 4090 Run at Sub-Zero Temps Outside : Read more

 

[cyrusfox]

Need to change that fluid up, anti-freeze(50/50) is good to -38°C, maybe good enough for this current application.

 

[Deleted member 1353997]

Need to change that fluid up, anti-freeze(50/50) is good to -38°C, maybe good enough for this current application.

She already knows.

From the article:

But at -30 C and -40 C, liquid in the closed-loop 360-mm liquid CPU cooler froze and the device simply stopped working. To cool down the processor, she had to install Noctua's NH-P1 passive heatsink and build a monstrous air compressor out of dozens of high-pressure server fans that created sound that was as horrific as the compressor looked.

 

[cyrusfox]

She already knows.

Yes I know she knows and went with a passive heatsink and jerry rigged a compressor, that's a lot of extra power and space.
My comment was don't do a closed loop, open it up and use anti-free, May burn up some pumps though but that is the beauty of open loop, easy to replace.

 

[frogr]

Need to change that fluid up, anti-freeze(50/50) is good to -38°C, maybe good enough for this current application.

"Due to possible slush creation, ethylene glycol and water solutions should not be used in conditions close to freezing points. "
-> https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-glycol-d_146.html
Also years ago, the factory antifreeze mix in my new Saab slushed up and my car overheated on the freeway at -30C

 

[PEnns]

"But such sophisticated coolers apparently aren't necessary if the temperature falls between -30 degrees Celsius to -53 C (-22 degrees Fahrenheit to -63.4 F) outside...."

Those lucky Mongolian gamers, playing outside in balmy sub zero temps!! What's next, Intel lava-like processors are great for playing at absolute zero temps on Neptune??

 

[bit_user]

Why is it so surprising that it worked? If you don't let the PC get too cold before turning it on, then I'd expect it to.

To cool down the processor, she had to install Noctua's NH-P1 passive heatsink and build a monstrous air compressor out of dozens of high-pressure server fans that created sound that was as horrific as the compressor looked.

Um, why couldn't she just use a normal Noctua tower cooler with its own fan? Maybe she tried the passive cooler to see how well it would work on its own, and didn't have ready access to, or funds to buy an active tower cooler?

Could there be some issue with fans' bearings freezing that maybe doesn't apply to the server fans?

 

[Howardohyea]

Um, why couldn't she just use a normal Noctua tower cooler with its own fan? Maybe she tried the passive cooler to see how well it would work on its own, and didn't have ready access to, or funds to buy an active tower cooler?

Could there be some issue with fans' bearings freezing that maybe doesn't apply to the server fans?

My thoughts exactly, if there isn't any liquid components (like AIO) in the PC, it should function more or less just fine regardless of temperature.

That reminded me, the liquid in the vapor chamber may freeze, but when it thaws I think it's going to be alright.

 

[bit_user]

My thoughts exactly, if there isn't any liquid components (like AIO) in the PC, it should function more or less just fine regardless of temperature.

BTW, my comment about fan bearings was in relation to some of them being "fluid dynamic bearings", which I'm guessing use oil as the fluid. Oil gets viscous, at low temperatures, which could prevent the fans from spinning. Even the amount of oil in ball bearing fans could be an issue. Maybe that's why she had to use high-torque server fans? Otherwise, it seems like a fairly random thing to do.

the liquid in the vapor chamber may freeze, but when it thaws I think it's going to be alright.

There probably is some temperature that's so cold the "far" side of the vapor chamber might not be able to stay unfrozen, leading to all the fluid collecting as icicles there, instead of flowing back along the walls. The walls themselves don't conduct heat very well, limiting the ability of them to thaw the frozen part.