One of the premises of computer cooling systems is to keep internal components at the ideal temperature for their operation. On the other hand, many of you will have a mini-fridge in your room to store non-alcoholic drinks. Well, more than one will have thought of combining both ideas and put a pc in a mini fridge which keeps the components very fresh. However, it is a bad idea, or not. Either way, keep reading to find out why.
One of the curiosities that very few people know is that there are high-performance servers operating in watertight compartments located at the bottom of the sea. The reason for this is due to the fact that the temperature at which the water is found is much cooler than the environment and saves them a huge amount of electrical energy per year. A similar concept can be putting a PC in a mini fridge. However, if it were that simple, everyone would do it. Is this as crazy an idea as it sounds?
Is it possible to mount a PC inside a mini fridge?
We must start from the fact that our refrigerators are designed to keep food at room temperature at temperatures close to zero. The components of our computer reach temperatures much higher than those of our environment. This is why conventional cooling systems, those that are air-based, are based on the use of fans to renew the cold air.
In theory, a mini fridge should provide a temperature where the air would stay cool enough to live without. And this is where the first problem comes in. There is no mini-fridge with the power to cool PC components more efficiently than a traditional box. Also, you would need very high power for this. So not only would we not have better cooling, but much more expensive due to the huge electricity bill we would have to pay.
The Condensation Problem
All this without taking into account an additional factor, that of humidity. Normally, in a refrigerator used for food, it enters through four different channels:
- Due to the moisture in the food itself.
- Accumulation of water in the air vents of the mini-fridge.
- Every time we open the door.
- The door rubber seal is leaking. Since we need to have cables connected externally, this would be impossible.
We can avoid the first point, however, the other three cannot. But the key question is: would condensation occur? Well, the answer is that, surprising as it may seem, it would not happen while the PC is running. We must start from the fact that The radiator of a refrigerator does not use any type of fan to exchange the outside temperature with the inside. Simply, being a sealed behavior in which the air would not be renewed, it would gradually increase its temperature. First, it would do it very slowly, since it would have the opposition of the refrigerator’s own motor, which would increase consumption, until it could no longer refrigerate and would trigger temperatures, causing the PC to suddenly shut down.
When this happens, it would eventually generate a condensation effect, which is funsuitable for electronic components. So if you’re looking to mount a PC in a mini fridge, our advice is simple: get that idea out of your head. Since it’s still the same as mounting a liquid cooler with a broken radiator fan.
