I support a computer that is in an office attatched to a swimming
pool. The humidity has corroded the electrical components inside the
computer. Before I replace the system repeatedly, I wanted to ensure
that a waterproof option wasn't available. (changing the airflow,
humidity for the whole office is not an affordable option)
I would like to know if a fanless cpu and powersupply, system sealed
in a waterproof case (like a pelican case) would function. I would
drill holes in the pelican case for power, video, mouse nad keyboard
cords and then seal the cords/holes with silicon.
Anyone w/ experience making waterproof systems or relevent
information would be appreciated.
If by pelican case, you're talking about an airtight plastic
footlocker thing:
http://www.pelican.com/
Then I very much suspect you'll have heat problems even if you go with
a low power system that's fanless. Computers generate heat and that
heat has to go somewhere. Plastic generally isn't a very good
conductor of heat (quite the opposite actually). You'll have to
figure out how to dump the heat somehow if you go this route. I'd
guess some sort of circulated liquid cooling, since you're trying to
keep the interior self contained.
I'd guess a heat pipe might work. That's sort of like a passive water
cooling system. No pump. Coolant filled pipes leading to a hollow
copper heatsink and the other end to a passive heat exchanger
(essentially another hollow copper block with fins to help dump heat).
The exchanger would be mounted outside the case someplace higher up
than the bottom of the heat pipe. Theory is that the water or
whatever liquid coolant you opt for would circulate passively as the
heat makes the hot water rise up and the cooled water falls by itself,
absorbing heat as it gets closer to the bottom (eventually rising
again). Of course, this has all the problems of pumped water cooling
with possible leaks being a risk, and it's expensive. It's also not
as efficient as a pumped solution.
There's also the well known pumped coolant systems, which are similar,
except that there's a pump in the coolant circuit to move the coolant
around. Noiser, and more expensive, but you have a bit more
flexibility about where you put the heat exchanger.
Either way, the heat exchanger wouldn't be put on the lid of the case,
as you pretty much want all the water cooling components put in
non-moving locations (to minimize the possibility of dislodging a
tube/pipe and causing a leak).
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Another alternative might be to move the computer to another office,
where you've got a humidifier. If you need computer access at this
_particular_ location, you could set up a sort of modern dumb terminal
using a wireless (or wired) KVM hub and only having the monitor,
keyboard and mouse at the humid location. I think that LCD monitors
might handle humidity a bit better than CRTs, as they generally have
fewer corrodeable components, and there are a number of waterproof
keyboards. As for the mouse, a wireless optical in a sealed ziplock
type bag might be awkward, but I think it will work.
