Outdoor mining rig, worried about condensation

[carlo]

Hello,

i wanna  place my mining rig outside, its to warm. We have something like a carport. So its secure from rain, but what about the atmospheric humidity ?
I think the whole System is too hot, but im still worried about condensation.

Did somebody realize my idea, or has some ideas ? Maybe i forgot some important aspects.

cheers
carlo

[max in montreal]

there is a thread "pictures of your mining rigs" one guy has it on his balcony, covered in snow...

[carlo]

Thats hardcore, but the snow will be water very shortly. A mining rig is like a 500W radiant heater

[vector76]

Condensation will not normally be a problem unless an object is colder than the ambient temperature.  A mining rig should already be hotter than ambient by a comfortable margin to prevent condensation even in a humid environment.

Even non-condensing humidity is not particularly healthy, and you also have to consider increased dust and insects.

[hmblm1245]

Condensation will not normally be a problem unless an object is colder than the ambient temperature.  A mining rig should already be hotter than ambient by a comfortable margin to prevent condensation even in a humid environment.

Even non-condensing humidity is not particularly healthy, and you also have to consider increased dust and insects.

I agree, i would also consider that most computer hardware prefer the 70 degree or cooler and in the 35% rH  (relative  humidity). With higher humidity moisture can appear and dust can just stick to the parts.

[carlo]

I thought, if the rig is running its very warm, so i dont have problems with humidity water. If i turn it off, there could be a problem, cause the warm air outside could give the water to the cold metal, but if its running there shouldnt be a problem.

You are right dust is a problem, but if i clean it sometimes, we have a compressed air machine at home. Insects could also be a problem for that i need a insect mesh. Thanks for the hint.

edit:
i took a look into some mainboard specs:
Operating Temperature    0°C ~ 60°C
Operating Humidity    0% ~ 85% (relative humidity; non-condensing)

I dont have a hdd or a usb drive, just a cat5 cable to boot on lan. The CPU is cooled passive, but I'm worried about the coolers of the gpus, need to clean them sometimes and take a look if the case gets wet.

[deepceleron]

Look at the weather forecast for 'dewpoint'. That is the temperature at which water vapor will begin to precipitate out on surfaces. Of course, your computer and video cards are like a mini-hair dryer too, 40C air blowing around inside the case will prevent moisture accumulation.

[Meatball]

Look at the weather forecast for 'dewpoint'. That is the temperature at which water vapor will begin to precipitate out on surfaces. Of course, your computer and video cards are like a mini-hair dryer too, 40C air blowing around inside the case will prevent moisture accumulation.

You are all assuming that the machine will never shut off.  First night of a power failure, or mining pools down and everything stops, machine could get a bunch of condensation and be dead.

[hmblm1245]

Look at the weather forecast for 'dewpoint'. That is the temperature at which water vapor will begin to precipitate out on surfaces. Of course, your computer and video cards are like a mini-hair dryer too, 40C air blowing around inside the case will prevent moisture accumulation.

You are all assuming that the machine will never shut off.  First night of a power failure, or mining pools down and everything stops, machine could get a bunch of condensation and be dead.

yeah as those cards cool quickly. we all no when mining stops its about a 20+ degree drop in card temps

[stryker]

google experimented running a server farm in a tent! honest.... erm google it 

[teflone]

Forget all the over thinkers..

If your mining rig is in a case..

You will never have condensation issues...  relax...

[carlo]

its in a 19" Case, and at the weekend i will do some tests.

[cicada]

yeah as those cards cool quickly. we all no when mining stops its about a 20+ degree drop in card temps

That's the spot temp at the sensor, your case temperature won't immediately fall 20C, nor is the inside of your case reaching 80C under load.  Or maybe it is.  If it is, you've got some problems

[hmblm1245]

yeah as those cards cool quickly. we all no when mining stops its about a 20+ degree drop in card temps

That's the spot temp at the sensor, your case temperature won't immediately fall 20C, nor is the inside of your case reaching 80C under load.  Or maybe it is.  If it is, you've got some problems

Yes the sensor is right near the gpu and that's where i would worry most for condensation because the temp will rise and cool rapidly. The odds that condensation will occur is still very slim because the mining rig its self is a blow dryer during mining, but that one night or day that the rig stops the temps on the hsf will drop by 20 or so C. I will prob be fine.

[vector76]

Remember that dew occurs due to radiation of heat into space.  This radiation can cause the temperature of an object (especially an object with low thermal mass such as a blade of grass) to drop below the ambient air temperature and sometimes below the dew point, causing condensation.  This radiation is minimal with the computer under a carport.

If your computer is on, (even if not mining) the generated heat should more than compensate for this, whether protected by a carport or not.

If your computer is off or might lose power, then it is possible, but even then the carport and case should protect the interior from dew.

[SMOKEU]

I'd be more worried about theft than condensation. We live in a nice area and someone stole a whole bunch of paving bricks from our place, I'd hate to see what they'd do to a mining rig...

[johnyj]

Mine open frame rig has been put in the balcony for weeks, it passed rain/hail/storm/sun test, still rocks. Basically I just put one layer of  plastic foam cover the top and front side of the frame to prevent rain drop into it by accident

[Fiyasko]

I think a mining rig farm inside an out door tent would work great!

[Blackout]

I'm wondering about this as well as I am thinking of putting a rig in the garage and it's protected from the elements but pretty dusty and open air gets in.

[Fiyasko]

I actually just so happen to have Two mining rigs (6990ers) running inside my garage. The garage. My father uses as his woodshop. There is ALOT of floating debris and sawdust.

Answer=1HUGE fan (the size of your side panel) and one Furnace Filter the size of your side panel 20x20x1 works well.

Take off your side panel, Lay the computer on it's side, Place Huge fan Directly Ontop Of The Computer with air blowing INTO the machine NOT pulling air off of it then place the furnace filter atop the huge boxfan thats laying atop your 'lying down' computer, The suction from the fan will Pull the Filter down onto it.

Currently, My machine has been 24/7 for about 3months now and the filter is a 'lil dirty, But the interior of the case has No. debris.