A post yesterday where a user had their PC outside proved how many people in this sub have no idea how freezing temps (don’t) affect PCs and how condensation isn’t a concern so I made a timelapse to prove it.
A post yesterday where a user had their PC outside proved how many people in this sub have no idea how freezing temps (don’t) affect PCs and how condensation isn’t a concern so I made a timelapse to prove it.
The PC was running outside in below freezing temps for around two hours. It was then brought inside to sit for fifteen minutes before being fired back up with zero issue. The cpu temp wile running prime95 was around 35C outside and in the 50s inside.
This PC sitting outside will experience zero condensation. Period. End of story. It is physically impossible for condensation to occur on the PC when it is sitting in freezing temps. The thing that will have condensation form on it needs to be COLDER than the surrounding air temp. There is no grey area or wiggle room. It. Will. Not. Happen.
And no, your dumb little “but what happens when you take something out of the fridge” comments don’t mean anything people. When you bring the pc in it will get some moisture on it by drawing moisture from the indoor air onto its very cold surface just like your glasses fog up walking in doors. But that clears up in literal minutes (as proven here) and isn’t a real concern.
I had multiple etherium rigs that I ran for years outside in the winter and summer alike here in Chicago and just covered them up if the weather was bad or took them inside if it was REALLY bad. Too many of you think computers are some fragile magical little device but take it from someone with a CSCI degree who has spent ten years in tech with a chunk of that on a hardware team at Intel that they are not half as fragile as so many of you seem hell bent on believing against all evidence. I’ve built over three hundred PCs of every conceivable type and around sixty servers at this point but a kid with a single gaming rig under their belt and all their info from YouTube thinks they know everything. And unfortunately their comments look just like mine on Reddit so be careful about believing random comments on here.
Also too many idiots seem hell bent on talking about condensation still for some reason. So here is a small scientific fact that has become apparent that half of you don’t understand. Pure water does not cause PCs to short since it is an insulator. The minerals dissolved in water allow it to conduct electricity. In fact we used pure water to clean circuit boards at Intel. And water condensed from the air is 100% pure. Once again people who don’t actually understand science are hell bent on pretending they’re more informed and intelligent than they actually are.
You can [see my timelapse setup here](https://imgur.com/a/KKRBDFw) along with a few photos showing the pc sitting with snow on the ground around it and literal ice cicles that fell from my gutters leaned up against its side. It’s fine. I’m typing this comment using it right now in fact.
Just don’t do this if you have a water loop. I can’t say for sure it’ll be safe cuz I don’t know the freeze point of the solutions they use. But if someone wants to fill a custom loop with antifreeze and toss it outside that’d be dope as hell.
Guitarplay825
This is neat!
johnlanc3r
I thought it had been stolen at the end there, which could impact performance a little for some users
Lightless427
Yeah this is BS. You are literally ONE person that got VERY lucky, but it has been scientifically proven OVER and OVER again that this IS very dangerous.
Anyone can get lucky and cross an interstate blindfolded one time and not get hit by a car. That doesnt mean everyone should try it.
Beginning_Context_66
I think most people are concerned because usually, you freeze your PC at only one spot (e.g. SUB ambient CPU cooling), where the difference between the frozen spot and the ambient temperature rest of the PC causes condensation.
If everything around it is as cold, too, there is no way for condensation to build up – but that wouldn’t have been the first thing I would have thought about when hearing “full frozen PC outside”
Tyrvol
My only issue with the computers outside tests are that NONE of you are taking into account meth heads stealing your rig.
Condensation isn’t a concern while it’s outside, condensation is a concern after you brought it inside. Water damage via oxidation may not be immediately seen. Also 15 minutes isn’t nearly enough.
thebliket
Do this kind of stuff if you like corrosion on your electronics.
niky45
case was open tho, and the day was snowy. … are you going to tell me literal water inside the case doesn’t cause issues?
also, condensation IS very much an issue — look up sub-zero cooling and you’ll see they always coat everything with vaseline.
BIG_Kenny_Boi
Freezing temperatures (to an extent) Will never bother main electronics (anything that’s not a battery) and condensation strongly depends on humidity, more humidity more condensation, low humidity less condensation still cool nonetheless that you’re trying to teach people but make sure that they know humidity plays a big factor a really big factor
VALTIELENTINE
A single anecdotal video showing just this is in no way proof that Freezing temps have no effect on PCs and that condensation as a result of temp fluctuations isn’t a concern.
Statistics 101
Specialkdev
Condensation will only short out a PC in an extreme case. The real threat is corrosion from that condensation shortening the lifespan of your components. It’s not a guarantee, it’s not certain, it’s just a possibility.
Take a chill pill, OP. You’re getting heated in comments over a silly matter. Lol.
Highly-Calibrated
Oh no, I hope no none conductive water condenses on the PC that is significantly warmer than outside temperature.
RichardK1234
The temperature is not the issue, humidity is. Humidity can kill electronics if they experience high enough temperature fluctuation (from cold to hot), because the cold air can keep more water, and when the air gets heated, excess water particles get released.
Freezing temperatures are not the issue, cooling towers for servers operate in low temperatures. As long as the room stays cold and the ambient temperature doesn’t fluctuate in a way that will make the condensation possible, it won’t harm anything. Server cooling rooms are a stable environment, that have temperature/humidity regulation systems in place.
The issue is that outside isn’t a stable environment, and the air temperatures will fluctuate, not to mention the direct sunlight that will heat up the metal surface, allowing water to form, because the air around the metal surface will heat up (albeit slowly, since air is a bad heat conductor). Not to mention, your PC will generate heat, leading to condensation of nearby air. Also, by bringing your PC inside into a warm environment, you just speed that process up a lot.
It’s not good for your computer.
EvanAlmighty019
OP: this PC water coolers : look what they need to do to mimic a fraction of our power
EvanAlmighty019
I mean you’re right but you’re also an asshole…
notautogenerated2365
…Condensation? That could only possibly happen after you *bring the computer inside* while the computer is still cold.
I would only be concerned about weather and theft.
JustInternetNoise
If the object is colder than the air you get condensation, if the air is colder that the object you will not get condensation.
The outside air is colder than the pc so no condensation.
ForAnEnd
This hardly proves anything.
Amd runs cool anyways, try this with a HOT boy I9.
/s
Zone_Purifier
I haven’t seen the original post, but very cold temperatures will impact hard drives negatively. They are mechanical devices and rely on lubricant viscosity.
Ander292
As far as I know low temperature cannot theoretically harm your pc. It would even help with cooling.
Mr_International
OP, I don’t know what the context is for why you made this, but hell if it ain’t really god damn funny.
You have all the energy of Walter Sobchak gripping a pistol at the bowling alley and I’m completely here for it. Go get ’em.
DependentAnywhere135
Ok but if it snows or rains on the pc…
reav11
I did something once and it worked, 100% proof that this works 100% of the time with no issues.
SCIENCE
MrDarwoo
I’ve seen a pcunning in oil before. I think baby oil
TailungFu
OP is fighting for his life in the comments
leflyingcarpet
All right do it for the rest of the winter and report back!
rthomag
Very nice now do it underwater
phorkin
It’s absolutely insane how many people are so uneducated about the topic.
​
Dew point… The temperature which the air hits 100% humidity, causing condensation. Every different ambient has a different dew point. Hell, your room mate farts and your interior dew point may change.
​
Now, to hit this temperature, you need to be cooled to a certain point to hit that relative humidity. Putting a PC outside in -50C will only bring heat. Condensation won’t happen. You’re not cooling any air, you’re actually heating it up. Bringing a cold hunk of metal into a warm environment from a cold one WILL cause this to happen, and condensation can build up on the metal due to the temperature around the cold metal dropping into that dew point.
​
Now, when you’re running a PC, you’re only raising the ambient temperature. This is bringing the temperature in the OPPOSITE direction of the dew point. That’s how the physics works, in a more generic manner of speaking, when dealing with condensation.
​
Now, I’ve read a ton of comments about active cooling methods, like LN2. This is EXACTLY the opposite of what you’re misinformed about. You’re not cooling the air in this circumstance, you’re cooling the CPU block under the ambient temperature. This causes the air AROUND the block to reach the dew point creating condensation. Hence the reason you see people using protestants when using such active cooling methods. Dew point will always be below ambient temperature until you’re literally in a 100% RH environment. Now that your CPU block is below ambient temperatures, the temperature AROUND the block may hit the dew point causing condensation.
​
You’re literally going the opposite direction when heating up the ambient temperatures. You’re not going to create condensation until you drop the ambient temperature. If you did have these issues things like your computer controlled cars, outside detection systems, etc would simply fry out at the first major temperature swing.
​
Great test OP. Just don’t be a douche about people questioning your experiment. Reply with proven evidence and explain why it works like it does. And one reason condensation can be bad for your system, even decently clean it will have some small amount of dirt and dust on components which will become conductive if mixed in with the condensation. Pure water only exists in extremely clean environments.
Sullfer
I guess if it snows or rains the PC will get a proper fucking. But yeah just cold is nice for a PC.
d3macdon
Very cool video.
Many people probably watch tech videos that show all the hoops you have to jump through for sub ambient cooling and think it’s the cold and not the below ambient that’s the problem. No condensation if the computer stays hotter than the air!
However, probably best not to bring it straight inside from -20C to a 20C humidifier equipped house or it’s gonna get damp!
32 Comments
The PC was running outside in below freezing temps for around two hours. It was then brought inside to sit for fifteen minutes before being fired back up with zero issue. The cpu temp wile running prime95 was around 35C outside and in the 50s inside.
This PC sitting outside will experience zero condensation. Period. End of story. It is physically impossible for condensation to occur on the PC when it is sitting in freezing temps. The thing that will have condensation form on it needs to be COLDER than the surrounding air temp. There is no grey area or wiggle room. It. Will. Not. Happen.
And no, your dumb little “but what happens when you take something out of the fridge” comments don’t mean anything people. When you bring the pc in it will get some moisture on it by drawing moisture from the indoor air onto its very cold surface just like your glasses fog up walking in doors. But that clears up in literal minutes (as proven here) and isn’t a real concern.
I had multiple etherium rigs that I ran for years outside in the winter and summer alike here in Chicago and just covered them up if the weather was bad or took them inside if it was REALLY bad. Too many of you think computers are some fragile magical little device but take it from someone with a CSCI degree who has spent ten years in tech with a chunk of that on a hardware team at Intel that they are not half as fragile as so many of you seem hell bent on believing against all evidence. I’ve built over three hundred PCs of every conceivable type and around sixty servers at this point but a kid with a single gaming rig under their belt and all their info from YouTube thinks they know everything. And unfortunately their comments look just like mine on Reddit so be careful about believing random comments on here.
Also too many idiots seem hell bent on talking about condensation still for some reason. So here is a small scientific fact that has become apparent that half of you don’t understand. Pure water does not cause PCs to short since it is an insulator. The minerals dissolved in water allow it to conduct electricity. In fact we used pure water to clean circuit boards at Intel. And water condensed from the air is 100% pure. Once again people who don’t actually understand science are hell bent on pretending they’re more informed and intelligent than they actually are.
You can [see my timelapse setup here](https://imgur.com/a/KKRBDFw) along with a few photos showing the pc sitting with snow on the ground around it and literal ice cicles that fell from my gutters leaned up against its side. It’s fine. I’m typing this comment using it right now in fact.
Just don’t do this if you have a water loop. I can’t say for sure it’ll be safe cuz I don’t know the freeze point of the solutions they use. But if someone wants to fill a custom loop with antifreeze and toss it outside that’d be dope as hell.
This is neat!
I thought it had been stolen at the end there, which could impact performance a little for some users
Yeah this is BS. You are literally ONE person that got VERY lucky, but it has been scientifically proven OVER and OVER again that this IS very dangerous.
Anyone can get lucky and cross an interstate blindfolded one time and not get hit by a car. That doesnt mean everyone should try it.
I think most people are concerned because usually, you freeze your PC at only one spot (e.g. SUB ambient CPU cooling), where the difference between the frozen spot and the ambient temperature rest of the PC causes condensation.
If everything around it is as cold, too, there is no way for condensation to build up – but that wouldn’t have been the first thing I would have thought about when hearing “full frozen PC outside”
My only issue with the computers outside tests are that NONE of you are taking into account meth heads stealing your rig.
Which is why you need to booby trap it.
That post’s OP said it was “hella moist” [https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/1989r8d/comment/ki5xczr/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/1989r8d/comment/ki5xczr/)
Condensation isn’t a concern while it’s outside, condensation is a concern after you brought it inside. Water damage via oxidation may not be immediately seen. Also 15 minutes isn’t nearly enough.
Do this kind of stuff if you like corrosion on your electronics.
case was open tho, and the day was snowy. … are you going to tell me literal water inside the case doesn’t cause issues?
also, condensation IS very much an issue — look up sub-zero cooling and you’ll see they always coat everything with vaseline.
Freezing temperatures (to an extent) Will never bother main electronics (anything that’s not a battery) and condensation strongly depends on humidity, more humidity more condensation, low humidity less condensation still cool nonetheless that you’re trying to teach people but make sure that they know humidity plays a big factor a really big factor
A single anecdotal video showing just this is in no way proof that Freezing temps have no effect on PCs and that condensation as a result of temp fluctuations isn’t a concern.
Statistics 101
Condensation will only short out a PC in an extreme case. The real threat is corrosion from that condensation shortening the lifespan of your components. It’s not a guarantee, it’s not certain, it’s just a possibility.
Take a chill pill, OP. You’re getting heated in comments over a silly matter. Lol.
Oh no, I hope no none conductive water condenses on the PC that is significantly warmer than outside temperature.
The temperature is not the issue, humidity is. Humidity can kill electronics if they experience high enough temperature fluctuation (from cold to hot), because the cold air can keep more water, and when the air gets heated, excess water particles get released.
Freezing temperatures are not the issue, cooling towers for servers operate in low temperatures. As long as the room stays cold and the ambient temperature doesn’t fluctuate in a way that will make the condensation possible, it won’t harm anything. Server cooling rooms are a stable environment, that have temperature/humidity regulation systems in place.
The issue is that outside isn’t a stable environment, and the air temperatures will fluctuate, not to mention the direct sunlight that will heat up the metal surface, allowing water to form, because the air around the metal surface will heat up (albeit slowly, since air is a bad heat conductor). Not to mention, your PC will generate heat, leading to condensation of nearby air. Also, by bringing your PC inside into a warm environment, you just speed that process up a lot.
It’s not good for your computer.
OP: this
PC water coolers : look what they need to do to mimic a fraction of our power
I mean you’re right but you’re also an asshole…
…Condensation? That could only possibly happen after you *bring the computer inside* while the computer is still cold.
I would only be concerned about weather and theft.
If the object is colder than the air you get condensation, if the air is colder that the object you will not get condensation.
The outside air is colder than the pc so no condensation.
This hardly proves anything.
Amd runs cool anyways, try this with a HOT boy I9.
/s
I haven’t seen the original post, but very cold temperatures will impact hard drives negatively. They are mechanical devices and rely on lubricant viscosity.
As far as I know low temperature cannot theoretically harm your pc. It would even help with cooling.
OP, I don’t know what the context is for why you made this, but hell if it ain’t really god damn funny.
You have all the energy of Walter Sobchak gripping a pistol at the bowling alley and I’m completely here for it. Go get ’em.
Ok but if it snows or rains on the pc…
I did something once and it worked, 100% proof that this works 100% of the time with no issues.
SCIENCE
I’ve seen a pcunning in oil before. I think baby oil
OP is fighting for his life in the comments
All right do it for the rest of the winter and report back!
Very nice now do it underwater
It’s absolutely insane how many people are so uneducated about the topic.
​
Dew point… The temperature which the air hits 100% humidity, causing condensation. Every different ambient has a different dew point. Hell, your room mate farts and your interior dew point may change.
​
Now, to hit this temperature, you need to be cooled to a certain point to hit that relative humidity. Putting a PC outside in -50C will only bring heat. Condensation won’t happen. You’re not cooling any air, you’re actually heating it up. Bringing a cold hunk of metal into a warm environment from a cold one WILL cause this to happen, and condensation can build up on the metal due to the temperature around the cold metal dropping into that dew point.
​
Now, when you’re running a PC, you’re only raising the ambient temperature. This is bringing the temperature in the OPPOSITE direction of the dew point. That’s how the physics works, in a more generic manner of speaking, when dealing with condensation.
​
Now, I’ve read a ton of comments about active cooling methods, like LN2. This is EXACTLY the opposite of what you’re misinformed about. You’re not cooling the air in this circumstance, you’re cooling the CPU block under the ambient temperature. This causes the air AROUND the block to reach the dew point creating condensation. Hence the reason you see people using protestants when using such active cooling methods. Dew point will always be below ambient temperature until you’re literally in a 100% RH environment. Now that your CPU block is below ambient temperatures, the temperature AROUND the block may hit the dew point causing condensation.
​
You’re literally going the opposite direction when heating up the ambient temperatures. You’re not going to create condensation until you drop the ambient temperature. If you did have these issues things like your computer controlled cars, outside detection systems, etc would simply fry out at the first major temperature swing.
​
Great test OP. Just don’t be a douche about people questioning your experiment. Reply with proven evidence and explain why it works like it does. And one reason condensation can be bad for your system, even decently clean it will have some small amount of dirt and dust on components which will become conductive if mixed in with the condensation. Pure water only exists in extremely clean environments.
I guess if it snows or rains the PC will get a proper fucking. But yeah just cold is nice for a PC.
Very cool video.
Many people probably watch tech videos that show all the hoops you have to jump through for sub ambient cooling and think it’s the cold and not the below ambient that’s the problem. No condensation if the computer stays hotter than the air!
However, probably best not to bring it straight inside from -20C to a 20C humidifier equipped house or it’s gonna get damp!