Building an auto shop computer

[Uranium-235]

I am doing work for an auto shop replacing their gx620's with core i3's and samsung ssd pros with msi m4 class motherboards.

They want to replace the one in the shop that is inside a cabinet. With texas heat I am concerned. I know the msi military 4 boards can take more than usual heat. But power supplies, and the Dell screen that suprisingly still works

Anyone have a good solution for this heat situation?

[stj]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

fans - lots of 120mm fans blowing into the case.
and filters on all the fans.

that way you have constant airflow and no dust / paint-particles etc getting inside.

[shovenose]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

msi makes good boards. i use them almost exclusively. anyway, i don't think you have to worry about it. 2nd gen+ i3s create so little heat and with an ssd power draw will be very low.

[Topcat]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

besides heat, out in a shop, you will get a lot of dust & dirt.... take it from me, I have to blast mine with the air hose atleast twice a year....but to conquer heat, airflow is the only answer.

[shovenose]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

besides heat, out in a shop, you will get a lot of dust & dirt.... take it from me, I have to blast mine with the air hose atleast twice a year....but to conquer heat, airflow is the only answer.

theoretically wouldn't the opposite be better? a fanless pc? then the dust will not be an issue.

http://www.amazon.com/SeaSonic-SS-40...dp/B003ZWQXUQ/

http://www.amazon.com/ZALMAN-Ultimat...dp/B00CEQXLV8/

[Topcat]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

theoretically wouldn't the opposite be better? a fanless pc? then the dust will not be an issue.

http://www.amazon.com/SeaSonic-SS-40...dp/B003ZWQXUQ/

http://www.amazon.com/ZALMAN-Ultimat...dp/B00CEQXLV8/

...but then the heating problem is amplified a tad... A PC enclosed in a cabinet in a garage in texas heat would be miserably hot

[dmill89]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

...but then the heating problem is amplified a tad... A PC enclosed in a cabinet in a garage in texas heat would be miserably hot

^This, no airflow in an enclosed cabnet in an un-airconditioned garrage is going to cook. The PSU is probably the biggest issue, an I3 with an SSD shouldn't produce much heat, but even with a low load the PSU will get tosty with no airflow (note: most "fanless" PSUs are really designed to be used in a case with atleast one fan, so there is at least some airflow).

I'd stick with components rated for higher temps, a nice big heatskin for the CPU, and use fans sparringly (probably just the one in the PSU, CPU fan and 1 case fan should do, or maybe you can even skip the case fan, especially is the PSU has a 120mm+ fan) , and use filters on the intake vents, cleaning a filter a couple times a year is alot easier then opening the PC and cleaning the inside (especially for an end user that may not be very "computer savy").

[stj]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

i have worked on workshop computers - real comercial ones.
they are custom steel cased with big fans and filters on one end, and filtered vents on the other end.
the filters are deep multi-layer jobs too - not the ones from pc parts sellers.
if i had to make one, i'd try to use an air filter from a car.

keyboard looks like it has a giant condom over it too - to protect it from oil & grease.

[stj]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

1 case fan should do, or maybe you can even skip the case fan, especially is the PSU has a 120mm+ fan) , and use filters on the intake vents, cleaning a filter a couple times a year is alot easier then opening the PC and cleaning the inside (especially for an end user that may not be very "computer savy").

no, you need to ram the air in and filter it on the fan itself so that clean air is leaking out of every orifice.
if you dont do it that way, crap will bypass your filters and get in through every tiny hole and even use your dvd drive and usb ports as air filters!

[shovenose]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

no, you need to ram the air in and filter it on the fan itself so that clean air is leaking out of every orifice.
if you dont do it that way, crap will bypass your filters and get in through every tiny hole and even use your dvd drive and usb ports as air filters!

this.

[Topcat]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

Hate to break it to y'all, filters don't stop it all....mine is filtered as well, but unless you have a completely air-tight case, dust will find a way in.....which yes, will require a blow job periodically.

[stj]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

the case does not need to be airtight if it's pressurized.

[ReeceyBurger123]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

Cooler master Hyper 212 or newer they are great coolers. It takes a while for them to get clogged due to the heatsink fins being quite well spaced and the fan is very effective even at low RPM Also more fans blowing in than out, will cool things alot better and help reduce dust getting trapped.

[Topcat]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

the case does not need to be airtight if it's pressurized.

it will still get dust in it though. anytime theres air movement, there's also dust movement, and in a garage (especially a working one) there will be no shortage of dust. it will get in. filters will reduce it, but nothing will stop it. Unless you've got some MEGA fans blowing (8500RPM or higher), you'll have a hell of a time creating positive pressure in a computer case.....and if you have something drawing that much air in, cleaning the fitlers will be a daily chore, and I won't even begin to mention the noise....

[momaka]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

I would suggest building a very low power PC - perhaps the lowest TDP core i3 you can find. That way, you won't have that much heat inside the case to deal with and might be able to get away with very little air movement going through the case. Perhaps just a single fan (or two) running at low speed and sucking air through a filter on the front, as stj suggested, would be the best. If the PC runs hot, maybe have another fan inside the case that simply only circulates air in the case.

Also, if the PC will be running hot, avoid all of those cheap CPU heatsink retention mechanisms that use the board to provide the clamping force - these designs *will* warp the board and could cause BGA failures. Go with a design that uses screws with springs.

From personal experience, I can tell you that my Dell OptiPlex has no problem handling the temperature in my room in the summer, which I usually let it slide up to 29-30C (82-86F). And that thing has a P4 Press-Hot HT CPU
It does sound like a vacuum cleaner though. Took it about 3 years to get some dust in it. But then again, I do vacuum and dust at least a few times a month. A dusty shop would be many times worse, no doubt.

no, you need to ram the air in and filter it on the fan itself so that clean air is leaking out of every orifice.
if you dont do it that way, crap will bypass your filters and get in through every tiny hole and even use your dvd drive and usb ports as air filters!

Yup, I've seen that myself with one of my dumpster-picked PCs. Floppy drive and CD drives were a mess inside.

[stj]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

Unless you've got some MEGA fans blowing (8500RPM or higher), you'll have a hell of a time creating positive pressure in a computer case.....and if you have something drawing that much air in, cleaning the fitlers will be a daily chore, and I won't even begin to mention the noise....

now your getting there,
my old server has 3 120mm fans on the front running a total of about 250CFM
the filters dont clog as fast as you would think.

noise? who cares if it sounds like a small turbine - the bank of scsi drives arent exactly silent.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

Just got an idea, what about a mini-itx system with an antec isk case? Found a great gigabyte motherboard with integrated wifi (they currently use a usb extention cable with s usb wifi adapter taped on a pole on the cart).

It's sn antec isk 110 vesa (can be mounted on the back of the monitor)
Motherboard is a GIGABYTE GA-H97N-WIFI
Processor is a Pentium G3460 (53 watts)
Ssd is a ss 850 pro 256g
No dvd drive (not possible)

Not 100% the 90w power brick can take all this, any ideas/experiences?

[stj]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

whatever you do, you need to push air through the case,
99% of the work is modding the case - blocking all vents etc so air only goes in through the fans and only gets out through the psu.

saying the cpu is 53w dont mean much these days, i see a lot of mobo's that need bigger heatsinks on the chipset than the cpu - they still generate heat.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

It's an external psu brick, the case had no psu, just an open board on top. This case is tiny. Only place for s fan is the side grill

[chowder]

Re: Building an auto shop computer

If it's in a cabinet, I wouldn't have thought dust or fan noise would be major issues. Go for a massive fan and a decent PSU (upgrade the fan(s) in that as well).