Does this work? Can a computer really function normally while submerged in mineral oil? Would it provide adequate cooling? Seems like a cool idea, but I’m suspicious.
Here’s the video: http://www.5min.com/Video/Build-Your-Own-Mineral-Oil-Computer-Aquarium-772248
Check out their page on their site about it. They have temp graphs and updates and stuff.
Yea, it works. But for how long, I don’t know. Maybe after a few months or years the oil would eat away at something. Also, changing cards or whatever would be a bitch.
Oil is a very good electrical insulator, so there’s no problem there. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were long term problems, like some plastic bit dissolving or swelling in the oil.
Hell, I’ve heard of similar attempts, using high-purity deionized water. It works, until the water picks up enough solutes to become conductive (though I can’t find a cite). Here’s an example where people used the more exotic (and expensive) fluorinert.