# How cold is too cold?



## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Just a quick question, it's about 20 degrees F. outside my house. Is that too cold for PC hardware to run? Obviously not the CPU but...what about the other components like optical drives and Hard Drives and the motherboard itself?


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## Rebellion88 (Dec 15, 2006)

It really depends a laptop that shouldnt be a problem the heat inside generated would be enough to keep it warm in operating tempreture. A PC on the other hand depends, a well vented, cool system i wouldn't. The CPU should operate around 30c - 45c depending on the model. But personally i wouldnt risk damamging your hardware.


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Well the CPU can run at subzero temperatures, as demonstrated by the people who get into phase changing and other things like liquid nitrogen. I was referring to more along the lines of the Hard Drives and Optical Drives and the motherboard itself. Is 20 degrees F. TOO cold for a motherboard/hard drive/optical drive to run??


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## yoyojoe (Feb 11, 2006)

*who knows*

I don't ! :4-dontkno 

BUT

IF you do run them successfully at those temps (below freezin') you may wish to consider the issue of condensation when you place them in a 'warm' environment  :grin:

yo


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## JohnthePilot (Mar 30, 2006)

agentRed said:


> Just a quick question, it's about 20 degrees F. outside my house.


Is your computer outside? I hope that's not the temperature inside your house:grin:


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## hwm54112 (Oct 10, 2005)

It’s not so much the ambient temperature when it’s running – it’s the temperature of the computer components themselves when it’s started. Temps rise very quickly in a computer, regardless of ambient temperature. In a comfortable living environment, the temperature change would be something like 72 (degrees F) to 130 in a matter of 3-4 minutes, a 60 degree change. At 20 degrees, that temp change is doubled, putting a tremendous heat stress (from rapid expansion) on the components. Combine that with thickening of the lubricants (in all drives) and stiffness of belts (at low temps) in rom drives, you’re really abusing all components of the computer. In the case of a laptop, things are worse because of lower tolerances as parts get smaller and because of the condensation factor if you bring it into warm temps and use it right away – the rate of dissipation of the condensation is dependent on air volume. Since there is very little air in a laptop, it could take a very long time for the condensate to evaporate

Though you didn't ask, direct experience with common printers indicates they stop working in the 40's (F)


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## Kalim (Nov 24, 2006)

You wouldn't be able to get temperatures too cold for your system as an average user so you won't need to worry about most drastic scenario's. The generated heat by work load will tantamount to overhauling your ambient temperatures, thus rendering them of minimal effect. Running at 30C-86F is fine for a system.

Keep in mind that either extremes do affect a system detrimentally. The point is, a nominal temperature is best for efficiency and short/long term health. Also bear in mind, for conductors, an increase in temperature reduces the current carrying capacity and its vice versa for insulators. But semiconductors behave in exactly the opposite way to conductors, increasing in capacity as the temperature increases.

Your system is made up of many such components.


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Well, if I were to subject my system to that harsh coldness, it would have already been running for a few hours anyway. I didn't think it'd be a good idea to take a cold system, one that had been allowed to cool to room temperature, and take it out in that temp. 

But on the topic, is it possible that my system is already too cold?? None of my components go over 25 degrees celsius, not even the CPU under full load (I added a second radiator thus giving me more than double cooling power). My case temps are around 20-22, my hard drives stay at 23, the motherboard at 20, and CPU anywhere from 17 to 24-5


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## noobtastic (Jan 5, 2006)

no those temps are fine... I made a duct to the outside a few weeks ago it was 4F out there .. had the mobo down to 8C and the cpu 13C full load had it overclocked to 4.15ghz, not sure what the hd's were at but with 1 fan blowing normal inside air (65F) on them I wasnt worried... the thing I was more worried about was the heat pipes in my zalman 9500 not working properly and the gas inside them freezing.

here is a link to an overclocking site lots of pics usually showing that they decided to keep the hdds warmer

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=119592


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## Nik00117 (Jan 8, 2007)

CPU wise absolute 0 is maybe the stopping point for it. BUt we've never ever recoreded the temp and it just a theory.

HDDs are designed to generally run between 0c and 60c 20c i what -4? -5? Well thats a bit too cold,however i couldn't tell you if it'd do any damage it might.


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

ah okay


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