{
  "id": 19480809,
  "title": "Modder routes PC water cooling loop to radiator outside to beat the winter heat",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/modder-routes-pc-water-cooling-loop-to-radiator-outside-to-beat-the",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-11T10:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Hardware",
    "slug": "tom-s-hardware",
    "url": "https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/liquid-cooling/enterprising-pc-modder-makes-a-split-cooling-system-to-keep-it-from-overheating-his-room-winter-cold-keeps-cpu-and-gpu-temperatures-below-50-c-under-load"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Reddit user Motor_Attention1865 found his PC adding extra heat to his room during winter months. To combat this issue, he devised a creative solution: an external cooling system that routes coolant outside the house. The system, controlled by an Arduino Mega, communicates with the PC to determine when extra cooling is needed. A three-way valve directs the coolant outside, preventing condensation by maintaining coolant temperatures above the dew point. The user's PC, housed under heated floors, was previously creating excessive heat under the table, even in subzero temperatures.\n\nMotor_Attention1865's rig features a delidded Core Ultra 7 270K Plus CPU, cooled by a Thermal Grizzly 1851 Mycro Pro direct-die water block with Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut Extreme liquid compound. The graphics card, an RTX 4070 Ti Super, is also watercooled with a Bykski water block. The system's memory, comprising 2x24GB DDR5-8400 G.Skill RAM, is watercooled using Bykski heat spreaders and an IceManCooler two-channel water block. The PC's cooling setup includes two radiators: a 120mm and a 360mm unit, powered by an EK Kinetic D5 pump-reservoir.\n\nThe standout feature of the external cooling system is its automation. A box containing a Bykski D5 pump and reservoir feeds water to the outdoor radiator, which consists of a 240mm component with two Noctua iPPC-3000 fans. The system relies on Python scripts that communicate with the Arduino Mega, which is connected to three temperature probes and three additional temperature and humidity sensors. These sensors relay information to the Arduino, allowing it to control the motorized three-way valve based on temperature and humidity levels.\n\nTo safeguard against condensation in extreme cold, Motor_Attention1865 set the Arduino to remain closed until the coolant temperature surpasses the dew point by +10 °C, or +5 °C during benchmarking. The user supplemented the cooling loop with pure ethylene glycol, lowering the freezing point from -18 °C to -28 °C. Thanks to this innovative cooling system and the CPU's delidding, temperatures remain below 50 °C during intensive use. The RTX 4070 Ti reaches around 37 °C, while the CPU hovers between 45-50 °C while gaming. In benchmarks, the CPU reaches 52 °C, and the GPU hits 48 °C. However, Motor_Attention1865 no longer needs to open windows during hot periods, making his solution both effective and convenient.",
  "summary": "A Reddit PC builder didn't want to bother opening a window in the winter when their system made their legs too hot, so they created an automated split cooling system to dump heat outside.",
  "key_points": [
    "MotorAttention1865's PC generates extra heat in winter",
    "External cooling system routes coolant outside house",
    "Arduino-controlled system prevents condensation in cold temperatures"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Automating external radiator loops with sensor-driven valves allows enthusiasts to manage high-performance hardware heat without compromising indoor comfort or risking condensation during extreme temperature shifts.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}