Replies

1. 
   cidion | Jan 22, 2005 07:09am | #1

   Hi Jeff

   Try Middle Atlantic.

   I think it's middleatlantic.com but they are a supplier of audio and video rack enclosures. They have fans, and other means of cooling an enclosure. You can get a catalog, and take a peek at what they do for cooling.

   What is going in the cabinet? I would think that you might be able to leave a vent at the top, and bottom, and have the rising heat pull it's own air in from the bottom. Thats what we do for a rack that has 6 Digital Betacam decks in it. No fans at all.

   I work in a studio, and help design small to large video / editing suites. Just so you know i'm not in a totally different field. =) but... i'm not an engineer...

   hope that helps...

   Bryan

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 22, 2005 07:24am | #2

   There are a few different types of fans and to keep it simple and not need to adapt things and build power supplies that are readily available, Middle Atlantic is a good place to start. Miffin fans can be kind of noisy so look at the ones that are like a long cylinder with the motor on one end. Not exactly a squirrel cage, but similar. A lot quieter. Just remember that if air needs to go out, it also needs to get in. Parts Express is another place to get these.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

2. 
   user-5880422 | Jan 22, 2005 08:26am | #3

   thanks for both replies, I'll check out middleatlantic.

   ordinarily, I'd go with the in-the-bottom-out-the-top but this enclosure is sandwiched between upper and lower cabinets so it's not easily an option (although it could be done with some extra work). Fortunately, the adjacent section houses a plasma display so I can inflow and exhaust fresh air from there through the side panel (with the aid of a fan).

   It shouldn't be a lot of heat to deal with anyways, the cabinet houses a Denon a/v reciever, Monster power conditioner, Toshiba DVD burner/PVR, and a Polk XM reference tuner.

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 22, 2005 09:31pm | #4

   Make sure to ventilate the plasma. They don't like heat and start self protecting at about 100 degrees F.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   user-5880422 | Jan 22, 2005 10:42pm | #5

   yeah, the plasma section is fully open from the front so it will get a lot of air change.

   The heat issue with plasmas makes me wonder why people mount them over a fireplace. They certainly are a lot more sensitive than plain old CRT or projection technologies. As a side note, I found it interesting that plasmas are not rated for altitude either, we wanted to get one for our mountain house but had to get LCDs instead (or pay $13k for a Runco high altitude plasma... don't think so!)

   by the way, I may in fact end up going with a hybrid PC setup for the fans. Parts Express has line voltage fans that they say are <30db, but I know for certain that I can get quiet computer fans that are less than 26db. The point to consider is that a power supply will also generate noise, and heat, so it may be self defeating... I just have to lay it out and make a judgement call.

    

   Edited 1/22/2005 2:45 pm ET by Jeff