I need to install a cooling fan in a 11 cu. foot in-wall cabinet that houses heat producing AV components (home theater and satellite receivers). Because the only ventilation is through the small gap between the front glass doors, I plan to mount a cooling fan in the cabinet top and vent it into the attic. Rubber grommets will be used to insulate fan vibration. I am considering a 110 CFM fan but wonder if this would be too strong and just end up wasting the living room's air conditioning. Fan would need to be powered by normal household current (110?).
1) How cool does the cabinet need to be to ensure the components don't sustain heat damage?
2) What kind of fan is recommended (CFM & other specs.) ?
3) Where can I get the right fan?
Please advise ASAP. Thank you!

[mrm3]

There is some posts on this in the home cinema DIY section.

I hope to buy CAB-COOL Cabinet Cooler when they are launched in March in the UK.
http://www.middleatlantic.com/rackac/cooling/qcool.htm

The UK distributor is http://www.rgbcomms.co.uk/products/f...leatlantic.htm

They are advising me of when, where and how much I can buy one for!

[Nickiniquity]

Judging by the other prices on rgbcomms site, their cabinet cooler is going to be ludicrously expensive for what it is. Ande3903, if you can, I'd avoid using a fan at all. If you are able to vent into the loft from your cupboard, and can arrange a vent at low level into the cupboard, you might find that there is enough convection to keep the equipment reasonably cool. This will work if the equipment is not too closely stacked

I have most of my A/V and satellite rx kit lurking in an under-stairs cupboard, and I originally had a set of equipment fans running 24/7 cooling the rack it all lived in. This was a pain, as during the quite parts of the night, you could hear the fan noise. Subsequently, I rearranged the equipment layout so that the kit powered 24/7 was on top of the rack, and so in free air. Only when the rack mounted amplifiers for the a/v 'rig' are powered do I switch on the rack cooling fans. (this is actually done by the remote switching output of my 'dc1, so it is all nicely automated).

In summer, my cupboard gets to maybe 10C above ambient, which is pretty good considering that there's almost no ventilation other than air leaking through the floor gaps. Worst case, my kit is running in an ambient of 40C inside the cupboard, which is maybe a bit high (although I'm in the uk, so 30C outdoor ambient temps don't happen often!). 11 cubic feet sounds big, so I think if I were you, I'd be tempted to see how warm the cupboard gets on convection alone, and then see if a fan is required.

Laters

Nick

[mrm3]

The CAB-COOL Cabinet Cooler is expected to be about £40.

[davisa]

I'm told this will finally be available by the end of March - but the price is now £95!

Anyone know of a plug-in-and-go thermostatically controlled fan tht's available in the UK for a sensible price?