AV/Comms Cupboard Cooling

[SnifferUK]

I currently have all my AV kit (and a Media Centre PC) in an understairs cupboard and I'm looking for a simple way to try and keep it cool.

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to electronics etc but I realise that I need some way of getting air in and some way of blowing the hot air (which I think is predominantly created by the PC) out.

I've looked at ways to cool down the PC (by installing fans in it) but not sure whether that is the right way forward as clearly I still need to get rid of hot air.

The cupboard does not have a tight fitting and there will be some airflow in there but I'm looking for some advice as to what I should do and, more specifically, exactly where I should put things.

I've read post over the months about putting PC fans in the cupboard to expel the air but I'm not entirely sure where I'd physically need to install the fan in order to achieve this.

I'm starting to occasionally have problems with overheating so I know I need to start to do something pretty soon.

Thanks for any help/advice in advance.

Cheers

[hornydragon]

Pics would help but for passive cooling, heat rises... so vents at the top to let warm air out and ones at the bottom to let cool air in. this can be aided with fans to suck and blow the air. If the cupboard is on an exterior wall you could have an air birck installed to improve cool air flow and exhaust the warm air out the building.

[richardc1983]

Install an extractor fan and a vent in the outside wall, vent at the bottom of the wall extractor fan at the top and keep the cupboard door closed.

You could get the fan fitted on a thermostat so it only runs when it gets to a set temp in there.

Or you could look at these

http://www.middleatlantic.com/rackac...l.htm#compcool

Look down the screen and theres something they call a closet cooler. Which is basically just a fan placed behind the vents cut into the top and bottom.

THis shows a pic of how you would do it.

You could do this yourself on the cheap and would work just as well.

[JohnS]

My control cupboard is floor to ceiling and full of equipment including three media center pc's. I use inline 4" ducting fans normally found in the loft space for extraction for bathrooms.

There are two, one that exits in front of the equipment at floor level and another that is on the ceiling at the back of the cupboard. Both are vented to outside. They are independently controlled by thermostats. The ceiling one runs most of the time and the floor one just kicks in and out as required.

Both of the fans came from Screwfix, the ceiling one being a larger capacity unit (because there was more space) than the one under the floor.

[richardc1983]

Originally Posted by JohnS

My control cupboard is floor to ceiling and full of equipment including three media center pc's. I use inline 4" ducting fans normally found in the loft space for extraction for bathrooms.

There are two, one that exits in front of the equipment at floor level and another that is on the ceiling at the back of the cupboard. Both are vented to outside. They are independently controlled by thermostats. The ceiling one runs most of the time and the floor one just kicks in and out as required.

Both of the fans came from Screwfix, the ceiling one being a larger capacity unit (because there was more space) than the one under the floor.

How do you get air into the cupboard? Is one of the fans to bring air in or do you have a vent in the door to allow air to replace the air being extracted?

[JohnS]

Yes, one of the fans is to get air in, its fitted under the floor and is ducted from outside which is about 12 foot away, the fan itself is about 2/3 along the duct towards the cupboard and the inlet vent is in the floor at the front of the cupboard .

This system certainly works for me, the cupboard also contains my network switches, Russound amps and ADSL router. Without the fans running it quickly gets above 40 degrees centigrade and the ADSL router would fall over.

The theromstats are fitted high at the back of the cupboard which is probably the highest temp area. I have the exhaust thermostat set at 28 degrees and the inlet at 29, as I said, the exhaust runs most of the time and the inlet just kicks in and out to maintain that 28 degrees. Two of the three PC's are always on and the third is just requested. The amps and poweramps switch in and out.

I couldn't cut a vent in the door because its a fire door onto the landing.

My only criticism is that I wish the fans were quieter. They are both rated at 40db at 3m which isn't terrible but the one in the floor could do with rubber mounted because it vibrates slightly as it starts up attached to a floor joist.

[richardc1983]

The noise is something you could rectify easily.

If your using bathroom extractor fans these are prob not the best to use as they are terribly noisey.

YOu would be best off with an inline centrifugal fan like...

Ventilation of a Small Darkroom these are usually vibration free.

Get the smallest one you can get for your cupboard as centrifugal fans have high air flow rates.

[JohnS]

Thats similar to what I have, this is the inceiling one Manrose Centrifugal 32W Bathroom Fan which isn't really a problem. I think the wireframe that holds it help reduce any vibrations which helps with the noise.

The floor one is a bit smaller, similar to the one in this kit Manrose In-Line White 20w Shower Fan Kit.

[MarkP80]

These inline fans, available from TLC, are very quiet too - check the datasheet from a link on the page.

Cheers,
MarkP

[JohnS]

These inline fans, available from TLC, are very quiet too - check the datasheet from a link on the page.

Cheers,
MarkP

They certainly claim to be quiet, might have to try one of those to replace my floor mounted unit.