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Venting and Cooling Basics
Ever touch your DVR or your receiver after it’s been running for a couple of hours? Did it burn your fingers? Were you surprised that it was hot?
Cooling and venting products seem to be one of the most overlooked aspects of an audio/video system. Most people don’t know why they are necessary or what type they need. Keep reading to find out how basic steps to keep your system cool can make it last longer and perform better.
Electronic components can generate a lot of heat, especially if they are in an enclosed rack or cabinet. This heat needs to dissipate in order to allow your system to keep functioning. Components with hard drives or amplifiers in them make the most heat. If you want to roast marshmallows, this can be good. But if you want that expensive entertainment system to last more than a year or two, it can be very bad.
Consistent exposure to high temperatures can slowly damage the internal circuitry of electronic components. Ultimately, this will shorten the lifespan of your equipment. Short term exposure to high temperatures can cause your equipment to shut down. Many products actually have temperature sensors built-in that will shut the power off if the component overheats. Bad news if you are in the middle of a party or the big game.
So how do you protect your equipment? The simplest (and free) way to cool your components is to keep them out in the open. Spread your components (not stacked) across open shelving. This is a great option if you have an open shelf and only one or two components. Any more than that (or if you just don’t want to look at them) isn’t very realistic.
If you have an enclosed cabinet or rack and components that only generate minimal heat, passive cooling gear might be all you need. This is as simple as adding a venting grill to the cabinet. These are usually installed by just cutting a hole into the cabinet and snapping the grill in place. They can be purchased in a lot of different looks (solid colors to match your furniture or even bare wood that can be stained to blend in), sizes, and shapes. Remember that heat rises, so place them near the top of the cabinet. Make sure there is an air intake near the bottom, so that cool air can be pulled in. Separate high-heat producing equipment so that pieces are not right on top of one another, and look into slotted shelves for your cabinet or vented shelves if you have a rack. .
But what if you have a lot of heavy-duty equipment and passive just isn’t aggressive enough? You’ll need to move up to powered equipment.
Some units use forced-air cooling (they blow air across or against the component) while others use exhaust fans to pull hot air away from the equipment. Typically the exhaust type is more effective.
Now here is where it gets complicated. There are lots of formulas and different suggestions for how to know what size and type of cooling units you need, based on how many cubic feet per minute of air the fans move and the volume of air inside the rack/cabinet/closet. This is where you might need to consult a professional for advice. Terms like basic, aggressive, and extreme can be very descriptive. But make sure you are reading the specifications and suggested applications from the manufacturer, not just a clever web-designer’s opinion. You want enough air flow or air exchange to keep your equipment cool, but not so much that you blast your rack through the wall. Find a unit that is designed for where you will use it and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to install the parts.
Some things to keep in mind….if your equipment is located in your listening area, you might be able to hear the fans when they are running. There are low-noise and even silent options that are very effective without distracting from your entertainment. Some models offer temperature controllers that automatically turn the fans on and off when needed, so they don’t run constantly and you don’t have to remember to hit the power switch when you start a movie. And again, make sure you have an air intake as well as the exhaust.
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