Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Advice on re-construction options.

>>I suppose this option might help with air flow circulation a little. The heat seems to be rising, not going down so the heat would not be escaping out these bottom holes much.

Understood. The holes are to let air flow in, not out, although of course the holes in the upper shelf will let air flow up from the bottom amp into the upper amp area.

The whole trick with fanless airflow is to minimize resistance and maximize chimney effect. You have a tiny amount of force -- the warm air is just a bit less dense than the surrounding air so moves up a bit -- working against the resistance of all the twists and turns the air has to flow through/round in order to get in or out. The system reaches equilibrium when the air is hot enough to flow enough through the resistance you have provided. If the resistance is high it can take a pretty high temperature to cause enough airflow.

If you want the equilibrium point to be less hot, you need less resistance (let the air flow in more of a straight line, don't ask it to turn corners, don't ask it to flow horizontally or down) or you need more force (use a chimney so you you benefit from the density difference over more time) or you need to start with cooler air. It's that simple.

Mark's idea of a big slow fan is good. The best would be to have the fan blow out (perhaps through a duct) into your room from above the rack so that cooler air would be sucked into the rack opening. You could even do one of those big fans you see for "mood" in so many movies. Whoop, whoop, whoop...