>>If I had your room, I'd do whatever it takes to install this and be done

Isn't that Dennis (Tharkun)'s room ?

Randy, I don't remember the exact layout but my first thought would be to build two nice shelves coming out from the wall maybe 4 or 5 feet in the air, and put the amps on display. Forget about getting the cooling to your amps -- take the amps to the cooling.

Failing that :

1. If you have not already done so, get a hole saw and punch some holes in the shelves supporting the amps. Concentrate the holes under the heatsinks, of course.

2. Not sure if your back plate was right against the backs of the shelves or several inches away, but think about making a chimney at the back running from the top of the upper amp to the top of the rack, with a big hole at the top.

3. My guess is that the cooling air flows from the "closet" area behind the amps, and back into that closet again. Think about having air flow from the main room into the rack, and back out again at the top.

4. As a last resort, immerse the whole rack in mineral oil.

The first three are serious.

I have two young adults now. When they were small they were taught what not to touch. They have had stereo equipment around them all their lives.

Randy, if seeing just one would be adequate visual gratification, leave one in the rack and put the other in the closet(if the demons are gone). Don't worry about the difference in the length of the runs.

That is not a bad idea JohnK and it did cross my mind. Now I'm thinking if I'm going to do that I could have gone with the larger Stratos cases that have the heat sinks on the external sides, however, they are more expensive...

John B,

Thanks for the ideas. I really built the AV closet and opening to have a nice look from the main room. I suppose I could build some shelves above, but then I'd have some equipment in the finished rack, and some outside. I'll give that some thought and maybe consult the Wife.

1) 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.

2) There is no back plate, it is wide open on the backside just like the front. This is how I access all the connections from within the closet. I forgot you have dial-up and probably don't load the pictures above that show from both sides.

3) Again, there is not front glass door or anything on the front it is open, and also open on the back closet side, so there is already air flow between the main room and closet. Just think about cutting a hole in your wall into a large walk-in closet, build a wood frame with shelves to sit in this opening, and then trim out the drywall with oak trim, and that is what I have.

4) I am currently submerging the entire basement with mineral oil to cast out these demons that JohnK keeps sending my way.

Randy:
I'm coming into this late, but can't you mount a fan in the closet and put it on a switch next to your rack?

A large fan running at a slow speed will move as much air as a small fan at a high speed, yet be virtually silent. If necessary, you can change the voltage to it (I don't remember how at the moment) to run it "slower than low".

I think moving some air in there, even gently, would likely do the trick. Blow the air from the back out through the front of the rack, and you'll help heat your basement in the winter!

My general thought is that a well designed amp chassis wouldn't need much more than a little help in moving the air a bit; the heat sinks would take care of the rest as long as the air is moving.

>>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...

Howzabout a BigAssFan?

You guys sure are giving me some ideas, thanks a bunch, my head is spinning. Here is an old pic to remind you what the entire closet looks like. I basically built it to give my screen the appearance it was set back in the room. The only air flow comes from the AV opening and the door which is normally closed...in this pic the door opening is out of the picture but just to the right of the door waiting to be installed...

Randy,

Another idea...

Old technology but it probably would help.

Is the door going to the closet solid?

If so, you could possibly cut a hole in the door and put a grate over the hole
like they used to do on older houses for the return air for the AC. Or find a louvered door to replace the one that is on the closet.

Would help to facilitate the air flow from the front through the rack out the back and out the door...

Another option may be to put a return air duct in the closet (if there is not one already)...it would accomplish the same thing...pull air from the theatre through the rack out the ceiling of the closet...

I believe they also make smaller exhaust fans that could be mounted in the ceiling of the closet away from the rack that you could control with the amps turn on function...it would vent it into the crawlspace or redirect it outside similar to the flatulence vent in your bathroom...

Just my .02.

WhatFurrer

I never said they never touched anything, you read what you want into what I post. I said they were taught what not to touch. As a matter of fact I taught them at a very early age how to operate the equipment. They were brought up to respect what wasn't theirs.

Good for you, Rick! When I was young, my Father used to say to me "ask yourself one question 'is it mine'? If the answer is no, then keep your hands off it." A concept worth learning and teaching.

And I am just saying kids will be kids and accidents happen. But to have an Amp on a stand and a child trips/stumbles into it and to have it fall to the ground would be a little hard to take. Again just an accident, the child never meant to touch it, but accidents happen. As good as kids can be, they still stumble and trip over their own feet; that was more or less what I was thinking when writing my original comment, didn't mean to offend. Must remember to finish my thoughts more when writing especially replying.

My kids also respect their/my stuff, but as I pointed out, an innocent inquiry and I now have a minor blemish. I actually blame myself for the ding, as I should have shown him what they were and told not to touch them after I took the grills off(like you said you did). He never showed any interest in the speakers (they are on a shelf/mantle over my fireplace about 4' off the ground) before and it never occurred to me that he might actually be interested in them with the grills off, totally my fault.

>>Another option may be to put a return air duct in the closet (if there is not one already)...it would accomplish the same thing...pull air from the theatre through the rack out the ceiling of the closet...

Good ideas there. I'm thinking a return air grill going through the closet wall, above the rack maybe a foot below the ceiling. That would let warm air back into the room and encourage circulating air.

I would still punch holes in the amp shelves no matter what else you do. Don't punch so many holes the shelves break and dump your precious precious amps on the floor, of course.

Randy, try this....



You'll be surprised with the results .... if you put *your* mind to it.

I gave up on trying to figure this issue out for tonight, but have been spending my time trying to find a better placement for my ep600 to get a better performance, I've verrry tired and about had it..there has to be an easier way.

25 cm?! I've never seen a computer fan bigger that 135mm!