[soundwhat]

I am installing fans in my new media cabinet this weekend. I assumed I would use the fans as exhaust fans...but before I installed I thought I would ask the question.

Is it better to use the fans to exhaust the heat or blow air into the cabinet?

Thanks!

 

[Cksqurd]

Are you using 2 fans? If so have one up high blowing hot air out, since warm air rises. Have the other low pulling cooler air in. Ideally have them on opposite sides.

 

[soundwhat]

It's a two shelf enclosed cabinet with glass/wood doors in the front and only a small hole in the back for wires. The top shelf houses the DVR and Blu Ray - this is open in the front and closed in the back.

I bought two fans with thermostat from amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QFWLGPU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was just going to put one fan each on each enclosed shelf for exhaust.

I guess I can drill some holes on the side of the shelf so that the bottom pulls air in and the top exhausts...

My hopper DVR does get very hot but I am not sure I can fit a third fan in there anyway.

 

[ControlZ]

I originally had one blow in and one out, (from coolerguys also on amazon) but it was a pain to vacuum out the dusty (backside) of the intake, and ended up flipping that one around. Either way though i think as long as you have air both moving, and leaving, the heat doesn't build up. Before the fans were put in i had to take the glass out of the front doors (and it still got really warm in there).

 

[Skytrooper]

I had a fan years ago, it really made things dusty. My stands nowadays are all open, no sides or fronts or backs. Also, no more fan noise.

 

[SMHarman]

What do you consider really warm.
My walk in closet that houses the av gear averages 80-85f.
89f at the top of the rack
Do I need cooling?

 

[XJBaylor]

What do you consider really warm.
My walk in closet that houses the av gear averages 80-85f.
89f at the top of the rack
Do I need cooling?

We typically use 85-88* as our tipping point. Below that it should be ok, above and it needs attention. With a rack it can often be as easy as adding doors and side panels and creating a chimney that will cool passively using convection.

Middle Atlantic has an amazing Thermal Management White Paper that talks all about the tricks to moving air efficiently in a rack.

 

[SMHarman]

I've read that paper. The rack has sides and the amps are at the top the the most active, the AVR at 8-12. A turntable on 7-2 and 1 is my HC250. Better for the Zigbee WiFi.

I think I will go with watchful waiting for now.

The 4 zone amp is mostly asleep probably the next biggest heat source is the cable company's Sdv box from Cisco.

 

[fcwilt]

Any fan blowing out is going to suck dust in wherever it can. Any fans blowing in are going to pressurize the cabinet to some degree which helps keep dust out. These fans should have a filter.

If possible put the fans at the bottom and exit vents at the top.

 

[harveyAV]

Any fan blowing out is going to suck dust in wherever it can. Any fans blowing in are going to pressurize the cabinet to some degree which helps keep dust out. These fans should have a filter.

If possible put the fans at the bottom and exit vents at the top.

I agree with you, at the bottom and exit at top.