Quiet amp cooling products?

[audioqueso]

Well, the little guy has learn that the stereo has cool little lights, and now makes a run for it when I walk away from the room. Since he now knows right and wrong, he is learning to leave it alone, but my Parasound amp is at the bottom of the audio rack, and right now it gets too hot to touch. So right now, I have to be proactive and make sure it doesn't burn him. I have decided to place the tinted glass door back on the audio rack to keep him out, but I need a way of cooling the amp. The back is completely open, but I still need a good airflow. I purchased a 120mm fan this weekend, attached it under the shelf that is directly above the amp, and control the fan with a fan controller from my HTPC that is sitting on the shelf above. However, I have two issues with it. One, the fan is too loud. My HTPC is almot dead silent, but the cooling system is very effective, never even warm. The fan is suppose to be a quiet one, but at full load, it's that buzzing annoying sound. I can lower the voltage on the fan to slow it down, but it's pretty much pointless at that speed since with the door close, the amp gets way too hot. I was watching a movie last night, close the rack door, had the fan on full power, and the amp still got way too hot with no airflow.

What have you guys done with closed audio racks in regards to cooling? The wife suggested placing the amp on top of the rack and give it open cooling, but that amp is heavy. I'm a little concern with how well that rack with do with that much weight on top.

[Burke Strickland]

Instead of the glass door, how about a wire grille panel screwed in place across the front of the shelf with the power amp?

Burke

[audioqueso]

You mean just in front of the amp part? I don't think I would like the look of that. Perhaps if I saw someone's example and it looked good I would try it.

[alpina]

hi audioqueso,

given that you have parasound gear, have you checked out the zbreeze?

http://www.parasound.com/zcustom/zbreeze.php

cheers,

julie

[Glen B]

Middle Atlantic Products manufactures quiet fan panels that include thermostat-controlled fan speed and temperature display.

http://www.middleatlantic.com/rackac/cooling/uqfp.htm

[Snap]

Couple Of Ideas For you

Audio,
The main cooling product that I have used is Active Thermal Managment. They have a TON of good cooling products. Colling fans, all sorts of stuff for the AV Rack.

I am not sure how your system is designed, but if you can use a hole saw and drill 1 or 2 holes in either the back or sides of the rack that will help. Use some flex tube and rig it so that the fans suck the hot air off the gear and blow it out side the rack.

I have also done it so the gear is in a cabinate on the wall. And I have drilled right through the cabinate, floor, and into the crawl space so that the hot air goes right out of the house.

Eitherway you need to find a way to get the hot air out of the rack. Not just moving the air around inside the rack.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

[audioqueso]

I am not sure how your system is designed, but if you can use a hole saw and drill 1 or 2 holes in either the back or sides of the rack that will help.

The back is completely open.

[jim777]

I thought kids had to burn themselves to learn... :W