Help with hot cabinet (1 Viewer)

[cpmiller22]

Hi all-I just got my setup running and my components are greeting pretty hot b/c the built-in cabinet isn't ventilated very well. I'm wondering if there is a very quiet fan I could put in the cabinet to help cool things off. Here is a picture of my setup. Any ideas would be appreciated! View attachment 3882

 

[schan1269]

I don't know what you did to the picture, but my computer refuses to render it.

 

[cpmiller22]

Not sure what happened there. This link should work:http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a533/cpmiller22/7F27E96C-3D9C-4483-88DA-A010C60220BA-650-0000004CD0DDF71C_zps1d413b72.jpg

 

[schan1269]

Well, gee...talk about CE certain death...(in other words, yes the link worked)

What is to the left and right? It appears you can do nothing top and bottom. It almost looks like you just get to take that door off and replace with something else.

 

[schan1269]

Is that a Yamaha?

Does it have grill openings on the side? I hope not. Cause if it is(and does have side grills), there is nothing you can do. Other than expect to buy a new AVR every 9-18 months.

And what is that sitting on top of the AVR? You NEVER EVER do that. Move that.

 

[Type A]

Stack all the stuff you want on top of that AVR, even something that almost completely covers the top, it wont hurt a damn thing as long as you provide some cheap cooling and theres always a slight space between the top of the AVR and whatever is stacked on it (this space allows for air flow). I dont see any IR blasters on your gear so Im assuming the front door is always open during operation.

Heres an easy fix:

Spend $30 on one of these and the dual speed control unit on that same page. Set this fan directly on top of your AVR, on the back edge of the case, blowing forward across the top of the AVR and towards the open door. Plug it into the switched power outlet on the back of your AVR, this way it comes on whenever you power on the AVR. If you dont have a switched outlet on the AVR get a "smart" power strip. The speed control on low will likely keep your AVR, literally, at room temperature when in operation (youd be surprised how effective it is).

Couple of hints: Put some of those felt feet on the bottom of the fan to prevent scratching the top of your AVR. If you find the fan is moving during operation you can try rubber feet and, if all else fails, you can use a spot of hot glue to attach the fan to the top of your AVR to keep it from moving during operation. The fan on low should prevent it moving around much but watch it closely to verify.

That fan on low, all the way in the back of the cabinet and the cabinet being so low should result in virtually silent operation from your seated position. As always monitor the results to make sure the low fan setting is keeping everything plenty cool. Does the other gear get too warm also? Check them after the fan install as even with the fan sitting on top of the AVR it will likely solve the problem for all the other gear as well. The AVR is the big heat producer so consider moving it to the top shelf in conjunction with the cheap fan.

Heres what I did to my Onkyo, thats a big cable box and blu player sitting directly on top of an Onkyo 3007 and blocking 90% of the AVR ventilation. Fan worked great and kept the AVR at room temp, not just operating temp, no matter how hard I pushed it. Notice the little felt feet...

 

[schan1269]

I would never do that to an AVR. I don't car how many fans you put around it.

I even have an old Panasonic SA-HE200 with a rear facing fan that draws air in from the top. I've never put anything on it and it runs a computer speaker set at the moment.

 

[Type A]

Spoken like a true Onkyo owner. But if a single well-placed fan will keep a furnace, like all Onkyo AVRs, cool it will certainly keep any other AVR cool. I have practical experience that says many fans are not required, not even for an Onkyo.

 

[schan1269]

Speaking of "hot Onkyo"(well, Integra)...I have a DTR 7.8...Your arrangement, even with a 4 bladed 48" industrial air circulator(anything that can move 12,000cfm, or more, of air...is no longer a "fan") wouldn't save anything sitting on top of it.

 

[cpmiller22]

Stack all the stuff you want on top of that AVR, even something that almost completely covers the top, it wont hurt a damn thing as long as you provide some cheap cooling and theres always a slight space between the top of the AVR and whatever is stacked on it (this space allows for air flow). I dont see any IR blasters on your gear so Im assuming the front door is always open during operation.Heres an easy fix:Spend $30 on one of these and the dual speed control unit on that same page. Set this fan directly on top of your AVR, on the back edge of the case, blowing forward across the top of the AVR and towards the open door. Plug it into the switched power outlet on the back of your AVR, this way it comes on whenever you power on the AVR. If you dont have a switched outlet on the AVR get a "smart" power strip. The speed control on low will likely keep your AVR, literally, at room temperature when in operation (youd be surprised how effective it is).

Thanks for the link. I do have an IR blaster in there, it's a Harmony Smart Control (sitting on top of the cable box) so I'd like to keep my cabinet door closed. I like the idea of adding a little fan. I noticed they have high and low speed models. Would I be better off getting 2 low speed fans or just a single high speed fan?

 

[Type A]

Keeping that door closed is a bad idea. It won't matter how good your air circulation if there is no way for the heat to escape the cabinet. Even with a fan your temps will steadily rise and youll cook all your gear. You can draw heat out of the cabinet with the same single fan but is punching a hole into the back of the cabinet or the adjacent cabinet an option?

 

[schan1269]

That is why I asked about left and right. Looks like top or bottom is out.Fans won't make a bit of difference without ventilation.What would happen to your car if you put cardboard in front of the radiator?

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Reface the cabinet with louvered doors.

 

[SteveMc]

yes, you definitely need a place for the hot air to escape. Can't tell what is above your cabinet but I assume it's the TV compartment? If you want the door closed, you need an inlet and outlet for air. You could rely on natural convection and just cut some type of ventilation holes. That would be the best for noise, not knowing how loud the fans in the previous link are. Best cooling would be to put a fan at the bottom to pull in cool air from outside the cab, the one at the top to vent hot air. If you vent out the top, assuming that is your TV space, make sure it isn't exhausting hot air to where the TV is going to intake the hot air, that'll be unnecessary stress on your TV.