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Author Topic: Amp Racks  (Read 5434 times)

Mark Mattocks

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Re: Amp Racks
« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2009, 10:36:35 PM »

Craig -

If you are using equipment that has forced air front or rear intakes you should NOT use vented blanks between them.  Most amplifier manufacturers recommend stacking amplifiers tightly to keep air flow moving in the desired direction without creating 'eddies' in the spaces between - that is true for QSC as well.  With the QSC amps - having a vent panel between them will allow the hot air blowing out the front to be recirculated through the vent to the back of the amps above.  

http://repnet.middleatlantic.com/COMPANY/MarketingFiles/Temp InsideRacks/Thermal%20Management%203-04.pdf

Good reading about cooling racks.

Mark
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Rain Jaudon

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Re: Amp Racks
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2009, 11:11:31 PM »

Snatch the front door off and see if its any cooler in there.

Thats free!
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Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com

Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS

Brian Bolly

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Re: Amp Racks
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2009, 11:57:36 PM »

Back in my systems contracting days, we were using Middle Atlantic MRK-4431 racks with up to 14 amps in them, no blanks in between.  For large systems, amps were grouped together in 24's (14 in a rack, 10 in a rack, and so on).  Again, no space between amps is necessary, IF:
  • You have proper HVAC within the roomAND
  • You have proper pressure in the rack.
That said, there was usually a good 12+" behind the amps (31" deep rack), and even if it was "full" with 14 amps, there was 10-16 spaces at the top for air to move.  Also, rarely were there front doors on the rack, but almost always there was a solid back door.  If there was a front door, it was a vented/mesh door.

With so few amps, I doubt you have a thermal issue in the room (unless there's some other BTU-belching device), so simply removing the front door of the rack should get you some relief.  However, if you've got an EWR wall rack (16U?), there's probably very little way for air to flow through the rack.  If removing your front door doesn't buy you a few degrees, it might be time for a larger, better vented rack.
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Craig Hauber

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Re: Amp Racks
« Reply #13 on: June 07, 2009, 04:52:55 PM »

Mark Mattocks wrote on Thu, 04 June 2009 19:36

Craig -

If you are using equipment that has forced air front or rear intakes you should NOT use vented blanks between them.  Most amplifier manufacturers recommend stacking amplifiers tightly to keep air flow moving in the desired direction without creating 'eddies' in the spaces between - that is true for QSC as well.  With the QSC amps - having a vent panel between them will allow the hot air blowing out the front to be recirculated through the vent to the back of the amps above.  

 http://repnet.middleatlantic.com/COMPANY/MarketingFiles/Temp InsideRacks/Thermal%20Management%203-04.pdf

Good reading about cooling racks.

Mark

I understand with large banks of amplifiers that run hard you have to adhere to the "rules" alot more but I have always found that everything seems to run cooler with spaces and vent panels in the cramped confines of a DWR rack.  Actual chassis and sheet-metal temps -and I've wondered about the circular suction thing but never actually noticed it happening when feeling around in the space between the amps.
Keeping the fans running at a minimum or not-at-all (if the amp has that feature at idle) really keeps the dust clogging down.  I've found that tight-packing the amps they would run on high fan-speed constantly.  (dust seems to be the worse problem in my club installations)
I also consider other rack occupants as well, such as the DSP and other non-amp gear (wall-warts, RDL modules etc) too.
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Craig Hauber
CSA Productions Inc.
Ventura-Santa Barbara CA
www.csaproductionsinc.com
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