Topic: Venting Rack Panels (Read 12243 times)

djwaudio · « **on:** June 10, 2011, 07:20:03 PM »

Does anyone have a favorite blank 1u venting rack panel? I've got one (Middle Atlantic) above my Vari-mu, that is fine mesh, but it seems like there is a lot of heat getting trapped. This is in a face-up in the Sterling Modular desk. Thanks!

Twerk · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2011, 07:41:06 PM »

I'm quite fond of the vent panels Avalon offer. I have 4 of them in my current desk and they do a great job of letting heat out. They're not cheap, but they look great. I spoke with Eveanna at Manley a while back about having some made and they seemed to think it was a great idea and even considered doing a larger run of them, but I haven't heard back from them about it in quite some time. I should check in on that again soon.

http://www.avalondesign.com/accessories.html

adamgonsa · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2011, 09:10:55 PM »

I like the Raxxess "economy" vents. Super cheap and big vents that let plenty of air through. No excess heat build up in my rack bays.

To class things up you could combine them with the Avalons to make a tuxedo pattern

John Scrip - MASSIVE Mastering · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2011, 12:26:52 AM »

I still wish I could find these 1/2 units... They're just like mine (Middle Atlantic, I think) but only half-height for stuff that doesn't get "really" hot. Never found 'em... Saw them on a website or two and even the engineers couldn't tell me where they found them ("had 'em in a box of something...").

Hey, Adam --- Those are some rather bad-ass new speakers you're sportin' over there... Congrats on that.

Mastertone · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2011, 05:15:19 AM »

I´m using these:
http://www.thomann.de/se/adam_hall_87221vr.htm
Super cheap but they do the job.

lowland · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2011, 06:17:44 AM »

OT, but I'd be interested in any ingenious schemes people have come up with to prevent unvented blanking panels from ringing like a bell.

jdg · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2011, 11:10:58 AM »

Quote from: lowland on June 11, 2011, 06:17:44 AM

OT, but I'd be interested in any ingenious schemes people have come up with to prevent unvented blanking panels from ringing like a bell.

dont screw them in... so instead they rattle.

John Scrip - MASSIVE Mastering · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2011, 11:26:34 AM »

Quote from: lowland on June 11, 2011, 06:17:44 AM

OT, but I'd be interested in any ingenious schemes people have come up with to prevent unvented blanking panels from ringing like a bell.

Gaff tape. And screwing them in.

lowland · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2011, 12:04:21 PM »

Quote from: jdg on June 11, 2011, 11:10:58 AM

dont screw them in... so instead they rattle.

Should help for a phat snare sound, shame it won't anywhere else!

lowland · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2011, 12:06:46 PM »

Quote from: John Scrip - MASSIVE Mastering on June 11, 2011, 11:26:34 AM

Gaff tape. And screwing them in.

I think that'll be the one, maybe plus some kitchen roll or cloth on a 6U-er I have here.

Viitalahde · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2011, 04:48:20 PM »

How about no panel at all?

Randyman... · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2011, 07:42:59 PM »

Quote from: lowland on June 11, 2011, 06:17:44 AM

OT, but I'd be interested in any ingenious schemes people have come up with to prevent unvented blanking panels from ringing like a bell.

Use 16Ga Aluminum ones that are flanged around the face to provide a good dose of horizontal structural support (and indirectly provide damping!)

http://www.middleatlantic.com/rackac/panels/bpanels.htm

I actually use one of those 1RU models for Eight 1/4" Headphone Jacks - and even when plugging/unplugging the jacks in the middle of the panel, there is virtually no flex.

Dynamat (or similar) on the rear of a thinner un-flanged panel would also work in a pinch IMO...

Technologyworks · « **Reply #12 on:** June 12, 2011, 05:44:07 AM »

Quote from: jdg on June 11, 2011, 11:10:58 AM

dont screw them in... so instead they rattle.

I stick Sorbothane or black rubber car floor mat on the back of solid blank panels. Stops the ringing. Works on vented panels too, 'cept they don't vent anymore!!

Peter

phonon · « **Reply #13 on:** June 12, 2011, 01:28:09 PM »

Quote from: Viitalahde on June 11, 2011, 04:48:20 PM

How about no panel at all?

This one. √

Andrew

adamgonsa · « **Reply #14 on:** June 13, 2011, 01:34:42 PM »

Quote from: John Scrip - MASSIVE Mastering on June 11, 2011, 12:26:52 AM

Hey, Adam --- Those are some rather bad-ass new speakers you're sportin' over there... Congrats on that.

Thanks sir, and same to you.

BiigNiick · « **Reply #15 on:** June 14, 2011, 07:29:21 PM »

i have the Algorhythmic Prosecutor providing silent cooling for the vari-mu and maintaining the most transparent signal path

Twerk · « **Reply #16 on:** June 15, 2011, 12:02:16 AM »

I'd move that vent to the top of the Vari-Mu since that's where the Mu's vented panel is. That compressor gets ridiculously hot!

John Scrip - MASSIVE Mastering · « **Reply #17 on:** June 15, 2011, 01:36:06 AM »

+1 on that --- The VM's a freaking pizza warmer.

jdg · « **Reply #18 on:** June 15, 2011, 01:03:34 PM »

that funk logic rack is just a front panel, so, he's got 2U of venting above the easy-bake-compressor/limiter/oven

Hermetech Mastering · « **Reply #19 on:** June 15, 2011, 02:14:36 PM »

yeah, but heat rises, and that funk logic panel doesn't really look like it's venting anything. i'd also put the real 1u vent above the manley.

Treelady · « **Reply #20 on:** June 17, 2011, 05:55:27 PM »

I tried NO vents and had my Manley stuff next to other stuff and I swear you could (almost) burn your hand on the VM and MP if they're not vented.

HOW IN THE HECK DO SOME PEOPLE STACK ALL OF THAT STUFF WITH NO SPACE BETWEEN THEM? (not sorry about the caps. I'll find examples and post them).

I'm off to price a half-RU panel from Front Panel Express. Just for fun.

Dave-G · « **Reply #21 on:** June 17, 2011, 09:49:53 PM »

FWIW, the .5RU panels do exist:

http://proaudiostash.com/product/19-inch-racking/rack-panels/vented/05u-vented-rack-panel/11783.shtml

The picture there sure looks like a perspective-shortened angle on a 1U panel (as the .5U ones only have one hole on each side), but I bought a few of the .5U ones from these guys, and they're fine.

They're made by Penn Fabrication.

Randyman... · « **Reply #22 on:** June 18, 2011, 07:16:27 PM »

Quote from: Dave-G on June 17, 2011, 09:49:53 PM

FWIW, the .5RU panels do exist:

http://proaudiostash.com/product/19-inch-racking/rack-panels/vented/05u-vented-rack-panel/11783.shtml

The picture there sure looks like a perspective-shortened angle on a 1U panel (as the .5U ones only have one hole on each side), but I bought a few of the .5U ones from these guys, and they're fine.

They're made by Penn Fabrication.

Never seen those before! I pondered making some by chopping a 1RU panel in half (or by bending in half), but never actually did it...

So, I have a bunch of racks that have 3-holes per space (2 have the standard spacing, and the 3rd hole is centered in each slot), but when you go staggering actual rack units by 1/2 RU for ventilation, only 2 of the "oddly staggered" units' 4 holes will line up with the "middle" holes in the rail due to the non-standard spacing of the middle holes ("middle hole -to- middle hole" is not a standard rack spacing). Are there other rack rails that would allow racking gear with 1/2RU ventilation between units while still allowing all of the unit's mounting holes to be used? Seems like the holes wold start to get too close together and sacrafice the strength of the rail (would need 4 holes per slot AFAIK).

Or are you simply using these to fill in 1/2RU "dead areas" at the top/bottom of a rack?

Thanks for any info as I hate wasting a full 1RU (x4 or more) in a rack for ventilation when 1/2RU ventilation would probably work fine, but I'd still prefer to use all 4 of the unit's mounting holes (heavy and expensive gear!)...

bblackwood · « **Reply #23 on:** June 20, 2011, 08:07:28 AM »

This is what I did a number of years ago (note the ~1/3 RU silver vent panels on the left in the old studio desk shot):

Now, most of the gear is custom so most of the PSUs are outboard - between that and some creative placement heat is much less of an issue:

BiigNiick · « **Reply #24 on:** June 20, 2011, 10:51:41 AM »

Quote from: Babaluma on June 15, 2011, 02:14:36 PM

yeah, but heat rises, and that funk logic panel doesn't really look like it's venting anything. i'd also put the real 1u vent above the manley.

the rack is vertical and the entire back of the rack is open, so i'm not too worried about where the heat will go (up and out of course). it just needed space to do it. the pic didn't show the back. . .

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Author Topic: Venting Rack Panels (Read 12243 times)