[itzme]

In the middle Of my rack you'll see an AM21 and two HR24-100s, both are running at about 135 degrees. The fan noise is getting annoying. The glass door has small areas to vent around its edges, and there are plenty of vents cut out in the back. Yesterday I added a spacer, about 3/4 inch, between the 2 HRs (visible as darker black in the picture) and that didn't lower the temp. I know 135 degrees is high based on this thread.

It's not easy to easily re-arrange devices in that rack. The whole rack is in a corner of the room and just the right size and height for my needs. You should be able to see there are 2 shelves giving 3 spaces for devices, with little room to spare. That's a Pioneer AVR on the bottom and a BR player on the top.

I assume I'm noticing the fan noise because of the heat is kicking the fan into high gear. Does anyone have any easy solutions? Has anyone had luck with those fan pads for laptops, or anything like that? Do they just make more noise?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Steve]

It's not easy to easily re-arrange devices in that rack. The whole rack is in a corner of the room and just the right size and height for my needs. You should be able to see there are 2 shelves giving 3 spaces for devices, with little room to spare. That's a Pioneer AVR on the bottom and a BR player on the top.

Not sure it would solve the problem completely, but since heat rises, and your Pio AVR likely generates the most heat, perhaps you could move it to the middle shelf and relocate the two HR24's + (AM21???) to the bottom shelf? Also, is there a rear cover behind those components in the rack? Can you leave the back open?

 

[veryoldschool]

What happens if you leave the glass open?
You might move them to the bottom shelf and what's there to the middle.

 

[CCarncross]

I agree with above, its that AVR that is sending heatwaves up to your HR24's thats most likely the problem.

 

[itzme]

The AVR- When I put my hand around the AVR, it really doesn't feel that warm, esp compared to the HR24s. Is there maybe some sort of mysterious heat transfer going on that would cause the AVR to feel relatively cool?

Glass Open- While both HRs were at 135 degrees I opened the glass door, and in about an hour the top DVR went down to 131 and the bottom 129. Ambient temp is 74. Only problem is the glass was quieting the fan noise somewhat, and the fan noise didn't get lower, so with the glass open it sounds louder and looks bad. If that had made a big difference I was prepared to remove the glass door. I'm going to give it another hour, too.

Back of Rack- is particle cardboard and I've previously removed as much of the backing as possible, about 75%, without it looking too bad from the front.

Still seeking ideas

 

[Steve]

The AVR- When I put my hand around the AVR, it really doesn't feel that warm, esp compared to the HR24s. Is there maybe some sort of mysterious heat transfer going on that would cause the AVR to feel relatively cool?

You can try running the HR24s for an hour with the AVR off and then checking their temp.

 

[harsh]

This is why I use the term "home entertainment oven" in reference to this kind of setup.

While ambient in the room may be 74, it is probably many degrees higher in the cabinet with the doors closed.

If you want the fans to slow, take the DVRs out of the oven or, if that's not possible, at least move them to the bottom rack.

As I recall, the temperature maximum for most hard drives is around 140F so you're getting very close to cooking the DVR. When you've reached the 140F point (only FIVE degrees away), there's a fairly likely chance that you'll cook the drive and lose all your recordings at a minimum.

Remember that with DIRECTV, a replacement receiver is typically not a new receiver.

 

[MysteryMan]

itzme, like it or not you need to rearrange your components if your going to continue to use your current media furniture. A/V gear produce heat and need to vent properly. I would place your A/V receiver on the top shelf. Remove the glass doors and as Steve suggested remove the back panel from your media furniture.

 

[itzme]

With the glass doors still open, both HRs are now down to 127. I like Steve's idea about turning off the AVR for an hour. I'm closing the door and turning off the AVR to test its impact on the issue, of course that turns off the TVs input from the HRs, the way I'm wired up.

What temp range should I be shooting for?

 

[Steve]

What temp range should I be shooting for?

I've got two HR24-100s. One's inside a cabinet with a ventilated screen door and it's at 115 degrees. The other one's out in the open, sitting on a lowboy in my family room. It's at 106 degrees. My HR24-500 is vertically mounted via a wall bracket, behind a catty-corner mounted plasma in my bedroom. It's reading 102 degrees at the moment. All three are on the current NR. I mention that because sometimes the software affects when the internal fans come on.

 

[itzme]

itzme, like it or not you need to rearrange your components if your going to continue to use your current media furniture. A/V gear produce heat and need to vent properly. I would place your A/V receiver on the top shelf. Remove the glass doors and as Steve suggested remove the back panel from your media furniture.

I'm inclined to agree with you, but help my understand why the top and sides of the AVR feel cool to the touch. The AVRs vents are on the top.

Im actually thinking that Steve's test will help validate your point. I'll check the temps again in an hour? Thanks, you guys!

 

[MysteryMan]

I'm inclined to agree with you, but help my understand why the top and sides of the AVR feel cool to the touch. The AVRs vents are on the top.

Im actually thinking that Steve's test will help validate your point. I'll check the temps again in an hour? Thanks, you guys!

Heat rises. It also accumulates in confined areas. Placing the A/V reciever on the top shelf allows it's top vents to do so away from your other components. Removing the glass doors and rear panel will create cross ventilation.

 

[itzme]

You can try running the HR24s for an hour with the AVR off and then checking their temp.

AVR off for an hour, but glass doors closed- both at 131
AVR on, but doors open for an hour- both we're 127
AVR on, glass doors closed, original post- both we're 135

Fans loud throughout. These HRs are both on NR software. Doesnt seem like the AVR played a huge role in the heat, at least with an hour off, but now I'll try an hour with AVR off and doors open.

MysteryMan's entire revamping is looking more and more like a necessity if I'm shooting for a temperature that reduces the fan noise. Steve, I assume your fans are fairly quiet? My ultimate objective is not to be bothered by fan noise, and of course not to fry my hard drives.

 

[Steve]

Steve, I assume your fans are fairly quiet? My ultimate objective is not to be bothered by fan noise, and of course not to fry my hard drives.

They are. I rarely hear them, unless I'm right next to the unit.

 

[wahooq]

get some kind of airflow on the rack....maybe a midget fan behind it or something.....

 

[veryoldschool]

get some kind of airflow on the rack....maybe a midget fan behind it or something.....

And sometimes just the chimney effect will work, where cool air comes in the bottom, and warm are leaves the top.

 

[Alebob911]

I don't have glass in my cabinet but it was covered on the back and was getting warm not too bad 121 IIRC for my HR22 & HR34 and what I did was cut the back and added a fan that would pull all the hot air out and it worked. There is good air flow and no fan noise which is a plus, They are variable speed via the mounted knob. Here is the fans I bought from Bestbuy. Oh the temps now are 106-108.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Thermaltake+-+Mobilefan+II+Cooling+Fan/4404855.p?id=1218477044183&skuId=4404855&st=thermaltake%20fans&cp=1&lp=4

 

[itzme]

I don't have glass in my cabinet but it was covered on the back and was getting warm not too bad 121 IIRC for my HR22 & HR34 and what I did was cut the back and added a fan that would pull all the hot air out and it worked. There is good air flow and no fan noise which is a plus, They are variable speed via the mounted knob. Here is the fans I bought from Bestbuy. Oh the temps now are 106-108.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Thermaltake+-+Mobilefan+II+Cooling+Fan/4404855.p?id=1218477044183&skuId=4404855&st=thermaltake%20fans&cp=1&lp=4

Hey, cool. Pardon the pun. That fan is USB, did you plug it into your HR and aim it toward the HR?

So 1 hr with door open and AVR off, temps are 127 on bottom and 129 on top. I'm beginning to think that the culprit is more the stacked DTV devices and less the AVR. But I'm sure everything together fuels the "oven".

 

[Alebob911]

Yes plugged into HR and they are facing away pulling out the hot air. Install towards the top of your rack and it should work great. Fan assisted chimney.

 

[itzme]

Yes plugged into HR and they are facing away pulling out the hot air. Install towards the top of your rack and it should work great. Fan assisted chimney.

Alebob, I ordered that USB fan from Amazon today and should have it by the end of the week. I can't help but think that my shelves could block my ability to achieve the chimney affect. Could I trouble you to look at the photo of my rack above and, based on your experience, maybe get more specific about where to place the fan?

I understand that the fan should be positioned to suck out hot air and blow it behind the rack toward the wall. I'm just unsure whether to put it on the top shelf or the middle shelf.

I hope to move the AVR at the bottom to the top shelf and remove the glass door when I find time--- it'll take time. For now I have the glass door open and seem to be at around 126-128 degrees, regardless of the AVR being on or off.