First off, I want to dispel any notion that there might be something that’s NOT great about EXAIR Cabinet Cooler Systems.  Are there other methods to provide effective cooling to an electrical panel?  Of course there are, and frankly, if one particular method was clearly superior in any & every situation, the makers of that one would have put all the others out of business by now.  But for now, let’s consider:

1. Simplicity: Cabinet Cooler Systems need compressed air to work.  That’s it.  Supply them with clean, moisture free air, and they’ll run darn near indefinitely, maintenance free. What could be easier?

2. Control:  Continuous Operation systems have their place (more on that in a minute,) but in most cases, Thermostat Control is preferred, for a couple of reasons:

• Most electrical and electronic components have a rated maximum operating temperature of 104°F (40°C).  Maintaining the air temperature at a reasonable level less than that is all you need…any lower, and you’re just wasting energy, no matter what method of cooling you use.  Our Thermostats are preset at 95°F (35°C) to ensure heat protection, while limiting operating costs.
• There is such as thing as “too cold.” Particularly sensitive instrumentation & controls may exhibit varied behavior at different temperatures.
• Our bimetallic probe-type thermostats are ideal for controlling air temperature.  They have much faster response time than other mechanical styles, meaning the system won’t keep running once it’s cool enough, and it starts running as soon as it starts getting too hot.  They’re also easy to reset, if the preset of 95°F (35°C) is not suitable for particular specific needs.
• If constant monitoring, or frequent changes in control temperature are desired, the ETC Electronic Temperature Control offers these benefits, via a quick response thermocouple and pushbutton operation.

3. Environmental concerns: No matter where a panel is located in your plant, and what it might be exposed to, EXAIR Cabinet Cooler Systems will keep the environment out of that panel:

• NEMA 12 Cabinet Cooler Systems are oil tight, dust tight, and rated for indoor duty.
• NEMA 4 systems provide the same protection as NEMA 12, and are additionally splash resistant, and are rated for indoor/outdoor duty.
• NEMA 4x systems offer NEMA 4 protection, and are made of stainless steel for corrosion resistance.

• 

  HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems also maintain NEMA 4 or 4X integrity, and are for use with classified enclosure purge & pressurization systems in hazardous locations:

  • Class I Div 1, Groups A, B, C and D
  • Class II Div 1, Grouds E, F and G
  • Class III

4. Dependable protection: In most cases, the less moving parts something has, the more reliable it is.  With NO moving parts, EXAIR Cabinet Cooler Systems absolutely prove this out:

• Unlike refrigerant-based systems, there are no filters to clean, no coils to foul or corrode, and no electric motors to burn out.
• No potential contaminants from outside air ever enter the enclosure…all the cold air comes from your compressed air supply, through an Automatic Drain Filter Separator fitted with a 5 micron particulate element and a centrifugal separator for moisture removal.

5. Selection:  Cooling capacities range from 275 Btu/hr to 5,600 Btu/hr, and they’re all in stock, ready for immediate shipment.

6. Special considerations:  “Customized” usually means high prices and long lead times. Not so for a number of EXAIR Cabinet Cooler System options:

• 

  High Temperature systems are available from stock, for installation in areas where the ambient temperature can exceed 125°F (52°C,) all the way up to 200°F (93°C.)

• Continuous Operation Systems aren’t the only way to constantly keep environmental contaminants out…Non-Hazardous Purge (NHP) systems combine the efficiency of Thermostat Control by always passing a small amount of air flow, to provide a slight positive pressure, even when the temperature is lower than the Thermostat set point.  This way, the Cabinet Cooler System only operates to maintain appropriate cooling, but the panel is still protected all the time.
• When additional protection from harsh and corrosive environments is needed, or when specified by strict facility requirements (I’m looking at you, Food, Pharma, and Nuclear Plants,) our NEMA 4X Cabinet Cooler Systems can be provided in Type 316 Stainless Steel construction, from stock.

6.5 Simplicity, part 2:  Not only are they simple to operate…

• They install, in minutes, through a standard knockout in the top of your enclosure.

  

• If there’s no room on top, or if it’s just more practical, you can put them on the side of the panel using a Side Mount Kit.
• Don’t know which one to pick, or need help determining your heat load?  Then use our Cabinet Cooler System Sizing Guide.  There’s one in the catalog that you can fill out and fax or email to us, or you can find it on our website under the “Features” tab on any Cabinet Cooler product page…just fill in the blanks and click “Submit.”  Or, you can always simply call in the data to an Application Engineer.  We can calculate your heat load in just a minute or so, and we do it over the phone all the time.

If you’d like to find out more about heat protection for your electrical or electronic panels, give me a call.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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