As summer temperatures increase, so does the volume of calls we get about Cabinet Cooler Systems. A typical call goes something like this:
“One of our control panels has a drive in it that’s overheating. If it goes down, so does the whole line. How soon can I get a Cabinet Cooler System?”
All of our Cabinet Cooler Systems — including the UL Classified HazLoc and ATEX models — are in stock and available for same day shipment.
“Great! How do I get one?”
With just a few key pieces of information, I can quickly and accurately calculate the heat load of your panel, and specify the right Cabinet Cooler System. You can input that information into our Sizing Guide online, or you can call me. It only takes a minute to do the calculations, and we do it over the phone all the time. Here’s what we need to know:
- Panel dimensions: Grab your favorite tape measure & write down the height, width, and depth of the panel. We’ll calculate the heat transfer surface area from that.
- Current internal & external air temperatures: Take a thermometer to where the panel is. Write down what it reads when you get there — that’ll be the ‘external’. Then, put it inside the panel, and write down what it reads after a few minutes — that’ll be the ‘internal.’ We use those to calculate the internal heat load — how much heat is being generated by the components inside the panel.
- Optional: if you have accurate heat dissipation data for the housed components, we can use that instead of the temperatures. This is how we do it if the panel isn’t currently in operation.
- Important note: if we ARE using temperatures, it’s important to measure the AIR temperatures, as opposed to using a heat gun to ‘shoot’ the surface temperature of a component. The formulas we use are based on tried-and-true HVAC formulas, and we’ve been proving their accuracy for decades.
- Maximum external air temperature: How hot does it get on the hottest day of summer? We’ll use that to calculate the external heat load — how much heat the panel absorbs from the environment.
- Desired internal air temperature: Many electrical/electronic component manufacturers specify a maximum operating temperature of 104°F (40°F), so the ‘industry standard’ in panel cooling is to maintain an internal air temperature of 95°F (35°C), so that’s where we pre-set our Thermostats. If you know for a fact that the components inside your panel need a cooler environment to operate in, the Thermostats can be reset. Keep in mind, we may need to provide a Cabinet Cooler System with a higher cooling capacity in those cases. Or, if you know for a fact that your equipment can handle a higher operating temperature, the Thermostats can be adjusted…and you can save on your compressed air usage.
If there are fans circulating outside air through the panel, we’ll need to know about them too. They’re providing a finite (sometimes substantial) amount of cooling, and they’ll have to be removed, and their holes covered, for proper operation of the Cabinet Cooler System. If not, that’s like running your air conditioner with a fan in the window.
The other considerations are all about where the panel is, and what it’s exposed to:
- NEMA ratings are all about keeping the environment out of the panel:
- If it’s a UL or ATEX Classified area, we have systems for that:
If you have an electrical or electronic panel that needs reliable, durable heat protection, you might need an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler System. To find out more, give me a call.
Russ Bowman, CCASS
Application Engineer
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