We’re in the dog days of summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) for sure…or, as we call it, “Cabinet Cooler Season.” If you’re having heat-related problems with a control panel, there are plenty of cooling options… More
5 Compressed Air Myths Engineers Still Believe (And the Truth Behind Them)
Compressed air is often called the “fourth utility” because it’s essential to modern manufacturing. Yet despite decades of innovation, many misconceptions about compressed air systems continue to circulate on plant floors.
These myths can lead to higher operating costs, unnecessary equipment failures, excessive compressed air consumption, and reduced productivity.
Let’s separate fact from fiction.
Myth #1: More Pressure Means Better Performance
This is one of the most expensive misconceptions in manufacturing.
When an application doesn’t perform as expected, many people simply increase the regulator pressure. While this may temporarily solve the problem, it often creates new issues:
- Increased compressed air consumption
- Higher energy costs
- Excessive wear on components
- More system leaks
Instead of increasing pressure, engineers should determine whether the application is using the correct air nozzle, air knife, or vacuum generator for the job. Properly engineered products maximize force while minimizing air consumption.
Myth #2: Open Pipes Are Just as Effective as Engineered Air Nozzles
An open copper tube or drilled pipe may seem like a simple, low-cost solution, but it’s one of the least efficient ways to use compressed air.
Engineered air nozzles are specifically designed to:
- Entrain surrounding ambient air
- Amplify airflow
- Reduce compressed air consumption
- Lower noise levels
- Meet OSHA safety standards
Many facilities discover significant energy savings simply by replacing open pipes with “bolting on” engineered air nozzles.
Myth #3: Air Leaks Aren’t Worth Fixing
A small leak may not seem important. Especially one you can’t even hear.
Multiply that leak across hundreds of fittings, quick disconnects, hoses, and valves, however, and the losses become substantial.
Many facilities unknowingly lose 20–30% of their compressed air production through leaks alone.
Routine leak audits and preventive maintenance can dramatically reduce compressor runtime and utility costs.
Myth #4: Compressed Air Doesn’t Need Preventive Maintenance
Many facilities focus maintenance efforts on compressors while overlooking downstream equipment.
Dirty filters, damaged regulators, nozzles clogged with rust and other contamination, as well as worn fittings reduce performance and waste energy.
Preventive inspections should include:
- Filters
- Regulators
- Hoses
- Air knives
- Nozzles
- Vacuum generators
- Cabinet cooling systems
Small maintenance tasks prevent much larger production issues.
Myth #5: Noise Is Just Part of Using Compressed Air
It doesn’t have to be.
High noise levels often indicate inefficient airflow and turbulence.
Engineered compressed air products reduce turbulence while entraining surrounding air, producing quieter operation without sacrificing performance.
Lower noise benefits both employee safety and OSHA compliance.
Compressed air systems continue to evolve, but many outdated assumptions remain.
Questioning these common myths can uncover hidden opportunities to reduce operating costs, improve reliability, and increase overall plant efficiency.
Whether you’re troubleshooting a blow-off application, cooling an electrical enclosure, conveying materials, or eliminating static electricity, choosing engineered compressed air solutions can make a measurable difference.
Instead of relying on trial and error, work with application specialists who can evaluate your process and recommend the most efficient solution for your specific application. Small changes in compressed air usage often lead to significant long-term savings.
Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer
E: JordanShouse@exair.com
O: (513) 671‑3322
F: (513) 671‑3363
A: 11510 Goldcoast Dr Cincinnati OH 45249
www.exair.com
Find time on my calendar by scheduling a meeting here.
Beat the Heat: How to Correctly Size an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler
Electrical enclosures are the brains of modern manufacturing. When heat builds up inside them, it triggers tripped breakers, blown fuses, and costly component failures.
Standard air conditioners are bulky and require heavy maintenance. EXAIR Cabinet Coolers offer a low-maintenance alternative by using vortex tube technology to turn compressed air into cold air.
To protect your electronics, you must choose the right cooler size. Sizing requires calculating the total heat load of your enclosure. Here is the step-by-step process to get it right.
The Four Sources of Heat Load
To find the total heat load, you must look at how energy enters or builds up in your panel. The total heat load is determined by adding four main areas together: internal, external, fan, and solar heat loads.
1. Internal Heat Load
The internal load is the heat generated by the inefficiencies of your electrical devices inside the panel. You can calculate this by listing the wattage or volt/amp ratings of your major devices—like VFDs, power supplies, and transformers. Alternatively, you can measure the current internal and external air temperature. The difference between these two can be used to calculate the internal heat load.
2. External Heat Load
External heat enters the panel from the surrounding room or nearby high-heat equipment like ovens. To ensure your electronics stay cool on the hottest day, you must compare the highest expected external air temperature against your maximum desired internal temperature. Most electrical components are designed to operate around 95°F (35°C).
3. Panel Fans
Installing an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler requires sealing all vents and removing old panel fans to allow the system to properly purge hot, humid air. Because you are removing an active, albeit less efficient, cooling device, you must factor that fan back into your equations. You will need to account for either the fan’s flow rate or its physical diameter.
4. Solar Heat Load
Solar heat is an extra thermal load that only applies if your panel is stationed outdoors without cover and under direct sunlight. For outdoor calculations, the color of your enclosure matters significantly; lighter cabinet colors absorb much less heat than darker finishes.
All of these elements can be plugged into our Cabinet Cooler sizing guide, or our online Cabinet Cooler Systems Calculator to give you the total heat load in BTU/hr. Once you have your final BTU/hr requirement, it’s as simple as matching it to the appropriate EXAIR system. EXAIR systems range from small 275 BTU/hr units up to heavy-duty 5,600 BTU/hr systems.
You also need to select the correct NEMA rating for your environment:
- NEMA 12: For dust and oil-tight industrial environments.
- NEMA 4: For water-resistant, outdoor, or washdown areas.
- NEMA 4X: For corrosion-resistant stainless steel environments (food processing/chemical).
By taking precise measurements and calculating your true thermal load, you ensure your control panels stay cool, production keeps running, and you never waste compressed air on an oversized unit.
Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer
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Twitter: @EXAIR_AW
Informal Video: How to Change the HEPA Filter on an EXAIR Heavy Duty HEPA Vac
The HEPA filter inside the Heavy Duty HEPA Vac System has a 99.97% efficiency at 0.3 micron. It will contain very fine dust inside the drum and not back into the atmosphere. When the filter gets plugged, you will need to change it. In this video, I go through the steps for installing a new HEPA filter.
John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb
Should You Switch? Freon A/C vs. EXAIR Cabinet Coolers for Industrial Enclosures
Electrical panels are the brains of your production line. When they overheat, components trip, machines stop, and downtime costs start ticking away.
To keep these sensitive PLCs and VFDs cool, plants typically rely on traditional Freon-based air conditioners. But is a bulky, mechanical A/C unit actually the best choice for your specific environment?
Let’s look past the initial price tag and run through a quick diagnostic checklist to determine if you should make the switch to an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler.
The 4-Question Diagnostic Checklist
Answer the following questions about your factory floor to see which technology fits best:
1. What does the air look like around your enclosures?
- A) Clean and controlled ambient environment. Standard temperature, low dust, no airborne oil mist.
- B) Harsh and dirty. Flour dust, metal shavings, lint, slurry, or heavy ambient oil mist. Uncontrolled shop temperatures.
2. How much physical vibration or shock does the panel experience?
- A) Minimal. The panel is isolated on a concrete floor or far away from heavy machinery.
- B) Significant. The panel is mounted directly to a stamping press, vibrating conveyor, or heavy CNC machine. Lots of vibration and/or shock loading.
3. How often does your team perform preventative maintenance on electronics?
- A) Regularly. We have dedicated HVAC technicians or maintenance shifts with time to clean filters and coils weekly.
- B) Rarely. We are short-staffed; maintenance is reactive, and filters only get changed when something breaks.
4. What is your primary financial bottleneck?
- A) Monthly utility bills. We monitor direct electrical consumption aggressively.
- B) Unscheduled downtime and CapEx budget. A single hour of unexpected line stoppage costs us thousands, and upfront equipment budgets are tight.
Should You Switch?
If you answered mostly A’s: Stick with Freon A/C
If your factory floor mirrors a clean room, experiences zero vibration, and you have the staff to clean filters constantly, a traditional Freon A/C unit makes sense. It is highly efficient at pulling direct electricity to drive a closed refrigeration cycle, making it cost-effective from a pure utility perspective in mild environments.
If you answered mostly B’s: You Should Switch to EXAIR
If your environment is tough, dirty, or vibrating, a Freon system is a ticking time bomb. You should switch to a Cabinet Cooler immediately for three core reasons:
- Zero Moving Parts: Traditional A/C units rely on compressors, fans, and evaporators that fail under constant industrial vibration. EXAIR Cabinet Coolers utilize a vortex tube to turn compressed air into cold air with zero moving parts. Nothing to wear out, nothing to break.
- The “Dirty Filter” Trap: In dusty or oily plants, Freon condenser coils clog fast. When they clog, the unit stops cooling, the panel trips, and your line goes down. EXAIR systems maintain a slight positive pressure inside the cabinet, constantly purging dirty ambient air out of the panel, keeping it clean while cooling it.
- Drastic Maintenance Reduction: Instead of paying for certified HVAC technicians, reclaiming refrigerant, and degreasing coils, the only maintenance an EXAIR system requires is replacing a simple compressed air filter element a couple of times a year.
The True Cost Breakdown (1,700 BTU/hr. System)
Many plant managers hesitate to switch because compressed air is an expensive utility. However, when you look at the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over the lifetime of the hardware, the math shifts dramatically:
| Cost Element | Freon Air Conditioner | EXAIR Cabinet Cooler System |
| Initial Purchase Cost | ~$2,500.00 (Lasts ~3-5 years) | ~$750.00 (Lasts 15-20 years) |
| Amortized Hardware/Year | $500.00 / yr | $37.50 / yr |
| Annual Maintenance & Parts | ~$320.00 / yr (Coil cleaning/filters) | ~$0.00 (Standard filter changes) |
| Annual Utility/Energy Cost | ~$56.00 / yr (Direct electricity) | ~$338.00 / yr (With thermostat control) |
| Total Annualized TCO | $924.00 / year | $379.50 / year |
Pro-Tip for Maximum Efficiency: To keep your compressed air costs low, never run a Cabinet Cooler continuously. Always use an EXAIR Thermostat and Solenoid Valve kit. This ensures the cooler only consumes air when the internal panel temperature ticks past a safe threshold (like 95°F), cutting air consumption by up to 70%.
Ready to stop dealing with failed panel A/C units?
Don’t wait for the heat of summer to trip your critical control panels. You can absolutely be proactive about mitigating heat. Review EXAIR’s Cabinet Cooler Calculator to size the exact BTU/hr. unit your panel needs. You can also speak directly with an application engineer to make the switch. Give us a call today or schedule a meeting with one of our Application Engineers who can walk you through the sizing and selection process in just a few minutes.
Neal Raker, Application Engineering / International Sales Manager
nealraker@exair.com