Tag: electrical panel cooling

How Can I Stay Calm When My Control Panel’s Overheating?

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

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 out there, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that’s as durable, reliable, available, and easy to install as an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler System. All we have to do is find the right one for your enclosure, and we have a couple of different ways to do that:

Cabinet Cooler Systems Sizing Guide: We’ve had this on our website, and in our catalog, for years now. We can also email you one, if you want to print it out & fill in the blanks. Then, you can either email it back, or you can call us with the data. It only takes a minute to do the calculations, and we do it over the phone all the time.

Cabinet Cooler System Calculator: This one’s for the do-it-yourself-ers, and it uses the exact same formulas that an Application Engineer will use if you submit a Sizing Guide. There are still some situations where you might need to contact us — if your enclosure is in an explosive environment, an area with a hazardous classification, or if the heat load is outside the parameters of our stock Cabinet Cooler Systems, the Calculator is going to politely decline to make a selection and refer you to an Application Engineer. Of course, if you have ANY questions about the application or the Cabinet Cooler products, don’t hesitate to call, even if the Calculator doesn’t make you.

Here’s what we’re going to ask for, and why:

  • Enclosure dimensions. To calculate the heat transfer surface area
  • Current Internal Air Temperature. This is the starting point for figuring out the internal heat load…how much heat the components inside the box is generating. This needs to be the air temperature – don’t use a heat gun, or you’re going to give me the surface temperature of something that may or may not be close to what I need. Just put a thermometer in there for a few minutes.
  • Current External Air Temperature. We’re going to compare this to the internal air temperature…the difference between the two is proportional to the heat load. Also, if there’s anything cooling the enclosure right now (like circulating fans; more on those in a minute), this reading is key to figuring out how much heat they’re removing.
  • Maximum External Air Temperature. How hot does it get in the area on, say, the hottest day of summer? We’ll need this to calculate the external heat load…how much heat the enclosure picks up from its surroundings.
  • Maximum Internal Temperature Desired. Most electrical and electronic component manufacturers publish a maximum operating temperature of 104F (40C) – it’s kind of an “industry standard.” Based on this, a lot of us in the enclosure cooling business set our products’ thermostats to 95F (35C) – if we’re maintaining the air temperature a decent amount cooler than the components are allowed to get, history and practice has shown that we’re going to provide more than adequate protection. If your enclosure houses something with more sensitive temperature limitations, though, we can work with that too…that’s the only time you’re going to want to put something other than 95F (35C) in this field.
  • Cabinet Rating. This is all about the environment…we offer three levels of protection, per NEMA standards:
  • Other: If the enclosure is mounted to the side of a machine, or a wall in the plant, you really don’t need to put anything there. If it’s outside and exposed to direct sunlight, tell us what the surface finish (i.e., polished metal, painted grey, etc.) is so that we can account for solar loading too. If anything else is unusual or peculiar about the application, let us know that too.
  • My Cabinet Is… Not Vented, Vented, Wall Mounted, Free Standing, Fan(s). We’ll use what you tell us here to verify the heat transfer surface (a wall-mounted cabinet’s back surface isn’t a radiative surface, for example.) Also, I mentioned fan cooling before, so without further ado…
  • Fan diameter or SCFM. If there are fans circulating air into (and/or out of) the enclosure, they’re providing a finite amount of cooling right now. Proper installation of a Cabinet Cooler System is going to require their removal. Running a Cabinet Cooler System on a vented enclosure is just like running your air conditioner with the windows open. So, if we know the size (or the SCFM…sometimes there’s a label on those fans, and we LOVE those folks who do that) then we can use that, and the temperatures you gave us above, to take the fan cooling into account.

Once we (or the Calculator) have that data, we’ll calculate the heat load & specify the right system. Easy as that.

Before I go…here’s a nice little video, walking you through the Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guide. Yes, I just made you read the book before watching the movie…feel free to tell me which one you liked better.

Cabinet Cooler Systems are in stock and available for same day shipment with an order received by 2pm EDT. If you have a panel that needs cooling, we can fix that right now…give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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Press Release: Dual Hazardous Location Cabinet Cooler Systems Protect Large Electrical Enclosures in Classified Areas

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

EXAIR’s Dual Hazardous Location Cabinet Cooler® Systems provide a powerful, maintenance-free solution for protecting large electrical enclosures in hazardous environments. Designed for classified areas, including Class I Div 1, Groups A, B, C, and D; Class II Div 1, Groups E, F, and G; and Class III, these high-capacity cooling systems prevent sensitive electronics from overheating while eliminating the need for costly air conditioners or panel fans. With cooling capacities up to 5,600 Btu/Hr, Dual Hazardous Location Cabinet Coolers are ideal for oversized control panels, motor control centers, and other electrical enclosures exposed to explosive gas or combustible dust atmospheres.

                Dual Hazardous Location Cabinet Cooler Systems use two engineered Cabinet Coolers working together to evenly distribute cold air throughout large enclosures, maintaining safe operating temperatures for critical electrical components. The systems are UL tested for hazardous locations and preserve the enclosure’s integrity by mounting through standard electrical knockouts. Each system includes an automatic drain filter separator to prevent moisture from entering the enclosure, while optional electronic temperature controls are also available. With no moving parts to wear out and no refrigerants to maintain, the systems provide long-lasting, reliable protection in the harshest industrial environments.

                Dual Hazardous Location Cabinet Cooler Systems are part of EXAIR’s complete family of Cabinet Cooler® Systems, offering solutions for NEMA 12, 4, 4X, and ATEX-rated enclosures ranging from 1,000 to 5,600 Btu/hr. Whether cooling a small control panel or a large electrical enclosure in a classified area, EXAIR provides engineered cooling solutions for virtually any enclosure cooling challenge.

                If you require assistance with sizing, EXAIR does have a Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guide to fill out for us to calculate the total heat load.  For our U.S. customers, we are offering a promotion.  You will receive an AC Sensor, a $77.50 value, for free as a promotional item from now until the end of August 2026 with a qualified purchase of our Cabinet Coolers. If you have any questions or need more information about our Cabinet Coolers, an Application Engineer can assist you. 

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

Beat the Heat: How to Correctly Size an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

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.

Compressed air goes in; cold air comes out of the Vortex Tube and is circulated through the enclosure. The Vortex Tube’s hot flow and the warm exhaust from the enclosure are vented through the Cabinet Cooler’s body.

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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Should You Switch? Freon A/C vs. EXAIR Cabinet Coolers for Industrial Enclosures

Published on by Neal RakerLeave a comment

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 ElementFreon Air ConditionerEXAIR 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