Tag: exair

EXAIR High Temperature Cabinet Coolers for Extreme Environments

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

EXAIR‘s High Temperature Cabinet Cooler Systems prevent electrical panel failures in extreme environments where ambient temperatures reach up to 200°F (93°C). Traditional cooling methods like fans or standard air conditioners fail when positioned near intense heat sources. EXAIR’s specialized vortex-tube-powered coolers deliver reliable thermal protection to ensure your operations keep running smoothly without catastrophic heat downtime.

Industrial electrical cabinets often face brutal environments. Standard electronics are designed to operate optimally around 95°F (35°C). However, when control panels are installed near high-heat infrastructure, internal components quickly bake and fail. Typical problem areas include:

  • Boiler rooms
  • Furnaces and foundries
  • Industrial ovens
  • Steam lines and casting operations

Standard cabinet coolers struggle when ambient temperatures exceed 125°F (52°C). For these ultra-hot zones, a heavy-duty solution is required.

EXAIR High Temperature Cabinet Coolers use advanced vortex tube technology to turn ordinary compressed air into a clean, cold air stream. In the video below, you can see this cooling effect in action. All of this is achieved without the need for refrigerants or moving parts.

Some key benefits of Vortex Tube technology are:

  • Zero Moving Parts: No fans, motors, or bearings to wear out or clog from ambient dust.
  • No Refrigerants: Eliminates Freon leaks, compressors, and complex chemical maintenance.
  • Instant Installation: Mounts in minutes through a standard electrical knockout.
  • Continuous Integrity: Available in NEMA 12 (dust-tight), NEMA 4 (splash-resistant), and NEMA 4X (corrosion-resistant stainless steel) ratings to maintain your enclosure’s structural seal.

Precise and Efficient Temperature Control

Compressed air is a valuable resource, and EXAIR systems are optimized to ensure it isn’t wasted.

  • Thermostat-Controlled Systems: These configurations use an adjustable mechanical thermostat factory-set to 95°F (35°C). The cooler only activates when the interior temperature hits critical levels, automatically shutting off once cooled.
  • Electronic Temperature Control (ETC): For precision applications, the EXAIR Electronic Temperature Control system utilizes a digital LED readout and a quick-response thermocouple to manage internal environment settings accurately down to the degree.

Choosing the right unit depends on your specific cabinet dimensions and internal heat loads. High-temperature models start at cooling capacities of 1,000 BTU/hr and can scale up significantly to handle heavy component loads.

To avoid guesswork, you can use the online EXAIR Cabinet Cooler Calculator to input your panel’s dimensions and temperatures. The tool will automatically determine if a high-temperature system is required and identify the exact BTU capacity you need. Or if you would like an Application Engineer to assist you, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-903-9247!

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

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Predictive Maintenance with Ultrasound: Find Compressed Air Leaks Before They Cost You

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

Compressed air is one of the most expensive utilities in a manufacturing facility, yet it is also one of the easiest to waste. Small leaks often go unnoticed for months or even years, quietly increasing energy costs, reducing system performance, and forcing compressors to work harder than necessary.

The good news is that these hidden losses don’t have to remain hidden. By incorporating ultrasonic inspection into your predictive maintenance program, maintenance teams can identify leaks early, schedule repairs during planned downtime, and significantly reduce operating costs.

Why Compressed Air Leaks Matter

Even well-maintained compressed air systems develop leaks over time. Vibration, worn fittings, damaged hoses, aging seals, and loose connections all contribute to air loss throughout a facility.

The consequences extend beyond higher utility bills:

  • Increased compressor run time
  • Higher maintenance costs
  • Reduced available air pressure
  • Shorter compressor life
  • Greater energy consumption
  • Increased carbon footprint

Many facilities lose 20–30% of their compressed air to leaks, and in poorly maintained systems, losses can exceed 40%. Finding these leaks quickly is one of the fastest ways to improve system efficiency.

Old School Soapy water test to check for air leaks.

Ultrasound as Part of Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance focuses on identifying equipment issues before they become failures.

Ultrasonic inspections fit naturally into this strategy because they allow facilities to:

  • Detect developing air leaks early
  • Schedule repairs during planned maintenance windows
  • Monitor recurring problem areas
  • Verify repairs immediately after completion
  • Track improvements over time

Rather than waiting for system performance to decline or energy costs to spike, maintenance teams can proactively eliminate waste before it impacts production.

Why Choose the EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector?

The EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector is designed specifically for industrial maintenance professionals who need a fast, reliable method of locating compressed air leaks.

Key advantages include:

  • Detects ultrasonic frequencies beyond human hearing
  • Works effectively in noisy industrial environments
  • Portable, lightweight design
  • Easy-to-read visual indication of leak intensity
  • Simple operation with minimal training required
  • Ideal for preventive and predictive maintenance programs

Whether you’re performing routine inspections or troubleshooting unexpected air loss, the detector helps maintenance teams locate problems quickly and accurately.

Predictive maintenance is about preventing small issues from becoming expensive problems. Compressed air leaks are a perfect example. They develop gradually, often go unnoticed, and quietly consume thousands of dollars in wasted energy each year.

By incorporating the EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector into a predictive maintenance strategy, facilities can identify hidden leaks before they impact production, reduce energy costs, extend compressor life, and improve overall system efficiency.

When every cubic foot of compressed air has a cost, finding leaks before they grow isn’t just good maintenance—it’s smart business.

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

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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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Hot Off The Press (Release): EXAIR Launches Redesigned Website for Enhanced Digital Experience

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

I tell people all the time that I’m old enough to remember doing business before the internet, but I swear I don’t remember how we ever got anything done. In 1992, I was fresh out of the Navy, working on industrial & chemical pumps. I was looking for a part for a seriously old pump that I could not find a manual — or much information at all, really — for. Using the Thomas Registry (the big green books, not the website; remember, this was 1992), I was able to track down the company that bought the company that made the pump. They didn’t have records for the model number that was on the nameplate, but I came up with an ingenious plan: it was a small part, so I used the company’s brand-new color copier to make an image of it and faxed it in. Good news was, we got the part we needed. Bad news was, I NEVER got back in the good graces of the office manager, who caught me not only bringing a chunk of corroded metal into the office space, but putting it on the pristine platen glass of a brand-new copier. For the record, MY boss was the one who said it was “ingenious”, but he didn’t say it in front of the office manager, or he’d have been in the doghouse too.

Even though it was a success, all of that took the better part of a day. Today, it would probably take the better part of a minute to find the information I needed. I think about that repair often, especially when something comes along that makes life easier.

Case in point (and the subject of the new Press Release I’m writing this blog to bring to your attention): EXAIR has unveiled a redesigned website that delivers a more streamlined experience for engineers, maintenance professionals, and manufacturers searching for compressed air solutions. Featuring a modern look that reflects EXAIR’s updated brand identity, the new website makes it easier than ever to explore products, learn about applications, and find the right solution for virtually any industrial challenge. Built with performance and usability in mind, the site offers faster page loads, improved navigation, and a cleaner interface.

The redesigned website introduces several customer-focused enhancements that simplify the buying process, from research to check out. A streamlined shopping experience reduces the number of steps required to purchase products, allowing customers to move from product selection to checkout more quickly than ever before. Visitors can also browse new industry-specific pages featuring relevant product recommendations, application examples, and educational resources, making it easier for users to discover solutions designed specifically for their manufacturing environment. The site also offers ample opportunities to connect with EXAIR through catalog requests, newsletter signups, or speaking directly with Application Engineers to get answers for case-by-case manufacturing dilemmas.

EXAIR.com reinforces EXAIR’s commitment to providing customers with the tools and resources needed to solve industrial challenges efficiently. In addition, visitors have access to the application database, videos, CAD models, blogs, an extensive Knowledge Base, and direct support from EXAIR’s Application Engineers. Combined with enhanced site performance and an improved user experience, the redesigned website makes finding, selecting, and purchasing EXAIR solutions easier than ever. https://exair.co/newsite

Even today, I’d have almost certainly needed to pick up the phone to find the right person to get that obscure pump part. If you ever find that to be the case with your questions about using compressed air, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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