SteveInNorCal
Active Member
My little centrally-located wiring closet has two panels, one for communications and one for security (Elk M1). I want to add primary cellular communications and selected the Uplink 4500EZ. From various threads on Uplink, I understand I need a separate power supply for the cellular radio and I need to interface it to the Elk M1 with a serial port expander (Elk M1 XSP).
There's no room for another can in the wiring closet with the XSP, battery, Uplink 4500, an Elk-P624 power supply, and an AC receptacle.
I'd like to mount the can and above cellular components in the attic as this would be the easiest way (by far) to squeeze in the new equipment. The attic is easily accessible, we already use it extensively for storage, and AC is already available, and it is a short run from the XSP to the M1 Gold can in the wiring closet below.
We are in a single story ranch house in the San Fran Bay Area where summer temps will hit a max of 105 a couple times per summer and we may have 10 days total in the 90s. So I'm guessing attic temps near the ceiling sheetrock hit 120 - 140F, but I've never done actual measurements. Winter lows are in the mid- to high-20s a few days per year with normal winter lows in the high 30s to mid 40s. The attic is insulated on the ceiling sheetrock, but the rafters and plywood roof are exposed. The roof material is dark brown asphalt shingles. There are eave vents, gable-end vents, and eyebrow vents in the roof itself.
It's hard to find environmental temperature limits for the Elk components. I'm guessing the 4500 is rated for 120F (a typical upper limit for standard-grade electronics) because the data sheet is silent on this.
What do you think? Am I asking for early failures or random performance problems? Do you have any experience with attic-mounted equipment? Should I give it a try?
There's no room for another can in the wiring closet with the XSP, battery, Uplink 4500, an Elk-P624 power supply, and an AC receptacle.
I'd like to mount the can and above cellular components in the attic as this would be the easiest way (by far) to squeeze in the new equipment. The attic is easily accessible, we already use it extensively for storage, and AC is already available, and it is a short run from the XSP to the M1 Gold can in the wiring closet below.
We are in a single story ranch house in the San Fran Bay Area where summer temps will hit a max of 105 a couple times per summer and we may have 10 days total in the 90s. So I'm guessing attic temps near the ceiling sheetrock hit 120 - 140F, but I've never done actual measurements. Winter lows are in the mid- to high-20s a few days per year with normal winter lows in the high 30s to mid 40s. The attic is insulated on the ceiling sheetrock, but the rafters and plywood roof are exposed. The roof material is dark brown asphalt shingles. There are eave vents, gable-end vents, and eyebrow vents in the roof itself.
It's hard to find environmental temperature limits for the Elk components. I'm guessing the 4500 is rated for 120F (a typical upper limit for standard-grade electronics) because the data sheet is silent on this.
What do you think? Am I asking for early failures or random performance problems? Do you have any experience with attic-mounted equipment? Should I give it a try?
