Cooling a Structured Media Panel

[abernut]

I will be using a 42" panel from Leviton.  It will house my OmniPro ii, HiFi2, Cisco 24Port POE switch.  I am sure I will add more later down the road but that should get me started. 
 
My concern is heat.  My switches here at work produce a lot of heat that gets routed out of the rack.
 
I was wondering if I could use two 24V fans to circulate air.  I am new to automation but couldn't I even place an temperature sensor in the cabinet and wire the fans to one of the outputs on the board.  Then create a rule to turn the fans on if a certain temp is reached.
 
I can run a vent and pull the air from the room and was hoping I could just vent it into the wall.
 
How have you guys handled this in the past?
 
Thanks
Mike
 

 

[pete_c]

I have not to date actively cooled a 42" Leviton and 28" Leviton can with switches and other stuff. 
 
One is some 10 years in place and the other one is 6 years in place.
 
While warm the cans never get hot.    I've always used fanless network switches inside of the cans.
 
Personally it will help some to provide ventilation.  
 
I have many wires today that run on both sides of the can and most likely would obstruct a side mounted fan.
 
The wires are feed into the can from center back and top of the can.  The bottom of the can has a Leviton power supply.
 
Some folks put an exhaust fan on the top of the wiring closet to draw the warm air out of the closet.

 

[wuench]

I have a Leviton extender ring on my enclosure, it has vents on all sides and is proud of the can.  You could try something like that as a passive solution, plus it is nice to have the extra depth.  If you go active I don't think you want to vent into the wall unless you have a hole or other way for the air to escape.  

 

[Del91574]

Without knowing mounting details of the can, I wouldn't recommend fans. Pulling a lot of crud into the can and on the circuit boards. Unless you have the can mounted in essentially a data center environment, I'd call it a bad idea.

 

[Neurorad]

Vented cover, or vented 2" extension ring, plus a fan (maybe mounted in the cover), should work well, if heat is really an issue.
 
http://www.coolerguys.com/allofourcoki.html
 
I think you can buy fan kits from that place that include a thermal controller.