By Bob Gatton
In many media rooms today, the goal is to have big picture and big sound when you want it. But when the system is not in use, most — if not all — of the equipment is concealed or disguised. In-wall speakers, cabinets that conceal flat panel televisions, and screens that retract into the ceiling are all becoming much more popular. And the components that drive the system are often in a cabinet or a closet.
These components usually include the following:
- Audio video receivers
- DVRs, TiVos
- DVD players
- Cable boxes and satellite receivers
- Game systems
- Home theater computers
All of these components produce heat, and some of them are on all of the time. While many of them don’t produce that much heat by themselves, the combined heat can become an issue. That's because excessive heat shortens the life of electronic equipment.
At the 2006 Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association convention, I came across a company that I was not familiar with: Cool Components, Inc. They specialize in products that not only remove heat from cabinets and closets, but in many installations can also do it quietly.
They sent me three of their products to try:
- Universal Cooler CP-CC-103, designed for equipment racks, but can also be used for cabinets and recessed televisions.
- Cabinet Venting System VS-CV-100, specifically designed to be installed in cabinets.
- HiFlo Vent System VC-CW 102, used to remove warm air from a closet or a room to another area in the home.
I first installed the HiFlo Vent system. It consists of a fan assembly; two grills (available in white and black); a power supply; and a thermostat. The fan, power supply, thermostat and one of the grills are usually installed in the equipment closet. The fan pulls the hot air out of the closet and through the cavity between the sheetrock and the wall studs. The other grill is installed on the other side of the interior wall.* In my media room, I mounted the fan high on the wall of the closet (hot air rises, after all) and put the grill one foot above the floor in a hallway, where it will be less noticeable. Finding my sheetrock saw took more time than the actual installation, which only took about 20 minutes.
The HiFlo Vent's power supply has five voltage settings; the higher the voltage setting, the faster the fan speed. I have found that the middle setting is audible, but unobtrusive in the equipment room and silent in the hallway. When the thermostat senses an increase in the temperature inside the closet, it increases the fan speed pulling more heat out of the closet. My equipment room is much cooler than before.
In this installation, I have the fan running constantly; my two TiVos and a home theater computer are always on and producing heat. In some installations you might want to have the fan come on when the equipment is turned on. Many AV receivers have a switched electrical outlet. Plug the system into that outlet, and it will start when you turn on the receiver.
The installation of the other two products was also very easy, and they both performed as promised, too. I highly recommend all three of them. For more information go to www.cool-components.com.
* An important note from Cool Components: It is very important not to vent the air out of the home. Venting to the outdoors causes air to be pulled from either the outside or — even worse — the attic area to replace the vented air. While some products on the market vent air out of the home, that feature is fundamentally flawed and will potentially disrupt the normal operation of the HVAC system.
Bob Gatton is a freelance writer and consultant on home automation, electronics and home theaters.
| 
