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Temperatures too hot? External fan?

L

LloydS

Member
Temperatures right now for my 3 devices are:

1. Strato S - 44 C (inactive)
2. Terra Server 1 - 46 C (inactive)
3. Terra Server 2 - 54 C (downloading a bunch of movies)

Need I be worried at those temperatures?

My 3 devices are within the TV console seen here:

https://www.bdiusa.com/products/corridor-8179-modern-tv-stand-entertainment-center It is a well ventilated piece of furniture.

Still, all 3 devices are located within the 2 center spaces of the console with the Strato S sitting on top of one Terra and the other 54 C Terra sitting next to those two.

So has anyone found an external fan that works well that I could perhaps place within that console, blowing across the devices, or perhaps blowing the hot air out of the back of the console?

I want these pricey devices to last and I know heat is the enemy, so.........
 
As long as your components are in the Green when you check the temp, it should be fine. Enclosed spaces can always be a challenge when it comes to reducing ambient temp. and anything you can do (exhaust fans, etc.) to reduce the ambient temp is obviously helpful. Based on your stated temps your components should currently be operating within the normal Green range.

Jim
 
I agree with @cinelife that your devices are currently within the normal temperature thresholds. However, Terra 2 (at 54C) is only 6 degrees below the high temperature threshold (60C) at which point you'd start getting warnings. And it's only 11 degrees below the high fatal temperature (65C) where the device would be automatically shutdown.

So adding some ventilation to that cabinet would be a good idea in my opinion. For the best cooling effect, airflow should go from the front of the Kaleidescape devices to the back.
 
09/29/23

Thanks Jim! I was getting a little worried when one of the Terras was approaching the "yellow."

Then it occurred to me to check Amazon to see if they had a cooler for a stereo receiver, figuring that that might also work for a Terra or Strato. And sure enough they do! This is what I bought:

"AC Infinity AIRCOM T10" ($129), since it has a front exhaust, and that's the best exit location for the console that the Terra sits in. That cooler is 17" wide, which is the same width as the Terra, which is nice.

Anyway, now that I've documented the current temperature, I'll try using that fan, and then come back here and post whether it has had any effect or not.

Thanks for your responses Jim & J.Green!

-Lloyd
 
I'm no thermal expert, but you generally want your hot air exhaust at the back and preferably the top of the cabinet/enclosure, and your cool air intake in the front and the bottom. Installing an exhaust fan in the front may counterbalance the natural airflow of your K devices.

Andy
 
Thanks Andy. I did think of that, but there wasn't much of an exit for the hot airScreenshot 2023-09-29 at 12-51-57 Corridor Media Console 8179.png where the Terras sit, there in the rear of the middle section of the console, (see the one oval hole in the attached pic), whereas there were a lot of vents on the front. Well, the cooler arrives tomorrow and I'll test it out.
 
Having your exhaust at the front can definitely mess with the natural flow of air through the Terras and Strato. They are designed to pull air in along the bottom edge, flow it through the unit and exhaust out the rear. So given your cabinet design, the best solution would be to relocate the Terras and Strato into the side sections of the cabinet where there is better ventilation on the back panels (you might even leave those panels off).

If that's not an option, then the second best option would be to drill some additional holes (for ventilation) in the back panel of the centre section and position your Infinity Cooler so that it would blow the air out the back of the cabinet.

Failing that, then positioning the cooler as you plan is the third best option. The K gear is designed to intake air at around 10 CFM so you'll need the cooler to be generating an airflow that is higher than that so that the warm air it's picking up is blown out of the cabinet. If it's airflow is lower than 10 CFM, then all it will be doing is moving the hot exhaust air from the back of the K gear back to the front where it'll get pulled back into the chassis.
 
Last edited:
Is it bad to leave my Terra front panel open? It runs at about 51C with the panel closed (in a well ventilated rack) and drops by 10-15 degrees C with the front panel open.
 
Roderick Spode said:
Is it bad to leave my Terra front panel open? It runs at about 51C with the panel closed (in a well ventilated rack) and drops by 10-15 degrees C with the front panel open.
Click to expand...
No harm from an airflow standpoint. There is the risk of someone bumping into the panel and perhaps damaging it (or themselves) if it's in a high traffic area. You'll also not be able to see any of the error LEDs should they light up without first flipping the front panel back up.
 
Roderick Spode said:
Is it bad to leave my Terra front panel open? It runs at about 51C with the panel closed (in a well ventilated rack
Click to expand...
Mh, are you sure about the "well ventilated rack"? 51° (i believe this must be C) sounds pretty high to me and it shouldn´t in a well ventilated environment.
 
My 3u server that sits below it with at least a 6 inch air gap runs at about 30C. Both sit on a wire rack with no other electronics. Only other equipment in the room is a router and switch. Room is a little warmer that the rest of the basement but not hot - cooler than my full rack closet.
 
Roderick Spode said:
My 3u server that sits below it with at least a 6 inch air gap runs at about 30C. Both sit on a wire rack with no other electronics. Only other equipment in the room is a router and switch. Room is a little warmer that the rest of the basement but not hot - cooler than my full rack closet.
Click to expand...
Hm, OK. Sounds unusually high to me. Perhaps @J.Green can comment on that?
Did you remove the frontpanel protection foil? I´ve seen in some cases that it overlaps sometimes and block the airflow.
 
Question:
As i did some testing at a customer and the units run indeed a lot cooler, the client wants to have the frontplates completely removed.
Any advice how these can be detached?
Thanks!
 
DieZwei said:
Question:
As i did some testing at a customer and the units run indeed a lot cooler, the client wants to have the frontplates completely removed.
Any advice how these can be detached?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
As stated above, if there are errors, you won't see the LEDs for it unless you put the panel back on, but I don't know if you actually can completely detach it. Is it because of an airflow issues or a LED issue?
 
It´s for better airflow. Client feels more comfortable without.
I understand it´s not an issue running with closed frontplate, but if the client´s wants it that way...
 
Then you might consider using an AC Infinity cooling device over it. I have used them on all my Kscape and receiver installs for the past 5 years and never have had a cooling issue.
 
It´s a full Middle Atlantic rack with top-of-rack fans and fans inbetween.
Cooling in general is not the issue - it´s just the significant difference between operating the Terras with and without the frontplate.
 
Will a Terra naturally run hotter than a Compact Terra? I just installed one today and am seeing these temps at idle.

The Compact Terra has never gotten much warmer even when running, but I don’t have anything on the Terra yet to monitor during playback.

The rack is fairly well ventilated on both sides in addition to the rear, though only 1 space above and below (no blanks installed, so open air flow in and out the front as well).

IMG_2246.png
 
In the end it doesn't matter, they are both in the "Green." I've learned over the past 20 years, and ownership of 50+ K components that temps vary in each component, that there is no standard temp for any product. There are averages, but too many variables affect temp, including installation location. In the end, as long as they're in the Green they're fine.

Jim
 
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