Cooling a Server Rack cheaply ?

[simonk1969]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cool a 19'' server rack that is in the loft, unfortunatley it is going to be a tight budget though ! I'm sure that it is the heat in the summer that is taking out my hard drives, I had a couple go last year as well as well as this weekend.

Currently the rack has no back on it but I could put a back on and close the door so that it is a seale cabinet and that is all that would need to be cooled.

 

[simonk1969]

I've found a PC air con unit that could just cool the PC, anyone every used one and know what sort of temperature drop you can get ?

PC AirCon PAC 400 Genuine Air Conditioner for PC's

 

[Spectre]

You could make a fan tray. Commercial ones tend to be pricey.

 

[neorage]

buy a cheap air con unit ...

and just point it at the stack

for the money youll spend youll save on new HDD's

 

[simonk1969]

You could make a fan tray. Commercial ones tend to be pricey.

With a fan tray though won't it just be pulling through the hot air that is already in the loft and not really getting any benefit. In the summer it gets to about 30/40 degrees up there !

 

[simonk1969]

buy a cheap air con unit ...

and just point it at the stack

for the money youll spend youll save on new HDD's

I was hoping to find someway just to cool the cabinet really as I don't need to cool the whole of the loft !

 

[MFCGMFC]

well if you lower the general temprature of the loft then surley that would have a good effect on teh rack?

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

 

[simonk1969]

well if you lower the general temprature of the loft then surley that would have a good effect on teh rack?

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

I was looking for alternatives as I think it would be a lot cheaper for electricity just to cool the rack rather than the entire loft which isn't used for anything else.

But I do agree that cooling the loft would obviously have an effect of the temperature of the rack.

 

[MFCGMFC]

why dont you stick some desk fans up there pointing at the rack?

that would be cheaper and also have an effect?

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC