Active Thermal Management 3E Installation Instructions Manual
Active Thermal Management
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System 3E Installation Instructions
The Active Thermal Management System 3 is a complete ventilating system for small audio/video
enclosures or sections of large enclosures. It is comprised of two high quality 3.125" (80mm) axial-flow fans
with finger guards, a plug-type power supply, and a control unit with remote thermal probe.
The fans are surface-mounted over 3" round holes (see detail on last page). In free air, the fans can each
move approximately 15 cubic feet of air per minute; in a typical installation that figure is typically reduced to
approximately 10 to 12 CFM, sufficient to properly ventilate an enclosure of moderate size. (A popular size for
smaller enclosures is 2' wide, 2' deep, and 2 ½' - 3' high, for a gross volume of only 10 - 12 cubic feet.) When
equipment is installed, the air within the cabinet is further reduced, so that, with proper placement, two small
fans can change all of the air in the enclosure in less than a minute.
Fan location
The location of the two fans is the most important consideration in installing the System 3. Properly
placed, ventilation will be efficient; if improperly located, ventilation will be reduced. The key to effective
ventilation is to place the fans (usually one is used to bring room air in, one used to exhaust heated air) so that a
line drawn between them passes through or over the main heat source(s). If necessary, both fans can be used in
intake or exhaust mode. The hot equipment should lie directly in the path of air flow for maximum effectiveness
of the System 3 (or any ventilating system).
This obviously preferable arrangement is not always easy to achieve in practice. Doors, walls, shelves, etc.,
always seem to be in the way! There are several ways to get around obstacles, and the installer must use his
imagination to achieve the best results in a given installation. Here are some suggestions for fan placement:
Intake fans can be located in or below "kick-panels"; in side walls (for free or semi-free standing cabinets)
or on the back wall, if there is at least 2" clearance between the back of the cabinet and the wall.
Exhaust fans are best located high on the rear panel, but can also be mounted on a side panel or even on the
top surface if there's a video screen or speaker mounted on the top to block the view of the fan.
When installing fans, note that air exits from the side of the fan with the center label. Fans can be
mounted using #6 or #8 screws.
25570 Rye Canyon Rd. Suite D Valencia, CA 91355
661-294-7999 (voice) 661-294-1115 (fax)
techinfo@activethermal.com www.activethermal.com
Typical systems might have a shelf in the enclosure. Locating the intake fan low on one side of the rear panel
and the exhaust fan high on the other side, with a generous (5" - 6") hole cut in the center of the shelf allows
room air to enter on the first level, cool a receiver or amplifier sitting above or below the shelf, and exit on the
second level. (A large chase behind the shelves might keep this from working effectively if it allows the air to
flow behind, rather than over, the hot equipment.) Similarly, when a side panel of a cabinet is exposed (that is,
it’s not up against a fireplace or wall!) air can be brought in low on one side and exhausted high on the opposite
side, or at the rear. Some possible fan mounting locations are shown in the following diagrams.
If there are substantially empty cabinets to either side of the equipment cabinet, air can be brought in or
exhausted through them… Do not, however, attempt to move air through grille cloth. The System 3 fans are
not powerful enough to overcome the resistance of even porous cloth; more importantly, the dust that will soon
accumulate in the cloth will cause a discoloration that is certain to cause complaints from the client. (We
discourage the practice of moving air through cloth of any kind, even when using the Active Thermal
Management System 1, an extraordinarily powerful air mover; the cloth will sag and stretch out of shape AND
become discolored.)
25570 Rye Canyon Rd. Suite D Valencia, CA 91355
661-294-7999 (voice) 661-294-1115 (fax)
techinfo@activethermal.com www.activethermal.com
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