AV Tip: 3 Ways to Keep Your HT System Cool

As most people are probably aware, the lifespan of electronics can be greatly improved by keeping temperature under control. Unfortunately, many of us are content to place a receiver/amp where it is convenient as opposed to where it can receive adequate ventilation, at least until it fails. Assuming you want your receiver in a cabinet, ensure that air flow is sufficient. While many so called home theater cabinets make little or no provision for ventilation, there are some models that take this factor into account. If you already own a cabinet that lacks proper ventilation and are concerned about heat buildup, a drill can come in quite handy; an inexpensive but good quality 120mm fan set to low speed can also improve air flow without adding significantly to background noise.

Here are three easy tips to help keep you system cool

• Give your equipment room to breathe - Every piece of equipment has a minimum recommended clearance for proper heat dissipation. Check to see where the vents/fans are on your equipment an make sure they at least have good clearance. Typically an AV receiver will have a minimum recommended clearance of 2" on all sides.
  
• Open up the cabinet/Modify the shelves - You need to allow for cool air to come in and hot air to leave. If possible you want to allow cool air to come up through the bottom and then vent out of the top of a cabinet, this pulls the cool air through the equipment. You may also consider drilling large holes through each shelf in a cabinet to assist in air flow.
  
• Stack in the right order - Put your equipment that creates the most heat on the top of the stack, this prevents it from heating up the rest of your equipment. Typically a receiver and cable box are going to put out the most heat.
  

Source: forum member steve81