| Author |
Topic: Rack Case Question |
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 29 May 2000 4:54 pm |
|
Not electronic, but kind of a category 'tweener.
If I have a 2 space preamp (tube) and a 2 space amp (Mosvalve 962), I imagine that a 6 space case would be a good idea for ventilation purposes. If I eventually add a tuner or a power conditioner, will I be sorry I didn't get an 8 space case? Do any of you pack a case to capacity without leaving breathing room? |
|
|
 |
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
|
Posted 29 May 2000 6:14 pm
|
|
Jon,
There are a million ways to answer this one.
I've noticed several players who carry more than one rack. The power amp -- especially the MV500 -- is one heavy sucker, and also has more stringent ventilation requirements, so it may make good sense to separate it out with a power conditioner in a three or four space rack by itself.
To answer your question, I use a six space with the MV500, a power conditioner, Digitech 2112 for fx/preamp, and a reverb unit. I'd love to have room for a tuner and maybe one empty space above the MosValve. But daaaaamn, son, that dude mighty near gives me a hernia every time I lift it. An 8-space might just do me in fer good. 
On a different note . . .
As most of us do, I play a lot of small club gigs -- bunch of one nighters, and some fair dates -- usually outside. I recently re-discovered my 1978 Session 400 and boy was I surprised how great it sounded. It had a blown speaker I hadn't bothered to replace so I had a friend build me a case for just the head and I carry one of the 115e cabs I use with the rack setup. It sounds incredible and my 'Fx rack' is a stomp box delay. My push-pull and that amp is the benchmark sound that I try to get whenever I use the rack setup. These days, I use it whenever I can and my back loves it. MosValve and all the trimmings usually works better for outside gigs but I go with the small rig for most clubs. It has plenty of clout and it is much happier being out of the basement.
Just my opinion . . . your mileage may vary.
LTB[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 29 May 2000 at 07:22 PM.] |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 30 May 2000 2:16 am
|
|
I have a 4 space rack for my MosValve 500 (2 spaces) and a Transtube Fex (1) space. My rack case is carpet covered wood and I cut two 8" holes and put 8" grilles in for air circulation. The MV500 is mounted to one end of the rack case as the bottome of the MV500 has air holes and a fan to suck air in for ventilation. The MV500 runs cool and is not a problem. The Transtube Fex is mounted one screw hole from the other end and then has space between it and the MV500. The Transtube Fex still runs hot and I may have to install a fan in the rack for it. I wouldn't dare stack anything against it as it would overheat. The Transtube Fex is not tubes and I can only imagine the extra heat from a TubeFex.
Heat is one of the major killers of solid state equipment. I see people with racks filled and basically no air flow around the equipment and it's sitting there basically baking. It may not have an immediate effect but long range there is a lot of potential for problems. The bad thing is that when devices do fail, from long or short term heat damage, it is usually not attributed to the heat and everyone goes along "fat dumb and happy" just assuming it was a component failure. I've seen it happen too many times in the 23 years I managed a (hardware) help desk and Network. |
|
|
|
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
|
Posted 30 May 2000 5:57 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| "fat dumb and happy" |
Hold it . . . I RESEMBLE that remark.
LTB[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 30 May 2000 at 07:00 AM.] |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 30 May 2000 6:19 am
|
|
Me too 
|
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 30 May 2000 12:50 pm
|
|
And I'm aspiring to get there too .
I found a post of yours from some time ago, Jack, where you described the venting measures you took. I was thinking of getting a molded SKB case and I don't know how it would take to modifications. But I'm thinking that a six spacer with the rear open might allow enough ventilation. Unless, as per the original question, I start wanting to add stuff.
--Just a clarification--I am going with the 80W/ side unit. Just won a real good deal on ebay. If it works then I did good.
But I gotta say, Larry, that I now feel guilty as hell and I'm thinking of installing a couple of lead weights into the rack so as not to enjoy the easy life.
Does Scotty sell trusses? |
|
|
|
Steve Feldman
From:
Central MA USA
|
Posted 30 May 2000 1:29 pm
|
|
| Again, I'm new at this, but I wish I didn't buy the SKB-type molded case, because they do NOT, IMO, take modifications easily. Hard to fit speaker jacks/jackplates in there; difficult to fit vents, etc., because of space limitations. If I had it to do over, I'd buy an ozite-covered plywood job. 'Course, I could do it over if you bought my rack case! |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 30 May 2000 1:31 pm
|
|
The SKB case is OK, however, because of the way it's molded it's not too easy to modify. I had one and couldn't figure out any way to cut circular holes in the sides that didn't look like crap so I sold it and bought a Grundorf that I was able to modify.
If you set it horizontally with both lids off of it there may be enough air flow. The smaller 80 w/per side amp probably does not need the airflow the 500 does. |
|
|
|
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
|
Posted 30 May 2000 10:24 pm
|
|
Rack cases can be set up vertically without modification by taking off both ends and then setting the thing down on a couple wood blocks or books leaving plenty of vent area. I am currently using very old copies of the Oxford History of Western Music volumes IV and III.
All this special stuff steel players use gets sorta silly. I feel like enough of a geek already with my pac-a-seat !
Bob
------------------
Franklin D-10
|
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 31 May 2000 2:43 am
|
|
Bob, you may get by doing it that way with some equipment, but it would not reliably work with the MosValve 500 or a Transtube Fex. They need more air than that. Also the MosValve's "fresh" air intake is on the bottom of the amp (side when it is sitting vertically).
As I stated before heat is the worst and silent enemy of equipment. Having seen the effects of heat on equipment over the last 30+ years working on both musical and commerical computer equipment I don't think I'm overly cautious. |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 31 May 2000 9:24 am
|
|
I have a 2-space rack that holds my Lex reverb and a stereo EQ. Would those two units need venting? They don't feel warm on the front side of the units.
Lee |
|
|
|
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
|
Posted 31 May 2000 9:57 am
|
|
Jack,
You misunderstood me. With blocks or whatever elivating the vertical rack (with the back off) there is plenty airflow coming up from the bottom. It is about the same as if I took both ends of the rack off and hung it in the air.
Bob
BtW: I am using a massive tube power amp that gets more than enough ventalation this way.[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 31 May 2000 at 10:59 AM.] |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 31 May 2000 10:22 am
|
|
Bob, sorry. I assumed with books that is wasn't being elevated very high.
|
|
|
|
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
|
Posted 31 May 2000 10:37 pm
|
|
Jack,
I'm not as look as I dumb ! |
|
|
|
Rich Paton
From:
Santa Maria, CA.,
|
Posted 1 Jun 2000 12:19 am
|
|
Jon, I used an Anvil ForgeII, three-space rack with two "hot" components, a Peavey Valverb and a Peavey CS-200X power amp. The third componenent was a Rane PE-15 5 band parametric EQ.
The Anvil rack came with four large round feet on it. I moved them to the rear cover to make it a vertical rack. Then I used a hole saw to make a 3 1/4" opening in the rear cover, and mounted a 12V DC fan from a computer case inside the cover, over that opening. The fan was powered by a small 9V DC "wall wart" transformer, from a junked answering machine. To aid the airflow I mounted all three rack mounted components with 12 1/4"-20 nuts, placed between the rack rails and the component flanges, with the four #10-32 mounting screws for each component passing through the nuts to hold them in place. This mounting scheme provided a 1/4" by 5 1/4" opening at the left & right sides on the rack's top end, to allow the warm air to exit freely.I never had any overheating problems with it, but such a setup cannot be used on a carpeted surface, since the cooling fan needs an unrestricted flow of input air. |
|
|
|
Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
|
Posted 1 Jun 2000 1:53 am
|
|
Bob, the amps we use (the VHT tube buggers) are set up well for rack use, they are vented from the back, and they have heavy duty fans. I agree with Jack that I would think twice before sticking a MossValve 500 in a 2 space rack.
------------------
www.tyacktunes.com |
|
|
|
