Entertainment center too hot!?!?

[verapakill]

So as the title says I have a entertainment ceter (pictured below) that I use in my office to mostly play COD and watch Netflix.

I recently had a problem with my Xbox over heating so I started to do some research on how to cool inside the shelves where it was sitting, but hit a wall.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to cool the shelves with a computer fan of some sorts mounted to the back side of it? Or some other idea that doesnt break the bank???

The best thing I have found so far is this but the problem is that it is powered which means it will be running non stop.

http://www.amazon.com/CabCool-Lite-Cooling-Cabinet-Theaters/dp/B001NJ4J6I

[nmerced]

I just use an ordinary stand fan pointed at the entertainment center.

[verapakill]

I just use an ordinary stand fan pointed at the entertainment center.

That would work but I'm looking for something that is hidden and looks nice

[Merc1138]

Get rid of those panels on the back of the shelves and you'll have a decent amount of airflow without fans. They create dead air spots and only serve as a cosmetic feature to hide the wall behind your entertainment center(and cables that might otherwise be visible).

[the86d]

Drill a couple more doorknob holes in the back, and seat the 360 just beside the hole for exhaust (or even match the hole to the fan, and cables so it goes all the way back).

You can cut out the upper portion (of the shelf's back-plate) so heat can rise out of the back, but it would not be seen except if someone ducks, this MIGHT help too.

Blow the dust out of the beast at least once every 3 months if you use it a lot...

I don't know about the black ones, but if you pull a white one toward the front it will take more cool air in from the front, since the intake is on top and bottom (both sides) of those.

[verapakill]

Get rid of those panels on the back of the shelves and you'll have a decent amount of airflow without fans. They create dead air spots and only serve as a cosmetic feature to hide the wall behind your entertainment center(and cables that might otherwise be visible).

I kind of want to keep the back panel there for cosmetics if worst case I will take it off but right now I am trying to find a little project to do as well.

[Coded-Dude]

you can get something like this for $10 or less at any local drug store. I have one on top of my receiver, but it points at my PS3(to keep high speed gear from kicking in). OF course, I don't have enclosed shelves...too many electronics to cut that much airflow off.



I sit my laptop right on top of my receiver(for hdmi in) and that little fans keeps both from getting too hot.

Or get custom and do something like this.

[verapakill]

you can get something like this for $10 or less at any local drug store. I have one on top of my receiver, but it points at my PS3(to keep high speed gear from kicking in). OF course, I don't have enclosed shelves...too many electronics to cut that much airflow off.



I sit my laptop right on top of my receiver(for hdmi in) and that little fans keeps both from getting too hot.

Or get custom and do something like this.

I just got done watching that same video nice little project and I would use it but I would also like to see if I could get the fans to turn off when im not in there.

[Coded-Dude]

you can get a on-off toggle switch for a couple bucks.......you could even try and get a three or four way switch and use the speed settings(depending on what all you have on).

[verapakill]

I wonder if there is something like this but for home usage

http://www.powerwerx.com/fuses-circuit-protection/automatic-power-off-switch.html

[Iknownot]

Throw 2 ultra quite PC fans into the back of the cabinet behind the x360. Put the x360 as close to the front of the cabinet as possible.

That's what I'd do.

(BTW, I have an entertainment cabinet with similar sized bays as you do and I have not had an issue with my x360 and over heating. You need to leave space all the way around the x360 and it should be fine. If you really feel like you need the back panel, at least cut some 2 inch or so tall slots at the very top edge, from one side to the other, so that all the hot air that collects in the top of the bay as the x360 is running can vent out the back and is not trapped in the bay along with the x360. I'd personally try that first, before doing the fans. If you removed the top 2 inches of the back panel or so, in your x360 bay, I bet you would no longer have any issues. )

[verapakill]

The xbox that was over heating is the new one and I was suprised to see it like you, no damage was done luckily

[sholling]

Heat will damage electronics fast, fortunately there are reasonably priced solutions. I used a coolerguys thermostatically controlled switch to power a pair of super quiet 120mm computer case fans in one of my racks. I went the budget route with a fixed swtichpower supply) but they also have programmable switches ($35 plus power supply). Or you can just buy a kit from them. Generally you want to pull heat out through the back of the cabinet. On the other hand other than the X-Box I don't see anything like a receiver would be generating a lot of heat so you could just keep the X-Box where it is.

FWIW I've also used an 8" notebook cooler powered off of a USB charger plugged into a switched outlet to cool a heat generating monster of a receiver.

[TheHarvester]

If you install computer fans (input and exhaust) I would go for larger than the 80mm and if possible, adjustable. The larger the fans the quieter they will be.

[sholling]

If you install computer fans (input and exhaust) I would go for larger than the 80mm and if possible, adjustable. The larger the fans the quieter they will be.

This is excellent advice. The 120mm fans that I chose are rated at 10.7db @ 40cfm, but keep in mind that not every 120mm fan is quiet.