Its getting hot in here!!

[Dave D]

I tried my Hartke Kilo out for the first time last night, at any real volume.

i noticed that it got warmer than previous heads i've used, and guess
that this is due to the valve pre-amp. Because the head is designed to
go in a rack, which it already is in, i'm also assuming that it is
designed to run at its optimum at this temperature.

So on that basis, would it be a good idea to have a small fan for
extra cooling/circulation at the back, or would that not be advisable?

[flyfisher]

Rack units should have a section about installation and operating conditions in the user manual but, yes, I'd expect it to be designed to run at the sorts of temperatures it will generate inside a rack case.

Good idea to have a fan? Electronic devices generally fare a lot better when running cool than when running hot, but if the amp is within its design parameters then it's not really necessary. But it won't do any harm so if it makes you sleep easier at night then it'll be a few quid well-spent.

[Mr. Foxen]

Fan in the wrong place can mess up airflow so might not be best idea. Fluid dynamics make Thiele-Small speaker design look a bit easy.

[doomed]

If it's any reassurance mine is the same too Dave, it does run warm & I thought about a fan, but it has fans built in anyway I think, and it's under warranty so I'm not going to worry about it, just crank it up, that's what it's there for ;-).

[flyfisher]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1321022424' post='1434494']
Fan in the wrong place can mess up airflow so might not be best idea. Fluid dynamics make Thiele-Small speaker design look a bit easy.
[/quote]
Well, in extremis perhaps, but if an amp is that sensitive to airflow then it really out to have some big red shouty warning words in the manual and if I were the manufacturer I wouldn't be happy to give the user carte blanche to install it in any old rack.

Edited November 11, 2011 by flyfisher

[JTUK]

My SWR400 runs VERY hot...you'd jump if you put your hand on it. No fan needed either..
It was built and designed that way...altho later models had a fan, IIRC.

I always think amps that can do this are built very well with good materials.

[Dave D]

Thanks chaps.

It wasnt a major concern, just thought that a little fan would aid the air circulation around the back. I might get a little one and have it wafting a breeze ACROSS the back of the rack.
I'm sure the designers were more than aware of operating temperature in a racked set-up, so all is good!!

[rOB]

[quote name='Dave D' timestamp='1321013514' post='1434333']
Its getting hot in here!
[/quote]

So take off all your clothes!



edit: I'll get my coat.

Edited November 11, 2011 by rOB

[stingrayPete1977]

Remember some fans pull and some push, if it's pulling out air from an open inlet the other side of the hot bits pointing a fan at it won't do anything. It's the same idea used in welding gear rather than blowing dust into the unit you draw cool or ambient air through instead.

[Dave D]

I might blow the hot air in the drummers direction!!

I'm sure he'd find it amusing.............not!

[Merton]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1321030746' post='1434657']
My SWR400 runs VERY hot...you'd jump if you put your hand on it. No fan needed either..
It was built and designed that way...altho later models had a fan, IIRC.

I always think amps that can do this are built very well with good materials.
[/quote]

Yep, plus 1; I recall a conversation with Trace Elliot about the Commando combo being designed to run hot when I was a spotty teenager and didn't understand these things. Equally my hifi amp is a heavily biased A-B design which runs so hot I had to rethink it's use and position when my son started to crawl (seriously!); I'd hope (and expect) the Kilo to be designed as such. Doubt Hartke would have let it slip through after so long in pre-production.