Rack Experts Share Tips to Create the Most Reliable A/V Racks Possible
Assembling a rack system requires attention to detail in order to maximize equipment performance and reliability.
Integrators need to consider fan-based cooling and uninterruptible power supplies in their custom rack designs.
Power Up Reliability
There is also the dilemma of powering and protecting rack-mounted components. Troast advises that when setting up power for rack systems dealers consider three key points: distribution, backup and control.
“There should be an appropriately sized [e.g., number of outlets, physical dimensions] power distribution strip where it’s needed, and dealers should ensure that circuits are not being overloaded,” he emphasizes. “Secondarily, a dealer may choose a UPS [uninterruptible power supply] to not only provide distribution, but battery backup as well. Last, but certainly not least, is the ability to control the power to the rack and individual outlets through either a local switch or by remote control. Some intelligent power distribution systems, such a Middle Atlantic’s RackLink or Wattbox from SnapAV, offer the ability to control the power over the network/Internet and monitor energy usage.”
Meanwhile, Troast says A/V components are especially vulnerable to fluctuations in power, including surges and brownouts. “A surge event can fry thousands of dollars in equipment. When clients understand that surge protection is an insurance policy for everything from displays and amplifiers to control systems, they begin to understand the value.”
UPS products serve a dual purpose, Troast says: a battery backup in the event of a power failure, and a means to counteract voltage/frequency fluctuations. Some of the options built into these products include individual outlet control and extension batteries to prolong running times. Troast recommends examining a system, dividing it into parts, and then determining what components need the benefit of UPS. This approach will help to save on the cost of systems and the weight of the rack system.
Putting Custom Into Configurations
If assembling quality rack systems was easy then there wouldn’t be a need for dealers to do it. This skill is supported by manufacturers like Chief that provide solutions to build anything integrators’ clients require.
Product manager Gina Schneider says Chief offers all the basic accessories, including shelves, blank panels, ventilation and faceplates, as well as advanced cooling and power strips from SurgeX that fulfill a variety of installation configurations.
The company also offers furniture racks that dealers can deploy in boardrooms and houses of worship, as well as skeleton and gangable racks to create back-end systems that better fit customers’ usage patterns.
Keeping a supply of blank panels, screws, casters, tie bars and lacing strips is always a good idea to allow dealers to quickly meet any client request, Schneider adds.
Plus, companies such as Chief and SnapAV typically provide next-day or two-day shipping of bigger, bulkier products. It all helps dealers remain just as reliable to customers as the racks they are installing.
Robert Archer is an audio enthusiast who has written about consumer electronics for various publications within Massachusetts before joining the staff of SSI sister publication CE Pro in 2000.
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