Questions + Answers from the Product Manager's POV

  • Aug 06, 2009

DVRs are often placed in remote, unhospitable environments. An air-conditioned enclosure helps protect the DVR so it’s able to do the job it was built for. We wanted to know more about the enclosure market, so we sat down the Bruce Blackway of EIC Solutions Inc.

Q. What is the DVR enclosure

A. EIC’s air-conditioned enclosure is designed to house and protect a DVR, as well as other 19-inch rack-mount electronics such as servers, routers, modems, switches, amplifiers, power supplies, network gear and communication equipment. The DVR is not included with the purchase of this enclosure. There are many variations and sizes of DVR's available today, but we offer many different enclosures to fit various needs.

Q. Is the enclosure suitable for outdoors

A. The enclosure is constructed to NEMA-4 standards and is suitable for use in indoor or outdoor applications. These units are available in three standard sizes as well as a variety of custom sizes. A typical standard size is 20 inches high by 28 inches wide by 14 inches deep.

Q. What are the NEMA ratings

A. The DVR cooler is usually built to NEMA-4 (powder-coated steel) or NEMA-4X (stainless-steel) construction standards. NEMA-12 units in powder-coated steel are designed for indoor use. The most common color is white, as this minimizes "solar loading" in outdoor applications. The DVR enclosure also is available in other colors--gray, black and desert tan--and the NEMA-4X version is produced from Type 304 stainless steel.

Q. Is the enclosure customizable

A. Yes, we can modify the enclosure in a number of different ways. Also, each unit can be customized to fit additional equipment, if desired. Various modifications are available to meet user’s specific requirements.

The enclosure is equipped with a companion solid-state, all-electronic thermoelectric cooling system. This provides a complete level of protection from the elements--dust, dirt, rain and snow--and from overheating. Your valuable electronis are protected, maximizing the life of your equipment.

Q. What can the enclosure hold

A. The air-conditioned DVR enclosure can accommodate a variety of 19-inch rack-mount electronics such as a DVR, a server, a router, a modem, a switch, an amplifier, a power supply, and network gear and communications equipment. As mentioned, more than one device can be housed in the enclosure, if desired. In general, electronics from 1U to 4U can be protected, though designs also are available for equipment greater than 4U.

Q. What is the goal of the DVR enclosure

A. The DVR cooler integrates one of our unique thermoelectric air conditioners into the enclosure to provide complete protection from harsh environments including dust, dirt, sand, moisture, corrosion and extreme temperatures. The primary goal is to maximize the life of the electronics and prevent downtime of the equipment. The DVR enclosure is perfect for the security industry. This air-conditioned enclosure provides a solution to applications in office buildings, universities, governmental facilities, shopping malls, banks, bridges, toll booths and gated communities.

Q. Are there any limitations

A. If a customer has a large number of rack-mount electronic devices they want to protect, this may require a larger enclosure. If a customer has rack-mount gear that must mount in a traditional horizontal orientation, this will require a different design. If the total heat load (in watts) coming from their electronics is quite high--higher than can be handled via a thermoelectric cooler--we will modify their enclosure to include a traditional, compressor-based air conditioner.

Lastly, if a customer is looking for protection during cold months, we will include supplemental heating capability within their air conditioner. This will provide 24/7 protection during warm and cold seasons.

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