Need to vent tube heat?

Then the heat control is actually external to the fan - now that makes sense to me.

No, I really have no interest in implementing that 'feature'. Actually, to the contrary, for me simple is better. I do have a tad of residualy noise in my set up (I can only hear it when the music is off, sort of just like another environmental noise) but being an anal audiophile I may give these a try.

Thanks.

Newbee, that's also my approach (keep it simple.) But like I said, I did check with Vantec first. For one thing, I felt the fans were really more powerful than I needed them to be (although still very quiet) so after I spoke with Vantec, I decided to (simply) use a 9V instead of a 12V power supply, and that was that ;-)

Electronics that runs cooler lasts longer. You can use active cooling like fans and Airconditioning for your house. OR you can use passive techniques, like a chimmeny to draw air thru.
You can create problems with either technique. With fans, you can have dead spots with little or no air circulation...blow a fan at a piece of vented gear and you may interfere with the natural upward convection of warm air. Passive cooling needs good design and space. It may be possible, for example to cool power tubes with the addition of a smoke stack around the tube. Vented at the bottom, it will draw in cool air and accelerate it up as it warms.

I am currently designing an isolation space for my components. It will feature forced air cooling with input filter. Dedicated vents and a scheme of vibration isolation. The top will have my bigscreen TV, since I am unable to afford, either space or money, more than a single system.

On my worktable, i have a CPU fan, designed for 12vdc which runs fine off a 9v battery and is almost silent. That another poster uses similar is heartening and I may be on the right track. A large, maybe 120mm fan will move enough air, running on 9v. The rat-shack solution may work, even with multiple fans.

Many years ago, I built a fan cooler for my Carver Cube. It 'plugged' onto the back of the amp an drew air thru it. While very noisy, you couldn't tell, since played loud enough to NEED the fan, you could hear the music down the block.

Magfan, just remember that you should not be blowing air AT the component, especially tubes (for exactly the reasons you pointed out -- creating hot spots, unequal coverage, etc.) **Unless of course there's just no other way (but there usually is ;-)

The best use of component cooling fan(s) is to use them to assist/reinforce the natural convection created by the component without fans. I probably should have mentioned that with regard to the picture I linked above.

Similarly, in a room, or cabinet full of components, it's best to have an exhaust fan/or ducted fan at the top or ceiling, with filtered inlet grills at the bottom, or near the floor. In this situation (whole room/cabinet cooling), there are a number of companies that make purpose-built hardware such as http://www.middleatlantic.com

** The one exception I know is Audio Research, which still mounts fans on the bottom of their amps, which then blow air UP over the tubes. A sort of "forced convection".
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i ran across this kit. I am buying two of these fans and then this kit with thermostat accessory and wall wart. It will keep temp between 81-87.

http://www.noctua.at/pdf/infosheets/noctua_nf_s12b_flx_en.pdf

http://www.coolerguys.com/840556082200.html