Tips and tricks when building a rack - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: bat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2024, 08:45:16 am
content: Hi guysRecently, i've been building two racks. They contain saunders temperature test chambers, frequency counters, power supplies etc... It's my first time building racks and I thought I did a great job.I used Schroff eurorack and Hammond 19" rack.I was wondering if anybody had some tips and tricks to tell me so in the future I won't have to struggle so much to build racks and stuff.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2024, 10:05:57 am
content: If the equipment is heavy, don't forget to include the rear mounting rails. And be sure that there is clearance between the front and rear rails for both the equipment and any slides you may be using. Different manufacturers of the mounting rails work to the dimensions of their own racks so there can be variations in the way they are mounted to get the correct width.The depth or distance between the front and rear rails can also be a big factor. While the 19 inch front panel width is fairly standard, the depth can vary from just a few inches for a "relay rack" with a single, central pair of rails to three feet or even more deep with front and rear doors and sides on the ends of a row.Speaking of a row, you talk of a couple of racks, but will you ever need to add more? Most commercial racks are easy to install side-by-side.And then there is ventilation. A connection to the AC system if there's a lot of heat. Remember that 99.999% of the power that is input to your equipment becomes HEAT and that heat will be inside your racks.And if your installation has a lot of cables there should be provision for them. I like to leave space between the racks for vertical runs. Horizontal runs can be on top or in a base under the racks.And how you will distribute AC power. In the US an equipment rack is considered equipment and the local and national electric codes more or less end when the power enters it. So there is a lot of freedom here. But other countries and locations may vary. My favorite method is a metal (steel) power strip with sockets every six inches, installed vertically. The metal outer case should be well grounded. This helps to keep the 50 or 60 Hz radiation from the equipment.And what about a ground system for the equipment?Doors or no doors?Is appearance important?Ready built, commercial racks may be expensive, but when all is considered they may be the best and most economical choice. I have designed and built a number of installations but never built the actual racks but I did put some/a lot of effort into the other considerations I mentioned above. And more.Good luck! And I will try to keep up with this thread for any future questions.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2024, 12:10:47 pm
content: I really like to have a good cable management system in a rack. Hooks along the sides and cable guides below / between equipment. This keeps everything nice and tidy.

author: HwAoRrDk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2024, 06:35:40 pm
content: Quote from: EPAIII on October 24, 2024, 10:05:57 amYes, very important to bear in mind the depth of a rack. That any new equipment will actually fit. Failure to do so can cause embarrassing facepalm moments. Been there, got the t-shirt...Once got some new 1U servers in to go into a rack, but forgot to check the depth dimension of them before ordering. Went to fit the rails and they were a couple inches too long! Luckily, the vertical rails at the rear of the rack cabinet could be moved back some, but had to spend hours dismantling the entire rack in order to do so. Lesson learned!

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2024, 11:44:39 pm
content: This doesn't apply in your case but more a general note for others reading this, if the equipment isn't too heavy then Elfa (or clone) wire shelving can be a good option, it's completely open so you get natural convection cooling and access to everything is easy.