120VAC Fan controlled via PLC suggestions

wlr3m4

Member
Join Date
Oct 2017
Location
Saint Louis
Posts
28
We have an out doors cabinet which is overheating like crazy. My suggestion was to put a fan inside the cabinet which to blow air out whenever the temp gets above a certain level. Anyone have any suggestions for industrial 120VAC fans than just have a simple On/Off configuration?
 
Last edited:
If it's blowing hot air out it's going to be drawing in outside ambient (also hot?) air. Might not help much. Might need to consider A/C system.
 
But to answer your question I've just built a panel with these:

1 756-9767
SK 3238.100 Rittal
Filter Fan, 148.5 x 148.5mm, 50m³/h, 230 V ac, IP54

In stock for FREE next working day delivery
£124.16 £124.16
1 756-9840
SK 3238.200 Rittal
Fan Filter, Exhaust 148.5 x 148.5mm, for 124 x 124 mm, 148.5 x 148.5 mm Fan Chemical Fibre

In stock for FREE next working day delivery
£41.60 £41.60


Supplier; RS components.

Nice and simple installation, yours will be a bit more difficult as it's already built.
 
Most places where I've worked and seen any ambient much over 90 either inside or outside have had their panels fitted with an A/C unit on the outside of the panel, as the_msp mentioned. These plants included a cement plant(very hot on upper levels), a fertilizer plant (hot everywhere and has fires often) and a large water utility in Vegas (need I say more). Most of these A/C units had temp controllers and would run on all flavors of AC power, with 208 1 ph being the most common. Hope this helps. And welcome to the forum.
 
If you can get by with a filter/fan, you will save energy and reduce maintenance concerns.

I recommend using a temp switch to run the fan, and give it a separate breaker.

Put a filter housing on one end and blow air out the opposite corner if possible.

I have used a couple of these:

https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...ting/Enclosure_Thermal_Management/Filter_Fans

They work well and you can get them quickly.
 
Are there AC units that can send some sort of signals? maybe digital outputs for alarms?

What about having fans that are located on the top of a cabinet that are intake and output of air, just to get new air cycling into and out of the cabinet. I got a lot of space to work with so any suggestions are fair game to me.
 
Are there AC units that can send some sort of signals? maybe digital outputs for alarms?

What about having fans that are located on the top of a cabinet that are intake and output of air, just to get new air cycling into and out of the cabinet. I got a lot of space to work with so any suggestions are fair game to me.

In an AC solution, your PLC would likely function as a thermostat for the unit maintaining a certain temperature range the unit controls. Keep it clean and the maintenance costs would not likely be an issue. It would likely be a contained unit that just required an on/off signal. Google "cabinet AC systems" and you could get some useful results.
 
One thing to consider is the environment where the enclosure is. Will you be pulling dust or debris into your enclosure when the fan runs? In Michigan, we have trees that disperse seeds on a cotton-like parachute. Cottonwood seeds go EVERYWHERE, including fans. Filters work great when they are new, but once plugged, are not much good. If they get removed because they are full and never replaced, then the debris goes right in your cabinet. If you want the cleanliness of an AC unit, but not the expense or if you do not actually need to cool below ambient, then try a heat exchanger. They use heat pipe technology and are good for cooling a cabinet to within 5 degrees of ambient temperature. Of course, if it is 120 deg. F outside, they won't do you much good. Noren Products and Hoffman offer solutions. www.norenproducts.com or www.hoffmanonline.com. I work in a plant with dust. I use air conditioning units most of the time.
 
Are there AC units that can send some sort of signals? maybe digital outputs for alarms?

What about having fans that are located on the top of a cabinet that are intake and output of air, just to get new air cycling into and out of the cabinet. I got a lot of space to work with so any suggestions are fair game to me.


Call IceQube. They've supplied AC units to me that operate in some very challenging conditions; tropical salt air, on the open deck of a ship.


http://www.iceqube.com/


Their units are self-contained, and just bolt up to your enclosure. They have their own temp control, and some of their units have optional dry contacts for temp alarms.


Do your AC unit a favor and insulate your enclosure. Solar gain makes the AC work way harder than it has to, and XLPE foam sheet insulation is much cheaper than a larger AC unit.




-rpoet
 
Stupid question, is the Sun hitting it directly?



I've had this in the past where I hadn't visited the installation and by chance one day looking at a drawing something looked off. I asked for a picture and sure enough was a common Rittal cabinet out in the sun in Southern Spain.
 
One thing to consider if your going to use a fan and filter is, make sure the filter is sized correctly for the fan. If not the fan will try to suck rain water in from anywhere it can. Conduits, raceways and any other opening in the box. Size do's mater.
 

Similar Topics

Preface: Kinda long, so I made section titles Intro: I just want to see if anyone here has seen anything similar. A PLC5-40 series C enhanced...
Replies
3
Views
339
Hello all, I have a relay timer connected to an Allen Bradley 1756-OA16I output card. The output was on, but instead of getting 120VAC we only...
Replies
3
Views
812
the age old question / issue a friend has bought a 1000watt 120vac 60hz rated appliance from the USA into Australia (which has a 240Vac 50Hz...
Replies
10
Views
2,419
by spec i must supply surge protection for each individual PLC input in my panel. These devices are all of the voltage free (dry contact type)...
Replies
11
Views
2,206
Good afternoon, I have an application where we induction harden different areas on our assembly part using coils that wrap around and heat up to...
Replies
13
Views
3,672
Back
Top Bottom