Cabinet air conditioners, also known as cabinet coolers, are an important part of many industries that use control panels or small enclosures. Enclosure air conditioners are made to fit these places and keep electronic components cool, to prevent overheating and possible explosions. Units for cabinet cooling range in size from 800 to 42,000 BtuH, and most are made to last with stainless steel construction.

Pricing and costs of cabinet air conditioner units will also depend on a variety of other factors besides size. Many Cabinet air conditioner manufacturers price their products based on:

1. The National Electrical Manufacturer Association, or NEMA, rating of the cabinet air conditioner.

2. The type of electronics or machinery the unit is designed to cool.

3. Any customization needed to properly cool components.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy from manufacturers of cabinet air conditioners that provide NEMA ratings of 12 or better

A NEMA rating determines the type of environment where a cooling unit may be used. Many air conditioners have a rating of 12, which classifies them as explosion-proof; units with ratings below 12 are not. The pricing of explosion-proof cabinet air conditioners for industrial applications varies widely; the higher the rating, the more you're likely to pay. Coolers with ratings of 12 usually start at around $2,000. NEMA 3R products start at around $1,000.

I recommend: You can find get more details on NEMA Ratings at Rugged PC, to find out what rating your cabinet air conditioner should be to provide the best protection for your machines. You can also get NEMA info from Exair. Safe Air Technology offers a line of explosion-proof cabinet air conditioning technology for energy and chemical plants, as well as offshore oil platforms. Marc Climatic Controls provides cabinet coolers with NEMA ratings of 12, 3R and 4X.

Purchase the correct sized enclosure air conditioners

The correct size is very important when it comes to enclosure air conditioners. You must match the BtuHs to the application to get the right amount of cooling. Not enough cool air or too much cool air can negatively affect how your machinery functions. Cabinet coolers that provide around 1,000 BtuH run about $2,000. Coolers that provide around 8,000 BtuH cost $4,500.

I recommend: Nordic Air provides a range of cabinet air conditioner sizes for all types of industrial applications. Grainger also offers a line of enclosure coolers. To choose the right number of BtuHs, refer to this sizing guide from Newman Tools.

Find cabinet air conditioner suppliers that make products to cool your computer

Cabinet air conditioners are not all industrial. Some are designed with the right amount of cooling capacity to keep your machinery and electronics safe, so you don't fry your PC's sensitive circuitry. A good cabinet cooler is especially important for people who have expensive systems, such as gamers, who put their electronics to work. These are very affordable, usually between $75 and $200.

I recommend: Cooler Master provides a line of highly-rated embedded coolers. Corsair makes coolers that provide maximum cooling efficiency in an easy-to-install package.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When shopping for air conditioners with cabinet air conditioner providers, make sure you also find a qualified professional to install the equipment if you do not have one already on staff.

Cabinet air conditioners cool down your business efficiently. They are made for industrial, commericial and military settings. Depending on their strength, they can be used in small offices to huge warehouses.

Manufacturers of cabinet air conditioners have evolved. They focus as much on energy efficiency as they do on power and BTUs.

In this guide, you'll figure out how to:

1. Choose the best cabinet air conditioner for your industry or business.
2. Focus on enclosure air conditioners that are both easy to maintain and powerful.
3. Get some extra help if you're still not sure what kind of air conditioning for enclosures to choose.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find cabinet air conditioner manufacturers and cabinet air conditioner distributors

There are dozens of manufacturers of cabinet air conditioners. With the Internet, it's easier than ever to see what products they have to cool your business place.

I recommend: ThomasNet is a directory of manufacturers of cabinet air conditioners. Check out McLean Thermal Midwest's supply. The distributor of cabinet air conditioners carries cabinet coolers of all sizes, from narrow to compact and full size. OK Solar sells enclosure air conditioners. They are specifically designed for commercial and industrial settings.

Make sure the cabinet coolers pack a punch

Decide how much juice you want the cabinet air conditioner to have. They range from 1,000 to 30,000 BTUs. Make sure the cabinet air conditioning you get is enough to cool your building, but not too much that you're losing money.

I recommend: Kooltronic, Inc has enclosure air conditioners for sale that are as powerful as 30,000 BTUs per hour. That's enough power to cool a huge building. Blowers allow for the maximum amount of air flow. The cabinet air conditioning is also made to be as quiet as possible. Haewa Corporation sells wall mount enclosures, free standing units modular cabinets, disconnect cabinets and more.

Choose a low-maintenance style cabinet air conditioner

Look for a built-in condensate evaporator in your cabinet cooling system. This gets rid of the need for draining the unit. Another good feature is thermostatic low temperature control. This keeps the unit from over-cooling and makes it more energy-efficient.

I recommend: Melcor is a distributor of cabinet air conditioners. Melcor makes thermoelectrically driven cooling systems that don't use refrigerant, run quieter and can be mounted in numerous environments. Safe Air Technology cabinet air conditioners are safe enough to use in refineries, chemical plants and offshore platforms.

Make an informed decision before buying a cabinet air conditioner

Talk to representatives from several manufacturers of cabinet air conditioners before deciding which unit to buy. It's a big purchase so you should be well informed on exactly what your business needs.

I recommend: Spot Coolers will send you a catalog to help with you decision. Just fill out this form and Wayne Products will send you a quote for cabinet air conditioning in your business.

Cabinet air conditioning is a system used to direct cool air through tight spaces. A cabinet air conditioner is often used to cool spaces that hold a lot of electronics, which can heat up quickly with no way to cool back down. Cabinet air conditioner manufacturers sell all types of cabinet coolers based on the amount of space that needs to be cooled.

Cabinet coolers prevent electronic components from becoming damaged or exploding, so they are safe for use. There are also many regulations an installer must consider, which is why cabinet air conditioner education and training is important. You can find this training and education through:

1. Manufacturers of cabinet air conditioners that train employees for the installation process.

2. Online resources that provides sizing guidelines.

3. Seminars that teach the latest in cabinet air conditioning technology.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Train to install cabinet coolers with cabinet air conditioner distributors

Most manufacturers and distributors of cabinet air conditioners train employees on the proper techniques for installing their cabinet air conditioners. You can also find many HVAC schools and courses that also teach the same skills on a broader scale.

I recommend: Lennox provides presentations to train installers for the types of air conditioners they manufacture. Trane provides comprehensive online and in-person training options for commercial and residential systems.

Take an HVAC course and learn to install and maintain enclosure air conditioners

HVAC courses are the best way to learn about different air and heating systems. HVAC courses teach a broad understanding of these systems, but also provide courses and workshops on specific air conditioning systems. This type of education will also provide certification to install and repair air conditioning systems, which is required to work for many manufacturers and service repair companies.

I recommend: HVAC Web Connection provides a calendar of training events held throughout the United States. Some courses are basic AC repair, and others focus on specific systems. PDHengineer.com provides many courses specifically designed for HVAC training in air conditioning systems.

Explore seminars, workshops and online resources from cabinet air conditioner manufacturers

Those who install cabinet air conditioners should also look for additional educational opportunities outside their initial training. These additional resources will teach different installation techniques, the latest technology, and how to safely match an air conditioning unit to an enclosure.

I recommend: New Equipment Digest provides webcasts that cover many topics on electronics safety, including what to install to make the components safer. Rittal provides online seminar training for basic and advanced installation training of its industrial products.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  For those who want to learn about more systems that just cabinet cooling, an HVAC training program will teach you about all types of air conditioners and heating systems.