Rack drawers and boxes are available in several sizes and configurations.  The drawers and boxes are 14 1/4″ in depth.  This allows them to be mounted back to back in a 29″ deep rack.  This maximizes the usable space and provides the versatility to choose what option works best for a given installation.  The drawers and the boxes with lids are lockable to secure expensive equipment such as laptops or test equipment in the rack.

Rack drawers and boxes will make a difference to reduce the clutter and increase the organization in your rack.  The photo shows the internal racks here at RackSolutions and you can see that we “Eat our own dog food” utilizing drawers on the front and rear of our racks.

Order Rackmount Drawers and Boxes ]]> http://www.server-racks.com/rackmount-drawers-and-boxes.html/feed 0 http://www.server-racks.com/flushmount-lcd-monitor.html http://www.server-racks.com/flushmount-lcd-monitor.html#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:45:29 +0000 will http://www.server-racks.com/flushmount-a-flatscreen.html There are several options available for installing a Flatscreen Display into a Server Rack.  The simplest and most economical method is to use a Flushmount Bracket.  This product will allow Flatscreens as large as 20″ to be installed into a Server Rack.

The higher end products provide a more integrated look to the installation.  These products provide a faceplate that covers the front of the flatscreen.  Products like this are only compatible with a particular model of display and therefore must be used with very specific installations.

The following installation shows a large number of PE1950s installed in an APC 3100 NetShelter Server Rack.  There are so many cables that the APC powerstrip is buried and cannot be seen.  The client was unable to plug the power cords in due to the large number of cables and the PE1950  CMAs that were causing an obstruction.

This photo shows how the installer attempted to resolve the issue by spacing the PE1950s apart.  Notice here how the CMA is approximately 1″ from the receptacle.  A standard NEMA 5-15P will not physically fit into that space.  What is needed is a Low Profile Power Cord.

The Low Profile Power Cords are less than 1″ in height and can be used to resolve installations where the CMA, Cables, or other device is causing an obstruction with the power receptacles.  These cords can be custom ordered with numerous different types of NEMA as well as IEC connectors.  Custom lengths are also available.

Answer: Dell has a complete online library for all of their documents and manuals.  To view Dell’s online documentation please click here.

Rack screws are used to attach equipment to the vertical uprights of a 19″ rack. Racks do not have a standard thread type. There are three common thread types for rack screws: 10-32, 12-24 and M6. Since the introduction of the square hole rack and Cage Nuts, the exact thread can be selected and changed at will.

10-32 Threads

10-32 threads are historically the original rack screw type. The term 10-32 comes from Unified and American Screw Threads for Bolts, Nuts, and Machine Screws standards published by ANSI B1.1-1974. The number “10″ is simply a size designator with no numerical meaning. The number “32″ refers to 32 threads per inch. You can identify a 10-32 screw by measuring the diameter with a ruler at exactly 3/16″ (0.190″).

12-24 Threads

12-24 is now more common than 10-32 in pre-threaded racks. 12-24 fasteners are slightly larger than 10-32 and have courser threads. The term 12-24 comes from Unified and American Screw Threads for Bolts, Nuts, and Machine Screws standards published by ANSI B1.1-1974. The number “12″ is simply a size designator with no numerical meaning. The number “24″ refers to 24 threads per inch. You can identify a 12-24 screw by measuring the diameter with a ruler at slightly less than 7/32″ (slightly larger than 3/16″ or 0.210″).

M6 Threads

M6 refers to a metric 6mm screw. The outside diameter of the threads is 6mm. The standard metric rack screw is actually an M6 x 0.1mm. The number “0.1mm” refers to 0.1 threads per millimeter. M6 screws are commonly used by HP. You can identify an M6 screw by measuring the diameter with a ruler at slightly more than 7/32″ (0.228″).

Related Subjects

• 19″ Racks
• Rack Hole Types

A filler panel is a flat piece of metal that matches the Rack Unit (1.75″) of a Server Rack. Typical sizes range from 1 – 8 Rack Units. Filler panels are used to close the openings that are not being used in a Server Rack. The filler panels are commonly installed in the front of the Server Rack, but this is more for aesthetic purposes than anything else. Closing the unused opening in a Server Rack prevents exhaust air from mixing with the cooler intake air. This separation of air allows for the efficient cooling of equipment.

Nearly all rack manufacturers make filler panels. Any 19″ filler panel will be compatible with all 19″ racks.

Answer: If the Server Rack doors are perforated with holes then you probably don’t need a cooling fan. There are two factors that you need to determine. The first is the amount of perforation that the doors actually have. The server manufacturers like Dell, HP, and IBM require a minimum of 63% perforation on both the front and the rear doors. To calcuate the door perforation of a Server Rack you should use the following method.

(Rack Units x 1.75″) x 17.72″ x .63
Note: 17.72″ is the standard dimension between the Rack Uprights.

This formula will determine the minimum amount of perforation required by the Server Manufacturers.
To determine the amount of performation of a specific Rack Door you should use the following method.

Perforation = Number of Holes x Area of a single hole

If the door does not meet the minimum perforation requirements then you will need additional cooling fans.

The second factor is the airflow of your servers. Most modern servers have air intakes on the front of the servers and exhaust ports on the rear. The intake and exhaust air should never be allowed to mix. To prevent this mixture of air all empty spaces in the front of the rack should be closed off with filler panels. Once this separation of air is achieved then the room AC will accomodate the cooling. If your equipment does not have front to rear airflow but instead has intake or exhaust ports in other locations then you will need additional cooling fans.

A Cage Nut is used on a rack that has square mounting holes. You would use a cage nut when you need to mount a product in your rack that requires a threaded hole. A cage nut is nothing more than a square nut that has threaded holes wrapped in a piece of spring steel designed like a cage. This spring steel has two flanges that when pressed together allow the cage nut to be inserted into the square hole and simply clip in. When this done you now have a square hole that is threaded. The nut is typically loose in the cage to allow for adjustments when installing the screw.

There are 3 common sizes for cage nuts. These sizes are 10-32, 12-24 and M6. The size you would need would depend on what is required by the product you are mounting. I always recommend purchasing the corresponding screw to go with the cage nut. This always make the installation easier if you happen to choose the wrong size cage nut.

Cage nuts will tear up your fingers trying to install or uninstall them with your bare hands. Consider using a Cage Nut Tool.

The 059 bracket converts round holes to square holes. It’s one of the simplest but most ingenious products RackSolutions Makes.

The most difficult aspect of using an 059 bracket can be figuring out how to put the screws in. The only screws that will fit are 3/8″ long and must be installed from the side.

This video shows how to do it.