Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What makes this YampaNet TempraCool system superior to others on the market?
A: You'll find three common problems with other systems: They either have no speed control and are always on, or they have a manual control and you have to adjust speed with a knob, or they provide crude temperature control mechanisms - similar to a home thermostat.

'Always-on' systems consume too much power and emit too much noise. Other cooling systems with control knobs will adjust fan speed with crude electronics such as a potentiometer, but without getting into fan technology, you'll have little actual control over the fan. You may end up with a low and high setting, and that's it, not to mention the problem that you have to remember to turn the knob! Forget any cooling system with a thermostat you'd find in a house - you'll get very little control over cooling.

With the YampaNet TempraCool system, fan speed is controlled by a microprocessor. The fans will idle at about 50% power when your AV temperature is below 73 degress F. At this speed you can barely hear them. This provides necessary cooling with minimal noice and power consumption. If your Audio Video components heat up, starting at 73 degress, the fan speed will increase gradually on a linear basis, and run at 100% if the system would detect a temperature of 95 degress F. This provides a high level of control over cooling, giving only what's needed which economizes energy and greatly reduces noise.

This is NOT something similar to a thermostat.  There is a big and important difference.  A thermostat is inferior because the fans are either off, or on 100%.  This binary switch causes extreme swings in component temperature, which is the primary reason for failure due to heat problems.  The TempraCool system smooths out heat spikes, prolonging your component life.

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Q: Why would you want to control the cooling system? Why not have it on all the time?
A: The answer lies in economy and noise reduction. First, cooling fans consume power, so you ought not waste energy when you don't need to. Second, cooling fans generate noise. When your system is off, it's the coolest and also the most quiet - so that's when you want minimal fan activity. The ideal cooling system will automatically adjust power based on the temperature emitted from your components.

When your AV components are off, you'll only need a small amount of cooling. You shold recognize you'll always want some cooling because components are never 'fully' off, especially with DVRs which may be recording at any time. Other components still consume power when off because they may be in a standby mode. And when they consume power, they generate heat. You only need a small amount of cooling at this time. But when things heat up, that's when you'll need more cooling power. So in summary, you need a cooling system that automatically adjusts base on temperature.

Q: Is there an on-off switch?
A: No.  By doing it the TempraCool way, your stereo components can expect extended life.  It gets a little complex, but here's how.  Remember - the TempraCool system runs fans at idle speed when the system is cooler.  This is because we want the components to have steady temperatures, and reduce extreme changes,  This is because in electronics applications, fluctuations of semiconductor junction temperatures are a major cause of component failure. By designing a closed loop cooling system around temperature and adding the proper temperature slope (sensor temperature at full speed - sensor temperature at idle speed), semiconductor junction temperatures can be held to near constant. As the air velocity over a typical semiconductor device changes by two-to-one, as it does when fan speed changes from full speed to half, the difference between the air temperature and junction temperature changes by a few degrees. Changing the air temperature by an equal number of degrees cancels this effect to hold absolute junction temperature near constant, improving product reliability.
 cooling system that automatically adjusts base on temperature.

Q: Isn't this just like a thermostat?
A: This is NOT similar to a thermostat.  There is a big and important difference.  A thermostat is inferior because the fans are either off, or on 100%.  This binary switch causes extreme swings in component temperature, which is the primary reason for heat-related component failure.  The TempraCool system smoothes out heat spikes, prolonging your component life.

Q: How many fans can I use?
A: The controller can power up to four fans.

Q: What are the fan specifications?
A: Antec Model:
Air Flow: 34 CFM
Color: Black
Fan Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 25 mm
Certified Noise Level: 30 dBA

SilenX Model:
Air Flow: 24 CFM
Color: Silver
Fan Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 25 mm
Certified Noise Level: 11 dBA

Q: How loud are the fans?
A: The objective answer is they're rated at a maximum of 11 dBA (for Silenx) and 30 dBA (for Antec).  Unfortunately, this dBA measurement doesn't mean much to most people.  And sound quality is subjective.  That's why you spend so much on your stereo system.  So here's a few points. 

1.  When your stereo system is turned off, it will be at it's most quiet point.  But that's when it will be the coolest, and that's when the fans will run at idle speed, which is when the fans are the quietest.  It's only when your components are hot when the fans run faster and louder.  

2.  We've had very few issues with fan noise.

3.  It's hard to find fans quieter than these, especially at this cost.

4.  People perceive sound differently.  What annoys some does not annoy others.  What is too loud for some is undetectable to others.

5.  Yes, if you try, you will be able to hear the fans.  Will it bother you?  It could, but based on our customer base, probably not.

If you do not think you will have an issue with sound, go for the Antec model.  However, if you are sensitive to the sound of the fan, go with the SilenX model.

Q: What are the AC adapter specifications?
A: Primary voltage: 120VAC 60Hz 15W
Secondary voltage: 12VDC/500mA
Dimensions: 43.94mm deep by 49.00mm wide by 65.02 mm high

Q: Is it better to have the fans blow air on components or pull air from the cabinet?
A: Both.  And it depends on your environment.  If you are able to mount the 80mm fans onto the cabinet (with 3 inch holes), creating a cabinet cooling solution, then you can draw air in to the lower part of the cabinet and exhuast air from the upper part of the cabinet.  See the system setup tab.

However, if it is not possible to mount the fans, you should place them in a position to blow air onto components.

Q: How do you ship you product?

A: We carefully pack the system, and ship with USPS priority mail. That way you get your cooling system in 2-3 days.

Q: Do you work with stereo cabinet manufacturers?
A: Yes.  If you are interested, just give us a call for cabinet manufacturer OEM terms.

Q: Is your product 'green'?
A: We try to employ recycling and energy conservation techniques as possible.  For example, we reuse the packing material we receive from our suppliers.  In addition, the entire design of the controller is to use only the energy required.

Q: What kind of quality processes are used?
A: The controller is ISO 9001 certified.

Q: Why do you use PayPal?
A: We use PayPal because your security and flexibility is important to us.  With PayPal, you provide financial details to them only - not us.  This helps protect your finacial information and identity.  PayPal is also flexible because you don't have to sign up for a full account - you can use choose to use your credit cards as you normally do.

Q: How can I contact you?
A: 303-884-5439
mailto:mblumhardt@yampanet.com

Q: What is the background of your company?
A: We, like you, were in search of cooling systems for our home theaters in 2005.  When we couldn't find anything out there, we built a few simple prototypes and used them at home.  Because many other people also wanted them, we built a few systems as a favor.  Because these systems worked, we thought we'd form a small company of business, eletrical engineer and operations personnel to test the consumer market by selling on eBay.   We named ourselves YampaNet because of the cool waters on the Yampa river in Colorado.  Our inital systems proved successful, and we were getting good comments from our new customers.  One of the most important suggestions was building a system that adjusted the fan speed based on temperature.  So in early 2006 we launched out TempraCool product, became a Limited Liability Corporation, and the rest is history.