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    Help me set up a temperature regulated cabinet for my pfsense box

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • O
      OpenWifi
      last edited by

      Hello guys, i have an idea i would like to try on my pfsense box but i need help because i have never tried it before and i think pfsense has the best intelligent community around who are willing to help. Currently i have a pfsense box in one of my network cabinets placed outside my home on the rooftop. This is because i run a WISP and i use pfsense as my firewall router. Recently i have noticed spikes in core temperatures of my core 2 duo machine, sometimes even making the space inside the cabinet a little bit hot . I had once drilled some holes on the cabinet to allow air in but i think they are not allowing sufficient air in. I have an idea of placing 2 small fans in the cabinet facing the outside to bring in more cool air but the caveat is that for the fans to only turn on when the temperature of the pfsense machine reaches a certain degree and not all the time. Is there anyone with technical skills to help me out on this ? Any help would be appreciated ..

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      • DaddyGoD
        DaddyGo
        last edited by

        Only devices that can withstand industrial temperature ranges (i.e. -20 - +50) are installed in the rooftop or harsh environmental conditions.

        Because high temperatures adversely affect the life of the devices.

        There are times when placement is not possible elsewhere, in which case the rack must be cooled (selectable according to need):

        1. Professional solution and high performance, fully automatic: http://sandaenvicool.com/product/52.html
        2. Medium size: rack fans + temp. control: https://rackfans.com/
        • https://www.teracomsystems.com/ethernet/remote-io-module-tcw122b-cm/ + https://www.teracomsystems.com/sensors/1-wire-temperature-sensor-tst100/
        1. Cheap home solution: https://www.dipol.ie/rack-cabinets/thermostat-for-fans.html + https://www.ebmpapst.co.uk/en/products/compactfans/compact_fans.html

        I hope, I helped you with these sample ideas, any manufacturer and type suitable.

        br,Kris

        Cats bury it so they can't see it!
        (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

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        • johnpozJ
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
          last edited by johnpoz

          @OpenWifi said in Help me set up a temperature regulated cabinet for my pfsense box:

          in one of my network cabinets placed outside my home on the rooftop

          Why?? I can understand an antenna being outside, the actual wisp cpe stuff, etc. But why would your firewall be out there? Make no sense.. Run the cable to where it make more sense to have your networking gear.. Only the stuff that "needs" to be outside should be outside..

          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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          • NollipfSenseN
            NollipfSense
            last edited by

            Maybe get a college dorm fridge ... sorry OP couldn't help myself making fun a little!

            pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
            pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

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            • O
              OpenWifi @johnpoz
              last edited by

              @johnpoz its is more accessible on the rooftop since i do not stay around the building, i am just renting the space up the roof

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              • chpalmerC
                chpalmer
                last edited by

                You need a climate controlled enclosure with ventilation that includes air filters. You are liable to find that any sort of insects/rodents/birds have moved in if you are not careful. And moisture is a killer if you are circulating air from outside.. Most of our cabinets are sealed from the outside and use AC/heat units.

                How much space are you able to use? Im guessing not much.. Maybe figure a way to put the unit heatsink outside on the cabinet such as modifying a heatpipe..

                Triggering snowflakes one by one..
                Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4590T CPU @ 2.00GHz on an M400 WG box.

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                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                  last edited by

                  @OpenWifi said in Help me set up a temperature regulated cabinet for my pfsense box:

                  placed outside my home on the rooftop
                  i am just renting the space up the roof

                  So which is it, on the roof of "your" home - or some building you rent? Why would you put a firewall on some roof that your just renting space?

                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                  SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                  • DaddyGoD
                    DaddyGo
                    last edited by

                    We choose the solutions shown in the pictures if the installation cannot be solved only in extreme environmental conditions.
                    This is a good price available TEC (thermoelectric cooler - 300W)
                    Factory outdoor cabinets are terribly expensive!
                    The question is legitimate (from johnpoz) , why don't you take the firewall elsewhere? Not possible?

                    2020-04-29_11h29_12.jpg

                    Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                    (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

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                    • DaddyGoD
                      DaddyGo
                      last edited by

                      TEC to RS485_contr_2.jpg

                      Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                      (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

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