ONT in ceiling?

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wratterus

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#232038 26-Mar-2018 17:59

Just a quick question - helping some friends sort out their network in a brand new (Triboard) house. I've got an ER-X and UniFi UAP-AC-LR to go in.

Their sparky has installed the comms cabinet in the ceiling space, along with conduit up to that location from where the green fibre ducting is outside.

This seems rather odd to me. Would things not get too hot for the ONT up there? I was also going to put the ER-X in the comms cabinet, but knowing how warm they run anyway, I'd be rather hesitant to put this in the ceiling space, which is a bit annoying as it makes what would have been a really neat and tidy install rather tricky.

Does anyone know if this is common practice installing comms cabinets in ceiling spaces these days?

I could add a small DC powered fan into the cabinet, but even then I imagine it would get very warm over summer.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

DarthKermit

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#1983706 26-Mar-2018 18:09

Heat generally shortens the life of electronics. Roof space is a bad idea.

Tinkerisk

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#1983719 26-Mar-2018 18:36

> Does anyone know if this is common practice installing comms cabinets in ceiling spaces these days?

No, that must have been an idea of a over-tidy woman.

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Sideface

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#1983729 26-Mar-2018 19:01

wratterus:

... I was also going to put the ER-X in the comms cabinet, but knowing how warm they run anyway, I'd be rather hesitant to put this in the ceiling space ...

I share your reservations about having electronic gear in the roofspace but ...

I am using an ER-X exposed on my desk, and it does NOT run hot, or even warm - it's barely above room temperature to touch, and totally rock-solid dependable.

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tdgeek

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#1983744 26-Mar-2018 19:18

Ours is in garage, easy access, no heat. Anything in the roof space is like an alarm battery. Access is there every many years.

RunningMan

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#1983765 26-Mar-2018 19:42

Really bad idea to run electronics in the roof space, unless there's A/C as well. You could easily see regular temps above 50 degrees, possibly much higher depending on construction - you'd need to check the specs of any equipment to see if it is rated to such high ambient temps. I expect most wouldn't be.

timmmay

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#1983777 26-Mar-2018 20:01

My home alarm's up there and has been for 5 years, no issues.

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Aredwood

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#1983789 26-Mar-2018 20:25

My understanding is that Chorus would refuse to install an ONT in a ceiling space. Their ONTs get pretty warm even when not in a ceiling.

And rule of thumb for capicitor lifetimes. Every 10 degrees increase in operating temp halves their expected number of operating hours.

wratterus

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#1983812 26-Mar-2018 20:51

Thanks everyone for the comments. Will be interesting to see what chorus say when they go to install it.

Think I will get friends to quiz their sparky. If that was my house they'd be pulling that out and fixing it for sure.

@chorusnz if you have a second I'd be really keen to hear your thoughts on this? Thank you.

hoane

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#1983818 26-Mar-2018 21:10

Think about it from an end-user perspective . . . .

When the interwebs stop working . . . . and they will at some point in the future, the deskjockey from the interweb provider will go through their routine;

Is the power on? "Yes"

Are the lights blinking on the ONT? "What is an ONT? I don't seem to have one of those, just a router . . . . ."

You must have an ONT, all UFB connections have an ONT. It is a white box screwed to the wall somewhere. Where does your fibre come into your house?

"It comes out of the roof. Now that you mention it, my mate the electrician who wired up the house mentioned something about a box in the roof . . ."

That will be it then, are the lights blinking?

WTF - you mean I have to climb up into the ceiling to check which lights are blinking? Whose f@#king dumb idea was it to put it up there?

Moral of the story . . . never put anything that has a blinking light on it, that you rely on to keep working, anywhere where you can't reach it without a screwdriver or a ladder.