South Gym AV Rack

Location

The AV rack will be in a closet at the front of the room. Room drawings are pending.

Closet details

• Closet door is hinged, swings outward. Does not block rack or SmartPack access.
• Door is wide enough to carry in a fully assembled 42U rack – no need to build in place.
• Minimum 36“ clear working space in front of the rack and SmartPacks per electrical code is confirmed.
• Closet has lighting for maintenance work.

Installation sequence

All installation is surface-mount – no in-wall rough-in or wall finish dependency. Conduit, boxes, and rack can be installed in any practical order. Only constraint: the fiber wall box should be in place before the rack is positioned in front of it.

The rack is already owned and will be reused from its current location, just relocated to the South Gym closet. No lead time or ordering freeze concern.

Rack Layout

Middle Atlantic ERK-4025 enclosed rack — 40U, 25“ OD depth (23-1/2“ usable between rails), 22“ OD width (19“ panel). No front or rear doors. No slide rails. See equipment reference. Layout from top to bottom. This will be updated as equipment is added or removed.

Sizes marked with * are estimated and will be confirmed as models are selected. Blank positions will shift as sizes are finalized.

• TBD: Finalize layout order (heat management, cable routing)
• What specific shelf model is planned for the Mac mini at U14? Middle Atlantic makes Mac mini-specific mounts – has one been selected?
• Is the shared 1U shelf at U15 (ClickShare + LP10) a vented shelf? Both devices generate heat and need airflow.
• Has the physical fit been verified for the ClickShare base unit and LP10 side by side on a single 1U shelf?
• Are horizontal cable managers (1U) planned at any positions in the layout? None are currently allocated.
• Are vertical cable managers planned for the sides of the rack?
• Is a rack elevation drawing (to scale) planned as an installation deliverable?
• Is there a cable labeling standard for the project (Brady, P-touch, heat-shrink) and naming convention?

Depth Verification

All devices fit within the ERK-4025’s 23-1/2“ usable depth between rails. The deepest device is the Peavey Pro-LITE 5.0 at 17.25“ chassis + ~1.5“ Speakon connector + ~1.5“ cable bend = ~20.25“, leaving ~3.25“ clearance. The Midas DL16 is only 8.9“ (225 mm) deep chassis — even with 24 rear XLR connectors (~1.2“) and cable bend radius (~2.5“), total is ~12.6“. The SVSi NMX-ACC-N9206 is 5.04“ deep — trivial even with rear Ethernet cables. No extender bays are needed.

PDU Outlet Allocation

The RLNK-915R has 9 individually controllable outlets. This table tracks which device is on which outlet for AMX power sequencing.

8 of 9 outlets allocated, 1 spare (outlet 4). The M4250 and IT switch are on always-on infrastructure power from the UPS (not behind a switchable RLNK).

• Has the aggregate draw of all RLNK outlets been verified to stay within the RLNK-915R’s max continuous rating (typically 15A / 1800W at 120V)? Most device wattages are still TBD.
• Does the rack PC need a graceful shutdown signal before RLNK power is removed?

Not on RLNK:

Signal Routing & Cabling

Internal rack cabling for audio and video signal paths. All audio connections are balanced unless noted otherwise.

Audio: SVSi / N4321 decoder to BLU-100

SVSi decoder card and N4321 audio transceiver card Phoenix audio outputs (U10-11) to BLU-100 inputs (U24-25). Both sides are Phoenix (Euroblock) connectors, ~14U apart (~3-4 ft with cable management routing). Cable: Belden 8723 (2-pair, 22AWG, shielded twisted pair) – one pair per channel, stereo in a single jacket. Strip and terminate into Phoenix plugs at both ends. Balanced connection.

N4321 audio terminates at the BLU-100 (not DL16) so it’s available in both base mode and M32R passthrough mode.

Audio: BLU-100 to amplifiers

BLU-100 Phoenix outputs (U24-25) to Pro-LITE 5.0 combo XLR/1/4“ inputs (U29-36). Three amps serve different roles (ceiling speakers, subwoofers, floor monitors), so each needs its own BLU-100 output feed with role-specific DSP processing (crossover, zone routing, monitor mix). If using parallel input mode on the amps (one input drives both channels), 3 BLU-100 output channels suffice; otherwise 6. Custom cable: Belden 8451 (single pair, 22AWG, shielded twisted pair), Phoenix plug to Neutrik NC3MXX (XLR male). Balanced connection – required at this boundary (UPS ground to building ground, see Electrical Plan – Grounding). One cable per active BLU-100 output channel (3-6 total depending on parallel input mode). ~4-7 ft each with cable management routing.

All three amps share the same ground reference (dedicated building circuits), so inter-amp connections (if any) have no ground boundary concern.

Audio: LP10 to BLU-100

Arylic LP10 line output (U15) to BLU-100 input (U24-25). Custom cable: 3.5mm TRS plug (LP10 end) split to two Phoenix plugs (BLU-100 end, one per channel L/R). Belden 8723 (2-pair shielded), ~4-5 ft with routing. Unbalanced – the LP10 3.5mm output is inherently unbalanced, so this is an exception to the balanced-by-default rule. Wire signal to hot (+), ground to cold (-) and ground on each Phoenix plug. No ground boundary concern: both devices are on UPS power via the RLNK (same ground reference).

Speaker cables

Speakon speaker cables exit the bottom rear of the rack. Conduit on the closet wall carries Speakon cables from the rack to rough-in points with Speakon connections in the ceiling at speaker locations.

Video: HDMI (rack PC and ClickShare to SVSi encoder)

HDMI cables from rack PC (U14) and ClickShare (U15) to SVSi encoder cards in the cage (U10-11). Passive HDMI cables – at 3-5U the cable run is well under 1m, far below the threshold where active cables become necessary (~15m+). Passive is simpler, cheaper, and has fewer failure modes.

Power Budget

Power consumption for all rack-mounted equipment. This will be updated as specific models are selected.

Amplifier power note

The Pro-LITE 5.0 power draw varies significantly with load:

For UPS sizing and circuit planning, idle draw (90W per amp, 270W total for three amps) represents the baseline. Peak draw depends on speaker impedance and program level. Closet ventilation should account for sustained use at the expected operating load.

Electrical

Circuit requirements

Each circuit requires a dedicated breaker in the room’s new electrical panel (see Electrical Plan) and a receptacle in the rack closet. This table will be updated as equipment and UPS models are selected.

Amp breaker sizing note: The required breaker size depends on speaker impedance, which is TBD (speakers not yet selected). At 4Ω and 1/3 power, each amp draws ~15.7A (1880 VA), exceeding a 15A breaker’s continuous rating. 20A circuits provide headroom. At 8Ω, the draw drops to 10A and 15A circuits would suffice.

Amp circuit balancing: Three amp circuits across two panel legs – the electrician distributes them to balance the load (two on one leg, one on the other). See Electrical Plan.

Receptacle count

Receptacle rough-in location: All four receptacles (UPS + three amp circuits) are co-located – ceiling or low wall, depending on whether the rack closet ceiling is kept or removed. See Electrical Plan. Must be installed before the rack arrives.

Not accounted for:

• Ventilation fan (if active ventilation is selected, may need a receptacle or hardwired connection)

• SmartPacks are wall-mounted outside the rack and will need their own circuits at their mounting location (not counted here)

• TBD: Confirm amp breaker sizing once speaker impedance is known

• TBD: SmartPack circuit requirements at mounting location (2x 12 channels @ 1200W/channel = 28,800W total capacity)

Ventilation

The rack closet is adjacent to the room’s return air conduit to the air handler. The plan is to vent rack exhaust heat into the return air path. Options:

• Passive grille: Cut a vent from the closet into the return air plenum. Relies on natural convection (hot air rises). Simplest, no moving parts, no maintenance – but may not move enough air if the rack is under heavy load.
• Thermostatically-controlled exhaust fan: Mount a fan at the top of the closet venting into the return duct, triggered by a temperature sensor. More reliable airflow, only runs when needed. Adds a small amount of complexity and a failure point (fan).
• Always-on inline fan: Fan in a short duct between closet and return plenum. Simplest active option but runs continuously whether needed or not.

The amps are the primary heat concern – each can generate significant heat under sustained use. A passive grille may be sufficient for idle/light use, but an active solution is safer for sustained operation.

• TBD: Ventilation approach (passive grille vs. active fan)
• TBD: UPS sizing (based on total rack power draw, excluding amps)
• TBD: UPS model selection (1x 2U, online double-conversion)

UPS Requirements

Online (double-conversion) UPS, 2U rack-mount, positioned at U39-40. Input: 120V, NEMA L5-20R receptacle, single-pole breaker (see Electrical Plan).

Runtime target: Momentary ride-through (30s-2min) is the primary requirement. Graceful shutdown (5-10min) is nice-to-have but not a hard requirement. No need for extended runtime. This keeps battery capacity and physical size minimal.

Thermal: UPS conversion losses (typically 5-10% of load) generate heat. The UPS is listed in the power budget table with this accounted for. Actual BTU/h is TBD pending UPS model selection. Airflow interaction with the amps (positioned directly above the UPS) is flagged separately under Thermal & Ventilation open questions.

Power failure behavior: Power loss is safe for the audio signal chain. When mains power fails, the amps (on dedicated circuits, not UPS-backed) cut immediately while the DSP/mixer stay on via UPS – but amps stop amplifying and BLU-100 output has nowhere to go. Power restore is the real consideration: amps power up with a live BLU-100 signal on their inputs. The Pro-LITE 5.0 is a modern Class D design with internal soft-start and output muting during power-up, which suppresses turn-on transients. The BLU-100 output limiters provide a second layer of protection. This is a standard configuration in professional AV (amps on dedicated circuits, DSP on UPS). Verify during commissioning that the Pro-LITE 5.0 does not produce an audible thump on power-up with a live input. If it does, the BLU-100s can be programmed to power up muted and require an AMX command to unmute after a delay.

Open Questions

Thermal & Ventilation

• What is the total rack heat load in BTU/h once all TBD power figures are filled in? This determines whether the ventilation plan is adequate.
• The SmartPacks are wall-mounted in the same closet – has their heat output been added to the ventilation sizing? They’re not in the rack but contribute to closet ambient temperature.
• What is the minimum CFM required to maintain safe closet temperature at sustained heat load? This requires knowing closet volume, return air plenum static pressure, and total BTU/h.
• What is the static pressure characteristic of the return air duct? A passive grille into a pressurized plenum may have reverse airflow depending on HVAC configuration.
• Has the HVAC contractor confirmed the return duct has capacity for the additional heat load from the rack closet?
• What is the realistic sustained amp operating scenario (speaker impedance and typical power fraction)? This drives ventilation sizing – the difference between idle (~920 BTU/h total for three amps) and 1/3 power at 2Ω (~15,600 BTU/h) is enormous.
• Is the equipment layout optimized for airflow direction? The amps (primary heat source) are mid-rack with the UPS below them – if airflow is bottom-to-top, UPS heat preheats the amp inlet air.

UPS

• What is the total VA load the UPS must carry? Most rack device wattages are still TBD.
• What is the UPS battery replacement interval and who is responsible for the maintenance schedule?

Patch Panel & Switch

• What SFP+ transceivers are needed for the M4250 fiber uplink (single-mode LC, wavelength, reach)?
• The M32R connects via umbilical to a floor drop. Is AES50 carried point-to-point to the rack DL16 within the umbilical, with a separate Ethernet run to the M4250? Or is it a single cable?

Rack Closet & Installation

• What are the exact interior dimensions of the rack closet? Can a 42U rack, two wall-mounted SmartPacks, and required electrical working clearances all fit?
• On which wall(s) are the SmartPacks mounted? Is there a dimensioned layout showing rack footprint, SmartPack positions, and clearance zones?
• Who has physical key access to the closet? If the closet is locked and AMX is down, there is no lighting control.
• What are the conduit paths from the closet to: projector/decoder (ceiling), N1115-WP wall plate (back wall), LED wall stub-out, speaker locations, and lighting fixture groups?
• Does the rack include a dedicated equipment grounding bus bar? (Depends on Middle Atlantic model.)
• What is the UPS battery replacement access plan? UPS at U39-40 (bottom of rack) needs several feet of clear floor space to slide batteries out.