rack expander
for
the installation of equipment
into
so called standard 19inch racks
by Ralph Klimek June-2010
Oh Puleeez!
This
metal-work project was inspired by a large network rollout that I
was tasked with. The equipment was provided by an extremely large
high quality network equipment vendor. There was only one problem.
The ethernet switches did not fit in our racks !
There
does not seem to be an actual standard for the nineteen inch rack. Why
is this? The 19inch rack came from an old world of British telephone
exchanges. It was known as the Nineteen Inch Standard Relay Rack.
Then came Metrification. Then came the nework revolution which
saw an immediate required for very large quantities of mass
manufactured racks and racking equipment. But what actually was
19 inches about a Nineteen inch rack. I challange you to get
about with a ruler and find where and what the Nineteen Inches actually
is.
There are no standard specifications for NineteenInchedness !
If
you must know, I have measured exactly nineteen inches from the
outermost extremity of the rack mount ears of old equipment
manufactured in pre metric days. Thats it and thats all it is.
From Ear to Ear. It still does not say anything about what the
maximum dimensions of the equipment box, nor does it specify the
racks' precises "apature", nor does it tell you where to put the
mounting holes!
So, I had to install all this equipment that did
not fit into our "standard" racks. The equipment box size was
"standard", the mounting ears were "standard"...everything was
standardadised, yet it did not fit! It was a Harvard MBA's
nightmare, reality arriving and telling them that they were wrong !
Could
someone please explain the staggered arangment of the rack mounting
holes? It appears that allmost nobody in our department gets it,
and I must admit, neither to do I.
Then there is the total insanity of putting mounting ears at the front of the equipment when all the weight is at the back!
The
expander has forks and slots at both ends so that it does not twist
during application. This is important as the forces that can be
generated by the screw jack can be considerable. This tool will give
you about 5mm extra clearance in a lightly utilized rack. It helps if
you loosen the screws in the other equipment in the rack.
This very usefull tool was made with the welder of doom.
created page Thu Jul 29 18:30:12 EST 2010
