Altex Computers and Electronics in San Antonio uses Tripp Lite’s SRCOOL33k Row-Based AC Unit to keep its data center cool.

1. CASE STUDY
Altex Beats the Heat with Tripp Lite’s
SRCOOL33K Air Conditioning Unit
SUMMARY
Customer
Based in San Antonio,
Texas, Altex Computers and
Electronics provides computer
and networking equipment to
business, consumer, educational,
industrial, commercial and
governmental customers
worldwide.
Goal
Replace existing air conditioners
that had insufficient capacity to
handle San Antonio’s summer
humidity and the heat load
generated by two dozen servers
in Altex’s primary server room,
which is the mission-critical
data center for its entire retail
operation.
Solution
Energy-Saving, Self-Contained,
Row-Based Computer Room Air
Conditioning Unit
• SRCOOL33K
Remote Management Card
• SNMPWEBCARD
Results
Simplified installation, reduced
server room humidity and
sufficient cooling capacity
to handle future server room
expansion.
1111 W. 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60609 USA
773.869.1234
www.tripplite.com
Customer
Based in San Antonio, Altex Computers and Electronics provides computer and
networking equipment to business, consumer, educational, industrial, commercial and
governmental customers via retail stores located throughout Texas, a global mail-order
operation and a large Internet presence at www.altex.com.
Goal
Consisting of two
dozen servers
housed in four open
frame racks, Altex’s
San Antonio server
room serves as the
mission-critical data
center for its entire
retail operation.
“We had two building
air conditioners that
were partitioned to
provide dedicated air
conditioning for the
server room,” said
Gilbert Santana, IT Manager for Altex. “But they couldn’t handle the heat load of the
servers. We also had a problem with humidity in the server room. During the summer
in San Antonio, humidity gets up to 75-80%, and in the server room, we measured
50-60% humidity, which I found to be unacceptable. The servers will run with elevated
humidity, but it will eventually impact their reliability and reduce their lifespan.”
Santana knew he needed to replace the existing air conditioners, but the expense
and logistics involved with installing typical computer room air conditioning (CRAC)
units presented a challenge. “Most of the CRAC units we looked at required a raised
floor, and our server room does not have a raised floor. The CRAC units also required
connection to an external condenser, so we were faced with the prospect of a major
construction project.”
“We’re into our second year with the SRCOOL33K, and I
definitely recommend it. It allows you to put a data center
just about anywhere because you can cool the room without
undertaking a major construction project.”
—Gilbert Santana, IT Manager
Altex Computers and Electronics
SRCOOL33K (far right) in the San Antonio server room of Altex Computers and Electronics.

2. CASE STUDY
13-04-206 • 95-33BC
Altex Beats the Heat with Tripp Lite’s
SRCOOL33K Air Conditioning Unit
SUMMARY
Customer
Based in San Antonio,
Texas, Altex Computers and
Electronics provides computer
and networking equipment to
business, consumer, educational,
industrial, commercial and
governmental customers
worldwide.
Goal
Replace existing air conditioners
that had insufficient capacity to
handle San Antonio’s summer
humidity and the heat load
generated by two dozen servers
in Altex’s primary server room,
which is the mission-critical
data center for its entire retail
operation.
Solution
Energy-Saving, Self-Contained,
Row-Based Computer Room Air
Conditioning Unit
• SRCOOL33K
Remote Management Card
• SNMPWEBCARD
Results
Simplified installation, reduced
server room humidity and
sufficient cooling capacity
to handle future server room
expansion.
1111 W. 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60609 USA
773.869.1234
www.tripplite.com
Solution
SRCOOL33K Energy-Saving,
Self-Contained, Row-Based
Computer Room Air Conditioning Unit
SRCOOL33K provides up to 33,000 BTU
(9.7 kW) of close-coupled cooling in a
42U rack form factor.
• Reduces power consumption and operating
costs up to 33%
• Does not require a startup service, HVAC
contractor, plumbing or refrigerant piping
• Dynamically scales cooling to the ideal level
for the application and prevents inrush
spikes from wasting energy or introducing
disruptive line noise
• Built-in evaporator eliminates condensation
through the exhaust air stream
• Provides local and remote cooling
management through the LCD control panel
and optional SNMPWEBCARD
• Uses a standard NEMA L6-30P plug
Results
“When we replaced our existing air conditioners
with the SRCOOL33K,” said Santana,
“the humidity in our server room went from 50-60%, which is unacceptable, to
35-40%, which is ideal.” The SRCOOL33K was also able to handle the heat load of
Altex’s servers with headroom for future expansion. “We have 24 servers now, and we
can add another 12 servers without a problem,” said Santana. Installation took a total
of about six hours, including some ductwork Altex added for ventilation. Altex had an
electrician install a new L6-30R circuit for the server room, and members of the IT
staff were able to do the rest. “We’re into our second year with the SRCOOL33K, and
I definitely recommend it,” said Santana. “It allows you to put a data center just about
anywhere because you can cool the room without undertaking a major construction
project. You don’t need to connect the SRCOOL33K to anything external except the
AC outlet and the building ventilation. And maintenance is easy. Once a month, we
inspect the unit and change the filters.” Throughout the process, Altex was pleased
with Tripp Lite’s responsive service. “The service was excellent,” said Santana.
“Whenever we had a question, Tripp Lite made the solution very simple.”
Copyright © 2013 Tripp Lite. All trademarks are the property of their owners. Photos and illustrations may differ from actual products. Tripp Lite has a policy of continuous improvement. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
SRCOOL33K