>>Order your Isobox Online Here<<

Q: Does 12/16/20/24 rack spaces mean I can fill the box with 12/16/20/24 spaces worth of gear?

A: It is not advised. Before you do, check the manufacturer specs. Many manufacturers suggest additional air space above or below your rack unit to insure proper ventilation. The ISOBOX was designed to help you protect your gear by allowing adequate ventilation.

Q: What is the ideal temperature for my ISOBOX?

A: The ISOBOX is not a refrigerator. It operates on the ambient temperature of you studio. Ideally your control room temperature is not above 75 degrees (F). Your ISOBOX should run approximately 80-88 degrees (F). Temperatures exceeding 100 degrees are not healthy for your gear. An alarm will sound if the temperature rises above 99 degrees (F).

Q: What is that in Celsius?

A: Ideally your control room temperature is between 21-25 degrees (C). Your ISOBOX should run approximately 26-31 degrees (C). Temperatures exceeding 38 degrees are not healthy for your gear. An alarm will sound if the temperature rises above 37 degrees (C).

Q: How does it know?

Each ISOBOX is equipped with a digital thermostat and readout which shows the incoming and outgoing air temperatures. The readout can be switched from F to C. See the wiring schematic >here.

Q: How well will my ISOBOX work?

A: Each piece of gear is unique. Some machines run hotter than others. To minimize the temperature in your ISOBOX, turn off equipment that you are not using. The ISOBOX does an excellent job of reducing the noise from today’s digital gear. For specific frequency-related noise reduction specs check out the >ISOBOX Specs.

Q: How much thermal load can I place on my ISOBOX?

A: Thermal load is easy to estimate by adding up the wattage figures on the back of each independent piece of gear you wish to mount in your ISOBOX. For instance a stock Mac G5 is factory rated at 750 watts yet with all the bells and whistles can be 1100 watts or more. Each ISOBOX is rated for a different thermal load but the rule of thumb is the larger the box the better the cooling - provided you have enough ventilation between units. Our ISOBOX Post model was designed specifically for high heat applications often found in post production applications.

With the room temperature being 75 degrees F (24 Celsius) or less, the suggested loads are as follows:

ISOBOX Studio

12 space less than or equal to 1200 watts

16 space less than or equal to 1500 watts

20 space less than or equal to 1800 watts

ISOBOX Post

14 space less than or equal to 2250 watts

18 space less than or equal to 3000 watts

24 space less than or equal to 3500 watts

Please note that these ARE ONLY GUIDELINES. Always check the manufacturer's specs and leave space between hardware. Sound Construction is not responsible for any damage caused due to overheating.

Q: Can I put non-rack mounted computers in my ISOBOX?

A: Yes. Generic vented rack mounted shelves are available from a number of dealers. For a charge of $35.00 we will provide a vented bottom shelf.

Q: Can I change my door swing after I have received my ISOBOX?

A: No, not without compromising the finish of the box.

Q: Do the fans run continuously?

A: Yes. A microprocessor controls the speed of the fans based on the temperature inside the ISOBOX.

Q: What does an electro-static filter do?

A: The filter carries a mild electro-static charge which effectively eliminates pass-through of static electricity in the air to your hard drives.

Q: How do I clean my ISOBOX filter?

A: Flip the thumb latches under box, filter will pull down. The electro-static filter (black membrane) can be hand rinsed with clean water and dried before reinsertion. 12x12 filters can be cleaned with compressed air or a replacement filter is available through Home Depot or any hardware store.

Q: How tall in inches are the rack spaces in the ISOBOX?

A: 12 RU Space = 21 inches

16 RU Space = 28 inches

24 RU Space = 42 inches

A "Rack Unit", (RU) or Rack "U" is an EIA standard measuring unit for rack mount equipment. A "Rack Unit" is equal to 1.75" (or 43.7 mm) in height.

Q: How do I get my cables in and out of the ISOBOX?

A: There are two 3” removable wire grommets in the back of the unit. For a picture >click here.

Q: What is the turnaround time on new orders?

A: Although standard box shells are in stock at the factory, each box is handled on a customized basis. Choices on wood, finishes, door swings, etc. will extend the turnarounds time to approximately one week. Call to check our inventory. Some dealers are stocking ISOBOX units so have a look at our >DEALERS if you wish to call around for local stock.

Q: How well do shock mounted rails work?

A: The Sorbothane washers reduce hard drive machine vibration up to eighty percent.

Q: What does the beeping noise mean?

A: The beeping noise is the audible alarm. Check the display in front. If the screen flashes an “H”, this means the box is overheating. Open doors in front and rear immediately. If the screen flashes an “F” the processor (black box) thinks there is fan failure. Open doors to help manage heat. Unplug the ISOBOX power supply. Check to see if all (2 or 4) fan jacks are securely mounted. >View wiring schematic (.pdf). Power the box back up. If the box continues to beep, check to see if all fans are working. After completing the check list and you are still experiencing complications, call 1-888-580-9188 for tech support.

Models made in 2012 and after have a slightly different >wiring schematic you can find here<.