does it need room to circulate air around sides if in a built in cabinet
1874991
The unit does generate a little heat, as it is an electric item, but not much heat. It has small vents on the sides and back. Saying all of that, I would leave some room on all sides if you plan to enclose it. But to be sure, call Panasonic and ask them about your idea.
1874992
I think it does. The vents are on the side. Also, it's designed for countertops, not for cabinets. And because it's so large and the cord sticks straight out of the back, it would need a pretty big cabinet to fit in, in any case.
1510288
Yes and it also will circulate the air in the room. Moving air always makes you cooler.
535503
it probably would be fine--if the cabinet is not too small. The unit moves a lot of rather hot air, so it would be nice if the cabinet had some ventilation---maybe even a few 2 inch holes on the sides toward the top would add assurance.
621990
The instructions indicate that you should leave a few inches around the unit (from what I remember) so that the unit can exchange air efficiently. You don't need much more than that.
717039
The ventilation comes from the unit not being airtight. I don't quite recall whether there were airholes in the back. The unit will go with your stainless steel appliances...more like a brushed look. I love this little unit...useful addition to a small modern kitchen.
1194292
I would say it can NOT be installed in an enclosed cabinet. There are coils on the back that require breathing room. There would need to be air flow of some type in order for it to function properly.
280934
Mine is on the counter, so I can't say how much room you need above it (there are no vents on the top)....but, there are air vents on the left side, so that should not be blocked.
1645672
Depends how tall your counter is - i think it lists the measurements. It also needs to vent - needs some space to blow out the hot (warm) air that is created when it is running so it could not be a tight fit. Also, while it cools, I would prefer it was colder.
280936
i have about 2 inches from the top of my cabinet to the top of the unit , but i have several inches on both sides for circulation, there is no air vent's on the top of the unit
984154
Mine's exactly 5.4 inches tall. It should fit your space but be advised, there are air vents on the top and the unit does produce some heat during operation so I wouldn't put it in too tight of a space. Mine runs in an enclosed cabinet with little more than an about an inch of clearance. After about an hour the unit feels slightly warm and after a day of play, it's warmed up the whole cabinet about 10 degrees. If I run with the cabinet doors open, the unit doesn't even get warm. So if you can maintain at least some air flow through the vents, it should be OK.
1147477
You could only if you allowed enough air flow around the entire unit, which sort of defeats the purpose of putting it in a closet. The instruction booklet says, "Allow for 5 inches of space between the back of the appliance and any adjacent wall... DO NOT build this appliance into an enclosure: This appliance is designed for a free-standing application only (that last part is all in bold) and is not intended to be 'built-in.'"
216645
any sort of sealed cabinet space certainly isn't ideal when it comes to A/V equipment... never-the-less, when faced with a situation as such, in my opinion,yes, this can and should certainly help out. air-flow is essential for electronics to dissipate the heat they produce and air will always find its way in and out regardless, so any alternate source of air flow, ie, this cooling unit, will only help. every situation can be different depending on the variables it has, but as a broader generalization, yes, this should certainly not only help, but maybe even more so than you might have thought
679296
Yep. The air goes trough a filter and is recirculated through the black hidden vent on top of the door, or, it can be connected to a duct evacuating the air outdoor if such a duct is present in the upper cabinet.
1375859
You would need to leave at least two inches of space on the left, right, and if possible the top. Also you need to leave at least four inches in the rear. Trim work will negate the spacing so it is not recommended. The goal is to passively get the heat from behind the unit and out of the cabinet.
64749
I would agree with Auspician. In most cases a single fan is best used to suck hot air out of the cabinet, especially if you can mount the fan near the top of the cabinet and there is a source of fresh air somewhere near the bottom. In my case the cracks around the cabinet door provide enough air flow in.
647254
No, just on one side. Great fans , though. They gave been ventilating my cabinet for over s year now
190493
you should use the fan for intake. if there is enough space for air to enter