Middle Atlantic 2SP Anodized Slotted Vent - EVTA-2

Middle Atlantic EVTA-2 2RU Anodized Slotted Rack Vent Panel

Overview

The Middle Atlantic EVTA-2 is a 2-rack-unit passive vent panel designed to manage airflow in standard 19-inch equipment racks. At just 0.51 inches deep, it installs flush in virtually any rack without consuming meaningful depth — useful when you are already tight on space behind the mounting rails. The EVTA-2 (often searched as EVTA 2) ships as a single panel with a black brushed anodized finish that matches the aesthetic of most commercial rack enclosures. It is a straightforward, no-moving-parts solution for creating a dedicated thermal exhaust or intake zone in a rack where you need to separate hot and cold air without cutting custom holes or relying on improvised spacing.

Passive venting does not replace active fans in high-density deployments, but in lighter-duty racks — think a mid-size NVR, a PoE switch, and a few patch panels — a strategically placed vent panel can extend equipment life meaningfully by preventing heat from pooling above warm components. The EVTA-2 gives you a clean, finished way to do that without resorting to leaving a blank space or propping open the rack door.

Key Features

• 2-Rack-Unit Height (3.5 in / 8.9 cm): Occupies two standard rack units, giving you enough open area to allow meaningful airflow movement between equipment tiers without sacrificing four or more units to a single vent. Two rack units is the practical minimum for most passive vent strategies in 12U–24U enclosures.
• 17% Open Area: One in six square inches of the panel face is open — enough for passive convection in a lightly loaded rack. This is not a high-airflow louvered panel, so do not rely on it alone to cool a rack running servers or dense PoE switches at full load. For surveillance NVRs and network gear with moderate heat output, 17% open area is workable.
• 0.51-Inch Depth (1.3 cm): The extremely shallow profile means it will not interfere with cable management, swing-out panels, or rear-mounted equipment. It installs flat against the rack rail without any rearward projection worth accounting for.
• 19-Inch Flanged Panel Width: Fits any standard EIA 19-inch rack. The flanged style means the mounting tabs are part of the panel face — no separate hardware required to achieve a flush fit with adjacent equipment. Two mounting points secure it to the rack rails.
• Black Brushed Anodized Finish: Anodizing is more durable than painted finishes — it will not chip or flake under repeated handling during rack reconfigurations. The brushed texture reduces visible fingerprints and keeps the rack looking clean in front-of-house or client-visible installations.
• Non-Hinged, Non-Light-Blocking Design: The EVTA-2 does not hinge open and does not block light from indicator LEDs on adjacent equipment. If you need to access the space behind it, you remove it fully — there is no partial-swing access. Keep this in mind if you plan to install it above or below a component you service frequently.
• Single-Unit Packaging: Ships as one panel per package. If you are outfitting a full rack with multiple vent positions, order the quantity you need — each EVTA-2 covers exactly two rack units.

Integration & Compatibility

The EVTA-2 mounts in any standard EIA 310-D 19-inch rack using the two integrated flanged mounting points. It is compatible with open-frame racks, wall-mount enclosures, floor-standing cabinets, and two-post relay racks — any standard 19-inch rail system accepts it. No tools beyond a screwdriver are required for installation, and no additional mounting hardware is included or needed beyond standard rack screws (M6, 10-32, or 12-24 depending on your rack rail type — verify against your rack hardware before ordering).

Common deployment positions include above NVRs to allow heat to escape toward the top of the enclosure, between a PoE switch and a patch panel to create a thermal break, or at the top of the rack as a passive exhaust zone. For rack accessories that complement this panel — including blanks, cable managers, and shelves — the EVTA-2 fits within the broader Middle Atlantic rack product line. If you are building out a network video recorder rack, pairing one or two vent panels with a rack-mount cooling solution is a common approach in surveillance equipment rooms with limited HVAC airflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What rack unit size is the Middle Atlantic EVTA-2?

A: The EVTA-2 occupies 2 rack units (3.5 inches / 8.9 cm in height) in a standard 19-inch rack.

Q: What is the open area percentage of the EVTA-2?

A: The EVTA-2 has a 17% open area — suitable for passive convection in lightly loaded rack enclosures such as those housing NVRs and network switches.

Q: Does the EVTA-2 fit a standard 19-inch rack?

A: Yes. The EVTA-2 is a flanged 19-inch panel (48.3 cm wide) designed for standard EIA 19-inch rack rails. It uses two mounting points and installs with standard rack screws.

Q: How deep is the EVTA-2 panel?

A: The panel depth is 0.51 inches (1.3 cm), so it sits essentially flush with the rack rail and does not project into the rack interior in any meaningful way.

Q: Is the EVTA-2 hinged for access?

A: No. The EVTA-2 is a fixed, non-hinged panel. To access the space behind it, the panel must be removed from the rack entirely.

Q: Does the EVTA-2 block indicator lights on adjacent equipment?

A: No. The EVTA-2 is not a light-blocking panel, so LED status indicators on equipment installed immediately above or below it remain visible.

Jerry Tildsen

The EVTA-2 is a product I spec into surveillance equipment rooms and IDF closets regularly — not because it is complex, but because its 17% open area and 0.51-inch depth make it the right passive thermal break for 2U of rack space without eating into cable routing room. It is the kind of component that prevents a service call six months later when someone asks why the NVR keeps throttling.

Technical Highlights:

• 17% Open Area: Provides meaningful passive convection for moderate heat loads — appropriate for NVR and switch tier separation, but do not rely on it as the sole cooling strategy in a high-density or enclosed cabinet without supplemental active airflow.
• 0.51-Inch Depth: At just over half an inch of projection, the EVTA-2 will not conflict with rear cable bundles, power strips, or swing-out patch panels mounted behind the rails — a real consideration in shallow wall-mount enclosures.
• Anodized Finish: More wear-resistant than painted panels; handles repeated removal and reinstallation during rack reconfigurations without showing wear at the mounting tabs or face.

Deployment Considerations:

• Install at least one EVTA-2 directly above any NVR or high-wattage switch in an enclosed cabinet — warm air rises, and a vent panel at that position creates the exhaust path convection needs to work.
• The non-hinged design means you will unscrew and pull the panel to access anything immediately behind it — avoid positioning it above components you service frequently if your rack layout allows a different placement.

For a surveillance equipment room with a mid-density rack — one NVR, a PoE switch, and a patch panel in a 12U–18U wall enclosure — a pair of EVTA-2 panels positioned above the NVR and at the top of the rack is a straightforward passive cooling strategy that keeps temps in check without adding fan noise or a power draw to the installation.