Telecom Shelter Cooling Load Calculator
How many tons of cooling does the site need?
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Telecom Shelter Cooling Load Calculator by TheCalcTools
How the Telecom Shelter Cooling Load Calculator works
Enter the equipment load: nearly all electrical power in a shelter becomes heat.
Add envelope/solar gain and any occupancy heat, then a safety margin.
Convert to BTU/h and tons (12,000 BTU/h each); divide among the running units.
The formula
Worked example
Using the default values shown in the calculator:
| Equipment electrical load (W) | 3000 |
|---|---|
| Envelope and solar gain (W) | 800 |
| Occupancy heat (W) | 0 |
| Safety margin (%) | 20 % |
| AC efficiency (EER, BTU/h per W) | 10 |
| Redundant AC units (N+1) | 1 |
| AC units running | 2 |
- Cooling load = (3,000 + 800) × 1.2 = 4,560 W = 15,559 BTU/h = 1.30 tons.
- With two units, each needs about 0.65 tons; AC input power about 1.56 kW.
Result:
| Cooling load (W) | 4,560 |
|---|---|
| Cooling load (BTU/h) | 15,559 |
| Cooling load (refrigeration tons) | 1.30 |
| Capacity per AC unit with N+1 (tons) | 0.65 |
| AC electrical input (kW) | 1.56 |
Frequently asked questions
Why does equipment load equal heat load?
By energy conservation, electrical power consumed by equipment ends up as heat in the room, except what leaves as radio-frequency power.
What about free cooling?
Fresh-air cooling can cut AC use when outdoor air is cool enough. Add it as a separate design step.
Sources and further reading
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This calculator gives estimates for planning only. Electrical installations must be designed, checked and carried out by qualified personnel following local codes and the equipment manufacturer's data. Never rely on this result alone for safety-critical decisions. See our disclaimer.