Can I place Agilent E3644A power supply on its rear?

[Matthematik]

I just got a gorgeous 3644A power supply and I'm really excited but it has a much bigger footprint than I expected, and I don't really have room for it on my bench at the moment. Was thinking about turning it and setting it on its rear since it has those feet which seem to be for that purpose. There are issues though. the ground clearance is only about 3/4'' and it has a fan with rear exhaust so I am concerned that this will hinder airflow and cause overheating. So I guess the real question is, did Agilent intend for the unit to be used this way? I've tried googling it and looking through the manual which just says not to block ventilation. Technically this is not blocking ventilation. One clue suggesting that the manufacturer did not intend this is that the power cord actually prevents me setting the unit in this way because it protrudes too far out of the unit's arse. BUT, I got this supply off of ebay so I am unsure if the cord is OEM and I think if I got a cord with a 90 degree connector I could set the supply on its rear. Does anyone have any experience placing a power supply from this family in such a way?

[bitseeker]

I believe those rear feet are primarily to protect the connectors on the back panel. They do, of course, ensure that the back of the unit doesn't press directly against a wall, but it is a rather narrow gap. As long as you're not driving it at minimum voltage and maximum current continuously, it'd probably be OK.

Can you fit it on your bench if it's sitting on its side? Although there are vents on the sides, at least they exist on both sides, so you'd probably end up with better airflow that way than standing on its rear.

If you have a digital thermometer or a DMM with a thermocouple, you could compare different setups with different loads.

[Matthematik]

I could probably set it that way, I'll consider it. Great idea about testing the temps with different setups. I've been looking for an excuse to use the thermocouple, thanks!

[bitseeker]

Sure thing. I look forward to hearing about your findings.