Pro/Forums - View Single Post - Fileserver cases that are good for watercooling?

stevecs · 07-23-2006, 06:31 PM

Actually 32drives should not be bad at all. I have 24 drives already and they are quieter than a single 80mm fan. Even if I have to add a fan due to cooling requirements it would be a very low rpm 160mm or larger (probably 200-240mm, at <1000rpm). So drive noise is moot well below the sound floor. Vibrations also is moot, cases like this are 1) not made of aluminum anyway, 2) weight of empty cases is well over 60lbs (with drive bays it will probably be closer to 75-100lbs). Case itself would be sitting on a custom wood roller (1 - 1.5" wood on rubber rollers). All in all vibration would not be an issue.

This is a server room so some noise can be lived with but that is not what I am working toward (trying to do as much fanless as possible). All 'viewing' and remote operations will be in other rooms of the house either hard wired or wireless from the main server room.

Just to give a reference, right now w/ 26 drives, 30 fans, the noise floor is 56db(A) at 3 feet. (all fans are 80mm). I can easily see getting rid of at least 29 of those fans with a proper radiator/passive setup.

07-23-2006, 06:31 PM	#12
stevecs Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: US Posts: 9	Re: Fileserver cases that are good for watercooling? Actually 32drives should not be bad at all. I have 24 drives already and they are quieter than a single 80mm fan. Even if I have to add a fan due to cooling requirements it would be a very low rpm 160mm or larger (probably 200-240mm, at <1000rpm). So drive noise is moot well below the sound floor. Vibrations also is moot, cases like this are 1) not made of aluminum anyway, 2) weight of empty cases is well over 60lbs (with drive bays it will probably be closer to 75-100lbs). Case itself would be sitting on a custom wood roller (1 - 1.5" wood on rubber rollers). All in all vibration would not be an issue. This is a server room so some noise can be lived with but that is not what I am working toward (trying to do as much fanless as possible). All 'viewing' and remote operations will be in other rooms of the house either hard wired or wireless from the main server room. Just to give a reference, right now w/ 26 drives, 30 fans, the noise floor is 56db(A) at 3 feet. (all fans are 80mm). I can easily see getting rid of at least 29 of those fans with a proper radiator/passive setup.