Concept design for new NAS

[Davvo]

So - can anyone think of any major issues with this build before I start seriously searching for parts.

Does the cost counts?

More seriously, I trust you made your calculations based on jgreco's guide in regard to the PSU size.

 

[NugentS]

With a hot swap bay I can just add a new drive without the inconveniance of taking down the NAS, run a replace and then in my own time transfer the drive to the non hot swap bays with down time. This seems to be to be a fair compromise

 

[joeschmuck]

Going to go with the Fractal Design - that way I can add fans above the hotswap bays, so don't worry about cooking them

I was examining the airflow for this case, and of course I would expect you to fill the front with a second fan and then as you said, possibly add an upper case fan (start at the rear of the case) to improve airflow if required. This looks like a very nice case, and it's steel so while that means Heavy, it should be strong and sturdy as well.

 

[NugentS]

Yeah - extra fans:
1. Extra 140mm at front
2. Extra fan at front top - to blow over the hot swap
3. Extra extract at rear top to help improve airflow - maybe - see if it needs it

I am debating using the case fan controller for the three case fans initially and then tacking any extras onto the motherboard.

 

[Davvo]

Do note that the motherboard has a single header for the drives' fans (FANA), the others are controlled by the CPU temperature.

 

[NugentS]

Does the cost counts?

More seriously, I trust you made your calculations based on jgreco's guide in regard to the PSU size.

No (and Yes)
As for the PSU sizing - I took a stab at a approx right size good PSU - I will check more carefully before ordering anything

Its more expensive than buying a synology (and a Synology doesn't run TrueNAS), but actually not that much more and its standard parts - so I have a better chance of fixing something in the long run. Could buy anther QNAP and convert it - but wave good bye to warranty

 

[NugentS]

Do note that the motherboard has a single header for the drives' fans (FANA), the others are controlled by the CPU temperature.
View attachment 68720

So Fan Attachment:
FAN3 = CPU Fan (Probably the Nokia as voiding the warranty putting on a different heatsink is NOT an option) or FANA if I want it running flatout all the time.
Use a Fan Controller for any extra fans - the case fan controller can handle the three main case fans (2 included + 1 extra) so I would need another one for the potential 2 extra case fans

Is this what you are saying?

 

[Davvo]

Is this what you are saying?

It depends on how you plan to run your fans.
In my system I use no scripts and have set heavy I/O mode in the IPMI, meaning that the motherboard targets a 50% speed of the numbered headers linked to the CPU temperature, and a fixed 75% speed for the alphabetical headers: I have my CPU FAN connected to one of the numbered and the 3 fans used for the HDDs cooling daisy chained to an alphabetical header; then I have a fan controller that's not connected to the motherbord that runs the other 3 case fans that basically grant fresh air to the CPU cooler, they run at a low, fixed speed (it's the node 804 controller, it has a speed selector).
See the following link (first part is what matters to us) for more info about supermicro's fan modes.

Reference Material - Supermicro X9/X10/X11 Fan Speed Control

Reference material regarding fan speed control on SuperMicro X9/X10/X11 motherboards. This has been pieced together over some time and I finally got that "aha!" moment yesterday where it all came together. A bit of testing confirmed that this...

forums.servethehome.com

 

[joeschmuck]

I am debating using the case fan controller for the three case fans initially and then tacking any extras onto the motherboard.

I do things a little outside the box. The CPU fan is of course plugged into the motherboard. My case fans are always being run from 7VDC, to which I make my own power adapters from a 4 pin molex to 3 pin fan header. Yellow (+12VDC) which goes to the (+) fan wire, and red (+5VDC) which goes to the (-) fan wire. The voltage difference is 7VDC. I've not met a power supply that could not handle it. This provides enough voltage to start the fans running and keeps them running at a slow speed. I get constant airflow across my drives and through the case.

As for the fan placement for the D5 case, depending on your removable drive bays, if they are well vented, I'd use at least one more fan to exhaust air, thus causing air to be pulled in across the removable drives. 2 front fans (intake), one rear fan (exhaust), two top rear fans (exhaust). I would not blow air down on top of the removable drives as the top unit might get the benefit but the lower unit definitely would not.

You could buy a pack of smoke sticks to help see how the air is flowing for example. Or use toilet paper and place a piece across the front of the removable drivee bays. If it sticks well then job well done. If it does not stick then fix the airflow problem.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[NugentS]

It does - and I have smoke sticks - well a couple of them anyway

 

[NugentS]

OK - despite me saying this would take a while. Now ordered.
2 hot swaps (will be unused initially - only really used for replacment drives so I have more choice when to shutdown to move drives around)
EVGA Platinum PSU 750W following calculations using @jgreco 's formula. It is overkill and the case will never be full (I hope) as I plan on 5 or possibly 6 HDD's only (5 if I transfer, 6 if I do a total rebuild to Z2 - which is likley)
Fractal Design Case

Xtra fans to be added as required after soak testing for drive temps with some disposible drives in the hot swap bays

 

[joeschmuck]

Which hot swap bays did you order? And have you used these before? Just looking for some reliable information. I don't plan to purchase any drive bays today but I am working to shrink my system footprint down. I just received a Raspberry Pi which I will be turning into a TrueNAS system. I have 32GB RAM and miniESXi for Android. There are 2 uSATA ports for two data drives and the microUSB drive with a 64GB SD card to boot from and be a data storage drive for the TrueNAS Scale software. If the removable drive bays can accommodate the RPI then I can built that in. My footprint could be reduced to the size of two 3.5" removable drives. Okay, that was all fiction (B.S.) but I would like to know about the removable drive bays for when I do reduce the size of my system's footprint.

 

[NugentS]

Honestly at this point I don't know. I have been lazy and got a system builder to build it - and left him to choose the hot swap bays

Ebay URL for HotSwap Bays are the ones I suggested (mostly as they were cheap and do not have keys)

I still have a bit of time if I find something better but finding a single bay unit with a fan is hard. Finding a unit that fits 3 drives into 2 5.25" bays with a fan is easier - but not what I want (not enough SATA ports, and I want space between the drives). Also any fan I can fit in a 5.25" slot is not going to be quiet and be able to move much air

I did find one at £93.52 which is too rich for my blood for the use case and another at £43.40 which is also more than I want to pay.

I will chase him up and ask which ones he is planning.

 

[NugentS]

For anyone interested - the new NAS is built and .................................. turned off.
Drive temps are OK, except under load when they go higher than I am happy with. It would seem that the fans cannot move enough air even at full speed.

So 2 new 140mm fans on order - a couple of Corsair ML140 at a ridiculously low price off Amazon. I'll substitute those in and see what happens.

As for noise (with inadequate airflow) - its basically inaudible when running - so that part worked out OK. Hopefully these more powerful fans can run at lower speeds and achieve the objective.

 

[NugentS]

2 new fans and a fan controller as the case supports 3 pins, the new fans are 4 pins and I don't have any adapters.
Drive temps under load are now 31 degrees and does not sound like a hovercraft - still being drowned out by the Synology next to it.

Currently testing a replication and getting 5Gb/s inbound which is 5 times what I get with the (soon to be) outgoing QNAP TS853a which will probably go on Ebay, maybe - or possibly up in my roof to rust away in peace

I need to thrash the CPU for a few hours to check the temp at max load. But this is now looking useable