How To Cool SAS Expander

[BobCochran]

I have an Intel RES2CV360 SAS expander, shown below in the red oval. I discovered, to my surprise, that the black heat sink on the expander gets pretty hot during normal operation. What is the best way to cool it down? For example, should I buy a fan especially for the expander? Is there a better mounting method...obviously what I'm showing in the photo is pretty slapdash and ugly.

Thanks a ton

Bob

 

[Nick2253]

"Pretty hot" is kind of vague. Solid state hardware like that is usually rated for 70C or higher, so I doubt that you're having a problem. The only reference to temperature I can find in Intel's documentation is that the ambient temperature should not get above 50C, which is insanely hot.

However, if you're still worried about cooling it, I'd just make sure it's close to a case fan. A little breeze should be more than sufficient.

 

[BobCochran]

Thank you, @Nick2253! That makes me feel better.

Bob

 

[anodos]

"Pretty hot" is kind of vague. Solid state hardware like that is usually rated for 70C or higher, so I doubt that you're having a problem. The only reference to temperature I can find in Intel's documentation is that the ambient temperature should not get above 50C, which is insanely hot.

However, if you're still worried about cooling it, I'd just make sure it's close to a case fan. A little breeze should be more than sufficient.

Heh. I once put together a computer for a relative living in a country with ambient temps of around 45-50c and lots of dust. Put it in a uatx "slim" chassis (trying to keep shipping costs down) and replaced its single chassis fan with a 100+CFM 80mm x 38mm one. 9 years later and the system is still running fine. They did complain that it was a little loud. :D

Moral of the story... umm... powerful fans are awesome as long as it's someone else putting their head next to them? I totally forgot where I was going with that anecdote.

 

[Ericloewe]

I have a friend with an Asus prebuilt gaming desktop. They went for overkill and used Delta 120mmx38mm screamers.

I was rather surprised, since everything else was a cheap rush job:

• Off-the-shelf Z68 motherboard
• Inside is crummy SECC steel, unpainted and crummy plastic
• PSU is some random 80+ bronze thing
• The whole chassis has a serious lack of vents
• Graphics card vents into the chassis, despite the lack of vents to exhaust hot air (that aren't occupied by the CPU cooler and the PSU)
• Structural integrity is maintained by a steel bar in the center of the side panel opening and the outside plastic, which hides the bargain basement steel construction