Supermicro SuperChassis CSE-826 - Can I upgrade the backplane for Truenas

JJDuru

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So, I found on ebay this server with a Supermicro SuperChassis CSE-826 chassis, for about $199 plus $50.12 shipping, which looks reasonably good for a Truenas deployment for homelab.

One of these links:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294359752891

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294325009249

One thing I dislike about it is the backplane it comes with - it seems to be a PN-SAS-826TQ version, which essentially means that I need to connect the drives directly to the HBA.

My question would be: if I buy this thing, can I replace the backplane with a BPN-SAS3-826EL1? If yes, how do I connect the new backplane to the drive trays? Do I need any special cabling/soldering?

I already have a SAS3 HBA card flashed in IT mode, it's already tested in truenas, validate as working.
 

Ericloewe

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My question would be: if I buy this thing, can I replace the backplane with a BPN-SAS3-826EL1? If yes, how do I connect the new backplane to the drive trays? Do I need any special cabling/soldering?
I seem to recall there being slight differences between some backplanes, but if you get compatible ones, you just have to unscrew the old one and replace it with the new one (a firmware update is advisable, too). The backplane itself has all the connectors.
 

danb35

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Make sure you can get the EL1 backplane for such a price that the project is economically viable--I seem to recall their being hard to find. In my case, the most economical solution was a whole used server, to which I added spinners (and sold off the included RAID card, recovering some of my investment).
 

Spearfoot

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So, I found on ebay this server with a Supermicro SuperChassis CSE-826 chassis, for about $199 plus $50.12 shipping, which looks reasonably good for a Truenas deployment for homelab.

One of these links:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294359752891

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294325009249

One thing I dislike about it is the backplane it comes with - it seems to be a PN-SAS-826TQ version, which essentially means that I need to connect the drives directly to the HBA.

My question would be: if I buy this thing, can I replace the backplane with a BPN-SAS3-826EL1? If yes, how do I connect the new backplane to the drive trays? Do I need any special cabling/soldering?

I already have a SAS3 HBA card flashed in IT mode, it's already tested in truenas, validate as working.
Those have the TQ backplanes, which means you have to make 12 connections -- one for each drive.

This 2U chassis already has the backplane you're asking about, along with SQ power supplies & 2 rear-mounted SSD bays -- it costs more, but perhaps not since you won't have to purchase a separate backplane:


Order direct from the seller's website and save on shipping...
 

JJDuru

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danb35: yes, it's the EL1 version of it that I have in mind as a replacement.

Spearfoot: that link is pretty much the only one sells a CSE-826 with a EL1 backplane/expander. The price with shipping makes me eyeballs pop out.
That's why I was making an inquiry into buying a cheap server (just for the chassis essentially) and replace its backplane.

The server above plus a separate BPN-SAS3-826EL1 backplane and shipping for both is a full $100 cheaper than the read made chassis you provided.
 

Spearfoot

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danb35: yes, it's the EL1 version of it that I have in mind as a replacement.

Spearfoot: that link is pretty much the only one sells a CSE-826 with a EL1 backplane/expander. The price with shipping makes me eyeballs pop out.
That's why I was making an inquiry into buying a cheap server (just for the chassis essentially) and replace its backplane.

The server above plus a separate BPN-SAS3-826EL1 backplane and shipping for both is a full $100 cheaper than the read made chassis you provided.
Understood. But by the time you buy a backplane ($125+ shipped, exclusive of local taxes); and cables; and then realize you want to upgrade the noisy 750W PSUs to the somewhat quieter 920W SQ-series PSUs (included in the unit I mentioned); and then realize you really want a good place to mount your boot SSD (also included)... It begins to add up and my suggestion might not be so bad after all.

I know for a fact that shipping is much cheaper if you buy directly from this seller; I bought one of these chassis last week and shipping was $30.40 vs the $68.80 quoted on ebay.
 

JJDuru

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Understood. But by the time you buy a backplane ($125+ shipped, exclusive of local taxes); and cables; and then realize you want to upgrade the noisy 750W PSUs to the somewhat quieter 920W SQ-series PSUs (included in the unit I mentioned); and then realize you really want a good place to mount your boot SSD (also included)... It begins to add up and my suggestion might not be so bad after all.

I know for a fact that shipping is much cheaper if you buy directly from this seller; I bought one of these chassis last week and shipping was $30.40 vs the $68.80 quoted on ebay.

The backplane is $$131.63 shipped+taxes.
I am using a Supermicro satadom for a boot device - sits right on the motherboard. The server will sit in the basement, noise not a concern.

I cannot deny that there's a convenience of ordering the entire package and start using it right away. I just placed that CSE-826 in the cart, and with shipping and taxes it gets up to $482.33.

The savings by ordering the cheaper server from above two links would be about $102.83.
I just need to know if I can replace the backplane with that BPN-SAS3-EL1: if it fits the mount holes, the drive trays, cabling, whatever, etc. The model of the chassis seems to be the same: CSE-826.
 

Spearfoot

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The backplane is $$131.63 shipped+taxes.
I am using a Supermicro satadom for a boot device - sits right on the motherboard. The server will sit in the basement, noise not a concern.

I cannot deny that there's a convenience of ordering the entire package and start using it right away. I just placed that CSE-826 in the cart, and with shipping and taxes it gets up to $482.33.

The savings by ordering the cheaper server from above two links would be about $102.83.
I just need to know if I can replace the backplane with that BPN-SAS3-EL1: if it fits the mount holes, the drive trays, cabling, whatever, etc. The model of the chassis seems to be the same: CSE-826.
There are a lot of variations of the Supermicro chassis, so it's hard to say for certain. One of the sellers you're considering is Garland Computers. They seem to be one of the reputable e-waste resellers and I've bought from them before. Why don't you call them and see if they'll fix you up with the case and backplane you want?

 

JJDuru

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And garland computers' reply is encouraging - see attached.

Screen Shot 2021-09-03 at 7.23.24 PM.png
 

JJDuru

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Alright, after much debate, I bit the bullet, did it and it worked.

The new SAS3 backplane is a beauty: clean, it needs just one SAS cable vs the 10k cables for the previous TQ backplane, it actually worked without ANY errors on any pool with good drives (I have a pool of 4 trash SATA drives, with known bad sectors), and it fit the exact holes in the chassis.
On the down side, the vendor that sells the SAS3 backplane does not send them with proper screws so I had to improvise some there.

I also noticed that the chassis came with almost of all of its caddies having 2.5" drive adapters. I don't know if that was supposed to happen, but hey, I take them with no reservations.

Thank you for your help.
 
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