Best practices to mount graphics card in a rack server (placing, fans)?

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serverpanda

New Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Hello,

I have an Intel 2U server and wanted to add a consumer grade graphics card(RX 590). The mainboard should support it and fortunately there are power outlets on the mainboard for exactly this purpose, but I do have a problem, to physically place it.

The heatsink has heatpipes that extend well beyond the regular card width and even if I mounted some different heat sink I would still have trouble with the supplemental power connectors sitting at the edge. Basically I loose one riser card and block all three slots on the other.

I think I will live with the problem for the moment and when I have to install a SAS expander, I will just place it somewhere else and use on of those PCI power adaptors.

What about the cooling of the graphics card? Should I remove the fans and its enclosing and just have the systems general airflow take care of cooling the heatsink? Seems like a good idea to me, but I would like to hear opinions.

Also any other hints/experiences when mounting consumer-grade cards in rack servers?