Dell N1100 fans

[rippiedoos]

I recently bought a Dell N1148T-ON. As nice as this switch is, without fans, it isn't completely cold either, so longtime health is a concern. It's completely silent, that is really nice.

The entire N1100-series has no built-in fan, except for the N1148P-ON, the 48 port PoE-version of this switch. I would like to know where these fans are plugged in on the switch PCB, so that I can place one Noctua fan inside to create some airflow. I looked at the PCB of my N1148T-ON but there aren't any clear labels near the two headers. One looks like a double fan header but it doesn't say and the other looks like a debug-header or maybe the header for a PoE-power-board.

Anyone out there having a N1148P-ON and willing to look inside where the fans plug in? And maybe post some pictures of it?

 

[pcmoore]

I recently bought a Dell N1148T-ON. As nice as this switch is, without fans, it isn't completely cold either, so longtime health is a concern. It's completely silent, that is really nice.

I don't have a N1100 POE switch, but I do have two N1148T-ON switches sitting next to me in my office that have been running without problems for several years now if that helps ease some of your long term health concerns. Looking at them now, one in reporting 46C ("Good") and the other is reporting 51C ("Medium"); the first is cooler as it is located on the bottom of the rack while the second is sandwiched between the first switch and a NTP server.

As far as power taps are concerned, while I haven't looked inside these switches have you tried examining the power supply leads for either 5VDC or 12VDC? I've had good experience in the past siphoning power directly from the leads connecting the power supplies to the board.

 

[rippiedoos]

I don't have a N1100 POE switch, but I do have two N1148T-ON switches sitting next to me in my office that have been running without problems for several years now if that helps ease some of your long term health concerns. Looking at them now, one in reporting 46C ("Good") and the other is reporting 51C ("Medium"); the first is cooler as it is located on the bottom of the rack while the second is sandwiched between the first switch and a NTP server.

As far as power taps are concerned, while I haven't looked inside these switches have you tried examining the power supply leads for either 5VDC or 12VDC? I've had good experience in the past siphoning power directly from the leads connecting the power supplies to the board.

The temps of my switch are currently 41C ("Good") so that eases me for the long term help. Thanks for that! Looks like it switches to Medium if it rises above 50C.

As far as power-tapping into it, I'm not a fan of splicing into current traces or connectors and like the ability to return a unit to stock without damaging it. If I ever need to return this thing I don't want to hear their excuse: "You have tapped into some wires and have broken the unit yourself". I was thinking of harnessing the USB-port to steal some 5V for a 5V Noctua I have laying around, but maybe look again inside to find some connectors where I can 'borrow' the needed 5V. But a PWM-fan-hack would be the best of course