Fan Mod for SuperMicro 3U Case?

[diobgh1]

Even if the CPU fans follow the flow and push air out? Thought to save those on mine as well

Yes, I found it surprising too until I found a few posts on overclockers forums where people talk about the benefits to investing in a stronger rear fan. I confirmed it on both my 3u and 4u build getting around 4 deg drop just from upgrading the rear fans.

I think it has something to do with creating a region of low pressure just behind the CPUs which helps to prevent stagnant hot air or vortices by encouraging a clear flow front to back.

Couldn't find the exact post, but I found this linustechtips vid where they post similar results (albeit for a tower)

Front fan only: 67 degC,
Top fan only: 65 degC
Rear fan only: 64 degC
No case fan: 71 degC

 

[herby]

Yes, I found it surprising too until I found a few posts on overclockers forums where people talk about the benefits to investing in a stronger rear fan. I confirmed it on both my 3u and 4u build getting around 4 deg drop just from upgrading the rear fans.

I think it has something to do with creating a region of low pressure just behind the CPUs which helps to prevent stagnant hot air or vortices by encouraging a clear flow front to back.

Couldn't find the exact post, but I found this linustechtips vid where they post similar results (albeit for a tower)

Front fan only: 67 degC,
Top fan only: 65 degC
Rear fan only: 64 degC
No case fan: 71 degC

It seems like the positive pressure/negative pressure argument has gone on as long as there's been system builders.
That said, I'm now strongly in the negative pressure camp. If you think about it there must have been a reason the old ATX PSUs with 80mm fans pulled rather than pushed.

Just transplanted one of my machines into an ARK IPC-2U2055 fans pushing forward.
Unorthodox, but I'm happy with the temps.

 

[james23]

replaced 2 of the middle fans with FAN-0074L4 and added one Cooler Master 80mm in the rear exhaust. The noise reduction is significant ( Slightly more than the noctuas running at full speed)....

KD, pls correct me if im wrong, but FAN-0074L4 will NOT fit in 2u nor 3u 16bay middle chasis fan slots, right? ie the FAN-0074L4 's plastic fan holder are like 4u 24bay fan holers in that they are SLIGHTLY wider than the fan holders that go in normal SM 2u and 3u 16 bay chaises, and thus wont fit. (just like the 2u/3u fans wont fit in a 4u slot as they are a TAD too narrow when u slide them in)

For example, i have several SM 2u -12 bay / 3u -16 bay and 4u -24 bay 's here and i can move fans between any of the 2u's and 3u's. but the 4u is slightly wider

the way i tell the difference is that little nub/holder at the top of the fan = slightly wider 4u type fan bracket.

(in all this im only talking about the middle fan row, not rear fans)

ie 4u only:


ie 2u/3u (in this example a FAN-0094L4 ): :



(im trying to find some more quiet fans for my 2u / 3u SMs and it looks like im going to have to buy some fans and manually add the 4pin PWM connector, as fan only setups are sold with a 4pin bare wire - i currently have the
stock SM - Nidec UltraFlo 12v 0.6a ones and am trying to get something a bit quieter)

tks

 

[nthu9280]

@james23
Are you are aware that these plastic case can be interchanged with most of other 80 mm fans.
San Ace 0.35A FAN- 0125L4 / San Ace 80 9GA0812P2M0031 versions are the lowest I'd feel comfortable though they are not the super quiet like the 0.13A versions in 0104L4 used on 743 chassis. There is a Nidec ultraflow with similar 0.3A rating as well.

FAN-0074L4 is 0.58A and not sure that quiet to be honest.

 

[james23]

EDIT/UPDATE:
sorry guys, i stand corrected! for whatever reason, the 4x new SM 2u/3u servers i have here (used, but all newer chassis from past 0-3 years), all have these newer fan holders that have a notch in them, that notch forces you to use 80mm fans with 38mm depth! (else you have to dremmel ALOT of the fan, which i tried, and it worked, but i didnt like it).

So i decided to run to the back and look at 2 x of my older chasis 2u SM servers and low and behold, the fan holder DOES NOT have that annoying notch! (and these DO fit in my newer 2u/3u chasiss). so with these older fan holders, i can infact use 25mm or 32mm depth 80mm fans, which are offered @ lower amps! (i have spent nearly 4 hours looking at EVERY 38mm depth fan out there, and none are lower than .5 amp, or they are but dont have PWM 4pin.

so anyway, the solution is to be sure to have the NON notched fan holders, and then you can use any 80mm fans! (i already had ordred 6x 80x25mm .3amp fans)

here is a pict of what im talking about:


(i already have lots of the SQ power supplies and i didnt want to use a standalone fan controler, and also didnt want to get into using ipmitool to lower the ipmi fan thresholds, so thus i was gungho on finding lower amp fans that i could drop in, as im going to have 6-8x SM more servers in a new rack at my home/office in a server room so i need to control sound.

FWIW, i was able to buy 12x SM FAN- 0126L4 for 34$ shipped (mainly for the holders + they are 0.6amp if i need power in a few slots) + i bought 6 x 0.13a 80x25mm bare fans for $48 from ebay/china (with no pwm head, so ill have to crimp on myself).

with that above, and this new information i just discovered (or had i just listened to yall), i should be able to get sound down.


here are some ebay options ive ordered:

T80T12MS11A7-07A02 0.35a x25mm w pwm head - 13$
NIDEC T80T12MS11A7-07A02 8025 4P 0.35A 4pin PWM server inverter fan #M3786 QL | eBay

9S0812P4F051 12V 0.13A x25mm (maybe bare 4x wire) - $8
San Ace 80 9S0812P4F051 12V 0.13A 8CM 80*80*25MM 4Pin PWM Fan | eBay

thanks

thanks nthu, i actually know this, but for somereason i keep forgetting that (or i dont want to remember it bc they are so expensive @ ~25$ per fan!).

also- FAN- 0125L4 (Sa
n Ace 0.35A 9GA0812P2M0031 ) -- is NOT an option

EDIT: actually neither of those options you listed are options for 2u/3u servers ( as FAN-0104L4 is 25mm in depth, and FAN- 0125L4 is 32mm in depth (both are not 38mm, so would need to dremmel the fan ). FAN- 0125L4 actually would work in the slightly more shallow fan holder it comes in, but the power connector is on the wrong side (on FAN- 0125L4 its on the right, but on 2u/3u chasis the slot has power connector on the left side)

I currently have several 0.6a and 0.58a fans (which i got to replace the often stock 1.1a or 1.2a fans)- these are much quieter , but still not where i want to be (as i have just about all SQ power supplies). I also tried swapping some fans around holders, and found the hard way that on 2u and 3u chasis fans, you MUST use 80x80x38mm fans, as any that are x32mm or x25mm will not fit (or you can try taking a dremmel to the fan like i did but its a mess and not a good fit).

also its almost impossible to find 0.13a or 0.3a @38mm bare fans (ie just the fan only, with bare wire/no 4pin connector direct from san ace or Nidec ). i just cant find them to buy as a bare fan. so at this point it looks like the best move for me (or others) is to just buy FAN- 0125L4 or FAN-0104L4 and swap the fan over to my 2u/3u holder. (they are expensive though! and i need about 15x). will update w final results

 

[Helios0ne]

I am trying to swap new fans into this housing but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to remove the fan from the bracket. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[epicurean]

I am trying to swap new fans into this housing but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to remove the fan from the bracket. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This might help:

 

[i386]

I am trying to swap new fans into this housing but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to remove the fan from the bracket. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Use a flathead screwdrive to open te clips holding the fan in that frame

 

[Navy_BOFH]

I have been reading this with much concentration because I am in the process of getting an SC835 into "quiet" standards. I have an SQ power supply on the way and a trio of the FAN-0074L4 fans to swap into the stock fan cages. However... my motherboard only has 4 fan headers which worked out to where the midplane fans get a header each, and then the CPU.

I want to add some QUIET exhaust fans to the two rear headers - but am not sure how I want to proceed with that. Would a pair of 80mm Noctuas on a standard Molex connector be enough to keep things happy - 0r should I start looking into PWN fan splitters?

 

[Markess]

I want to add some QUIET exhaust fans to the two rear headers - but am not sure how I want to proceed with that. Would a pair of 80mm Noctuas on a standard Molex connector be enough to keep things happy - 0r should I start looking into PWN fan splitters?

Simple PWM splitters, the ones that have no tach pin on one of the connectors, are inexpensive and work well. If a pair of quieter fans draw less power than a single high volume fan, or what the header is rated for, there isn't much risk IMHO. I use these on my SC933 without issue. The risk with any splitter is that you can loose the fan that isn't sending the tach signal and you'd never know it. Of course, you'd have the same issue if you plug into a Molex I guess.

If you need/want more fans than two per header will give you, you can also get PWM splitters that allow you to keep the PWM function, and still power through a 4 Pin Molex. These work for situations where you'd need more power than a shared motherboard fan header will give you.

My son, "the gamer", uses one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Electop-Chassis-Cooling-Molex-Controller/dp/B071KNT7FW This lets him have tach and PWM signal to/from a single fan and fan header, and syncs it for up to 9 other fans, with all of them powered via a single Molex plug. That way, he can have 10 fans screaming at once in perfect sync. Luckily, I'm in another room.

 

[immageek]

EDIT/UPDATE:
sorry guys, i stand corrected! for whatever reason, the 4x new SM 2u/3u servers i have here (used, but all newer chassis from past 0-3 years), all have these newer fan holders that have a notch in them, that notch forces you to use 80mm fans with 38mm depth! (else you have to dremmel ALOT of the fan, which i tried, and it worked, but i didnt like it).

So i decided to run to the back and look at 2 x of my older chasis 2u SM servers and low and behold, the fan holder DOES NOT have that annoying notch! (and these DO fit in my newer 2u/3u chasiss). so with these older fan holders, i can infact use 25mm or 32mm depth 80mm fans, which are offered @ lower amps! (i have spent nearly 4 hours looking at EVERY 38mm depth fan out there, and none are lower than .5 amp, or they are but dont have PWM 4pin.

so anyway, the solution is to be sure to have the NON notched fan holders, and then you can use any 80mm fans! (i already had ordred 6x 80x25mm .3amp fans)

here is a pict of what im talking about:
View attachment 10598

(i already have lots of the SQ power supplies and i didnt want to use a standalone fan controler, and also didnt want to get into using ipmitool to lower the ipmi fan thresholds, so thus i was gungho on finding lower amp fans that i could drop in, as im going to have 6-8x SM more servers in a new rack at my home/office in a server room so i need to control sound.

FWIW, i was able to buy 12x SM FAN- 0126L4 for 34$ shipped (mainly for the holders + they are 0.6amp if i need power in a few slots) + i bought 6 x 0.13a 80x25mm bare fans for $48 from ebay/china (with no pwm head, so ill have to crimp on myself).

with that above, and this new information i just discovered (or had i just listened to yall), i should be able to get sound down.


here are some ebay options ive ordered:

T80T12MS11A7-07A02 0.35a x25mm w pwm head - 13$
NIDEC T80T12MS11A7-07A02 8025 4P 0.35A 4pin PWM server inverter fan #M3786 QL | eBay

9S0812P4F051 12V 0.13A x25mm (maybe bare 4x wire) - $8
San Ace 80 9S0812P4F051 12V 0.13A 8CM 80*80*25MM 4Pin PWM Fan | eBay

thanks

thanks nthu, i actually know this, but for somereason i keep forgetting that (or i dont want to remember it bc they are so expensive @ ~25$ per fan!).

also- FAN- 0125L4 (Sa
n Ace 0.35A 9GA0812P2M0031 ) -- is NOT an option

EDIT: actually neither of those options you listed are options for 2u/3u servers ( as FAN-0104L4 is 25mm in depth, and FAN- 0125L4 is 32mm in depth (both are not 38mm, so would need to dremmel the fan ). FAN- 0125L4 actually would work in the slightly more shallow fan holder it comes in, but the power connector is on the wrong side (on FAN- 0125L4 its on the right, but on 2u/3u chasis the slot has power connector on the left side)

I currently have several 0.6a and 0.58a fans (which i got to replace the often stock 1.1a or 1.2a fans)- these are much quieter , but still not where i want to be (as i have just about all SQ power supplies). I also tried swapping some fans around holders, and found the hard way that on 2u and 3u chasis fans, you MUST use 80x80x38mm fans, as any that are x32mm or x25mm will not fit (or you can try taking a dremmel to the fan like i did but its a mess and not a good fit).

also its almost impossible to find 0.13a or 0.3a @38mm bare fans (ie just the fan only, with bare wire/no 4pin connector direct from san ace or Nidec ). i just cant find them to buy as a bare fan. so at this point it looks like the best move for me (or others) is to just buy FAN- 0125L4 or FAN-0104L4 and swap the fan over to my 2u/3u holder. (they are expensive though! and i need about 15x). will update w final results

So what was the model of that fan on the left that doesn't have the notch? I have an 836 and trying to get better cooling results. With the Arctic fans I'm seeing 46ish on my HDDs and not sure if that's something I should worry about long term. Are they the, FAN-0094L4?

 

[Fritz]

If you understand physics you understand that the more air you move the move noise you'll have to endure. Any mod that decreases the noise will also decrease the air flow and hence the system will run hotter. The only solution, in my experience is PWM fans with BIOS control. Replacing the fans with quieter fans will result in less cooling and higher temps.