Fanless Hdplex H3 home server with X11SCV-Q, LSI 9341-8i & 2x 15TB Samsung SAS PM1643

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

c steff

Member
Apr 18, 2019
49
7
8
Just posting my build in case anyone needs ideas, advice etc.

I fitted the CPU heat pipes on one side only (5 of them instead of all 6, more than enough for a 35W CPU) and the 2x SAS ssds on the other side cooling panel as I found they get quite hot whilst testing them without the case (there is a thread here about making the SSDs work when someone replied that these are SAS not NVMe, not sure why I assumed they are NVMe so I did a lot of "trying" and testing on them).

Inside is very messy as I am still waiting for few bits to tidy up:
- shorter PCIe riser
- shorter SAS cable and for cables for 2 drives only (Dell branded as amazon ones are all for 4 drives and 1m length cables)
- thermal pads for the SSDs (0.5mm I had are not thick enough so I ordered 1.5mm)
- USB 3.1 header cable to USB 3.0 so I can connect 2 side USB 3.0 ports
- USB 2.0 mini header to normal size header to connect the 2 side USB 2.0 ports - I need help please as I can't find anywhere a cable for the smaller usb 2.0 header on Supermicro board - one of my photos below show the headers

Parts used:
- Fanless Hdplex H3 case HDPLEX H3 V2 Fanless PC Chassis
- Supermicro mini itx X11SCV-Q X11SCV-Q | Motherboards | Products - Super Micro Computer, Inc.
- i5-8400T 35W cpu, I don't need Xeon for what I am using the server (raid 1 for backups and accessing my data from PCs and videos on TVs) - I have i5-8500T and i7-8700T CPUs but waste for money for this server
- 2x 15.36TB Samsung PM1643 SAS SSDs
- not sure yet if also 2x 3.84TB Micron 5100 Pro SATA ssds, waiting for delivery but may resell or use them in other PCs as my current data is half the 15TB SSDs
- 2x 8Gb DDR4 2666 Mhz SODIMM Samsung - I have 2x16Gb but waste of money/won't be used
- SAS cable https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QN2NN64/ but way too long and too many ports for my use so waiting for a short /2 ends Dell cable
- LSI 9341-8i SAS Raid card
- Samsung PM981 m.2 NVME SSD for OS only with a cheap heatsink
- Hdplex 160W AC-DC
- Hdplex 160W DC-ATX
- Hdplex PCIe riser but trying to find a shorter one

I had to "remove" the bios battery and solder it with wires horizontal as it was vertical and I couldn't fit the CPU heat pipes properly, I did a messy job but works fine. It took me many hours to troubleshoot as motherboard wasn't powering on but I realised I was trying to switch it ON by shorting 2 pins for TPM pins instead the correct ones as the stupid sketch showing all pins for front panel was under the TPM pins (even though I got it right the first hundred of times when I was testing the board with different parts).

I also had to cut few spikes for the cooling block of the northbridge chip or whatever is that due to the CPU heat pipes, again messy job but I don't have all the right tools.

It took me more than a day to figure out with my limited tools how to fix the 2 SSDs on the side panel of the case for cooling purposes. The photos show missing screws as I am waiting for the thicker thermal pads.

One small issue this LSI card does not work with CSM enabled in bios, need it disabled and set UEFI boot only. Ctrl+R is only working with CSM but I don't need to access its settings/RAID set up often so this is fine with me.

Now to install Win server and do some testing to check CPU & SSD temp and SSDs speed tests

Photos
IMG_20190505_1023046.jpg IMG_20190506_1517397.jpg IMG_20190506_1517479.jpg IMG_20190506_1520196.jpg IMG_20190506_1520235.jpg IMG_20190506_1531518.jpg IMG_20190506_1535069.jpg IMG_20190506_1548081.jpg IMG_20190506_1548138.jpg IMG_20190506_1555372.jpg IMG_20190506_1607100.jpg IMG_20190506_1609125.jpg IMG_20190506_1609175.jpg IMG_20190506_1609218.jpg IMG_20190506_1611009.jpg IMG_20190506_1611071.jpg
 
Last edited:

c steff

Member
Apr 18, 2019
49
7
8
1st update, the SSDs are too thick and probably shorted some pins on the side of the motherboard as it pushed onto them and there are lots of pins there and jumpers as it stopped working after 30min but when I removed the side panel with the SSDs started working again. I will have to put some isolation tape on the SSDs at the bottom next to all those pins

*** I ordered this short pcie riser
https://www.amazon.co.uk/EASYDIY-Express-Flexible-Extension-Card-10cm/dp/B075TD7PDW/
 
Last edited:

c steff

Member
Apr 18, 2019
49
7
8
The 10cm pcie riser arrived, much better, I would have liked even shorter but I will stick with this. Photo below.
I need to mod the raid card as its headsink gets too hot for my liking, need to attach some headpipes and connect them to the side panel of the case
IMG_20190507_1841011.jpg