Build’s Name: My Customised SFF Home Server Build
Full Spec: PartPicker Link
Usage Profile: Unraid Server for Containers, VM's and Storage Server
Time to upgrade my home server again, decided to down size from my current Fractal Design XL to something smaller and more power efficient. Decided to go with the Fractal Node 304 case, I’m moving from 12x 8tb disks with dual parity to 6x 20tb disks with single parity so will fit. Using a smaller case will mean taking up a lot less space in my small home office!
Here's a finished picture, with a rather long build thread below:
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So then, started of by ordering the case. I managed to swap the white HDD caddys for black ones with a colleague, looks much better.
Then swapped out the Fractal fans for black Noctua A9 and A14 Chromax fans. These look slightly better and much quieter.
Reused one of the LSI 9207-8i HBA from the old server. The brackets are powder coated black and have a Fractal R3 40mm fan on the heat sink. The fans are mounted using black nylon nuts and bolts, reusing the same holes as the heat sink to keep things neat and tidy. Updated the firmware while I was at it.
Installed a Corsair RM650 (2021) PSU and realised the motherboard ATX cables were pretty long. Time consuming, but re-pinned and braided the connectors to make the optimal length.
The USB cables from the front IO to the motherboard were also pretty long, so found some shorter ones on Ali Express. Soldered these onto the original PCB and braided the cable.
Also shortened and braided a few other cables, like the on/off, restart buttons and hdd activity cables. I also removed the front panel audio cables as not needed for a server.
Not a massive problem, but noticed that the power cable orientation meant the cable at the PSU end pointed up and needed to loop round, which looked messy. So found a left angle IEC (that’s a thing) cable, braided and re-terminated at the case end. Now it points down and runs along the bottom of the case, much tidier.
Next up was the mother boards silver IO shield, didn’t look brilliant on the black case. I couldn’t find a black one, thought about 3d printing one, but ended up just powder coating the original.
Came out really well and looks much better.
Installed everything on the motherboard and made a custom length, braided cable for the CPU fan. Did the same for the two front fans and exhaust fan.
The case takes 6x 3.5 HDD’s, these would be filled with my 20tb disks, so needed somewhere to install the 2x 2.5 HDD’s I use for cache drives. Easy option would be to mount on the outside of the HDD caddys, but where’s the fun in that! I decided to make my own bracket to mount them both on the side of the case.
Fabricated these out of aluminium sheet and powder coated black.
Drilled two holes in the bottom of the case, then used some black, low profile bolts to secure the bracket. These are hidden by the plastic feet mounting covers that run round the bottom edge of the case, so can’t be seen.
Inside view of the bottom of the case, where the brackets secured. I used black nylock nuts and black washers to keep looking original.
Drilled two more holes a the top of the case and secured the bracket using rivnuts and some more low profile bolts, with black washers. These were needed to make sure the case top fitted without snagging.
Made some custom length SATA power cables for the HDD’s to keep things tidy.
Then connected the HBA’s SATA data cables. I forgot to take a picture with the cables tied together, but looks tidy.
Swapped the remaining PCI cable to a black one and all done!
All sealed up, shame no one will ever see the hard work that went into the build! A fun project though, so worth it for me!
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Well done for making it to the end of this post!
I'm please with how the builds turned out. My old server use to average 190W power draw, this uses 110W. To be honest, I was hoping for a little lower, need to do some troubleshooting when I have some time.
I think the HBA is stopping the system from getting to lower C states, so may swap out for a ASM1064 based card in the future and check things out with powertop.
Full Spec: PartPicker Link
Usage Profile: Unraid Server for Containers, VM's and Storage Server
Time to upgrade my home server again, decided to down size from my current Fractal Design XL to something smaller and more power efficient. Decided to go with the Fractal Node 304 case, I’m moving from 12x 8tb disks with dual parity to 6x 20tb disks with single parity so will fit. Using a smaller case will mean taking up a lot less space in my small home office!
Here's a finished picture, with a rather long build thread below:
______________________________________________________________________________________________
So then, started of by ordering the case. I managed to swap the white HDD caddys for black ones with a colleague, looks much better.
Then swapped out the Fractal fans for black Noctua A9 and A14 Chromax fans. These look slightly better and much quieter.
Reused one of the LSI 9207-8i HBA from the old server. The brackets are powder coated black and have a Fractal R3 40mm fan on the heat sink. The fans are mounted using black nylon nuts and bolts, reusing the same holes as the heat sink to keep things neat and tidy. Updated the firmware while I was at it.
Installed a Corsair RM650 (2021) PSU and realised the motherboard ATX cables were pretty long. Time consuming, but re-pinned and braided the connectors to make the optimal length.
The USB cables from the front IO to the motherboard were also pretty long, so found some shorter ones on Ali Express. Soldered these onto the original PCB and braided the cable.
Also shortened and braided a few other cables, like the on/off, restart buttons and hdd activity cables. I also removed the front panel audio cables as not needed for a server.
Not a massive problem, but noticed that the power cable orientation meant the cable at the PSU end pointed up and needed to loop round, which looked messy. So found a left angle IEC (that’s a thing) cable, braided and re-terminated at the case end. Now it points down and runs along the bottom of the case, much tidier.
Next up was the mother boards silver IO shield, didn’t look brilliant on the black case. I couldn’t find a black one, thought about 3d printing one, but ended up just powder coating the original.
Came out really well and looks much better.
Installed everything on the motherboard and made a custom length, braided cable for the CPU fan. Did the same for the two front fans and exhaust fan.
The case takes 6x 3.5 HDD’s, these would be filled with my 20tb disks, so needed somewhere to install the 2x 2.5 HDD’s I use for cache drives. Easy option would be to mount on the outside of the HDD caddys, but where’s the fun in that! I decided to make my own bracket to mount them both on the side of the case.
Fabricated these out of aluminium sheet and powder coated black.
Drilled two holes in the bottom of the case, then used some black, low profile bolts to secure the bracket. These are hidden by the plastic feet mounting covers that run round the bottom edge of the case, so can’t be seen.
Inside view of the bottom of the case, where the brackets secured. I used black nylock nuts and black washers to keep looking original.
Drilled two more holes a the top of the case and secured the bracket using rivnuts and some more low profile bolts, with black washers. These were needed to make sure the case top fitted without snagging.
Made some custom length SATA power cables for the HDD’s to keep things tidy.
Then connected the HBA’s SATA data cables. I forgot to take a picture with the cables tied together, but looks tidy.
Swapped the remaining PCI cable to a black one and all done!
All sealed up, shame no one will ever see the hard work that went into the build! A fun project though, so worth it for me!
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Well done for making it to the end of this post!
I'm please with how the builds turned out. My old server use to average 190W power draw, this uses 110W. To be honest, I was hoping for a little lower, need to do some troubleshooting when I have some time.
I think the HBA is stopping the system from getting to lower C states, so may swap out for a ASM1064 based card in the future and check things out with powertop.
