PVE Cluster using UNAS 810A

[BigServerSmallStudio]

@BigServerSmallStudio my new build 2020 using sas3 mobo with sas3 backplane

the board has lsi3008 and also intel x550 onboard, must use additional blower fan to cool it down.
View attachment 16433

what exact mobo is that?

Did you convert the SATA backpane to SAS, is that what you meant?

And do you still have all those PCI devices connected, which fans are installed where to cool such a beast?

I'm deciding between purchasing this 810A or the SilverStone CS381, so your help is super appreciated. I love how you documented your journey above, it's been incredibly helpful

 

[EluRex]

the mobo is X11SSH-CTF | Motherboards | Products | Super Micro Computer, Inc. with SAS3 controller

now it has a sas3 variant model (sff8643) already



Ihave sliverstone cs281 (2.5" version) which cooling sucks... I dont recommend siliverstone cs381

 

[BigServerSmallStudio]

the mobo is X11SSH-CTF | Motherboards | Products | Super Micro Computer, Inc. with SAS3 controller

now it has a sas3 variant model (sff8643) already

View attachment 16434

Ihave sliverstone cs281 (2.5" version) which cooling sucks... I dont recommend siliverstone cs381

What specifically do you mean by cooling sucks? The STH review seemed to be okay for the CS280 where they tested 15k 2.5" drives at ~45C. Either way, the 2.5" chassis is likely not as relevant given I think the DS380 also had trouble cooling in its mITX chassis vs. the CS381 is now a larger mATX.

I'd imagine 5.4k 3.5" drives in a larger chassis would be well underneath that given the CS381 is 4*120mm fans and 15.8" wide / 8.9" tall vs. CS280 is 8.7" wide / 7" tall

 

[Marsh]

What specifically do you mean by cooling sucks?

I looked at the case couple years back, decide to pass ( amazon had a sale for $90 ).
The issue as I recall is that there is hardly any air flow across the drives bays.
The fan is located in the bottom half of the case, not cooling the drive bays.

 

[BigServerSmallStudio]

I looked at the case couple years back, decide to pass ( amazon had a sale for $90 ).
The issue as I recall is that there is hardly any air flow across the drives bays.
The fan is located in the bottom half of the case, not cooling the drive bays.

Makes sense, there looks to be almost zero cooling on those 2.5" HDDs with a massive PSU immediately behind the drive cages in the CS280. I would think the CS381 is actually substantially better cooling solution that the U-NAS 810A, CS280 or DS380

 

[EluRex]

I looked at the case couple years back, decide to pass ( amazon had a sale for $90 ).
The issue as I recall is that there is hardly any air flow across the drives bays.
The fan is located in the bottom half of the case, not cooling the drive bays.

This is all silverstone case issue, its the back plane for hdd/sdd blocks all air flow.... I have to open and clean my cs280 on regular basis (like every 3 month)

It seems to me that cs381 backplane has improved



this is 810a SAS3 backplane

 

[PigLover]

The cs381 does have improved airflow over the drive bays but they messed up the airflow over the MB by using a solid sheet of metal on the front of the MB tray. So end of day their MB cooling is just as bad - maybe worse - than the nsc810a.

 

[BigServerSmallStudio]

The cs381 does have improved airflow over the drive bays but they messed up the airflow over the MB by using a solid sheet of metal on the front of the MB tray. So end of day their MB cooling is just as bad - maybe worse - than the nsc810a.

Would that still be a concern if you stick a 240mm AIO radiator on the CPU? I would think the 4 120mm fans can do a better job circulating air inside the chassis than the 810A

 

[PigLover]

Circulating the air just creates turbulence and doesn't do much to cool the components on the board. Yes - in the CS381 you can put a radiator on and get the CPU cooled, but nothing else on the MB is going to get much meaningful airflow. To have effective cooling the air needs to come from the outside and pass over the MB. And this design doesn't really allow that. Mostly the rear fans will just be pulling air from the back of the drive bay and blowing it out, leaving the MB tray either stagnant or turbulent rather than cooling it.

What is disappointing about this is that its to easy for Silversone to fix - punch some holes in metal in front of the MB tray and your all set. Put a dust filter over it and its even better.

 

[BigServerSmallStudio]

Circulating the air just creates turbulence and doesn't do much to cool the components on the board. Yes - in the CS381 you can put a radiator on and get the CPU cooled, but nothing else on the MB is going to get much meaningful airflow. To have effective cooling the air needs to come from the outside and pass over the MB. And this design doesn't really allow that. Mostly the rear fans will just be pulling air from the back of the drive bay and blowing it out, leaving the MB tray either stagnant or turbulent rather than cooling it.

What is disappointing about this is that its to easy for Silversone to fix - punch some holes in metal in front of the MB tray and your all set. Put a dust filter over it and its even better.

Interesting, what specifically on the Mobo should I be concerned about "overheating" or "running too warm"? Are you aware (or do you own the CS381), where temps have been reported to be elevated?

I am deciding between the 810A and CS381, and though an AIO solves any potential CPU heat issues being crammed underneath the HDD caddy and I can add a GPU later on to make this a dual-use NAS/Workstation that functions a bit better and bit cooler than the 810A in a slightly larger chassis

 

[PigLover]

Most likely would be any m.2 SSDs on the MB. One some MBs the chipset. Or if you are getting your SATA ports via an on-board LSI controller.

 

[EluRex]

if your motherboard has onboard 10 base-T like x550/552/557, they are extremely hot as well, also the MOSFET are hot as well