I purchased 2 x Sun Flash Accelerator F40 recently, and while they don't arrive until Thursday (and I don't even have a baseline yet), I'd be willing to wager a few bucks that I may need to manage air flow for the PCIe cards. I suggest that as: (a) others have noted they run very hot, (b) Oracle even recommends airflow of 200 LFM, (c) back of the envelope calcs don't put me there, and (d) looking to personal past experience as precedent, if there there is any chance I will have a thermal issue, I will.
Here is what today's config looks like:
In this mock up, I believe the ideal placement is a fan perpendicular to the PCIe slots (beige rectangle), which aligns with the existing air flow schema: Chassis Front => Around HDDs / Through Backplane => [CHASSIS MIDDLE FANS] => Over Motherboard => [CPU FANS] => [EXHAUST FANS] => Chassis Rear. Of note, the chassis is vertically wall mounted, with the chassis front facing the floor and chassis rear facing the ceiling, and that orientation aligns with air flow in the closet (too shallow to mount horizontally) where dense, cool air is sucked in under the door (negative pressure created) and expelled by a ceiling fan. Warm air exiting the chassis with some velocity + convection + exhaust fan = thermal scenario managed to my liking with HDD temps @ 40° max, with a script monitoring those temps and adjusting fan modes accordingly (usually the Standard profile is engaged, which is quiet enough for my liking considering I insulated the closet with Roxul).
Notes: [1] Nevermind the fact that the existing card is in the worst slot for airflow [2] Red rectangles represent possible F40 placement.
HW Config:
I know there are a number of other options: (a) Brackets that blow air down on the cards from a fan on top, (c) Brackets that blow air to the side, (d) Brackets that push air out the PCIe bracket, etc. but I haven't found exactly the right solution and would like to crowd source for options.
Here is what today's config looks like:
In this mock up, I believe the ideal placement is a fan perpendicular to the PCIe slots (beige rectangle), which aligns with the existing air flow schema: Chassis Front => Around HDDs / Through Backplane => [CHASSIS MIDDLE FANS] => Over Motherboard => [CPU FANS] => [EXHAUST FANS] => Chassis Rear. Of note, the chassis is vertically wall mounted, with the chassis front facing the floor and chassis rear facing the ceiling, and that orientation aligns with air flow in the closet (too shallow to mount horizontally) where dense, cool air is sucked in under the door (negative pressure created) and expelled by a ceiling fan. Warm air exiting the chassis with some velocity + convection + exhaust fan = thermal scenario managed to my liking with HDD temps @ 40° max, with a script monitoring those temps and adjusting fan modes accordingly (usually the Standard profile is engaged, which is quiet enough for my liking considering I insulated the closet with Roxul).
Notes: [1] Nevermind the fact that the existing card is in the worst slot for airflow [2] Red rectangles represent possible F40 placement.
HW Config:
- SuperMicro SC836E16-R1200B | SuperMicro X9DRi-LN4F+
- 6 PCI-E slots (1 currently occupied by LSI SAS 9211-4i)
- Fans: 2 x FAN-0125L4 Rear Exhaust Fan | 3 x FAN-0126L4 Chassis Middle Fan | CPU Fans: 2 x Noctua NH-D9L / NH-D9DX i4
I know there are a number of other options: (a) Brackets that blow air down on the cards from a fan on top, (c) Brackets that blow air to the side, (d) Brackets that push air out the PCIe bracket, etc. but I haven't found exactly the right solution and would like to crowd source for options.
- The best option I've been able to find is this: Adjustable Magnetic Fan Bridge Mounting Kit. Unfortunately it doesn't look like it is sold any longer.
- As a runner up, 2 x brackets + an L bracket to mount the fan would get me where I want.