WTB - 5 drive hot swap cages (Supermicro CSE-M35T?)

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scp

Member
Aug 5, 2015
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Hi everyone. I'm looking for a 5-drive hot swap cage that sits in a 3x5.25 bay. I've used icyDocks in the past and haven't had the best luck so I'm wondering if Supermicro cages are better quality. Does anyone have (3) of these kind of cages that hold 5 drives (3.5") and fit in a 3x5.25 bay?

Hoping to find something cheaper than what I see on eBay currently.

Something like the CSE-M35T.
 

sfbayzfs

Active Member
May 6, 2015
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SF Bay area
The Supermicro CSE-M35T or M35TQ 5-in-3 hotswap adapters are built like a tank, and 3 of them makes a great 15-drive tower out of an Antec 900 case, or four in an Antec 1200 case for 20 drives! (I've done those builds a few times for friends and other forum members!)

The original list on these is something like $220 each, and the prices on ebay which look like $75-95 each shipped are the lowest I have ever seen, so I doubt you will do significantly better unless someone local has some to dump. For some reason Newegg has them for only $90 each right now actually!

Be aware that any 5-in-3 adapter requires you to bend down two sets of 5.25" drive supports with pliers or clamps or something - there wouldn't be enough room for drives if they were cut in for clearance. Lower density adapters 4-in-3 and 3-in-2 have grooves and do not require case mods.

IcyDock has variable build / design quality, but nothing I have seen is as good as the Supermicro adpaters. My favorite trayless adapters are the iStarUSA ones, and sometimes Newegg has those on super sale, I think $50 for the 4-in-3 after rebate on black Friday once. Typically the 5-in-3 are $100-120 and they don't tend to go on sale as much.

Good luck!
 
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muhfugen

Active Member
Dec 5, 2016
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I have the 2.5" model (M28SACB) and its quality compared to Icy Dock's 3.5" cage which would rattle from play in the removal levers. I've had some minor issues with it which no one has been able to explain but would still recommend it. Its hooked up to an Areca 1883ix-24 (LSI 3108 based) with Seagate 600 Pro SSDs. Every now and then all the red LEDs will flash red very very briefly for no reason. Nothing happens to the array, and the data on it seems fine after the past 3 years or so, but Areca and SuperMicro were pointing fingers at each other as to who was to blame.