Do you guys have a link to the fans you are using?

I was able to fit all 4 SFF-8087 cables through the hole in the bottom on the left. Of course, they have to be fed through before I could screw down the fan board. The flat SATA cables from the SSD and the DVD drive as well as the cables from the front panel go around the left side between the fan board and the side of the case. All of my power cables except for the power cable to the fans are running to the right side of the fan board between the fan board and the case. I ran the power cable to the fan power backplane through the hole in the bottom just because, even though it will fit on the side.

I'm glad to hear the 1600 RMP Scythe fans are also quiet. I was considering getting three to try out, but now you've convinced me.

As for the 3ware cables, are they marked for directionality or did you have to figure it out the hard way?

They're available all over the place. Newegg, FrozenCPU, Sidewinder, Microcenter, Fry's, Amazon, etc.

Do you have a 4020 or 4220 case? The fan board was designed for the 4220 case. I have no idea how it would fit or work in a 4020 case.

Hi Cavediver,

I have the 4220 case, except mine has 2 2.5inch drive mounts on the top and no floppy opening in the front - mid-year adjustment. I could fit the 4 SAS-SAS cables in, but the SAS to SATA had to be on the bottom and was a PITA to fit. Cutting the bracket was a bit easier for fitting and if I have to replace a fan, it will be easy to do that too.

I had to figure out the cables the hard way. The receiving end has a label on it (or extra label on it), but doesn't say directional. I bought these cables:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6816116093

I labeled each cable so I knew which port and backplane went where.

Also, only one of the 2 MV8s is showing all of the SMART data (unmanaged disks are not appearing with temp data, but are showing with activity - same with onboard SATA no temp, but activity), so I need to check into that issue, but otherwise no problems. Might disable onboard SMART and see what happens.

For Brennok:
Scythe Slipstream 120mm 88CFM model - might change to the 110CFM model and see what happens.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6835185059

Wow, 2-2.5" drive mounts would have been nice. Mine only has one, but I was looking at it last night and figured it would be real easy to put 4 or more 2.5" drives in the space. I was thinking about designing and building a bracket to hold 6-2.5" drives.

Are you talking about the sff-8087 to 4 sata reverse cable to connect the backplane to the mobo sata ports being hard to fit?

I see what you mean about being able to remove the fan board without removing the cables. I'll look at that for a possible design improvement for the next batch.




I looked at those cables but was concerned because the connectors in the photo don't look right. But I guess since you have them installed, they work?



Both of my MV8's are passing the smart data so it is visible in the Disk Management add-in, but I'm not getting that info from the mobo sata ports. I have SMART data enabled in the mobo bios. Which mobo are you using?

Nearly everything is identical to your build, except the fans, the DVD drive, the processor and the storage pool drives (and the cables I guess).

Thanks I was also looking at the Scythe SY1225SL12SH 120mm.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6835185060



Sorry I was more meaning the specs or model number. I know next to nothing about cooling since I have always stuck with stock fans in the past. I wasn't sure what the original fans were rated at to find something that is equal or better than just with less noise. I tend to over research everything especially when it is my first go.

EDIT: It looks like the fans I got were DC AFB0812H which are 3000 RPM, 35.31 CFM, at 31.0 DBA. I don't know if everyone got the same ones. Based on this I am guessing the fans I linked above will move a ton more air but also be that much louder which is not what I want. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I believe those are the two rear fans. The 4 backplane fans are 5000 RPM screamers which run at 55 dBA.

I look at cubic feet per minute and the noise level. The stock jet engines in the array were rated for 80CFM each at 55dba, they generated over 70dba in my test combined.

I just ordered the 110CFM 120mm slipstreams which would better the stock fans in total CFM and they are rated at 37dba. Currently I am generating about 270CFM on the fans and I don't hear them.

Room temp got hot tonight....someone decided she was cold and upped the temp... at 88 degrees in the house I have a drive hitting 116F.

For SHAWSHANK I have the Supermicro AOC-SAT2-MV8 card. Instead of using the mobo sata ports for the remaining drives I decided to get another card, but instead got the AOC-SASLP-MV8 as per Erail's suggestion. Can you confirm exactly what wire I need to get, I assume it should just be a SAS to SATA cable (something like this)

Thanks.

_________________
Cheers,
Damian

DIY WHS - 12.5TB and growing, too many gadgets to list

Did you read the MediaSmartServer blog today?
Blog - http://www.adigitalhomeblog.com
"Like a midget at a urinal, stay on your toes!" - Lieutenant Frank Drebin

dbone,

For the AOC-SASLP-MV8 card, you will need this 3ware CBL-SFF8087OCF-05M 1 unit of 0.5m Multi-lane Internal (SFF-8087) Serial ATA breakout cable, forward. If that's too short, 3ware makes a 1 meter version http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816116099. The one you linked to will work also, but it's $10.00 more than the 1meter 3ware cable.

Ambient room temp makes a big difference in drive temps no matter how much cfm you're pulling through the case.

I agree with that to a certain degree. However, what I have found with my Supermicro is, that the sensitivity to ambient air is much reduced with a real server. The Supermicro, even running with reduced fans speeds via a fan controller, will keep the hard drive temperatures under 100F even with 88F ambient air temp. The Supermicro has the same setup as the 4220 with 4 92mm fans across the back of the backplane and 2 80mm exhaust fans at the back of the case, although it is a 3u vs the 4u of the 4220. I'm surprised that walkabt is seeing 113F on one of his drives, but the switch from 4 80mm to 3 120mm should change that.

_________________
HP EX470, 4 GIG, 4200+ EE SFF, WHS V1, Production
HP EX485, 4 GIG, E5800, WHS 2011, Stablebit Drive Pool, Transfer Server, Backup Server
HP EX490, 4 GIG, Q9400S, WHS 2011, Stablebit Drive Pool, Mediaserver
HP EX485, 4 GIG, Q8200S, WHS 2011, ITUNES Server

what are the power costs of this thing lol?