Another Supermicro Quieting Thread

[Lobanz]

Hey guys! First post here. Found the other threads very useful so I deviced to join.

Just got my first Supermicro server:

• 2U 8-bay SC825 chassis
• X8DT6-F motherboard
• 192GB ECC RAM
• 2 hex core X5680 3.3 GHz Xeons
• 4x 3TB 6Gbs SATA drives on a SAS 6Gbs backplane
• $400 for the whole thing and seems to be in good shape

Won't see gobs of load. Just using it as a NAS with TrueNAS SCALE and to run a few low usage VMs and containers.

Have it in a small room with a couple freezers, the HVAC air handler and the network gear, but I can still hear it from the bedroom down the hall if the server room door is open. I would just close the door but concerned about heat buildup with the server and 2 large freezers.

My main question is about power supply noise.

It's hard to tell, but I *think* most of the noise is coming from the power supplies. I have the fan controll BIOS setting on Energy Savings (lowest setting) which helps a lot BUT the power supply fans DONT spin down at all - not temperature controlled. They are on a constant speed all the time. From reading this forum and others, it looks like the following power supplies are deemed to be quiet and compatible. Server came with 2x of the first one in it already.

• PWS-721P-1R: One I have now (supposed to be quiet)
• PWS-920P-SQ: supposed to be quiet but more power than I need

So my main question is: Does the PWS-920P-SQ have a temperature controlled fan speed? Do you think it would be much quieter than the non-temp-controlled PWS-721P-1R I have now?

Also, it looks like Supermicro makes 3 levels of hot-swap 80mm fans that fit the chassis (I hope):

• FAN-0126L4: ones I have now (7000 rpm, 53.5 dBA, 72.5 CFM)
• FAN-0074L4: ones I ordered (5000 rpm, 45 dBA, 68.3 CFM)
• FAN-0104L4: weaker fan (2800 RPM, 24 dBA, 32.9 CFM)

My server came with the 7000 RPM ones (which are running at about 3500 RPM at no-load idle under the Energy Saving profile), but since I can't really tell if the PSUs are more noisy than the fans, I have the 5000 RPM ones on order. The 2800 RPM ones seem like they might not move enough air.

Thanks!

--- Lobanz

 

[Lobanz]

OK. And update.

The PWS-920P-SQ power supplies came in and seem to work fine. Pretty good deal at $58.49 ea ("open box"), but not a lot of change in overall noise level. I think the majority of the fan noise is from the 3 main case fans on the fan wall idling at 3500 RPM.

I got in some FAN-0074L4 fans, but they didnt fit. The even quieter FAN-0104L4 ones look to be in the same housing, so I doubt those will fit either.

So the next step is to try to replace the fans inside the hot swap housings I have now. We'll see if all 80mm fans are the same size. The fans inside the FAN-0074L4 housings that didnt fit look to be very slightly larger than the ones I have now. I'm returning those so I didnt try to take the fans out of them.

 

[Lobanz]

Chronicalling progress in this lonely thread.

THIS guy changed the fans in his 4U server to the 2800 RPM Supermicro FAN-0104L4 fans and saw that his CPUs were getting too hot with their passive CPU coolers. So he had to put on a Noctua active cooler. I can't do that in my 2U because the Noctua CPU cooler is way too tall for my chassis.

So, I've decided to replace the fans inside the Supermicro hot swap fan caddies with different fans like THIS guy did. Definately a hack, but I'm out of options for a clean solution. I think I can preserve the hot swappability, but if not, no big deal. I did a test and took the fan unit apart and make sure I could actually perform the operation and install a 25mm thick fan. Doesn't look hard. Some duct tape and zip ties and Bob's your uncle.

I looked at the Noctua NF-A8 PWM, but judged it to be an excellent and silent fan (I have several) but definately too wimpy.

The fan's in the quieter versions of the Supermicro fans like the FAN-0074L4 (5000 rpm, 45 dBA, 68.3 CFM) and FAN-0104L4 (2800 RPM, 24 dBA, 32.9 CFM) are made by Sanyo Denki. The FAN-0104L4 is only 25mm deep. Many of the fan models are hard to find. So, I think the FAN-0104L4 is a bit too wimpy. So, I went to Sanyo Denki's Advanced Search page and found a model that is in between the FAN-0104L4 and the FAN-0074L4 in terms of CFMs and static pressure and that was also available online (Digikey for about $19 with good stock level).

I chose the 9GA0812P4H001‎:

• Size: 80mm x 25mm
• Speed: 5200 RPM
• Airflow: 51.5 CFM
• Static Pressure: 87.7 Pa (WAY higher than the Noctua NF-A8)
• Sound Pressure: 37 dba
• PWM: Yes

The stock fans are rated at 53.5 dba (7000 RPM, 72.5 CFM), so these should be much quieter, but not silent. I feel pretty sure that they should be able to keep up with the the little use the CPUs get and idle very quietly. And they seem pretty available.

We'll see...

 

[mwroobel]

Here is a thread with a lot of links for quieting Supermicro boxes and power supplies,

 

[dbwillis]

I'll have to check the SM chassis that I've been throwing out... Not sure what model fans are in there,

 

[wra18th]

I have a 2U Supermicro I'm trying to silence myself. I did replace the CPUs with lower TDP but higher core count units.

 

[Lobanz]

OK. Have new fans, but they didnt have connectors.

Here is what the connector looks like on the Supermicro Hot Swap caddy. See the ears that lock it into place? Anyone know what those are and where I can get some?

I don't really want to cut off these connectors and use them on the other fan because it would make it hard to swap back.

Current plan (assuming I can't locate these connectors) is to just put regular motherboard connectors on the new fans and run the wires under the fan wall just like the hot swap receptacles do. Then I can unplug the hot swap receptacle and plug in the new fan directly into the motherboard. The fan can still be swapped out while the server is running by unplugging the motherboard fan connector, but it just isn't as slick as pulling the hot swap caddy. Should be reasonably clean as well.

(I love the editor on this site! It's awesome!)

 

[Lobanz]

The fan swap is done!

So I didn't modify the fan caddies like THIS guy did. I modified the fan to fit the caddy. Didnt turn out too bad at all. That little finger hold groove is the reason I had to modify the fan. The caddie is designed for a thick UNRIBBED fan. Unribbed means that there is no column of plastic joining the screw hole tabs on opposite sides of the corners. This way the finger hold groove will fit between the corner tabs (see pics in previous post).

Since I used thinner fans, the square corners wont fit because of the finder hold groove. So I just cut off the corner with a dremel tool. And since my fans were ribbed, I had to cut the rib off too.

Now, since the fans are thinner than the old ones, there is a gap at the top between the fan and the fan wall. I just covered it up with some 2" electrical tape. But you can get REAL redneck and use duct tape if it makes you feel better.

So did it work?! HECK YEAH. It's WAY quieter now. About 20db quieter. About like a desktop PC instead of a rocket blasting off into space. It's about like a refridgerator running or maybe a little quieter.

I'm still watching temps, but the old fans kep the CPUs at about 41C (hottest one) and the new fans keep them about 51C. Both idle temps. I have a pair of temp meters things and I keep one outside to measure ambient temp and another inside the case (guessed at the place that would be hottest) to measure case temps. The old fans kept it about 25F above ambient. It looks like the new fans are keeping about 42F above ambient. The idle temps in the case are around 41C (106F).

This is with the BIOS fan setting still set on Energy Saving. This runs the fans at about 1755 RPM ad idle. On Balanced fan setting, it keeps them at 2970 RPM, which is much more noticeable but not nearly as loud as the original fans on Energy Saver. When the computer first turns on, the fans go full speed and it can still get quite loud.

So far I'm happy with the choice of fan (Sanyo Denki 9GA0812P4H001‎ available at Digikey). I could have gone even quieter, but it's plenty quiet. I also can turn up the BIOS fan control profile if it starts heating up too much. Or in the spring or fall when we don't use the AC much.

If you have a 4U, Supermicro makes some drop in fans that you can find on ebay.

• FAN-0074L4: 5000 rpm, 45 dBA, 68.3 CFM
• FAN-0104L4: 2800 RPM, 24 dBA, 32.9 CFM

These have little grip handles on top and they won't fit in the 2U chassis. I could be wrong, but I believe these should drop right into the 4U chassis. It's a little more expensive that just changing the fans, but it should be a drop-in hot swap replacement.

I might make a followup post after I watch the temps for a while.

I hope that helps someone.


--- Lobanz

 

[daglesj]

Check out the phase change thermal pad stuff (PTM 7950). It works really well on CPUs. I was using thermal Grizzly on two laptops and switched them to the PTM7950 and got 10 to 14 degrees lower temps.

 

[Lobanz]

Check out the phase change thermal pad stuff (PTM 7950). It works really well on CPUs. I was using thermal Grizzly on two laptops and switched them to the PTM7950 and got 10 to 14 degrees lower temps.

Very cool. Sounds like this might work with the passive CPU coolers that come on the Supermicro servers. Supermicro also makes and active cooler with a fan that fits in 2U servers. The Noctua has one that fits in the 4U servers. But this PTM7950 might be cheaper.

So far my CPU temps are < 55C at idle with the new quiet fans. This box is mostly for storage, but if I start using it for VMs, the temps may go up and I'll have to look into something else. The PTM7950 sounds appealing because it doesn't have any moving parts.

So far it's VERY quiet though! Quieter than a running refridgerator.

Thanks!


--- Lobanz