Concept 2U Shallow Server Rack Cases?

[Jaxel]

Attached are images of a current case I use:

I purchased this case from:
http://www.idotpc.com/thestore/pc/I...ackmount-Case-and-Bare-bone-Unit-148p1336.htm

I purchased it because it achieves several of my needs:

• 2U rackable with removable handles
• Only 8 inches deep, so it fits in a very shallow rack
• Has 2 PCIe slots (which I use with a 8x/8x bifurcated riser)
• Has hot swappable hard drive trays.

This is probably the best case I have ever found that fits my needs.
However, there a few things it gets wrong... VERY WRONG.

Firstly, and the biggest problem the case has is that it has FOUR hot-swappable hard drive trays. I only need a single hot-swap tray. Having four however, greatly limits the space inside the case. It makes cable management impossible, as you have to wrap the power cables around the back of the trays, which block the exhaust fan. Because of this, the case gets very hot. Instead of putting in four hot-swappable hard drive trays, they could have simply put in one 3.5" drive bay.

The case is made of steel. It's heavy... and gets very hot; yes, even the metal itself gets hot. The slim ODD tray is also a complete waste of space. They could have instead shifted some front panel connections, the USB ports, the LEDs and power button around and created more space for some cooling fans. Another bonus I could have used was more PCIe slots; so that I could possibly use a 8x/4x/4x bifurcated riser card.

So I guess my question would be... is someone out there willing to make a case that fits my needs?

 

[confusis]

The main question I'd have is - how short do you need it to be?

With server hardware, stuff like this is normal - rackmount cases are designed for multiple use cases - hell, my 4U rack cases still have AT keyboard connectors on them! They're also designed to run at high fan speeds and air throughput, not the quiet fans most end users throw in them (myself included).

Have you considered modding instead - this may be a cheaper option. Pop a single 2.5" drive adapter in the slimline optical bay, unmount the hotswap bays and pop in a few blanking plates, or mount an extra fan there with a magnetic filter on the front to hide the original cutouts.

 

[chx]

Unmounting the hotswap bays will be a fun exercise as even without seeing this particular case, I'd bet anything they are riveted to the case floor.

 

[confusis]

Nothing a drill can't solve

 

[Jaxel]

The main question I'd have is - how short do you need it to be?

With server hardware, stuff like this is normal - rackmount cases are designed for multiple use cases - hell, my 4U rack cases still have AT keyboard connectors on them! They're also designed to run at high fan speeds and air throughput, not the quiet fans most end users throw in them (myself included).

Have you considered modding instead - this may be a cheaper option. Pop a single 2.5" drive adapter in the slimline optical bay, unmount the hotswap bays and pop in a few blanking plates, or mount an extra fan there with a magnetic filter on the front to hide the original cutouts.

I removed the slim ODD tray, so that I could fit a larger CPU fan... so putting a hotswap bay there isn't really possible.

And the hotswap bays are non-standard. So I can't just pop in blanking plates. They would have to be welded in... I am not a welder.

 

[Jaxel]

If I could remove the hotswap bays altogether, I would actually look into replacing it with an 80mm water cooling system... but I'm not well equipped to do those kinds of modifications.

 

[el01]

Are the bays modular? There appears to be a division between the top and bottom 2-bay sections. With that in mind, I would try taking a saw to the bottom bay, cutting off part of the top section and leaving a bit of metal that can be bent that can hold the drive inside. Then, buy some sort of janky 1 drive backplane or make your own. I'll post a diagram later today if you can't visualize this properly

 

[Jaxel]

Are the bays modular?

I'll open it up and check this weekend.

 

[Jaxel]

Finally got around to opening it up.... I was able to remove the top two bays... which made a lot more room for cables. However, heat will always remain an issue.

Is there anything I can do with this case to improve cooling? Are there better cooling options? I am using an Thermolab LP53 with with a Noctua NF-A9.

 

[el01]

Finally got around to opening it up.... I was able to remove the top two bays... which made a lot more room for cables. However, heat will always remain an issue.

Is there anything I can do with this case to improve cooling? Are there better cooling options? I am using an Thermolab LP53 with with a Noctua NF-A9.

USE DEM DANK STACKED THICCC SERVER FANS!

 

[chx]

Well, how does the airflow look. Where does fresh air enter the chassis, how much is there, how does it get moved through the CPU cooler? Is your CPU fan set to intake through the top (it seems there is a cutout) with the rear fan being exhaust or the other way around? Did you test both?

 

[el01]

After a bit of thinking, I have three "good" options:

1. (least difficult): Buy more fans and stack mount them inside the case like in HPC servers. Airflow won't be particularly directed, but it's better than nothing. I assume you have this thing on a rack, so you could run the GPU and CPU fans at max to suck in that air.
2. (more difficult): Build a fan diversion thing that directs the airflow at the CPU cooler and maybe the GPU.
3. (Most difficult): Punch holes in the parts of the case that you need airflow in.

Are there holes on the bottom of the case for the GPU? That thing looks like it's choked...

Otherwise, by now, there's not much I can think of. I could design a 2U chassis, but I can't manufacture anything at the moment so you would have to laser cut and/or bend metal yourself.

 

[Jaxel]

The only holes in the case is that small 1cm row of holes at the bottom of the front, and the holes above the CPU. The GPU gets VERY hot.

 

[Valantar]

From looking at the case, the only air intake is on the top - inside of the rack. How well ventilated is the rack? Unless the top of the rack is well ventilated, the only air accessible to that intake is air already warmed by the PC and exhausted out the back. No wonder this runs hot.

Do you have access to a Dremel or drill-mounted hole saw capable of cutting steel? 'Cause pretty much the only thing you can do here is getting an intake fan or two mounted to the front of the case. If you don't mind it looking slightly rough, just cut the holes however you want, drill holes for fan screws, and put standard wire fan grills in front of the fans.


Oh, wait, now I see that the rear fan is mounted as an intake. Hm. Is there anything obstructing airflow behind the case? And beyond that, how is air being exhausted? If the majority of hot air is leaving the case through the top opening (which would be challenging, given that the CPU fan is directly below it and blowing down), it's likely being sucked in again by the rear intake unless the air has somewhere to dissipate. You could try flipping your CPU fan (so that it blows upwards) and ducting it to exhaust hot air directly through the top vent. At least that way you'd have some actual cycling of air and not excessive positive pressure with nowhere for air to leave.