1U Cases

tabasco · TweakNOOB Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 97

Anybody have any tips on keeping a 1U case cool. Our gaming clan has a dedicated box for gaming. We were able to use a 1U case for up to a 2.8ghz P4. Going above 2.8ghz , i.e 3.2ghz we started having overheating problems.

Here's a couple of pics of the case:

http://www.redhour.us/images/banners/server1.jpg

http://www.redhour.us/images/banners/server2.jpg

Google · Sponsor

[KoG]^weaZel · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:39 pm Post subject:

1u's are going to be hard to cool. Do you have room on the upper outside of the case> If you do you would be able to mount a fan on the outside of that upper panel that blows cool air right onto the motherboard. Either that or watercooling.
_________________
I tweaked and it tweaked back! So I Tweaked some more!

"Barney is like the Michael Jackson of PBS." - James Tybeerious

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

tabasco · TweakNOOB Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 97

Ya it was getting so hot it was rebooting. If we ran one 16 slot game it was okay, if we added another 16 slot game and had 32 people playing on the server it was overheating and rebooting.

We changed to a 2U case and installed 80mm Vantec Tornado fans and a bigger CPU heatsink and it's fine now with 60 slots and 100% CPU usage. The problem is that we use Co-Location hosting at the Equinix Center in Chicago and going from 1U to 2U of space cost a lot more money, so we want to go back to a 1U case to save some money.

I am experimenting now with a couple of new 40mm fans and a new 1U heatsink. I found Sunon 40mm fans that put out 17 CFM, compared to the normal 40mm fans that have 8 or 9 CFM, and I found a better Dynatron 1U CPU heasink
http://www.dynatron-corp.com/products/cpucooler/cpucooler_model.asp?id=105

I am loading SuSE 10.0 on it right now, and will be dressing the cabling the
rest of the evening to make sure I don't obstruct any of the air flow. Then I'll run folding or something like that on it and watch the CPU temp.

If this doesn't work, we'll probably switch to AMD since they run a heck of a lot
cooler

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

You should be checking to see if they are supplying adequate cooling for the racks.

There is no way that server should be overheating.
_________________
Owner & Administrator
www.Tweaknews.net
www.Pocketbookpinch.com

fussnfeathers · Lord of the Tweak Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 2763

It would depend on how many other units it's racked with. If his co-hosting plan has their 1U racked up with 20 other similar subsribers' rigs, that'll cause some pretty high ambient temp issues.
_________________
Big enough to scare you

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

fussnfeathers · Lord of the Tweak Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 2763

[KoG]^weaZel · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:56 pm Post subject:

if that is the case FnF I would be switching my hosting company. If they aren't keeping the rack room cool enough or have it too packed then they are killing the poeples hardware. And there is no reason for that.
_________________
I tweaked and it tweaked back! So I Tweaked some more!

"Barney is like the Michael Jackson of PBS." - James Tybeerious

tabasco · TweakNOOB Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 97

Here's the latest

I removed the I/O plate from the 1U server and as crazy at this sounds, the printer port from the motherboard. These were done to increase air flow through the 1U case. With the new 40mm 17cfm Sunon Fans and the new Dynatron 1U CPU heatsink, the system runs fine now and is back at it Co-Location host at the Equinix Center.

The Equinix centers in the US are one of the better hosting locations. The temperature is a constant 65 degrees. Since space is at a premium price, servers are located one on top of another in a 7ft relay rack.

The biggest heat problems you encounter with the 3.2ghz and above P4's is finding a 1U CPU heatsink that works well. All of the 1U heatsinks that I have tried are poor at best, but manageable with enough case air flow. Nathan, this could be a Review/Test project for you, Which 1U CPU Heatsinks are best

So far, Dynatron have been the best I have found, but maybe there are better ones out there.

So we are back to gaming with our 1U server

fussnfeathers · Lord of the Tweak Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 2763

Good to hear. I'm a little concerned that your hosting co isn't leaving air gaps between servers, though. Stacking them directly on top of each other keeps the ambient temp on top/bottom of your server on the high side.
_________________
Big enough to scare you

tabasco · TweakNOOB Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 97