then I would connect 2 SATA and see what happens. If that is not enough I would connect 3 Molex and go from there.

 

See what happens? Is this code for "if things break"?

 

lol... kind of.  From building server I have come to the conclusion that some manufacturers make it overly difficult.  Another thing that I have come to figure out is that most of the time you can connect all the power connectors that match (i.e. 2 SATA or 3 molex) and everything should work just fine.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

FYI - the Norco, Icy Dock and iStarUSA cages all showed up today.  So in the next day or two I hope to have pictures available that will show differences between the four common models as well as some requested shots.

After this, I will get them all installed and start working on the review of all four units.

 

Cheers,

Shawn

Started the post on the review of the four units. Can be found Here. Just have a bunch of the pics for now, written review to follow shortly...

 

 

Shawn

Question about 4-in-3 cages.  Finally looking to snag parts for another server.  I was wondering if anyone has done an actual comparison of the 4x3s to the 5x3s as far as cooling is concerned?  My 5x3s are ok most of the time but in the middle of the summer I have to either leave off the parity checks or at least make sure they run at night.  If the 4x3s get significantly better cooling the next build will use them.  Google wasn't much help and their barely mentioned here as most everyone goes for maximum number of drives per real estate.  Anyone have any actual numbers?

Question about 4-in-3 cages.  Finally looking to snag parts for another server.  I was wondering if anyone has done an actual comparison of the 4x3s to the 5x3s as far as cooling is concerned?  My 5x3s are ok most of the time but in the middle of the summer I have to either leave off the parity checks or at least make sure they run at night.  If the 4x3s get significantly better cooling the next build will use them.  Google wasn't much help and their barely mentioned here as most everyone goes for maximum number of drives per real estate.  Anyone have any actual numbers?

 

The 4x3 don't seem as popular - if you going to use up 3 x 5.25" bays, better to get 5 drive in instead of 4. That being said, no, I have not seen any numbers on a 4x3 unit. This though, as for any, would depend on the size and quality of the fan you have. If your current 5x3 isn't cutting it - I would first look at getting a new fan - something with better static pressure, not so much CFM. CFM are meant for moving air in open areas. Within the cage through, you trying to pull in in the front, across drives, through the board in the rear, etc. So look for a good SP based fan. That may make a huge difference over your current unit.

 

I would first look at getting a new fan - something with better static pressure, not so much CFM. CFM are meant for moving air in open areas. Within the cage through, you trying to pull in in the front, across drives, through the board in the rear, etc. So look for a good SP based fan. That may make a huge difference over your current unit.

 

What would you suggest? I removed the 80mm fans from my drive cages because they were extremely loud, so I have two 120mm fans exhausting and they're the only fans I have for the entire case besides PSU/CPU. I think replacing the 120mm fans with ones designed for higher pressures would really help.

 

What would you suggest? I removed the 80mm fans from my drive cages because they were extremely loud, so I have two 120mm fans exhausting and they're the only fans I have for the entire case besides PSU/CPU. I think replacing the 120mm fans with ones designed for higher pressures would really help.

 

Typically Noctua are some of the best SP based fans at any size - Gentle Typhoon are good, Bitfenix, Corsair - but not many make 80mm but I know Noctua do and have some impressive static pressure.

Typically Noctua are some of the best SP based fans at any size - Gentle Typhoon are good, Bitfenix, Corsair - but not many make 80mm but I know Noctua do and have some impressive static pressure.

 

I'd be looking for two 120mm fans. Is there a specific Noctua to look for?

 

 

I'd be looking for two 120mm fans. Is there a specific Noctua to look for?

 

For static pressure, it would be the NF-F12's... They are about the best on the market.

Question about 4-in-3 cages.  Finally looking to snag parts for another server.  I was wondering if anyone has done an actual comparison of the 4x3s to the 5x3s as far as cooling is concerned?  My 5x3s are ok most of the time but in the middle of the summer I have to either leave off the parity checks or at least make sure they run at night.  If the 4x3s get significantly better cooling the next build will use them.  Google wasn't much help and their barely mentioned here as most everyone goes for maximum number of drives per real estate.  Anyone have any actual numbers?

 

If you're asking about 4-in-3 vs. 5-in-3 hot swap cages, I can't help ... except to say I doubt there's much difference, as both types generally have 80mm fans that "pull" air through holes in a rear-mounted circuit board that has the plug-in SATA connections (and blocks some of the airflow).

 

But I DO have experience with several systems that I've used both 5-in-3 drive cages (typically IcyDock, although I've also used SuperMicro cages)  and the non-hot-swap CoolerMaster 4-in-3 cages.    The CoolerMaster cages are MUCH better than any of the 5-in-3 cages at cooling the drives ... almost certainly because of the 120mm front-mounted fan that blows air directly over the drives, with no circuit board or anything else impeding the airflow.    In fact, these are all I use anymore ... I'd much rather have the superior airflow than hot-swap capability.    A side benefit is that they're significantly less expensive 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817993002

 

In comparing drive temps between the 5-in-3 hot swaps and the CoolerMasters, I've found that idle temps are similar (typically 1-2 degrees cooler with the CoolerMasters);  but during heavy usage (e.g. parity checks) the drives in the CoolerMasters run 4-6 degrees cooler than the same model drives in a 5-in-3 hot-swap cage.

 

I've got one system with 2 5-in-3's and one of the CoolerMasters;  and just for grins I've moved the cages around so see if there relative position matters ... and answer is it does not.  The CoolerMaster-mounted drives are ALWAYS cooler.

 

For static pressure, it would be the NF-F12's... They are about the best on the market.

 

I was going to mount them at the back of my case as exhaust fans to pull air through the front hot-swap cages to keep the drives cool. Will they work better than other fans for this task? I currently have regular 120mm case fans and they don't seem to be able to draw much air through the cages and out the back, but they are pretty loud.

I was going to mount them at the back of my case as exhaust fans to pull air through the front hot-swap cages to keep the drives cool. Will they work better than other fans for this task? I currently have regular 120mm case fans and they don't seem to be able to draw much air through the cages and out the back, but they are pretty loud.

 

The airflow you can "pull" through hot-swap cages will never be as good as the airflow you can get with a fan in FRONT of the drives that pushes air across the drives.  See my note above r.e. the CoolerMaster 4-in-3 cages vs. hot-swap cages.    One VERY nice arrangement that does work well with hot-swap cages is the Lian-Li PC-80B => I built a system using it about 2 years ago; but unfortunately it's no longer available.  It had 3 140mm fans mounted in the door ... so you could mount hot-swap cages and they would get the benefit of the airflow from these 3 excellent fans.  It's a shame that case is no longer available.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112159

 

The airflow you can "pull" through hot-swap cages will never be as good as the airflow you can get with a fan in FRONT of the drives that pushes air across the drives.  See my note above r.e. the CoolerMaster 4-in-3 cages vs. hot-swap cages.    One VERY nice arrangement that does work well with hot-swap cages is the Lian-Li PC-80B => I built a system using it about 2 years ago; but unfortunately it's no longer available.  It had 3 140mm fans mounted in the door ... so you could mount hot-swap cages and they would get the benefit of the airflow from these 3 excellent fans.  It's a shame that case is no longer available.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112159

 

The system has been together for a while, I'd just like to find something that can move more air once summer hits. It also sits next to my desk and I work from home so if it could also be a bit quieter it would be great.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/19973/cst-1204/Lian_Li_Armorsuit_PC-P80N_Full_Tower_Aluminum_HTPX_Case_w_USB_30_PC-P80NB.html

There's a few of the P80Ns floating around still.  $400 plus tax/shipping and all that.

 

Gary,  Looking for some good 4-in-3 cage to stuff in the one I got.  Fanless unless it can be modded to put the fan on the back to pull as the fans on the door will be pushing.  Looking for maximum airflow, no need for a raid cage or the like.  Have you used anything besides the coolermasters?

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/19973/cst-1204/Lian_Li_Armorsuit_PC-P80N_Full_Tower_Aluminum_HTPX_Case_w_USB_30_PC-P80NB.html

 

Thanks for the link.  Very timely, as a friend wants me to build him a nice full-tower based setup with at least a dozen drive capability ... and this would be a superb case for his setup.

 

 

Have you used anything besides the coolermasters?

 

Not for a plain 4-in-3 unit.  I've used several hot-swap 4-in-3 and 5-in-3 units, but these all have the additional issue of a circuit board behind the drives that infringe on the airflow (in addition to having smaller fans that "pull" air much less efficiently than the front mounted fans).    You can pop-off the fan module from the CoolerMasters for a case like the PC-80 and it would work very nicely.

 

In the system I built with a PC-80 in 2011 we used IcyDock 5-in-3 hot-swap cages.  I pulled the 80mm fans off the back of them; and let the PC-80's fans blow air from the front.    This worked VERY well.

 

 

 

The airflow you can "pull" through hot-swap cages will never be as good as the airflow you can get with a fan in FRONT of the drives that pushes air across the drives.  See my note above r.e. the CoolerMaster 4-in-3 cages vs. hot-swap cages.    One VERY nice arrangement that does work well with hot-swap cages is the Lian-Li PC-80B => I built a system using it about 2 years ago; but unfortunately it's no longer available.  It had 3 140mm fans mounted in the door ... so you could mount hot-swap cages and they would get the benefit of the airflow from these 3 excellent fans.  It's a shame that case is no longer available.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112159

 

Just a few point on this - being a avid water cooling geek as well. All things being equal, pushing air versus pulling it makes zero difference. You will have the same restriction.

 

Now, changing from a 80mm fan that "pulls" in a 5x3 cage to a 120mm that "pushes" in the CM 4x3 is very different. Different fan sizes and completely different interior layouts. Yes, the drives will be a lot cooler, but not really a fair comparison. I also have the CM units and fine them a bit of a pain when I need to change one drive. But, we each have our likes.

 

Now, having front "push" fans on the cages would be a lot better then "exhaust" cages at the rear of the case as well, because those rear exhaust fans will also be pulling air in from other, less restrictive sources, like any gap in the case for instance. This in turn would reduce what you are pulling through the cages.

 

For Superorb - on your case, being rear exhaust fans, I would get good CFM ones for there - again Noctua has some of the best, Corsair AF series are also really good. But, I would also look at replacing the fans on the cages themselves.

I was going to mount them at the back of my case as exhaust fans to pull air through the front hot-swap cages to keep the drives cool. Will they work better than other fans for this task? I currently have regular 120mm case fans and they don't seem to be able to draw much air through the cages and out the back, but they are pretty loud.

 

The airflow you can "pull" through hot-swap cages will never be as good as the airflow you can get with a fan in FRONT of the drives that pushes air across the drives.

 

Provided that the case is well sealed against extraneous air entering, there should be no difference between front and rear-mounted fans.

 

When I installed my iStarUSA 5in3 cages, I removed the fans from the cages so that I rely on case fans for pulling 'cool' air in across the drives.  I say 'cool' air, but ambient temperatures here do reach mid 30s Celsius - my drives rarely go above 40C.  I use two Coolermaster 120mm Excalibur fans, with the fanspeed plugin.

When I installed my iStarUSA 5in3 cages, I removed the fans from the cages so that I rely on case fans for pulling 'cool' air in across the drives.  I say 'cool' air, but ambient temperatures here do reach mid 30s Celsius - my drives rarely go above 40C.  I use two Coolermaster 120mm Excalibur fans, with the fanspeed plugin.

 

I think my setup is very similar to yours. I have iStarUSA 5-in-3 cages and rely on two 120mm exhaust fans out the back to pull air trough the cages and keep them cool. I'm currently using some generic, no name 120mm fans which are loud and don't move a ton of air. Do I need something with high static pressure in this case or should I be looking for high CFM and low noise only?

 

For Superorb - on your case, being rear exhaust fans, I would get good CFM ones for there - again Noctua has some of the best, Corsair AF series are also really good. But, I would also look at replacing the fans on the cages themselves.

 

So I should be looking for high CFM and low noise and not for high static pressure fans since they're exhaust fans? The fans in the cages are non-standard thin fans with proprietary connectors and non-standard mounting holes which is why I removed them. Plus one 80mm fan sounded like a jet engine.

So I should be looking for high CFM and low noise and not for high static pressure fans since they're exhaust fans? The fans in the cages are non-standard thin fans with proprietary connectors and non-standard mounting holes which is why I removed them. Plus one 80mm fan sounded like a jet engine.

 

Yes, get some high CFM ones and quiet - Again, Noctua are great - Corsair AF series - they even comes with speed reducers as do Noctua. Some of the fans by Phanteks are good.