PSU power plan and hardware check before I plug everything in

[NAS-t_Hirsute]

I've got 20 HDDs lying around to put to use. I have already starting to re-use my Lenovo M900 SFF as the server and build out my DAS. I'm planning to use this primarily as a media server and photo storage. I have a separate box and off-site backup routine for important documents. I have booted everything up with 4 HDD's connected. I have stopped at this point mainly because I want to figure out if my DAS PSU and power plan is ok and verify everything I have on this circuit, which isn't just Unraid, is below 12A (80% of breaker). I'm getting a Kill-A-Watt to check my other stuff before I just plug everything in at once.

 

Questions:

1. Is my power plan below safe for powering all these HDDs?
2. Any recommendations?

 

Server - Lenovo M900

Intel i7-6700

2x 8GB DDR4 2133 (I have RAM available for 64GB - max of the MB)

Dell H200e crossflashed to LSI

FSP Group 210W PSU: FSP210-20TGBAA

120GB 2.5" SSD

Kingston DTSE9 USB flash - Unraid OS

 

DAS

WD Reds 5400RPM - 8TB x4, 5TB x5

WD Red Plus 5400RPM - 8TB x4

WD Blue 5400RPM - 1TB x1

WD Black 5400RPM - 1TB x1, 500GB x1

Hitachi Deskstar 7200RPM - 3TB x2

Rosewill cages

EVGA Supernova 550 G2

 

DAS PSU Power Plan

1. PS SATA 1
   1. Riser for SAS expander card
   2. StarTech 4x splitter (used throughout)
   3. StarTech 4x splitter
2. PS SATA 2
   1. StarTech 4x splitter
   2. StarTech 4x splitter
   3. StarTech 4x splitter
3. PS SATA 3
   1. StarTech 4x splitter
   2. StarTech 4x splitter
   3. StarTech 4x splitter
4. PS PERIF
   1. 4x cage fans daisy chained
   2. 4x cage fans daisy chained
   3. Not used

Edited December 31, 2022 by NAS-t_Hirsute
HDD quantities

[JonathanM]

17 hours ago, NAS-t_Hirsute said:

StarTech 4x splitter (used throughout)

I am uncomfortable with this, the SATA power connector really is only good for single drives, amperage wise, and splitters with SATA as the source may cause all sorts of hard to troubleshoot issues. The 4 pin connector can handle MUCH more current, as the surface area of the mating pins is much greater.

 

You probably should look into custom cables to eliminate all those slip fit connections. It's bad enough you have slip fit connections at the PSU itself for the modular cables.

[NAS-t_Hirsute]

21 minutes ago, JonathanM said:

You probably should look into custom cables to eliminate all those slip fit connections. It's bad enough you have slip fit connections at the PSU itself for the modular cables.

After more reading and watching, I was thinking all my splits was not a smart way to do this. Thank you for your insight. So a few questions:

1. What do you mean by slip fit connections?
2. Is this video from WilluDesign the proper guide for making SATA connections? If so, I'll just look up ratings for 18awg wire and base max HDDs per cable off that + a safety margin.
3. Split fit connections at the PSU....the PSU cables, which are from EVGA, have the locking tab to hold them in place. Is this not ok?

[JonathanM]

2 hours ago, NAS-t_Hirsute said:

After more reading and watching, I was thinking all my splits was not a smart way to do this. Thank you for your insight. So a few questions:

1. What do you mean by slip fit connections?
2. Is this video from WilluDesign the proper guide for making SATA connections? If so, I'll just look up ratings for 18awg wire and base max HDDs per cable off that + a safety margin.
3. Split fit connections at the PSU....the PSU cables, which are from EVGA, have the locking tab to hold them in place. Is this not ok?

By slip fit, I mean any connection that can be removed without tools or soldering. The two pieces of conductor are pressed together by the springiness of the metal and plastic of the connector, and if there is any contamination, and / or if that joint is subject to currents beyond what it can safely pass, heat will build up at the point where the two conductors touch, causing plastic deformation and the metal will lose it's springiness, causing further issues with conductivity and heat buildup. It's a vicious cycle.

 

You want to keep those type of connections at an absolute minimum number, which ideally would be only at the drive itself. There is a reason true server grade PSU's aren't typically modular, it's one less failure point.

 

Locking tabs are good, it keeps the connection from sliding off, but it doesn't really help with the core issue of passing the current. The reason SATA connectors are so bad is that they typically use just a thin springy wire in the female end and a flat finger of metal for the pin to slide against. The contact patch is tiny, and if the wire loses its springiness it's going to push with less force. The 4 pin and modular PSU connections are a round pin and sleeve design, where the surface area to pass current is MUCH larger.

[NAS-t_Hirsute]

5 hours ago, JonathanM said:

The 4 pin and modular PSU connections are a round pin and sleeve design, where the surface area to pass current is MUCH larger.

Websleuthing for different kinds of PC parts is turning out not to be my forte. I think I found what is an example of the safe alternative where everything is crimped into round terminals and wires to each SATA are doubled up to daisy chain into the next. Ideally I'd like to either find a cable assy with more SATA connections or the parts needed to make my own. I've found round terminal crimps and PCIe 6 pin latched connectors, but I can't seem to find the SATA connectors that accept these round terminals.

 

I'd like to use the PSU I have. Can you provide direction to either the cable assy to purchase or the SATA connectors that accept round terminals?

 

Excuse my inability to think straight on some of this, I'm sick. I thought to look at the manufacturer and found 4x SATA. The cables that came with my PSU are 3x SATA. I think these, like the example I posted abive, are in-line with what you are talking about - see close-ups on my 3x SATA cables.

Edited January 2, 2023 by NAS-t_Hirsute
Added images and source for round terminal crimped EVGA SATA power cables.