Hi All.

 

I've been running unRaid for a few years now.  It's been running so well I hardly pay attention to it.  I recently upgraded to version 5.  I am running 5 WD Greens but want to add 2 more.  I would also like to run 7 WD Reds in another server with the same PSU.

 

This is the PSU I'm using: http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00001656.  I was looking at the specs but couldn't determine if it could handle it or not.

 

I was also thinking about a Sans Digital port multiplier (MobileSTOR MS4UM+B):  http://www.sansdigital.com/mobilestor/ms4umplusb.html as a means to add additional drives.  Is this approach a good idea or maybe not even possible?

 

Thanks All.

 

dave

 

EDIT  the drives are all 2TB if that makes a difference.  It appears the PSU has a single rail +12v, 50A 600W.  Am I correct in saying the red and green drives use less that 2amp each?  If so it would appear this PSU should be plenty?

The power supply is fine -- it will easily support more than you have planned for it on either system.

 

 

The link to the specific port multiplier you mentioned isn't working, but as long as the SATA controller you're using supports multipliers it should work okay.

 

However, it's a much better choice to simply add an additional controller card -- especially with the relatively small number of drives you've indicated (in fact, many motherboards these days will support more ports than you've indicated you need).

 

Thanks for your reply Gary.  The port multiplier is a MobileSTOR MS4UM+B - 4 Bay eSATA Port Multiplier and USB 3.0 JBOD Tower. 

How many more drives do you feel my PSU would support?  I would have to get a larger case as my current case only has room for 8 drives total.  Lack of planning on my part. 

 

Thanks for you help Gary.

I'd expect that PSU to work fine with up to about 15 drives.

 

Note, however, that if you use an external case for additional drives, most of those have their own power supplies, so the additional drives won't be powered from your PSU anyway.

 

But if you want to simply move everything to a larger case, your PSU is fine for now.

 

I'd expect that PSU to work fine with up to about 15 drives.

 

Note, however, that if you use an external case for additional drives, most of those have their own power supplies, so the additional drives won't be powered from your PSU anyway.

 

But if you want to simply move everything to a larger case, your PSU is fine for now.

 

 

Good to know.  I think I'll stick with the 8 drives that will fit in my current cases for now.  Then when I need more space go with the larger cases as you suggest.  That makes sense since my PSU will handle more drives that I originally thought.  Thanks for your help Gary.

Upon closer inspection of some additional documentation it seems the Thermaltake TR 600W is not a single rail.  It has two rails: 12V1-23A; 12V2-20A.  There are 6 sata connectors on one cable and molex on the other cables.  I currently have eight 2TB greens in one server and 8 2TB reds in another server.  Is this power supply adequate for each of these servers?  I'm thinking the 6 sata are on one rail and modex on the others so I have 6 drives on the sata connectors and converted molex for the other 2 drives.

 

Am I good if I don't add any more drives or should I look into replacing them?

 

Thanks.

 

ds

 

Upon closer inspection of some additional documentation it seems the Thermaltake TR 600W is not a single rail.

 

I looked at the specs before I commented above -- according to the specs for the unit you linked to, "... Robust and dedicated single +12V output provides superior performance under all types of system loading."

 

Is that not the actual PSU you have??

 

 

Very good question Gary.  The Thermaltake Website isn't very clear.  I do have a TR2 600W and looked up the previous link by that.  However, I was looking on a retailer site and specs showed the two rails.  I then look at the Thermaltake site again under their more general description here: http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00002032 it seems to show a split rail.  I happened to have have the box and found a general spec sheet that indicated 2 rail.  At this point I'm not sure what to believe.  I'm going to look on the PSU itself tonight to see what it says.  If it does indicate two rails on the PSU, am I still okay or should I replace it?  Sorry for the confusion.  I'm a little confused myself.

 

Thanks Gary.

 

ds

 

EDIT:  It looks like the difference is a P/N of TR-600P versus TR-600.  Looks like I may have the two rail.  The name is the same (TR2-600W) but the product number is different.  Lame.

If it's a 2-rail unit, then the 2nd rail most likely powers the auxiliary PCIe connector (or connectors) -- which you probably don't use with an UnRAID system [These are for video cards that require the extra power].

 

What you can do (with a bit of soldering) is cut off the PCIe connectors, and add some additional SATA connectors on these outputs -- which puts those drives on the other rail.

 

... or, of course, you could simply replace the supply with a single-rail unit 

 

But the unit you have should be fine for up to 8-10 drives even without that ... so unless you switch to a case that holds a lot more drives, you shouldn't need to replace the PSU.

 

Are both of your PSU's the same version?  [You indicated you have 2 servers with this unit]

 

Thanks Gary.  I actually have 3 servers with this model PSU.  None have room for more than 8 drives (which they all have now).  They were all running with 6 drives or less until recently.  I'm not positive which PSU I actually have but I'll look on the unit tonight to confirm.  I'm pretty sure I intended to buy a single rail PSU when I got these a year or two ago.  Frustrating to learn I may have 2 rails but good to hear I'm okay with up to 8 drives.

 

Thanks for your help Gary.

 

dave

 

The sticker on the side of the PSU should show the rails and their capacities -- that will confirm whether or not you've got a single rail or not.    If you thought you were buying single rail units, hopefully that's what you actually got.

 

But if not, don't worry about it -- they have plenty of capacity for the drives you're using ... with power to spare