So...I was confused about some cabling issues on the Supermicro 5-in-3 cage (I want to know it will work before I buy a few), so I called Supermicro tech support.

 

Thanks to the rather abrupt and unhelpful tech on the other end, I am now even more confused.  I know that others here have used these cages, so maybe they can clarify a few things for me. 

 

The backplane is powered by two molex connectors (according to the manual), and the fan draws power directly from the backplane (according to the tech).

 

According to the tech, the fan on the back of this is powered directly from the backplane.  However, the tech could not tell me (refused to tell me?) if both molex connectors are used to power the backplane and the fan is connected separately, or if one is for the backplane and one for the fan, or how these are powered.  The manual shows the fan as having a three pin input on the backplane, but the fan sold by itself seems to have an LP4 (molexish) power connector, and the technician confirms that the fan uses an LP4 connector for powe (in which case, it isn't powered directly off the backplane like he ALSO claimed, now is it?).  In that case, then what's the 3-pin connector for?  does the fan plug into one molex port and the other get plugged into your power supply?

 

Secondly, as these fans are supposed to be loud, I wanted to connect to a fan controller (discussed in an earlier post).  When I asked the technician about how the fan was connected to the backplane so I would know which splitters I would need to buy, I was told that the fan was permanently attached to the backplane and was not removable, and therefore no controller could be connected.  I, rather exasperated at this point, pointed out that the manual showed instructions to remove the fan in order to access backplane jumpers and ports, and the technician claimed that no, in fact, it could NOT be removed without destroying the backplane.

 

At this point, someone who owns this cage PLEASE tell me how the fan is connected, how it is powered, and whether I can chain several (4) cages to a fan controller (apparently there's an apevia fan controller that supports this if I can find someone selling the thing - also talked about in an earlier forum post).

 

If the fan is, in fact, soldered on/physically part of the case, as the technician implied, please tell me that too   As it is, the product manual, the lime tech forums, and the technician all are saying different things.  (I'll trust the word of someone who actually owns one fo these things over that technician any day though!)

 

Confused,

Zithras

On my older unit, the fan is removable. It is attached to the plastic piece on the back, but is removable by pressing the tabs.

There is a 3pin connector which attaches to the back plane.

 

Newer units may differ

 

Maybe this will help more

http://www.supermicro.com/manuals/chassis/mobile_rack/CSE-M35.pdf

Oh, good.  The fans now claim to be LP4 (at least when you buy them as standalone fans, and on the cage according to the tech).  This left me quite confused as to why there was a 3-pin fan connector on the backplane in the manual.  It seems more and more likely (and thanks for confirming) that they're actually 3-pin connections.  And the manual clearly shows they're removable (as you also confirm) so the tech must have been mistaken, unless they're radically changed their design.

 

Thanks,

Zithras

I just happened to just go through this. I replaced the original fan (brand new 5-bay unit) with this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185066 (Scythe KAMA FLEX SA0925FDB12L 92mm Case Fan).

 

Much quieter - and still seems to be substantial air flow.

 

The confusing thing is the original fan has a 4 pin mini connector (like the Intel CPU fan connector, I think) but the backplane only has a three pin connector. The three pins on the Scythe fan seem to work perfectly though - I did not need to change any jumper on the backplane.

 

Bill

Reaches over to pickup his CSE-M35T-1B that was bought last month from NewEqq  .....

Fan has 4 pin connector and backplane has 3 pins.