iStarUSA BPN-DE350SS Mod


Tybio

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So we've been chatting in the Shogun thread over in the Compulsive forum, and a few people have asked about the mods I'm doing to my 5-in-3 cages, so I thought I'd document them in a thread that makes it easy to search.

 

The goal is to have a quiet server, I'm not going to repost a build thread as I basically just built Shogun with my old rack-mount guts as the components.  Other than the D600, the other main thing I had to sort out was the 5-in-3s.  What I did was remove the cowl and fan that come with the drive and replace them with Noctua fans.  So first the parts list:

 

iStarUSA BPDN-DE350SS: https://www.amazon.com/iStarUSA-BPN-DE350SS-BLACK-3x5-25-5x3-5-Trayless/dp/B008RRZI14

Fans: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NEMG62M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PWM Hub: https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-System-Cables-Black-CPF04/dp/B00VNW556I

2 packs of 10 machine bolts:https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-10-Count-4-to-40-x-1-1-4-in-Round-Head-Zinc-Plated-Phillips-Slotted-Combination-Drive-Standard-SAE-Machine-Screw/3036648

Weather Striping: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-10-Count-4-to-40-x-1-1-4-in-Round-Head-Zinc-Plated-Phillips-Slotted-Combination-Drive-Standard-SAE-Machine-Screw/3036648

 

Process:

 

1> Remove Cowl

2> Unplug 3-pin fan connection

3> Toss both in the freaking trash, they are junk

4> Cut Weather stripping to form a "Box" around the fan stand-offs (see pictures)

        a> Make a small snip in the flat rubber between the two "D"s and pull them apart, you only want it one wide;  This also makes it easy to cut matched pairs

5> Test the lengths before you remove the tape and expose the adhesive

        a> Don't worry about covering the 3-pin connection or the fan selector switch (mine overlap the latter slightly) as you will not ever use either again.

6> Expose adhesive and attach but don't press down hard, let the fan do that.

7> Seat replacement fan over stand-offs

8> Take out one screw and one screw, use the bolt as a spacer by spinning it up the length of the screw until it nexts against the head.

9> Screw fan into cage.

       a> Make sure before you tighten that the weather stripping has contact with the fan all the way around.

       b> Before you tighten, if it looks good you can press the stripping into place...the glue is nice and secure but I made sure they were well seated before tightening the fans.

10> .Position PWM hub in a nice space with easy access to the fans (I used the double sided tape it came with to mount out of the way

11> Connect fans to hub, hub to MB

12> Spend a few hours trying to sort out the auto-fan-control plugin to sort out what PWM header is the right one and get all the options set.

 

I hope this was helpful!

 

I've attached some pictures

 

 

 

 

IMG_0102.jpg

IMG_0103.jpg

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Update on results:

 

Before this change and adding 3x140mm fans at the back of the chamber my drives were spiking into the 50's with the default fans.

 

After the change, I've had to turn the fans down to let the drives hit the sweet temp spot (high 30s).  With these fans (and the Noctua 140mms in the back) I'm able to run them under 50% which means dead silent operation other than the sound of air moving through the case which I have to lean down and get within a few inches to clear.

 

So I'm labeling this a success, I hope others find this information useful!

 

Next on tap for me is likely swapping out my 8 year old xeon with a threadripper and setting up a gaming VM so I can retire my desktop and get back down to a single computer.

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  • 9 months later...
On 5/8/2018 at 2:51 PM, Tybio said:

Update on results:

 

Before this change and adding 3x140mm fans at the back of the chamber my drives were spiking into the 50's with the default fans.

 

After the change, I've had to turn the fans down to let the drives hit the sweet temp spot (high 30s).  With these fans (and the Noctua 140mms in the back) I'm able to run them under 50% which means dead silent operation other than the sound of air moving through the case which I have to lean down and get within a few inches to clear.

 

So I'm labeling this a success, I hope others find this information useful!

 

Next on tap for me is likely swapping out my 8 year old xeon with a threadripper and setting up a gaming VM so I can retire my desktop and get back down to a single computer.

Just wanted to reply and thanks for the write up on this.

 

Unfortunately I tried this with my own iStarUSA trayless racks, and my temps skyrocketed, so I put the stock fans back for now. I suspect it has to do with my fan choice, the Arctic brand F8 PWM PST. Spec for spec, it only has 3 m3/h less airflow than the Noctua fan, and the max RPM is about 200 less. I'm sure it has something to do with static pressure but there doesn't seem to be anything special about the Noctua design that would indicate the status pressure will be significantly better than the Arctic fan.

 

Any thoughts?

Edited by dajinn
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  • 2 months later...
On 5/7/2018 at 5:43 PM, Tybio said:

So we've been chatting in the Shogun thread over in the Compulsive forum, and a few people have asked about the mods I'm doing to my 5-in-3 cages, so I thought I'd document them in a thread that makes it easy to search.

 

The goal is to have a quiet server, I'm not going to repost a build thread as I basically just built Shogun with my old rack-mount guts as the components.  Other than the D600, the other main thing I had to sort out was the 5-in-3s.  What I did was remove the cowl and fan that come with the drive and replace them with Noctua fans.  So first the parts list:

 

iStarUSA BPDN-DE350SS: https://www.amazon.com/iStarUSA-BPN-DE350SS-BLACK-3x5-25-5x3-5-Trayless/dp/B008RRZI14

Fans: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NEMG62M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PWM Hub: https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-System-Cables-Black-CPF04/dp/B00VNW556I

2 packs of 10 machine bolts:https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-10-Count-4-to-40-x-1-1-4-in-Round-Head-Zinc-Plated-Phillips-Slotted-Combination-Drive-Standard-SAE-Machine-Screw/3036648

Weather Striping: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-10-Count-4-to-40-x-1-1-4-in-Round-Head-Zinc-Plated-Phillips-Slotted-Combination-Drive-Standard-SAE-Machine-Screw/3036648

 

Process:

 

1> Remove Cowl

2> Unplug 3-pin fan connection

3> Toss both in the freaking trash, they are junk

4> Cut Weather stripping to form a "Box" around the fan stand-offs (see pictures)

        a> Make a small snip in the flat rubber between the two "D"s and pull them apart, you only want it one wide;  This also makes it easy to cut matched pairs

5> Test the lengths before you remove the tape and expose the adhesive

        a> Don't worry about covering the 3-pin connection or the fan selector switch (mine overlap the latter slightly) as you will not ever use either again.

6> Expose adhesive and attach but don't press down hard, let the fan do that.

7> Seat replacement fan over stand-offs

8> Take out one screw and one screw, use the bolt as a spacer by spinning it up the length of the screw until it nexts against the head.

9> Screw fan into cage.

       a> Make sure before you tighten that the weather stripping has contact with the fan all the way around.

       b> Before you tighten, if it looks good you can press the stripping into place...the glue is nice and secure but I made sure they were well seated before tightening the fans.

10> .Position PWM hub in a nice space with easy access to the fans (I used the double sided tape it came with to mount out of the way

11> Connect fans to hub, hub to MB

12> Spend a few hours trying to sort out the auto-fan-control plugin to sort out what PWM header is the right one and get all the options set.

 

I hope this was helpful!

 

I've attached some pictures

 

 

 

 

IMG_0102.jpg

IMG_0103.jpg

Can you please link to the weather strips you used? The link you provided is the exact same one for the bolts.

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I did something very similar to my own BPN-DE350SS cages - even used the same fans. The only difference is that I used a flat sheet of foam that I cut holes in. Got this at a local hardware store and it worked great. I also saw great improvements in temps and noise levels (these cages were pretty terrible stock). Pics are here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/gpkAiMNTGXSQds4x6

 

Incidentally, mine are for sale if anyone wants them.

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On 4/25/2019 at 9:56 PM, shooga said:

I did something very similar to my own BPN-DE350SS cages - even used the same fans. The only difference is that I used a flat sheet of foam that I cut holes in. Got this at a local hardware store and it worked great. I also saw great improvements in temps and noise levels (these cages were pretty terrible stock). Pics are here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/gpkAiMNTGXSQds4x6

 

Incidentally, mine are for sale if anyone wants them.

Very cool!  Thanks for sharing, that would likely be a lot simpler than my solution...though both would have similar end results :)

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  • 3 months later...

Has anyone ever tried to modify them a bit further? What I mean is to remove the backplane from the cage, disassemble the backplane and then you have the bare plate. Then drill out the screw mounts and then use the original stretch rubber fan mounts. you can then use very thin foam or rubber to adhesive in between the fan and the mounting plate.

 

Any thoughts on this?

Edited by icedragonslair
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  • 2 weeks later...

I thought I would put my money and skills where my mouth is. I did the mods I mentioned above...I took the original fans off, removed the screw boss/shoulder, drilled hole to match Noctua Fan fastener, Attached foam (Creatology Adhesive Foam Sheet) and installed the 4 NF-A8 fans with the accompanying hardware. Installed a Silverstone pwm fan hub (model: SST-CPF04) to run them all. Pics below (I have a complete series of pics for this, if anyone wants to see them I will post here), doing amazing at keeping the drives in the sweet spot (32-35C). 

Thank you so much for the ideas and work you did on the original mod. 

Ice

 

 

12. Assembly complete.JPG

Finished project.JPG

Edited by icedragonslair
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  • 3 months later...
22 minutes ago, iggsterman said:

Hi everyone, I have just discovered the thread and will be doing similar, with BPU-340SATA cages. Any idea how to disable the "drive failure alarm" which will inevitably go off with the stock fans unplugged?

If no real answer is forthcoming, you could do something like what I did with a car that I bought for $100 that required $2000 in repairs to stop the "Service Engine Light" from turning on.  Remove the bulb.  😎  Problem solved, and my wallet thanked me 

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2 hours ago, Squid said:

If no real answer is forthcoming, you could do something like what I did with a car that I bought for $100 that required $2000 in repairs to stop the "Service Engine Light" from turning on.  Remove the bulb.  😎  Problem solved, and my wallet thanked me 

That would be awesome but it's a cage with an internal buzzer and fan failure light embedded into the button (I have two of the cages in the case) so removing the buzzer would be somewhat a challenge, let alone the light.

I hope there's a simple answer somewhere.

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