Anyone got any experience with these? http://www.xcase.co.uk/hotswap-stoarge-kit-p/hddkit-xx-500.htm

 

Only issue seems to be like most on these 5 in 3 caddies with an 80mm fan, drives 1 and 5 don't look like they will get much benefit.

 

On the other hand the youtube video attached to the page states its easy to remove the back plate and switch out the fan, so might be possible to build a bracket to mount a 120mm fan (would have to leave a gap to route the cables though).

 

Have emailed them and asked if they have any pictures of it with the back plate removed.

Nice find, very interesting. Can you update with their response?

 

Feel free to ask them if / when they plan on getting the Norco 4224 in and how much it will be too

They look like "rebranded" Norco SS-500

 

http://www.norcotek.com/item_detail.php?categoryid=8&modelno=ss-500

 

I'd say they definately are being as the model is HDDKIT-XX-500

That would make sense, they resell the norco 4u's under their own name too.

 

Do we have info on the norco backplanes anywhere? I suppose I should really go check the wiki..

There is some info on the redesigned SS-500's here http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=5469.0 you actually posted in that thread boof

That's a great price. It's about time we got some reasonably priced 5-in-3s here on this side of the pond!

 

Four of these plus a conventional tower case like the Antec 1200 is not far from the price of a Norco 4220, making this a good option for some of us.

There is some info on the redesigned SS-500's here http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=5469.0 you actually posted in that thread boof

 

Shows how much I pay attention to myself, no wonder no one else does either

That's a great price. It's about time we got some reasonably priced 5-in-3s here on this side of the pond!

 

Four of these plus a conventional tower case like the Antec 1200 is not from the price of a Norco 4220, making this a good option for some of us.

 

Yeah, i might go with 3 of these in my Thermaltake Tai Chi, it only has 11 bays though, so will probably get a 3 in 2 and put the parity, cache and a spare in that.  Only downside now is a 3 in 2 is probably going to cost me more than one of those 5 in 3's

 

*edit* Which brings me to the question, does anyone know if there is such a thing as a 3 in 2 that has trays that are compatible with an SS-500?

These are the Norco's and this company is reselling the other Norco components under its name. They are really very useful and I can highly recommend them if you don't intend to hotswap drives 5 times a day and also put some care when you insert them.

Thanks starcat, any comment on how well they cool the drives?  The fan looks like it would only really do anything for drives 2, 3 and 4.

They do well as I remember the fans being high CFM, but they are noisy.

I have the older style Norco SS-500. The ones in the OP's link are copies/rebadges of the newer style. I ended up replacing the original fans that came with the units with some Noctua NF-9's. The stock fans are VERY loud even when undervolted. They spun at close to 3000rpm at full volts.

 

Even with the Noctua's though all drives are cooled adequately.