[FS] Bracket to mount 7 GPUs at front of Rosewill L4XXX server chassis - Updated

[Dhodge87]

Hi,

I'm currently running 2x Asus 270-A prime rigs with 9 gtx 1060 6gb single fan cards each.

Are these cards small enough to fit 9 of into one of these cases/drop in's?

[fittsy]

Hi,

I'm currently running 2x Asus 270-A prime rigs with 9 gtx 1060 6gb single fan cards each.

Are these cards small enough to fit 9 of into one of these cases/drop in's?

No.

It's not the length of the card it's the width. You can't fit 9 two slot GPUs (18 slots) into a 14 slot wide case.

[Dhodge87]

Hi,

I'm currently running 2x Asus 270-A prime rigs with 9 gtx 1060 6gb single fan cards each.

Are these cards small enough to fit 9 of into one of these cases/drop in's?

No.

It's not the length of the card it's the width. You can't fit 9 two slot GPUs (18 slots) into a 14 slot wide case.

Gotcha, and there is no where els to efficiently mount 2 cards inside the case?

[R0mi]

I have verified that the bracket fits perfectly in a Rosewill 4U Server Chassis / Server Case / Rackmount Case, Metal Rack Mount Computer Case with 8 Bays & 7 Fans Pre-Installed (RSV-L4000), which is currently listed on Amazon for $90(!) less than the RSV-L4500.

Review of Rick's drop in bracket using a Rosewill L-4000B.  

1st, I wish I had ordered the RoseWill L-4500 because I understand those cases are deeper.
2nd, probably a fine solution for smaller cards, but not great for 1080 Ti's.
3rd, this was a difficult, no fun, type of build.
4th, if you stick with high CFM Delta fans, temps won't be a problem.  Get a Lamptron CF525 5-fan controller and some fan cable extenders so that you can tune the fan speeds.  They do not need to run at full blast to cool large cards.

Rick's kit is complete: he includes tools, he labels all the bags so you don't have to guess at mm sizes.  His online manual is good, I just wish some of the pictures could be zoomed in on. I had an issue with one fan post, Rick promptly replaced it.  He included screws for my larger 38mm Delta fans and he left in the originals as well should I ever switch out the Deltas.

Rick's bracket solved most of the problems with this case.  

The Rosewill case only has one PSU opening in the back, but I put an IBM 2K (DPS2000BB) server PSU on its side and used one of Optimizer's excellent breakout boards.  I placed fans on top of the PSU to help it with cooling.  In the end, it was probably overkill.  I will get around to re-purposing both the riser support beam and the Rosewill GPU beam to make a horizontal platform to float the DPS2000B above the motherboard; that would allow me to place fans behind and in front of the psu and maximize air flow. I could then screw some additional intake fans over the psu opening in the back of the case.


The IBM psu + Optimizer's breakout board provides 15, 6-pin outlets.  (1) used for flminer's nice PICO power supply unit to supply power to the motherboard.  (2) used for a front fan controller speed box.

If you get the fatter 38mm Delta fans, there are some issues.  First, with the fat Delta fans, the bracket is not balanced and will tip over while you are assembling everything. And pay attention to Rick's photos on where to snake all the cables coming from the front of the case (between the side of one fan and Rick's bracket).  The screws/bolts that connect the black tabs to hold the fans to the frame are tiny and a bit difficult to work with.

The fan frame and mounting it inside the case is probably the most difficult part.  Slide the whole frame back just a notch if you are using the 38mm fans.  Make sure that the front door can be closed and locked before you tighten down the fan frame.

Rick's frame slightly lowers the card height, which is a positive.

Gpu support rack has to be carefully adjusted and re-adjusted as far as height goes, till you get it right.  When it comes time to locking down a card, you have to precisely align the philips screw dead center over the nut inside the gpu frame.  Once you get the screw into that nut, it provides a solid grip even on large fat cards like the Aorus Extreme.

Don't completely tighten down the riser supports on the bottom, leave a tiny bit of play in them in case you need to nudge a card over just a tad.  

The 2 riser support beams are well done and clever.  They solve the strain issue that you'll experience if you try to use the 4000B's support bracket, which is useless.  Same goes for the 4000B's mid case fan support bracket for 80mm fans.  If you install larger cards, there is no room for the fan bracket, and it would do very little anyways, as the Delta's move plenty of air.

I removed the silly metal side bracket that appears to be for a hard drive.  In its place (towards the front of the case) I installed a small motor controller.  I wired up the 3 Delta fans in parallel.  Then I took a 2-wire cable and ran that from the breakout board to the motor controller.  This lets me turn down the speed on the Delta units to balance speed/sound volume.

I placed a few basic Arctic 80mm fans on the top and one on the side of the IBM 2k PSU.  I also placed two strong 80mm Delta fans on the back of case sucking in air in the same direction as the large 120mm Delta fans exhaust air out the front.

Temps are very good.  With the Delta fans turned down a notch, and this being a nice cool night, without AC the temps are right around 48c +/- 2 degrees for 3 1080Ti's, and 2 1070's.  Better than I thought and this is with the top on.  I'm sure I could do a better job sealing air leaks around the front three fans with weather stripping, that might help the air pressure a bit.  I have lowered TDP to 70 in AfterBurner for all of the cards.  Temps are slightly better than a comparable open air rig.

I was not able to get the IBM 2K psu and 6 large cards into this case, mostly because the cards extend back so far (which is why I would like a slightly deeper case).  I settled on four cards facing the front using Rick's frame, and then one card slotted on the motherboard in the main PCI slot.  This allowed me to connect up a monitor to the back of the case.  And it allows for pretty good spacing between the four cards in front.

My partner hated the previous open frame on the floor.  But I am not crazy about this Rosewill case.  If I had lots of smaller cards, and I wanted to rack these, I might feel differently.  But for just a few rigs, I don't think these make sense.

Cost:

Rosewill 4000B case:    $120;
Rick's bracket with tabs for 38mm Delta fans,   $99;
3 Delta 120mm fans (FFB1212EHE)     $60;
Price Technology DPS2000BB 2K psu + breakout board,     $110,
2 x 80mm Delta fans, $18;
fan controller      $12;
5 pack of Arctic 80mm fans (used three around the PSU)   $18

The Price technology breakout board is very nice.  I have used HP PSUs and Parallelminer breakout boards, and the Price board seems a bit more substantial.

Pictures of how I placed everything are here:

http://imgur.com/a/v2uAN

After I posted the pics, I re-did the cabling layout so that it did not rest at all on the psu.  I added a third Arctic fan to the top of the psu as well.

[Spotswood]

bump

[fittsy]

bump

Since you're going to bump it. (don't bump stuff, ever. bad etiquette on forums)

I'm going to have to give a full review.

I put one of these together with a Rosewill 4500.

I would NOT recommend this to anyone.

First of all, you have to take the entire 4500 case apart. You have to take all the fans out of it. You have to take the HDD racks out. You even have to take the frame and handles for the side of the case off so you can get the fan brackets out. You also need to take the middle row of fans out because there probably isn't enough space for your cables/cards... and this middle row is to help airflow through the case... so this leads to issues later on.

You need to have your expensive high cfm 120 mm case fans at this point as well because you have to put them back into the case in a way that you cannot get to them to take them out later. Without taking the entire thing apart. I didn't realize they were going to be put back in a way that they were mounted to the GPU brackets... so you have to take the entire GPU bracket out if you later want to replace fans.  I just wanted to try it with the original fans first. I wanted to see how many high-end fans I'd need to buy.

Second of all, I'm a small guy with small hands. Your mounting brackets are made for people with even tinier hands. They are very difficult to put together with the tiny nuts and bolts. If you have large hands you'll need to hire your kids to put it together for you.

Third, although you put together a step by step guide and label all your parts nicely, it is still complicated to put together. My results didn't match your photos and based on my video cards (1070s) I was barely able to fit them. Also, you have a guide on putting your bracket together... not on how to take apart the Rosewill. I found that took me time to try and figure out exactly what all I had to remove. I didn't expect to have to remove the handles from the side to get to a bolt that held in a fan bracket at the front of the case.

Fourth, there is no way you're going to get large cards into this thing. You will want cards that have the PCIe power connector in the back, not the top.My 1070s barely fit and with the 8 pin connector being on the top of my card it would be impossible to get the case closed. The PCIe cable running to the GPUs sticks up out of the top of the case. I'd never be able to put the lid back on.

Fifth, cable management is a bitch. You really need special cables just for this case. Otherwise, you have cables that are too long and even if you wrap them all up nicely you still have a lot of bulky cables blocking the already limited airflow in the case. Really the only solution is a server PSU with several different sizes of PCIe cables and 6pin PCIe risers. (Of course, the case itself isn't designed for use with server PSUs.)

Sixth, at the price, why would anyone buy one of these? $200 for a 4500 case. $70 for the Spotswood bracket. $60 for fans. You're looking at over $300 for a case that you can't keep the lid on so it isn't as stackable and nice... I literally don't understand why anyone would want these. I can buy a 12 GPU rack mount for open-air mining for the same money.

Summary:
These cases are a time waste. They are also expensive. Since time is money they're even more expensive.  You can't use them as rackmount cases since you need to keep the lid off, so what is the point?  

This isn't necessarily a slam on Rich and Spotswood.  I wouldn't be able to use the 4500 case without the Spotswood rack.  He can't predict what sizes our video cards are, etc.  It's more a matter of the limitations of the case and the huge time suck that putting this together is.

In my opinion, the 4500 case is for a hobbyist that wants to try a build. It isn't for anyone building mining rigs at scale.

[P00P135]

bump

Since you're going to bump it. (don't bump stuff, ever. bad etiquette on forums)

I'm going to have to give a full review.

I put one of these together with a Rosewill 4500.

I would NOT recommend this to anyone.

First of all, you have to take the entire 4500 case apart. You have to take all the fans out of it. You have to take the HDD racks out. You even have to take the frame and handles for the side of the case off so you can get the fan brackets out. You also need to take the middle row of fans out because there probably isn't enough space for your cables/cards... and this middle row is to help airflow through the case... so this leads to issues later on.

You need to have your expensive high cfm 120 mm case fans at this point as well because you have to put them back into the case in a way that you cannot get to them to take them out later. Without taking the entire thing apart. I didn't realize they were going to be put back in a way that they were mounted to the GPU brackets... so you have to take the entire GPU bracket out if you later want to replace fans.  I just wanted to try it with the original fans first. I wanted to see how many high-end fans I'd need to buy.

Second of all, I'm a small guy with small hands. Your mounting brackets are made for people with even tinier hands. They are very difficult to put together with the tiny nuts and bolts. If you have large hands you'll need to hire your kids to put it together for you.

Third, although you put together a step by step guide and label all your parts nicely, it is still complicated to put together. My results didn't match your photos and based on my video cards (1070s) I was barely able to fit them. Also, you have a guide on putting your bracket together... not on how to take apart the Rosewill. I found that took me time to try and figure out exactly what all I had to remove. I didn't expect to have to remove the handles from the side to get to a bolt that held in a fan bracket at the front of the case.

Fourth, there is no way you're going to get large cards into this thing. You will want cards that have the PCIe power connector in the back, not the top.My 1070s barely fit and with the 8 pin connector being on the top of my card it would be impossible to get the case closed. The PCIe cable running to the GPUs sticks up out of the top of the case. I'd never be able to put the lid back on.

Fifth, cable management is a bitch. You really need special cables just for this case. Otherwise, you have cables that are too long and even if you wrap them all up nicely you still have a lot of bulky cables blocking the already limited airflow in the case. Really the only solution is a server PSU with several different sizes of PCIe cables and 6pin PCIe risers. (Of course, the case itself isn't designed for use with server PSUs.)

Sixth, at the price, why would anyone buy one of these? $200 for a 4500 case. $70 for the Spotswood bracket. $60 for fans. You're looking at over $300 for a case that you can't keep the lid on so it isn't as stackable and nice... I literally don't understand why anyone would want these. I can buy a 12 GPU rack mount for open-air mining for the same money.

Summary:
These cases are a time waste. They are also expensive. Since time is money they're even more expensive.  You can't use them as rackmount cases since you need to keep the lid off, so what is the point?  

This isn't necessarily a slam on Rich and Spotswood.  I wouldn't be able to use the 4500 case without the Spotswood rack.  He can't predict what sizes our video cards are, etc.  It's more a matter of the limitations of the case and the huge time suck that putting this together is.

In my opinion, the 4500 case is for a hobbyist that wants to try a build. It isn't for anyone building mining rigs at scale.

Thank you for the honest and accurate review.  Maybe last year when these were first being offered they were a really good option, but I think they are just obsolete at this point.

[Spotswood]

A new version that is a lot easier to assemble will be released early next week.

Please feel free to send me your requirements for "the ultimate mining server chassis".  No snark here.  I'm legitimately interested in improving whatever the "state of the art" mining chassis is.

-Rich

[R0mi]

<snip>

In my opinion, the 4500 case is for a hobbyist that wants to try a build. It isn't for anyone building mining rigs at scale.
[/quote]

I agree that this was not a fun or easy build.  That said, I've been running mine with the top on and it is doing just fine.  I have 4 1080 Ti cards in there + 1 1050 Ti plugged into the main motherboard slot.  Temps are good with the Delta fans.  With a Lamptron 5 fan controller, you can dial down the speed, thus reducing the fan noise.

The first time you do any build like this, it is always difficult.  With each successive build it becomes quicker and easier.

Cost:  Yes, this is not a cheap solution.  But my partner hated my open air rig on the floor.  This case + Rick's bracket solved that problem.

Yes, that middle fan bracket is useless with large cards, and I removed it.  With two Delta 80mm fans in back, no issue with ventilation.

I struggled and cussed while I put this together, but with Rick's frame the case is functional.

Rick is working on a frame that floats a server PSU over the motherboard, much like a compact computer case does.  You can also remove the two Rosewill brackets, drill some holes into the side of your case, and make your own bracket to support a PSU over the motherboard.  That's what I did, but Rick's solution looks nicer.

One final thought:  I don't think it is fair to criticize Rick about not providing instructions for how to take the case apart.  YouTube has some videos that are worth watching, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEsev9vTeHI

[Spotswood]

First post has been updated with pics of the new version of the bracket that is easier to assemble.

[R0mi]

bump

I put one of these together with a Rosewill 4500.

I would NOT recommend this to anyone.

Okay, today I put together a RoseWill L-4500 using one of Rick's [older] brackets.  It went much faster this time, but the nuts and bolts are very small and this does require some patience.  Using your kids to help out threading the tiny nuts to the small bolts is a good idea, if that is an option.  I simply had to put on my reading glasses and I was okay.

I got the L-4500 for $105 at Walmart online, so we are no longer talking about $200 just for the case.  I prefer the L-4500 build over the L-4000B because I do like those metal fan cages that are reused in the front.

This may be obvious, but assemble the frame and put your GPUs in first, and then think about installing your motherboard.  Rick's new manual does have a link on how to take apart the L-4500.  The YouTube video is pretty helpful.

Yes, getting the front off requires removing screws on the bottom, the sides, the top, everywhere.  And you end up removing all the metal fan cages, a middle fan bracket, and other junk.  
Yes, you need to remove the fans that come with, and instead go with (3) Delta 120mm fans in the front and (2) Delta 80mm fans in the back.  You literally swap out the generic crap fans with your Deltas and you are good to go.  Or you can contact users here who sell similar fans for only $10 a pop instead of $20.  PM hawkfish007 for a cheaper alternative to the Delta fans that still moves a lot of air.

Building this inevitably involves not tightening everything down super-tight the first go round.  You end up making lots of small changes, adjustments, and then you finally get to a point where you can lock things down.

Dynamat sound absorber lining the bottom gets rid on weird high pitched sounds.  The Lamptron fan controller is the way to go for controlling all 5 of your fans' speeds (volume).

Took 2 hours this time to get everything assembled, GPU's installed, but I'm not counting dropping in the motherboard.

I am stacking these.  Rick's frame is very good and I would recommend it.

Finally: Sure, if you can go with open air rigs, you can build those cheaper.  But open air frames do take up more space.

I use mine *with* the top on.  User a server PSU, use 6 pin cables for your risers, use 6-pin to 8-pin cables for your video cards.  Rick's frame lowers the video cards and you can insert cables and get the top on.

[goldstarqc]

@R0mi :  Please put some pictures of your assembling job, and all your L4500/4000 cases stacked   I only have 1, and since the mining is barely profitable now (if you count the $$$ for the GPUs, mobo, PSU, etc.), i won't be adding more L4500 or 4000 for a while (

[R0mi]

@R0mi :  Please put some pictures of your assembling job, and all your L4500/4000 cases stacked   I only have 1, and since the mining is barely profitable now (if you count the $$$ for the GPUs, mobo, PSU, etc.), i won't be adding more L4500 or 4000 for a while (

Sure, I'll link to some pictures this weekend.

[goldstarqc]

@R0mi :  Please put some pictures of your assembling job, and all your L4500/4000 cases stacked   I only have 1, and since the mining is barely profitable now (if you count the $$$ for the GPUs, mobo, PSU, etc.), i won't be adding more L4500 or 4000 for a while (

Sure, I'll link to some pictures this weekend.

Where is our pics ?

[R0mi]

@R0mi :  Please put some pictures of your assembling job, and all your L4500/4000 cases stacked

Okay, go to the link below.  This build is using a HP 1500 common slot PSU with an eBay heat sink screwed to the lid.  Two 80mm Delta fans in the back, plus a double-fan blade Delta to push air over the HP heat sink fins towards the front of the case (drilled a few holes on the outside of the case).  And you can see the Dynamat material lining parts of the case to help with noise/vibrations.  This was an L-4500 where you have to remove the fan cases and all that junk.  The EVGA FTW and FTW3 cards are a tad too tall for the 4U case if you want to put the lid on.  But you can fit EVGA 1080 Ti SC and SC2 models inside just fine.  An Aorous 1080 Ti Extreme will also fit with room for cabling and you can put the top back on.  Of course, smaller cards are less of an issue.  Get the SC or SC2 over the FTW EVGA models if you can.

I placed some non-conductive material underneath the breakout board you see connected to the HP psu.  The heat sink keeps the HP fan from spinning way up; I found that with a heat sink, the HP psu supplies are very quiet.

You can see a Lamptron 5-fan controller in one photo I place that on the inside of the case right below where you see it perched in one of the shots.  This controls the 3 Delta 120mm fans up front.  I use a fan Y-adapter cable + fan cable extenders to take the 2 80mm fans back to the Lamptron.  That left one connection for the double fanned Delta above the HP psu.  I use fan cable extenders to reach the Lamptron.

With this psu and breakout board, you need some 6 pin -> 8 pin adapters/splitters.  The 1070s draw 150 watts or less depending on what I am mining, so I don't feel that presents any issue.

I apologize in that the pictures I took today did not come out so I will come back with some photos of all the cabling in place.  You can get the tops on if you avoid the FTW/FTW3 cards.  Cooling is fine using the Delta fans.  I have the Lamptron turned to about the 1 o'clock position instead of the maximum which would be around 5 o'clock on the knob.  Currently, I have two stacked -- one directly on top of the other.  No issues so far.  What is counterintuitive is that the cooling works out as well as an open air frame with no more noise if you turn the fans down.

Pros: High partner acceptance factor; doesn't look all that much different from some of the stereo equipment that I had in the past.  Quiet.  Good temperatures.  Cuts down on the LED light show.

Cons:  First build is frustrating.  Costs more than open air rig.  Have to be creative when fitting a server PSU into these as they are designed for screwing in a typical computer ATX power supply.

https://imgur.com/a/OcJ64

[goldstarqc]

@R0mi : pretty good details! Nice pics. Can we call it mining porn?

[R0mi]

@R0mi : pretty good details! Nice pics. Can we call it mining porn?

No.  I thought you were genuinely interested?  If you want to see these cases stacked really high, find the Man Cave thread and go to the beginning of that.

[Eyedol-X]

bump

Since you're going to bump it. (don't bump stuff, ever. bad etiquette on forums)

I'm going to have to give a full review.

I put one of these together with a Rosewill 4500.

I would NOT recommend this to anyone.

First of all, you have to take the entire 4500 case apart. You have to take all the fans out of it. You have to take the HDD racks out. You even have to take the frame and handles for the side of the case off so you can get the fan brackets out. You also need to take the middle row of fans out because there probably isn't enough space for your cables/cards... and this middle row is to help airflow through the case... so this leads to issues later on.

You need to have your expensive high cfm 120 mm case fans at this point as well because you have to put them back into the case in a way that you cannot get to them to take them out later. Without taking the entire thing apart. I didn't realize they were going to be put back in a way that they were mounted to the GPU brackets... so you have to take the entire GPU bracket out if you later want to replace fans.  I just wanted to try it with the original fans first. I wanted to see how many high-end fans I'd need to buy.

Second of all, I'm a small guy with small hands. Your mounting brackets are made for people with even tinier hands. They are very difficult to put together with the tiny nuts and bolts. If you have large hands you'll need to hire your kids to put it together for you.

Third, although you put together a step by step guide and label all your parts nicely, it is still complicated to put together. My results didn't match your photos and based on my video cards (1070s) I was barely able to fit them. Also, you have a guide on putting your bracket together... not on how to take apart the Rosewill. I found that took me time to try and figure out exactly what all I had to remove. I didn't expect to have to remove the handles from the side to get to a bolt that held in a fan bracket at the front of the case.

Fourth, there is no way you're going to get large cards into this thing. You will want cards that have the PCIe power connector in the back, not the top.My 1070s barely fit and with the 8 pin connector being on the top of my card it would be impossible to get the case closed. The PCIe cable running to the GPUs sticks up out of the top of the case. I'd never be able to put the lid back on.

Fifth, cable management is a bitch. You really need special cables just for this case. Otherwise, you have cables that are too long and even if you wrap them all up nicely you still have a lot of bulky cables blocking the already limited airflow in the case. Really the only solution is a server PSU with several different sizes of PCIe cables and 6pin PCIe risers. (Of course, the case itself isn't designed for use with server PSUs.)

Sixth, at the price, why would anyone buy one of these? $200 for a 4500 case. $70 for the Spotswood bracket. $60 for fans. You're looking at over $300 for a case that you can't keep the lid on so it isn't as stackable and nice... I literally don't understand why anyone would want these. I can buy a 12 GPU rack mount for open-air mining for the same money.

Summary:
These cases are a time waste. They are also expensive. Since time is money they're even more expensive.  You can't use them as rackmount cases since you need to keep the lid off, so what is the point?  

This isn't necessarily a slam on Rich and Spotswood.  I wouldn't be able to use the 4500 case without the Spotswood rack.  He can't predict what sizes our video cards are, etc.  It's more a matter of the limitations of the case and the huge time suck that putting this together is.

In my opinion, the 4500 case is for a hobbyist that wants to try a build. It isn't for anyone building mining rigs at scale.

It all depends on what type of case you want or need for a space. I own 4 of these kits and while there are some drawbacks and cable management is difficult, they do work. As indicated you do need better fans than what it comes with.

For the space I had, 4 of these work perfectly and I didn't have the room for 4 open air rigs.

The fans can be removed while the rig is assembled, it's just not easy and you will need to be patient to line up the nuts to reinstall them but I've had to do it many times while dealing with rig issues.

The largest card I would recommend for this rig is the MSI 480/580 or the EVGA 10x0 SC series. I have both.

The ideal card for this rig imo is any of the Zotac mini cards or reference blower style cards.

Now when I bought my kits, there was really no other options but now that there are some options out there in this category, I will say this setup is still more cost effective if you pickup the 4500 on sale for $100 each as I did.

[Spotswood]

I've updated the design to get the GPUs mounted as low as possible, to where the bottoms of the GPU mounting brackets rest on the floor of the case.  

Risers are now bolted to some flat bar...




...and then the entire sub-assembly is inserted into the inside slots of the bottom extrusions.  




This latest version will start to ship next week now shipping.  Previous models can be upgraded.

[Spotswood]

I've updated the OP for version number 3.