Making server PSUs quieter

[gt_addict]

Hi everyone,

Firstly mods if this is the wrong section please move to an appropriate one. Thanks.

I'm looking at switching out an ATX psu for a server psu (HP DPS1200FB-1) but need to make it as quiet as possible as I'm a home miner.

I need to know what kind of behaviour to expect if I were to remove the small jet engine from the front and replace it with via an independent 12v Temp controlled PWM fan mounted on top (with hole cut in the plate).

Has anyone managed to do anything similar?

P.S. I know finally and jabberwock do psus with fans but they run and full speed and they are for a beast of a psu which I just don't need.

[Biffa]

Firstly, why? Seems like you are chasing your own tail trying to home mine quietly these days.

Secondly, the only way I can see it working with the larger slower fans providing enough airflow is to use some sort of reducing cowl.

[gt_addict]

Firstly, why? Seems like you are chasing your own tail trying to home mine quietly these days.

Secondly, the only way I can see it working with the larger slower fans providing enough airflow is to use some sort of reducing cowl.

Working it out I can get a hp dps1200 for £30 plus breakout board etc at another £40ish it's a £100 saving compared to the 1000w platinum psu I've got and more powerful. Plus it gives me something to do other than work-sleep-repeat.

Are server psus ok to handle while they are on as I've read that they ground to the case.

[sidehack]

Pretty much any PSU worth anything grounds the case. It's a safety feature.

When you say "independent 12v Temp controlled PWM fan", please clarify what is "independent". I don't know if the PSU has protection mechanisms where it won't stay lit up without detecting a spinning fan, but the built-in fan is PWM temp-controlled and runs off 12V so I'd just plug the new external fan into its port and see if that's good enough.

[gt_addict]

Pretty much any PSU worth anything grounds the case. It's a safety feature.

When you say "independent 12v Temp controlled PWM fan", please clarify what is "independent". I don't know if the PSU has protection mechanisms where it won't stay lit up without detecting a spinning fan, but the built-in fan is PWM temp-controlled and runs off 12V so I'd just plug the new external fan into its port and see if that's good enough.

I was going to get a cheap 12v pwm fan controller that has a temp probe and place that inside the psu so the larger quieter fan I put on ramps up and down as necessary. I had an idea that the existing fan would be controlled via pwm signals but wouldn't it need to register silly rpm for the psu to function as intended? As the larger fan will obviously spin slower so would there be a conflict with what the psu "sees" and shut it down if it doesn't reach the target rpm?

I'm assume the existing fan is load related rather than temp related aswell.

[isoneguy]

Pretty much any PSU worth anything grounds the case. It's a safety feature.

When you say "independent 12v Temp controlled PWM fan", please clarify what is "independent". I don't know if the PSU has protection mechanisms where it won't stay lit up without detecting a spinning fan, but the built-in fan is PWM temp-controlled and runs off 12V so I'd just plug the new external fan into its port and see if that's good enough.

I was going to get a cheap 12v pwm fan controller that has a temp probe and place that inside the psu so the larger quieter fan I put on ramps up and down as necessary. I had an idea that the existing fan would be controlled via pwm signals but wouldn't it need to register silly rpm for the psu to function as intended? As the larger fan will obviously spin slower so would there be a conflict with what the psu "sees" and shut it down if it doesn't reach the target rpm?

I'm assume the existing fan is load related rather than temp related aswell.

It sounds like you are having fun and will break things. What psu's are you using? The 3x750w setup I have will wake the dead...but the dps-800's are quieter than an s7. Maybe it helps that the s7 "heater's" in my room have 1 dps800 per blade? With less load they will make less noise.

You can also purchase variations of the small server fans and of course replace what is in the PSU...It might not make much of a different.

What is your ambient temperature?

[gt_addict]

Ambient temp is 19-20c which isn't a problem. This is all to do with saving some money on the PSU side of things. The EVGA ive currently got is great but if I can sell it (or get a refund) and get the same performance and more power from the HP then why not.

Im hopefully heading over to pick up a couple of the HP PSU's tomorrow. Ill take one apart and see what goes on inside and whether what im planning to do is even feasible. If its not then I can sell the PSU's on here or ebay and be no worse off.

So can anyone tell me if the fan speed is load based or temp based as I cannot find a datasheet on this model of HP PSU anywhere.

[gt_addict]

Thanks for the input but it's the HP model I'm going for. Not the dell.

[sidehack]

In my experience the Dell 750W is good for about 400W output (depending on specific model) on dead-low fan.

Regarding load versus temperature, the temperature is usually pretty much proportional to the load unless your ambient changes quite a bit. I forget if the fan kicks on from plugin on the DPS1200, but I know it keeps running even after the PSU has been turned off (and unplugged, off buffered power).

[isoneguy]

The only time my DPS psu's really get noisy is when it's hot as f' in the server room. Naturally, increased temperature lowers the efficiency of the psu increasing it's load.

part and parcel?

[gt_addict]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll update this when I get hold of a psu and breakout board. I have an idea in mind already for mounting the fan without ruining the existing case.

[Subw]

You don't need a break out board for this PSU as it is easy to solder wires directly. And for that price you can buy twice the power. And regarding noise, servers are always louder than ATX.
You best option is to go with DPS 2000BB

[takagari]

the DPS2000 are silent? you put your own fan, why not use those?

[gt_addict]

Ok so ive got a couple of HP DPS1200 common rail Platinum PSU's. Ive taken one aprt to take a look at the innerds and found that the fan is connected with a 4pin connector, but its bloody tiny. Does anyone know if you can get a converter for it? It looks even smaller than a vga 4pin connector. Ive tried google but cant find any pictures that match just how small this thing is. If its a help ive found the fan make and model (under the 1200w 94% efficiency sticker).

http://www.nidec.com/en-NA/product/fan/category/F010/G030/P2000076/

[isoneguy]

Haha, just use 4 paperclips!

Alternatively you could rewire it or solder something.

Picture of the 4 pin plug?

[gt_addict]

Haha, just use 4 paperclips!

Alternatively you could rewire it or solder something.

Picture of the 4 pin plug?

It's tiny. I'm useless at soldering small things lol.

Here's a picture of it next to a standard USB (a gekko stick):-



Obviously I need the adaptor to fit the connection on the pcb in the psu.

[QuentinA]

let it plugged in and cut the wire, then put some thermo retractable tube to "solder" the blue yellow red and black wires to your pwm fan. You can add a big variable resistor to the power wire to regulate speed, I had one of these on a 800w dell server psus with an ant s1 fan (pretty silent but powerful).

I might find it tonight and post a picture to make this easier, but it's a ghetto fix (possibe for 3-4 psus but not for a farm). When I used it 24/7 I had to glue a little heatsink on the back, it was a variable resistor for the volume know on a stereo system.

Have fun !

[Biffa]

That looks exactly the same connector that they used on SP20's

[KNCFUN]

any update ?

[gt_addict]

Sorry for the delay. No update as of yet. There was a hold up with the breakout board. Courier lost it at a depot or something.

A sort of update is I think I've found the name of the fan connector. Its a 4pin micro JST connector. From what I've seen there are different types with different pin pitches so taken a guess on a pair (male and female bare ended) just to see if they match up. If they do I can cut and join to a regular 4 pin connector and see what happens.

I'm hoping the fan is temp controlled as it says something about temp on the pcb when I opened it up.