Loud compaq Proliant DL580 (gen1)

Any ways of either running the fans at lower speeds (I was thinking about
lowering voltage, since stopping the fans would cause a shutdown)

That machine will be in a rack, along with my switch, UPS and a home-made
disk array. So it doesn't need jet-engine fans to cool those 4 poor Xeons.
(700Mhz)

I couldn't find any *software* ways to lower the fans, thus stopping them
from sounding like a shop-vac. If I owned a hose, the machine would be in
the basement, in its own room. Problem is I'm renting an appartment, and my
concern is that racket (besides keeping me up and getting my cat crazy) will
drive the neigboors nuts.

I'm about to build a simple circuit mimmicking the fan's rotations (555 or
something akin) and use my own cooling solution...

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"El Bandito" wrote
Any ways of either running the fans at lower speeds (I was thinking about
lowering voltage, since stopping the fans would cause a shutdown)

That machine will be in a rack, along with my switch, UPS and a home-made
disk array. So it doesn't need jet-engine fans to cool those 4 poor Xeons.
(700Mhz)

I couldn't find any *software* ways to lower the fans, thus stopping them
from sounding like a shop-vac. If I owned a hose, the machine would be in
the basement, in its own room. Problem is I'm renting an appartment, and
my concern is that racket (besides keeping me up and getting my cat crazy)
will drive the neigboors nuts.

I'm about to build a simple circuit mimmicking the fan's rotations (555 or
something akin) and use my own cooling solution...


Do you have the fully redundant fan and power supply options? If you do, you
should find that it runs quieter than with the non-redundant fan
configuration.

Failing that, I'd suggest you isolate your rack accoustically.

I would not start to tamper with the innards of a proliant - you'll mess up
the monitoring.

"Jez T" wrote in message
...

"El Bandito" wrote
Any ways of either running the fans at lower speeds (I was thinking about
lowering voltage, since stopping the fans would cause a shutdown)

That machine will be in a rack, along with my switch, UPS and a home-made
disk array. So it doesn't need jet-engine fans to cool those 4 poor
Xeons. (700Mhz)

I couldn't find any *software* ways to lower the fans, thus stopping them
from sounding like a shop-vac. If I owned a hose, the machine would be in
the basement, in its own room. Problem is I'm renting an appartment, and
my concern is that racket (besides keeping me up and getting my cat
crazy) will drive the neigboors nuts.

I'm about to build a simple circuit mimmicking the fan's rotations (555
or something akin) and use my own cooling solution...


Do you have the fully redundant fan and power supply options? If you do,
you should find that it runs quieter than with the non-redundant fan
configuration.

That's quieter?

I'd hate to hear the loud version


Failing that, I'd suggest you isolate your rack accoustically.

That's what I thought...


I would not start to tamper with the innards of a proliant - you'll mess
up the monitoring.

THe only monitoring seems to be ...

A- the fans are present
B- They're running

No speed control whatsoever. I don't think it needs to sound like a 747 at
take off to cool 4 700Mhz Xeons. (especially when I look at the huge
integral heatsinks on them)


Thanks...

"El Bandito" wrote

No speed control whatsoever. I don't think it needs to sound like a 747
at
take off to cool 4 700Mhz Xeons. (especially when I look at the huge
integral heatsinks on them)

These things are designed to run a optimum reliability on a server room, not
quietly in an appartment. They do what they are dedigned to do...

Try: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq.servers for support on this thing. You get
better help that just I can give you.

"Jez T" wrote in message
...

"El Bandito" wrote
Any ways of either running the fans at lower speeds (I was thinking
about
lowering voltage, since stopping the fans would cause a shutdown)

That machine will be in a rack, along with my switch, UPS and a
home-made
disk array. So it doesn't need jet-engine fans to cool those 4 poor
Xeons.
(700Mhz)

I couldn't find any *software* ways to lower the fans, thus stopping
them
from sounding like a shop-vac. If I owned a hose, the machine would be
in
the basement, in its own room. Problem is I'm renting an appartment, and
my concern is that racket (besides keeping me up and getting my cat
crazy)
will drive the neigboors nuts.

I'm about to build a simple circuit mimmicking the fan's rotations (555
or
something akin) and use my own cooling solution...


Do you have the fully redundant fan and power supply options? If you do,
you
should find that it runs quieter than with the non-redundant fan
configuration.

Failing that, I'd suggest you isolate your rack accoustically.

I would not start to tamper with the innards of a proliant - you'll mess
up
the monitoring.


Yes, they are noisy, and rather impossible to use them in the same room
unless you are deaf. Your 555 trick could simulate the fan rotation, given
the time to work out an interface to them. In the dl580, I believe it has 5
sets of fans plus the fan in each of the power supplies. That is defiantly
overkill on Compaq's part but under heavy load and high ambient temperature
it's possible it could be needed. My beef with those units is the current
(electricity) the fans pull. Most all Compaq's are energy wasters and fans
seem to be the bulk of it. Cooling is mandatory but I have wondered if a
proportional speed control based on temperature would not save a ton of
electricity.

Some time ago I modified 10 Compaq UPS's that has 155 watt (120VAC) fans. As
they were, the fans were as noisy as the dl580 and ran full bore all the
time. I now run them at a reduced voltage pulling about 40 watts each. I
used a thermistor to detect heat on the heat-sinks and when it rises a relay
switches fans to full power. About the only time they kick into high gear is
when it's running on battery and then when it's charging the batteries at a
heavy rate.

115 watts X 10, that's 1150 watts I am saving there alone. I've been using
them that way for about two years now. Now look at it money wise, that's
about 828 KWh per month saved @ .10 per KWh that's 83 bucks a month saved
there alone.

Bottom Line, not because of noise, but energy costs; I have thought of
designing a circuit that would control the server fans proportionally, based
on temperature. I would bet I could cut the energy costs drastically. It
may be worthwhile to try it and check the power savings. That would also
reduce your noise, but in my case I have a room of servers so the noise is
immaterial to me.

Oh, if anyone out there has tried this trick please chime in. I would love
to hear about it.

Phil

"Phil" wrote in message
. ..

unless you are deaf. Your 555 trick could simulate the fan rotation, given
the time to work out an interface to them. In the dl580, I believe it has
5

....

Oh, if anyone out there has tried this trick please chime in. I would love
to hear about it.


I'll probably do it, hadn't thought about the energy consumption alone.

For example, the double set in front of the PCI air tunnel (for the hot swap
cards) is not needed, as they are currently empty (the slots)

And 2 front + 1 rear double-fan sets for cooling four poor little 700
processors? *WAY* overkill. My overclocked Barton runs on air (2500+ mobile
at 2.5 GHZ), not even a high-end cooler. And that CPU heats lots more than
those xeons.

Phil