Modding Hard disk idea (ugly pics added)

Discussion in 'Modding' started by ChillingSP, 20 Jun 2003.

  1. ChillingSP

    ChillingSP What's a Dremel?

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    Hi all,
    my first post (and third try..).

    I'm planning to build my custom plexi-alu case and, in search for silence, i ordered a zalman cnps6500 al-cu(which i mount horizontally) ,a quiet gpu(hercules-ati-9500 with noisless fan),and a quiet psu.

    The main source of noise now is my old hard disk maxtor 740dx
    (7200rpm) with his 30-33 dB :nono: .

    My idea is to build an alu enclodure filled with acoustic foam.
    The problem is that the disk will produce a lot of heat and
    so i decided to place a large heatsink (wich will extrude from the enclosure) on top of the HD, hoping to mantain temp acceptable.
    A sensor will be included to monitor the temp.

    This is the rough idea:

    [​IMG]

    and this is the internal view:

    [​IMG]


    I was wandering if any of you have ever done something similar.
    Do you think it will work?

    Thanks for any comment.
     
    Last edited: 29 Jul 2003
  2. BringItDown

    BringItDown What's a Dremel?

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    Hehe...rule #1.

    dont host images on tripod.:idea:
     
  3. ChillingSP

    ChillingSP What's a Dremel?

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    Aaarghh

    :wallbash: :wallbash: :waah: :duh:
     
  4. Lorquis

    Lorquis lorquisSpamCount++;

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    If you want me to host them I'd be happy to... just email them over to me.... admin:lorquis.net (replace : with @)
     
  5. Shadowspawn

    Shadowspawn Another hated American.

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    Haven't seen the pics yet, but I think I understand from your description. HDD's send their heat to the sides, where the screw holes are. This makes sense, as thats where the enclosure touches them, wicking away the heat. That is where you are going to want your enclosure touching, metal to metal. Foam on the top and bottom won't affect the heat to much.
     
  6. Pflumingo

    Pflumingo givem the bird.

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    You can get thermally conductive accoustical polyester foam, and it will actually transfer the heat outside of the enclosure, which if made with aluminum will disipate it nicely. I have seen some pre-made boxes that are supposed to quiet the drive, and do so pretty well, and still operate at tolerable temps.
     
  7. mookie

    mookie very nawty<br><img src="http://mookie.org/i/avatar

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    Took the liberity of hosting them:

    image one:
    [​IMG]

    image two:
    [​IMG]
     
  8. ChillingSP

    ChillingSP What's a Dremel?

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    Thanks a lot Mookie :D :D :D
    Thanks a lot Shadowspawn.

    I plan to place the enclosure on it's own (not in the drive bay)
    so the space wouldn't be a problem.

    Actually i was thinking to put foam on all sides and the HS on the
    top of the disk because i thought the heat to be dissipated
    mainly by the top of the drive.

    I'v seen some of them but they seems to operate with 5400rpm
    disks.
     
  9. PillPu$her

    PillPu$her What's a Dremel?

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    Why not just chop the sides off your enclosure, making it flush with your HDD. That way you can still mount it in a couple of 3.5" slots and still allow the drives to be cooled by the screws. If your enclosure is tight fitting, this shouldn't increase your sound levels much.
     
  10. loply

    loply What's a Dremel?

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    Hmm trouble is mate HDD's emit their heat from the sides not the top... msot of it anyhow... if you wanna heatsink it the best place would be on the sides
     
  11. Pflumingo

    Pflumingo givem the bird.

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    the screws don't disipate much heat... They aren't even very thermally conductive. The bottom of the hard drive(save the circuit board) is usually cast aluminum or magnesium to disipate the heat created by the motor. Sinking the cast bottom is your best bet for ridding the heat.
     
  12. Crunchy_Frog

    Crunchy_Frog What's a Dremel?

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    Actually, there are some good products out there that already do this, but they are not cheap:


    http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/smartdriveenclosure2002.html?id=JHKq8n8z

    I am also in the process of doing just this thing, but it will not be as pretty. I watercool, so heat is not really the issue, but the noise still is. I was going to make a plexi cage and line it with akasa pax mate. I can mount the drives in there and keep them silent..... Sorry, no schmatics to show at the moment.




    CF
     
  13. ChillingSP

    ChillingSP What's a Dremel?

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    I visited the SmartDrive page and that would be a nice solution
    but you're right Crunchy, it's not cheap at all.

    Ok i've decided to monitor sides,top and bottom separately to
    guess the best sinking position.
     
  14. RaptorLord

    RaptorLord What's a Dremel?

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    If I had a better memory I could give you more details, but there is a silent HDD enclosure product out there (that has been reviewed) that is similar to what you have proposed (minus the protruding heatsink). Aluminum chasis with sound deadening foam, but the foam they used also conducted heat quite well and the temps in the enclosure were a degree or two cooler than without. This, on top of the reduction in noise was quite contrary to what was predicted would be the case.
     
  15. reGen

    reGen Minimodder

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    urmm is it a CM silent drive or sumut
     
  16. Renko

    Renko What's a Dremel?

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    from what I've heard before (and on these forums I do believe..) is that there are acoustic foams that conduct heat better than air.

    Not sure if it's easy to get hold of tho, try searching the forums.
     
  17. DeX

    DeX Mube Codder

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    Wouldn't it be easier to buy a Seagate? :p
     
  18. ChillingSP

    ChillingSP What's a Dremel?

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    Yeah, it would be easier but less satisfying :D .
     
  19. ChillingSP

    ChillingSP What's a Dremel?

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    I've checked temps:

    TOP:44 c
    SIDES:43.3c
    BOTTOM:42c

    So it seems that the drive dissipate much heat on top and sides.
    Maybe i will put three HS, one on top and two little on sides.
    Hope it will work.
     
  20. Devil_H@ck

    Devil_H@ck What's a Dremel?

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    And bottom ;)
     

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