Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.8, 23 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Show off your quiet rig.

Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.4, 20+ HDDs

Post by pm.stacker » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:39 am

Oct 12, preparing window.
Image Image Image

Noctua NH-D14
Image Image Image Image

Temp readings
Image

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.4, 20+ HDDs

Post by pm.stacker » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:41 am

Oct 12 recabling. Better, nicer, preparing for 20 HDD. :mrgreen:
Image Image Image Image Image

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.4, 20+ HDDs

Post by pm.stacker » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:45 am

New power distribution panel for expansion cards and rear internal USB.
Image Image

Bottom EX-H34B compartment modified and cabled up.
ImageImage Image

Rear Esata12V.
Image

Internal USB connections.
Image Image

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.4, 20+ HDDs

Post by pm.stacker » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:49 am

A little trial fitting of a 20 HDD system with two SAS cards, now single card but planning on returning to dual cards. :-D
Image ImageImage

Ready to rock. :mrgreen:
Image Image

Modifying the USB3.0 card with a big molex connector.
Image

Auxiliary power, compatible with the Quadro 4000 heatsink.
Image

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.4, 20+ HDDs

Post by pm.stacker » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:54 am

November 2012. After ordering a spare Spitfire on sale, time to go downstairs with my multi-cutter...
Image Image

All this to flush-mount a Slip Stream Slimline for Quadro 4000 cooling and get max clearance possible towards the panel.
Image

Thermalright TY-140 fans in place with 4-way suspension system.
Image Image

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.4, 20+ HDDs

Post by pm.stacker » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:56 am

Fine. Now lemme do some IBT! :mrgreen:
Image Image

That's all for now. :idea:

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.4, 20+ HDDs

Post by pm.stacker » Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:56 am

Some minor variations for V2.5.
1) dual bridge boards for the slim-line BD-RW drives, better performance and compatibility. Externalizing the DVD-RAM writer (wanna maintain the onboard USB-A as internal emergency boot port).
2) recycling the old 8-port SAS controller to use it in an asymmetrical "SLI" configuration. Preparing case for 24 HDD capacity. :mrgreen:

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by pm.stacker » Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:09 pm

All prepared, ordered 4x WD1003FBYX RE4 and they arrived, but unfortunately one was DOA :cry:
Installed and configured the new 8x RAID6 volume, 6xWD10EADS and 2xWD10EACS all good old Greens from 2008 :mrgreen:, capacity: 5540GB.
Small volume: RAID6 with 4xWD Scorpio Blue, 929GB.
A small problem that rises when using 20+ HDDs is: vibration. But I am taking care of that too, not to eliminate them but at least to reduce them, having now 12x5400 and 8x7200 drives (next: 14x5400 and 10x7200). Not much case-induced vibration, since the massive weight (around 50kgs) somewhat makes up for it, but the table-induced vibration, under control now with little foam pads on case-table contact zones.

System idle power: 280W Startup power: 500W. (no PM2 and/or staggered spinup)

MattP
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2012 1:46 am

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by MattP » Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:55 am

Just curious... what do you use all that space for? I've got a 2tb HDD, and it just never seems to fill up! :lol:

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by pm.stacker » Tue Apr 02, 2013 4:37 am

Exhaust tubing.
Image
Image

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by pm.stacker » Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:18 pm

Nibbled away the rear exhaust grille, swapped the TY-140 with a Noctua NF-P14-PWM and on the Quadro we have now a NF-F12-PWM, I bought it in 2010 but never used it since in DC tests it always produced an annoying whining noise, but now installed in the system and powered via mobo, it's silent. :shock:
Currently priming to stabilize internal temperature and check SAS batteries temps for safety. Noctuas NF-P12-PWM in the D14 heatsinks can't move much air compared to TY-140s but they're quieter. Now that the exhaust grille has been removed, I can use almost every fan for that purpose. The NF-P14-PWM (exclusive to the NH-D14-SE2011 version I bought) has a smoother air flow (air stream exiting the tubing system is more regular).
Now my beast could almost be renamed quiet... :mrgreen:

boost
Posts: 661
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:29 am
Location: de_DE

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by boost » Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:06 am

How well does the Thermalright Spitfire work facing down?
What are your graphic card temps?
I have one and I want to munt it on my new graphic card, but I'm not sure if its a good idea to mount it facing down like you did.

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by pm.stacker » Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:12 am

Tried upright with no fan just exhaust rear: 50deg.
Now downright with fan: 54deg. But bear in mind that it's warmed by the two SAS cards processors which get quite hot.

Happy Hopping
Posts: 254
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 4:38 am

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by Happy Hopping » Thu May 23, 2013 11:03 pm

pm.stacker wrote: CPU cooling 2x Noctua NH-D14SE2011 (adapted to Xeon mount) with 2x Thermalright TY-140
what do you mean by adapted to xeon mount? The Noctua is designed for LGA2011, and your Xeon is LGA 2011, so there shouldn't be any need for any sort of adaptation?

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.5, 24 HDDs and 20.0+ TB

Post by pm.stacker » Tue Aug 06, 2013 2:26 am

Nope: E5520 Xeons are LGA1366. I bought the SE2011 because I could find it for slightly less than the multi-standard SE2 and it had the NF-P14-PWM fan which the SE2 doesn't have. Then I bought two NM-I3 multi-socket mounting kits, but they fit LGA775-115x-1366 without backplate (standard Ø4 mobo holes, they have their own backplate). The LGA1366 Xeon mount simply has a backplate already installed and with M3 threaded holes, so simply insert the black plastic spacers (which happen to have a Ø4 hole 8-) ) over the M3 holes, then screw the stock NM-I3 retaining plates via a M3 bolt :idea:

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.7b, 22 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by pm.stacker » Tue Aug 06, 2013 2:39 am

Next will be swapping the Belkin card for a LSI FW800 one. The TI-based seems to be very tricky on peripherals: doesn't work with my external Seagate 750GB USB-FW400-FW800 HDD, had to hook it to the Audigy IEEE1394-400. From what I remember, the LSI chip should work with Sata-to-FW800 connected ODDs too. 8-)

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.7b, 22 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by pm.stacker » Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:04 am

Was able to integrate all main ODDs inside, so no need for external FW800 but I'll test it anyway :mrgreen:
It was not the TI card that was tricky: was the Icy Box external enclosure which has a buggy firmware in FW800 mode, works only in FW400 on a FW400 controller. But at least the LSI card won't crash the whole system: OS detects the fault and disconnects the device with "firmware error".

Just now I'm testing a Nidec Servo Gentle Typhoon on the exhaust, works better than the TY-140, more and smoother flow and less noise. I have ordered two more fans for the CPUs: D1225C12B4AP-14 (1450RPM). Re-enabled PWM which now works only on the CPU fans (Noctua P12-PWM), let's see some temps...

PS: I'll start re-posting pics :arrow:

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.8, 23 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by pm.stacker » Fri Aug 09, 2013 4:17 am

Lightning fast shipping: the GTs are here: They'll be modified and mounted once I finish checking 4 HDDs for bad sectors (already found one). :-x

Abula
Posts: 3662
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: Guatemala

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.8, 23 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by Abula » Fri Aug 09, 2013 7:33 am

Thanks for sharing your updates with us, really impressive server.

I'm currently looking for a replacement for my Antec 1200, and i been eyeballing Norco 4224 and 4220, but i have read some quality issues specially with the wiring where people have burned motherboards and hdds out of Norco bad quality control. And besides im not that fond of a rack, i would addapt to it if i need to, but overall i prefer towers, with this in mid and checking your server, the ELYSIUM seems like a good alternative. I have some questions that maybe you could help me,

1) I see a lot of versions of the Elysium, one with window others without, just wondering if the case will be the same inside, like for mounting hdds etc. I have access to two versions,
Xigmatek Elysium Computer Case with Window CCC-HSA0DS-U01 (Black)
Xigmatek Elysium Server Version Computer Case CCC-HSA0DS-U03 (Black)

2) I see 3x bottom hdd cages on your build, wondering if this are included with the case or you bought them seperatly, i tried to see in you edited first page list of parts, but couldn't really find them. They seem silver not matching the interior of the case, so im guessing they are adaptations/mod of other cages that you added into your case, from the holes seems like Lian Li cages, but idk, maybe you could share what you use and had to do for this bottom cages.

3) I see you have lots of opticals, i don't have any use for optical drives on my server, this will be mainly for strorage. From what i can see the Elysium has 3x hdd cages on the front, and the top is empty for pure 5.25 drives, can i buy a seperate Elysium cage somewhere to add it there?

4) Thinking on using the top slot (where you have your opticals) for hdds, whats the most hdds you think would fit on the Elysium? 28x 3.5 hdds is my guess but im not sure. This would be great getting 24x hdd from 3x IBM1015 + 4 ports from the motherboard.

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.8, 23 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by pm.stacker » Sat Aug 10, 2013 1:21 am

1) AFAIK the case is the same, apart one has the window and the other does not. There's two color versions but they differ only in the silver front trim (the stripes that run along the optical bays): one (mine) has them in dark silver, another in polished black.

2) The 3x bottom HDD cages are totally made by me, and placed in the place originally intended for a 360-420 radiator. I took three Lian-li EX-H34B 4-in-3 cages and removed the cage frame itself (rear Pcb and rails) from the optical bays mount (5¼ holes and front door). It can be easily done, since Lian-li cages are built with screws and can be easily dismantled. Then I mounted them to two aluminum bars that act as a support bar then bolted to the rad grille. When I'll re-attach all pics you'll see how I made them.

3) The Elysium up front is much like the good old CM Stacker-01: it has 12x5¼" standard bays that are fully usable since buttons and ports are on the top (the CM used up one bay for this, without modding). So you can place any kind of hot-swap module, from 4x2½" in a single 5¼" to 5x3½" in 3x5¼".

4) That depends on your modding abilities. :mrgreen: with no opticals:
4.1) Using my 3 internal cages and 4x modified Lian-li EX-H34B cages up front, shortened with ½" thick fan like I did: 28x3½"
4.2) Front bays with 4-in-3 modules: 16x3½"
4.3) Front bays with 5-in-3 modules: 20x3½"
4.4) Front bays with 4-in-1 or 8-in-2 modules: 48x2½"

The Elysium comes standard with two 4-in-3 internal 3½" cages, not hot-swappable, with a 120 fan. They're fairly standard quality, separately they're available for about $15-20.
I know the silver cages don't match the case main color, but in modding I'm first for function, only then appearance :mrgreen:. A version of the EX-H34 is available in all-black, EX-H34SX but it costs a lot (SAS support) and has no holes on the sides which I needed.

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.8, 23 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by pm.stacker » Tue Nov 26, 2013 7:57 am

Now I have to deal with a possibly broken Quadro 4000. :cry: :-x

With a new Spitfire mounted upwards and a 2100-RPM fan on open case, idle reads 60 and load... 100. :shock:

The thermal block in contact with the GF100 chip feels warm to the touch. If the core was 100, it would heat up to something like 70 and my hand would be burned by now. So we have two options:
1) broken diode, it works but reads way more than the real GF100 temp
2) the metal heatspreader detached from the GF100 silicon core. :cry:

It was an awesome card, in 3 years it never let me down.

bonestonne
Posts: 1839
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 2:10 pm
Location: Northern New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.8, 23 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by bonestonne » Tue Nov 26, 2013 9:05 pm

If you look at the backside of the PCB of the quaddro, you can usually tell if there's serious temp issues because the area directly behind the core will be discolored, and most of the time, very obviously so.

I've seen this a couple times on low profile, fanless GPUs in the slim Dell machines. Those things burn out incredibly quickly.

pm.stacker
Posts: 197
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 2:54 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Revamped: The Elysium Beast V2.8, 23 HDDs and 18.0 TB

Post by pm.stacker » Tue Dec 03, 2013 3:57 am

Nope at least when I removed the Spitfire I did not notice any issues, might be a broken diode. But upon removing the heatsink I noticed a broken capacitor near the X16 connector, it was still electrically connected to the PCB but touching it... it snapped off. Tried to re-solder it back, no luck. :-(

Post Reply