NSK2400 on a closed shelf - recirculation of hot air?

[Alan Roberts]

Apologies if I'm a newbie asking something already answered. Please point me at the thread(s) if so.

I'm considering a build of machine to act as home file server, Slimserver to the new Squeezebox, and (secondary mission if possible) crunching for Rosetta@Home.

The location for the box has to be in the A/V center within the listening room, so a very quiet system (at least during hours when I'm in the room) is a priority. The A/V center has closed-back shelves, with only small cable-routing openings.

I've read the SPCR material about the NSK2400/Fusion case, and I'd like to know if anyone has used it for a system that sits within a closed-back shelf? It seems that heated air would be exhausted from the PSU and then pulled back in through the rear slots and grill. The side case fans would also seem to be another partial source of recirculating heated air (although perhaps less so if I use only the frontmost of the two fans)?

Any experience or advice would be appreciated.

[mellon]

I have an NSK2400 (low-end AMD64, seasonic PSU) doing the same tasks (no R@H though) in a very cramped shelf but with an open backside that is close to the wall. With low airflow the temperatures are quite ok, relatively highest is probably the HDD at around 45C.

Closed-back shelf may be different story though especially if the shelf is very cramped around the case. A very low-power system is still probably ok as the CPU, GPU and PSU can handle quite high temperatures and the HDD will anyway get some fresh air from the bottom front.

[BillyBuerger]

I have a Shuttle SD11G5 with a Celeron M 350 CPU connected to my home theater. Very low power and cool running. I put it in a small shelf with a closed back and only a couple small holes for routing wires. It got pretty warm inside there. I didn't do much actual temperature testing or anything. But the fact that the heat had nowhere to go, even with a low powered PC, it was getting warm. I cut a larger hole directly behind it where the exhaust fan blows out. It runs much cooler now.

Problem is that the Antec uses side exhaust. So you could make a few extra holes in the back if you wanted. But there will be nothing specifically pushing or pulling air through those holes. My stereo is also in another shelf that I haven't added any extra holes to. That get's really warm sometimes. I've been thinking of making a new hole back there and mounting a quiet 92mm fan wired to a 5V AC/DC brick. Just to give it a little airflow.

[cjpark]

I have an AMD64 running in an NSK2400 as an HTPC in an fairly enclosed area (less than 1cm on either side and top), back was enclosed as well but I cut a hole for most of the back end so it could get rid of some hot air. Not exactly your situation but certainly not ideal conditions and its been running for over a year now with no serious heat problems, even in summer months with no A/C.

[VanWaGuy]

Maybe not at all the direction that you would want to head, but a slimserver does not take much of a computer to run. Are you familiar with OpenWRT? People are running Linux on some very inexpensive low power devices like routers, Network attached storage devices, etc. I have a friend who has OpenWRT running on a couple NSLU2's and set them up as slimservers, and they work just fine for it.

Then, possibly you can put your file server/Rosetta machine in a different location with more air available and that would tolerate more sound.

[NARC]

I had an NSK2400 in a closed case, but I had to cut a hole in the back because it was getting way too hot. I cut a 120mm opening in the back, and I have mounted a fan to the opening.