Low-power and low-budget linux router/server

zarri · Post by **zarri** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:59 am

Hi everyone!

I'm kind of new here and have been reading a lot about low-idle-power systems and wanted to ask around for some opinions.

I'm currently using an old Fujitsu SFF PC as a Linux firewall/router and MP3/webserver (very light usage). The main specs are:

- Pentium 3 coppermine 800MHz underclocked and -volted to 600MHz and 1.4V
- Proprietary Fujitsu MB with integrated Ati Rage and 10/100 intel networking
- 2x 256MB PC100 SDRAM
- Second network card: Intel 10/100 PCI
- Proprietary form factor Fujitsu 80W PSU
- Slimline 24x CDRW drive
- One 80mm fan running at 5V

I don't currently have any hard drives attached. For power measurements I'm booting the thing off a live cd. In normal use the computer uses a 5400rpm 2.5" drive.

And finally, to the point of this post. With this configuration the computer idles at linux desktop at 28W, measured from the wall.

- Is this a good result?
- Is there something I could do within a ~$100 budget that would lower the power consumption?
- Would a picoPSU help?

I'm also interested in going totally fanless. Now both the CPU and PSU will reach near 70C in a closed case without the single fan I'm using. I'm already using the largest CPU HS I can fit in the case. Are there any solutions within my budget to allow totally fanless operation? CPU speed of the current solution is adequate, so the proposed solution should have equal or better processing power.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:13 pm

10 year old technology.... ftw?

fenerli · Post by **fenerli** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:52 pm

My original aim for an always-on server running Linux or BSD was 30W and I thought that was reasonable. So I'd say it's a good result.

I'd recommend at least one fan to get some decent air flow over the heat sink, you can get a variable speed one that can be virtually inaudible if noise levels are the reason for you wanting a fanless system.

A good variable speed fan (>=120mm or don't bother) and a fan controller would be fairly cheap but I'm not sure what I'd do with the rest of the $100 budget.

Faster_Madman · Post by **Faster_Madman** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:33 am

For a really low budget modification, I.E. at no cost, you could pull the PSU from the box and place it outside the box. That would probably help with the heat problem quite a bit.
Furthermore you could take advantage of natural convection and place the PC in such a way that the heat from the CPU hs have the shortest and unhindered path to escape the case, maybe even cut some holes in the case to help with convection and make a chimney/duct kind of thingymajjig, and keeping in mind that heat always escapes upwards.

For a more aestethic approach you could try ducting the PC without placing components on the outside of the case.

lm · Post by lm » Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:27 am

~El~Jefe~ wrote:10 year old technology.... ftw?

If you have nothing to say, just don't say it.

To op: I guess you could win much more by switching any one incandescent bulb to a fluorescent. My old P3 733Mhz 512MB server that is already discarded only managed about 40W AC at idle. Your efficiency is imo excellent.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:40 am

Only thing you can do to improve effecience is to get Pico PSU which have high effeciency... That would improve slightly. Your system is already very low consuming.

Faster_Madman · Post by **Faster_Madman** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:31 pm

Oh and btw Welcome to SPCR

Moon GT · Post by **Moon GT** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:14 am

We're running an Acer Travelmate. Pentium M 1000MHz, fanless. Draws 10W at idle.

No, really.

zarri · Post by **zarri** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:16 pm

Hi again and thanks for all the suggestions! I'll reply to all the posts within this message.

fenerli: I've been thinking about adding a larger quieter fan also, but unfortunately the small SFF case can't take anything larger than the 80mm. And even that required some modifications. The reason I want a fanless solution isn't the fan noise itself, but the fact that the case is so badly designed that it amplifies the sound significantly when it's closed. I guess I could try mounting the fan on the outside of the case, blowing in from a hole.

Faster_Madman: Moving the PSU is out of the question since it's quite well fitted for the case, i.e. the cables are around 4 inches long so there's not much room to spare. But I did cut some holes into the case, where the CPU HS and the PSU are located, and that helped a lot to the noise. Now the air flows more freely and the noise is also lower. I guess the original incredibly small vents were hindering airflow and causing unnecessary noise. Thanks!

lm: I wish it were that easy :). I've already changed everything I can to fluorescents. Unfortunately my apartment has quite a lot of halogen light fixtures and there are no fluorescents for those :(.

thejamppa: Based on reviews I agree on the picopsu. I'm currently trying to score one from ebay and then see what that will do. Anyways it won't be a waste of money since an update to this server will probably be coming within a few years, and the picopsu can be used with that too.

Moon GT: Yeah I know, a laptop would be ideal. I have a T41 Thinkpad (1.6GHz Pentium M) that draws 12-14W from the wall, idling with the display on! That is definitely an option, but I have yet to come across a affordable (read: cheap) and adequate laptop. So for now I'm restricted to "old" desktop hardware (I got my current server for free, only bought the hard disk for it myself).

As soon as I get my hands on the picopsu, I'll post some power measurements so that anyone else interested in that kind of comparison will have one more result to read.

zarri · Post by **zarri** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:17 am

Well, I finally received my PicoPSU (120W version) and already tested it! The system is now consuming 22W at idle (previously 28W), so the advantage is definitely noticeable while not a huge one.

I think the PicoPSU still was a good investment since now the power supply part of the system is completely fanless and thus the whole system is quieter than before. Excellent.

Thanks for all your tips!

lm · Post by lm » Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:24 am

zarri wrote:lm: I wish it were that easy . I've already changed everything I can to fluorescents. Unfortunately my apartment has quite a lot of halogen light fixtures and there are no fluorescents for those .

Perhaps you should consider swapping the fixtures?

Cons of halogen lighting:

- power hog
- excess heat during summer
- far from natural light spectrum (yellow light)
- fire hazard in many ways
- glare
- needs frequent maintenance

Pros of halogen lighting:

- I can't think of any o_O
I've halogen lights in my living room, and it clearly was a big mistake, those things are blinding to look at accidentally... I don't want to even start thinking about when those 15 bulbs start popping one by one. Everything else is energy saving lamps.

mattthemuppet · Post by **mattthemuppet** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 4:36 pm

lm wrote:
zarri wrote:lm: I wish it were that easy . I've already changed everything I can to fluorescents. Unfortunately my apartment has quite a lot of halogen light fixtures and there are no fluorescents for those .
Perhaps you should consider swapping the fixtures?

Cons of halogen lighting:

- power hog
- excess heat during summer
- far from natural light spectrum (yellow light)
- fire hazard in many ways
- glare
- needs frequent maintenance

Pros of halogen lighting:

- I can't think of any o_O
I've halogen lights in my living room, and it clearly was a big mistake, those things are blinding to look at accidentally... I don't want to even start thinking about when those 15 bulbs start popping one by one. Everything else is energy saving lamps.

you can get LED and, I think, mini-CFL replacements for standard halogen fixings. Pricey, but the LED ones at least should last forever.