Just suspended my HDD - WOW! [PICS]

Just-Chris · Post by **Just-Chris** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:36 am

Hi everyone,

I have just suspended my first hardisk, a Seagate 'cuda V! I am very impressed with the results, idle noise disappeared completely (with the exception of a periodic whining noise that i baffled by), seek noise dramatically reduced. Best 69p I have ever spent!

Here is the computer currently:

You can also see my XP-120/Papst 120mm connected via a 1K pententiometer, and the Zalman passive cooler on my rad 9800pro.

And a close up:

The elastic I am using is cheap 8mm wide clothing elastic from a "pound shop". I plan to suspend this disk in a 5.25" bay eventually, but that means rearranging some cabling and such. Also I am not sure whether I should get wider elastic, I could get some 12mm or even 25mm stuff which might be more stable.

ultraboy · Post by **ultraboy** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:52 am

May be I'm getting old, but the pots in your pic above as well as in the pic on your PSU mod thread scare me a bit. Both seem to be naked i.e. no shrink tube or other protection.

ilh · Post by **ilh** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:03 am

Yeah, don't you have a naked +12V very close to your case (ground) there?

aidanjm2004 · Post by **aidanjm2004** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:20 am

Just-Chris wrote:Hi everyone,

I have just suspended my first hardisk, a Seagate 'cuda V! I am very impressed with the results, idle noise disappeared completely (with the exception of a periodic whining noise that i baffled by), seek noise dramatically reduced. Best 69p I have ever spent!

I might try this myself.

luggage · Post by **luggage** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:58 am

Resently did a suspension also and really like how it got rid of all vibrations.

Semi secure and easily adjustable with zip ties and elastics.

Cables are a mess

but mostly out of the way of airflow so I still get good temps.

Cuda V 60GB and Spinpoint 80GB

Just-Chris · Post by **Just-Chris** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:33 am

Though the 12V is near the case (earth) it cant short because there just isnt enough bare wire protruding out of the bottom of the pot.

I redone the suspension, now into a 5.25" bay properly. Here from the top:

and from the front:

It was quite easy to do in the end, just requires some patience to get the tension right. Recommended!

rtsai · Post by **rtsai** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 1:57 pm

Just-Chris wrote:I redone the suspension, now into a 5.25" bay properly.

I have a suggestion for this suspension method (elastic). Instead of just a simple loop configuration as shown in the picture (where the HD ends up simply resting on the bottom strips of elastic), you could try a kind of figure-8 configuration to get more tension in the elastic without having to get all the lengths exactly "right", and as a bonus the extra "grip" provides a little extra front-back stability.

Here is a crude ASCII-depiction of the "from the front" view:

Code: Select all

 _   ____________________   _
|  \/                     \/ |
|_/ \_(HD goes in here)___/\_|

Chunker · Post by **Chunker** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 5:54 pm

About that exposed pot in the case: Watch out. I had the same sort of setup until the exposed wires touched metal and blew my PSU fuse. I now understand why we insulate wires!

nbac · Post by **nbac** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:23 pm

I have another concern about the choice of a potentiometer:

Carbon potentiometers can usually only handle 0.2-0.4W,
making them not so good for fan regulation.

Cermet potentiometers are almost as inexpensive and can
handle 1-2W. Good enough for low speed fans.

Wire wound potentiometers have the highest power rating,
but cost a lot more.

But the fanmate is still the best choice for most people.

Just suspended my HDD - WOW! [PICS]

Just suspended my HDD - WOW! [PICS]

Re: Just suspended my HDD - WOW! [PICS]

Another told-you-so