HC cooling in 2x5.25" bay

squiffy · 7 Jun 2007 at 11:43

I have a Samsung 500GB 3.5" and WD 60GB 2.5" in the 5.25" bays in the TJ-08 case, using elastic mounting method. Took the Samsung out and it was quite hot, not too hot to touch, but still alarming. Is there a way of quietly cooling in such a cramped area? At the moment I'm just dangling a 12cm fan over the 5.25" hole (front drive covers removed)

rpstewart · 7 Jun 2007 at 11:53

Have you tried using Speedfan to get the temps of the drives? Unless they're running in the high 40s/low 50s I'd be tempted to leave them be.

squiffy · 7 Jun 2007 at 11:54

With the fan on, HD0 -25, HD1 -27.

I'll push the fan to one side place covers back on and post a bit later.

HD0-34, HD1 -39

iCraig · 7 Jun 2007 at 14:01

Those seem normal. Drives will run hot, it's nothing to worry about unless they approach the fifties.

squiffy · 7 Jun 2007 at 15:22

Just fitted a coolermaster 8cm fan @7v behind the drive covers, so at least some air is blowing over the hard drives. HD0 31, HD 1 35. Placed sticky foam to areas the fan touches the case, also behind drive cover plates. HTPC is still very quiet despite the number of fans (2x12cm case @7v, 1x12 cpu @800rpm, Seasonic PSU 700rpm, 8cm HD fan)

2X Western Digital HD vibration noise to the case was much more annoying and louder.

fobose · 7 Jun 2007 at 21:38

my seagate 300gb runs at about 31-33c behind my 120mm intake fan (noctua 1200rpm fan but at lowest RPM setting), it feels "cool" to the touch, but my 2x 500gb seagates in raid 1 feel rather warm - cant check the temp of hdd's in raid tho but I am not worried about it.

squiffy · 17 Jun 2007 at 16:31

God I'm so stupid. I just remembered I can use the unused front panels from my Stacker 810! They don't fit fully (stick out about 1 cm) but don't plop out, and the 8cm fan now draws in air.

HD were around 35-40, now 27.

silversurfer · 17 Jun 2007 at 17:01

30's is not too hot. In the past Ive managed to somehow turn my case into an oven, I left it like this by accident and came back to find the case was like a radiator to touch and the HDD was 55c.

I believe thats the top rated operating temp for most drives but obviously its way too hot.

Recently the drives were about 45 or so and I thought this was a bit toasty so I covered them in old copper heatsinks which helped a bit.
35 and 43c right now, still hot but basically anything in the 30's is normal

squiffy · 17 Jun 2007 at 17:06

30's is not too hot.

Pretty sure inaccurate readings from speedfan, the hard drives felt much hotter than 39 (probably closer to 50)

silversurfer · 17 Jun 2007 at 17:20

Anything more then body temp is going to feel hot, 39 is hot but 50 would sting you.
The hdd is doing the measuring, hdtune shows temps as well and probably other programs but it should be accurate. Try looking at your local chemist for a cheap temp guage, wja got an infra red thermometer for like 10 quid from boots, good for 60c. One of those cheap flat ones will measure 40c