Making PA-820 quieter?

Robert T. · 7 Jul 2024 at 08:30

Hi,

I have an opportunity to grab one of company's Palo Alto PA-820 firewalls for free.
It would be shame to dispose of perfectly operational hardware just because topology has changed and we have no use for it anymore.

But - had one at home when I was learning PAN-OS and found it to be quite loud, and because my home lab setup in in living room - that is a big problem.
Is there a way to make it quieter, considering that I will be running 1 comp on 24/7, up to 3 user comps during daytime and home lab will be started ocasionally?

Robert T. · 8 Jul 2024 at 17:08

thanks, will open it and check how many fans i need

Robert T. · 11 Jul 2024 at 17:58

Hi,
Specs say - average 41W, max 120.
Considering it's a free hardware to which I still can put newest software and fact that it'll protect only handfull devices I say power usage will be even less.
3x 49mm fans cost me 45 and I still have old fans to use AND I will be able to reuse Noctua's elsewhere should I chose so - going for it..

Besides - like Palo's firewall management GUI and don't want to lose my knowledge, so additional professional bonus in it.

Thanks for advices

Robert T. · 17 Jul 2024 at 17:11

Anyone knows pinout on fan connector on Palo PA-820? it's a non-standard one, and cannot find any info on it on Internet and have no multimeter of my own...
Colours on original fans are : red, blue, black, yellow, but i doubt it's of any help knowing how bespoke their solution is..

Edit: have transplanted mirrored order of cables as they go into fan's hub from SANSPACE40 to Noctua into original connector but Noctua is not spinning, so I assume connections inside motor are also not same

Robert T. · 19 Jul 2024 at 17:15

very good point...
Voltage is same, but amperage is almost double on PA's fans..
Will rewire second fan but this time with use of 'quiet cable' on Sunday.

Edit: nope, even with use of low noise cable fan will not spin. Tried even to wait until PAN-OS fets loaded and fans will slow down, not working..
Seems like hack-n-slash 2U unit is coming to town.. Have spare 120mm fans, will power them up from front USB port and ask friend to 3D print me some top covers.

Until/unless I get some more info on actual Palo fans pinout from motherboard, this it is end of that topic....