I've been looking for ways to quieten some HDs, and was about to try getting one of those cheap plastic removable bays and filling it with modelling clay. Clay seemed to work well for a certain Japanese fellow.
Anyone tried it? I'm going to look for a cheap bay tomorrow, if I find one I'll give it a go.
Putty filled HD enclosures?
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Ralf Hutter
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It appears to fly in the face of common sense that modelling clay has any thermal dissipation qualities. Wouldn't the clay actually hold in the heat and slowly cook the hard drive? Why kill the patient with the cure? Personally, I'm more concerned over the health of my hard drive than any other component in my system since it holds both the OS and my data. An inherently quiet hard drive that is well ventilated would seem to be the safest and most stable approach to take! 
However, in the spirit of scientific inquiry and the simple joy of tinkering with things, I'd be very curious to hear of your results. Do you have a spare hard drive that you can afford to lose? If so, go for it and let's see if common sense is disproved (happens all the time).
However, in the spirit of scientific inquiry and the simple joy of tinkering with things, I'd be very curious to hear of your results. Do you have a spare hard drive that you can afford to lose? If so, go for it and let's see if common sense is disproved (happens all the time).
I have not got around to doing the test yet, because I think I'm going to try a metal box rather than a plastic HD enclosure.
There are two reasons. Firstly, numano3 used a metal box and got good temperatures in a fanless PC. I think the fact that the case is metal probably helps it dissapate heat much better. The other reason is that most enclosures are too small to get the putty in!
I agree that temperature is the most important factor, but numano3 seems to have got excellent temps from his setup. My guess is that the clay transfers heat quiet well, or at least much better than the rubber or plastic used in other enclosures. Because it also dampens vibrations, the metal box can them be rested on the metal of the case, which helps dissipate heat too. numano3 is very careful when it comes to testing his stuff for heat.
Anyway, I do have a spare HD, so I'm going to pop down to Maplin and find a suitable box to try it out.
There are two reasons. Firstly, numano3 used a metal box and got good temperatures in a fanless PC. I think the fact that the case is metal probably helps it dissapate heat much better. The other reason is that most enclosures are too small to get the putty in!
I agree that temperature is the most important factor, but numano3 seems to have got excellent temps from his setup. My guess is that the clay transfers heat quiet well, or at least much better than the rubber or plastic used in other enclosures. Because it also dampens vibrations, the metal box can them be rested on the metal of the case, which helps dissipate heat too. numano3 is very careful when it comes to testing his stuff for heat.
Anyway, I do have a spare HD, so I'm going to pop down to Maplin and find a suitable box to try it out.
MoJo-chan, it's great that you are willing to proceed!
I now remember investigating numano3's web postings after someone in an earlier SPCR post brought attention to his fanless projects. He has a bold spirit. I've posted the page link to his HDD experiment below for anyone following this thread. http://www.geocities.jp/numano3/page024.html
Now it's time to start trolling the web under the subject of "thermal transfer characteristics of clay." I'm still skeptical but not closeminded and wish you every success in your investigation. Ceramic tiles are used on spacecraft to shed heat and ceramics are an outgrowth of what began as simple pottery with clay. Looking forward to your next post on the subject!
I now remember investigating numano3's web postings after someone in an earlier SPCR post brought attention to his fanless projects. He has a bold spirit. I've posted the page link to his HDD experiment below for anyone following this thread. http://www.geocities.jp/numano3/page024.html
Now it's time to start trolling the web under the subject of "thermal transfer characteristics of clay." I'm still skeptical but not closeminded and wish you every success in your investigation. Ceramic tiles are used on spacecraft to shed heat and ceramics are an outgrowth of what began as simple pottery with clay. Looking forward to your next post on the subject!
I feel like these may yield a clue to the answer if my degree was in physics and not computer science:
http://solstice.crest.org/discussiongro ... es%20R.htm
http://www.forestry.caf.wvu.edu/program ... c340_7.htm
As it is, I'm not entirely sure what it means. I think it says that clay would insulate, but it's very likely I'm wrong!
http://solstice.crest.org/discussiongro ... es%20R.htm
http://www.forestry.caf.wvu.edu/program ... c340_7.htm
As it is, I'm not entirely sure what it means. I think it says that clay would insulate, but it's very likely I'm wrong!
Cool Cage
CoolerMaster 4 in 3 Device Module
http://store.yahoo.com/svcompucycle/stb-3t4-e1.html
Ive got one of those in a BQE on top of some foam with shock cords tied to the case to suspend some of the weight from the foam and the cage. The cage is packed and covered with Acoustipack foam and a layer of vinyl. Theres a thick piece of vinyl backed foam under the drives with a very thin gap for air. I flipped the rails around backwards 2 make the cage wider and then used the big rubber grommets I got with the BQE. There is also an open celled foam filter infront of the drives and an aluminum mesh filter on a silicon gasket to prevent vibration. I removed the honeycomb grill attatched to the case.
After trying all kinds of stuff to sit the drives and then the cage on, Ive decided the thick foam Ive gotten from Mcmaster with vinyl barrier inbetween 2 layers of foam absorbs the most vibration. I didnt want to just tie it in with the shock cord because it could perhaps get loose and take out some components. I used sorbathane strips under the shock chord to keep the cage from touching the entire length of the floor. With the chord tied down the sorbothane curls up a bit and forms 4 points of contact for the cage to the floor.
The floating floor has Eggcrate foam and a neoprene pad on the bottom of the vinyl barrier foam from mcmaster carr. The neopren is the exact size of the drive,got it from directron. The shock cords tie through big rubber grommets that came with the Cooler Master 4 in 3 device.
I mounted the drives so the connectors are closest to the fan hole and the fan is about 6" into the case blowing about 1" from the VGA card. I think the area of the drive where the connectors are usually is the place that gets the hottest. Theres also a filtered vent slot above the VGA to allow heat 2 escape there. My harddrive temps are down to low 30's, and never reach the 40C area now with this configuration. Where as I had seen them up to 47C and rarely below 40C in the stock config in the BQE.
The fan is mounted with a silicon gasket and the rubber sticks provided with the Cooler Master device. Im using the ribbed gel washers I got with the Acoustifan slit in half to keep the rubber of the sticks from touching the fan and a tighter fit to the cage. The sticks were made to be used with a grill on the fan.
Theres no vibration transmitted to the case and I killed the clicking noise the drive made during seeks with the foam.It was $22 at Performance PC but their site is down now due to severe damage from hurricane Jeanne.
http://store.yahoo.com/svcompucycle/stb-3t4-e1.html
Ive got one of those in a BQE on top of some foam with shock cords tied to the case to suspend some of the weight from the foam and the cage. The cage is packed and covered with Acoustipack foam and a layer of vinyl. Theres a thick piece of vinyl backed foam under the drives with a very thin gap for air. I flipped the rails around backwards 2 make the cage wider and then used the big rubber grommets I got with the BQE. There is also an open celled foam filter infront of the drives and an aluminum mesh filter on a silicon gasket to prevent vibration. I removed the honeycomb grill attatched to the case.
After trying all kinds of stuff to sit the drives and then the cage on, Ive decided the thick foam Ive gotten from Mcmaster with vinyl barrier inbetween 2 layers of foam absorbs the most vibration. I didnt want to just tie it in with the shock cord because it could perhaps get loose and take out some components. I used sorbathane strips under the shock chord to keep the cage from touching the entire length of the floor. With the chord tied down the sorbothane curls up a bit and forms 4 points of contact for the cage to the floor.
The floating floor has Eggcrate foam and a neoprene pad on the bottom of the vinyl barrier foam from mcmaster carr. The neopren is the exact size of the drive,got it from directron. The shock cords tie through big rubber grommets that came with the Cooler Master 4 in 3 device.
I mounted the drives so the connectors are closest to the fan hole and the fan is about 6" into the case blowing about 1" from the VGA card. I think the area of the drive where the connectors are usually is the place that gets the hottest. Theres also a filtered vent slot above the VGA to allow heat 2 escape there. My harddrive temps are down to low 30's, and never reach the 40C area now with this configuration. Where as I had seen them up to 47C and rarely below 40C in the stock config in the BQE.
The fan is mounted with a silicon gasket and the rubber sticks provided with the Cooler Master device. Im using the ribbed gel washers I got with the Acoustifan slit in half to keep the rubber of the sticks from touching the fan and a tighter fit to the cage. The sticks were made to be used with a grill on the fan.
Theres no vibration transmitted to the case and I killed the clicking noise the drive made during seeks with the foam.It was $22 at Performance PC but their site is down now due to severe damage from hurricane Jeanne.
Well, I did some initial tests today with and old IBM drive and the results were not good 
The temps rose to 45C. My guess is that my box was too big (so there was too much clay between the drive and the metal) and I didn't use any kind of metal plate like this Japanese chap did.
A smaller box may help. His was lined with rubber too...
On the plus side, it did do a fantastic job of quietening the drive. It's a very, very loud model so it wasn't totally silent, but I'm sure a 'cuda would be utterly inaudiable.
What is really needed is a flexible material that transfers heat well, and an enclosure that is just the right size and which itself is a good heatsink. Metal boxes are okay as heatsinks, but Maplin don't do one that is the right size really. Clay seems to be okay for heat transfer but perhaps there is a better material?
For the moment I'm thinking about dropping down to two suspended drives in a RAID 0 config, with the rest in another machine.
Agent420: Your temps are good, I might look into some of those...
The temps rose to 45C. My guess is that my box was too big (so there was too much clay between the drive and the metal) and I didn't use any kind of metal plate like this Japanese chap did.
A smaller box may help. His was lined with rubber too...
On the plus side, it did do a fantastic job of quietening the drive. It's a very, very loud model so it wasn't totally silent, but I'm sure a 'cuda would be utterly inaudiable.
What is really needed is a flexible material that transfers heat well, and an enclosure that is just the right size and which itself is a good heatsink. Metal boxes are okay as heatsinks, but Maplin don't do one that is the right size really. Clay seems to be okay for heat transfer but perhaps there is a better material?
For the moment I'm thinking about dropping down to two suspended drives in a RAID 0 config, with the rest in another machine.
Agent420: Your temps are good, I might look into some of those...
Has anyone tried 'potting' a hard drive?
RS Components do a thermally conductive epoxy which would be interesting to try.
www.rswww.com item 552-668
Will still need to find a reasonable size box to put it in though.
I have a horrible Maxtor thing I might try it on when I get a minute.
RS Components do a thermally conductive epoxy which would be interesting to try.
www.rswww.com item 552-668
Will still need to find a reasonable size box to put it in though.
I have a horrible Maxtor thing I might try it on when I get a minute.