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I run a Dell PowerEdge r710 server out of my house and I'm moving in with roommates in a couple weeks. Unfortunately I don't think they'll appreciate the ~70dBA it generates and I'm looking for ways to make it quieter.

I looked into replacing the fans with something less noisy, but unfortunately none of the quieter options move nearly enough air. The best one I found has been the Thermaltake DuraMax 6 AF0057 60mm Case Cooler, but at less than half the CFM (30.3 vs 67.85 on the stock Delta PFC0612DE-F00 fans) it doesn't seem powerful enough.

I've also thought about putting Acoustic Foam Panels around the server to quiet it down, but acoustic panels also have the downside of acting like insulation, so heat could turn into an issue.

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  • Well, there's this delightful thread (including my approach to the problem with a different noisemaker), but it was closed. Buying a "built to be power-efficient and quiet" tower server is certainly the cleaner approach, having got one of those in since. serverfault.com/questions/96907/…
    – Ecnerwal
    Sep 11, 2015 at 2:23

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This is an enterprise-class server. It's doing what it was designed to do... You're using it in a manner in which it was not intended... I wouldn't recommend altering the hot-swap fans or power supply fans.

Options:

  • Buy an appropriate system for your environment.
  • Place the server in a more suitable environment.
  • Buy a 4U GizMac XRackPro2 acoustic server enclosure.

Edit:

I use an XRackPro2 enclosure for my servers at home. Pro-tip: You can find them cheaply on Craigslist and eBay. Recording studios often look to unload them.

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  • I received it as a gift from the IT department at a company I used to intern at. They were retiring it and knew I was interested in having my own servers. I'm just trying to work with what I have on a budget (I'm a student). This server is running test environments (LAMP, LAPP, MEAN, Windows 7 seedbox, file backup/sharing between desktop at home and laptop on the go).
    – asdf
    Sep 11, 2015 at 2:19
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    Thank you for the recommendation, I actually just nabbed a XRackPro2 on craigslist for $70!!! This just made my day :)
    – asdf
    Sep 11, 2015 at 2:26
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    Just finished setting it all up and it works like a charm! I did end up replacing the AC fan in the back with a DC fan (custom soldered PS) to reduce noise even further. And it is sooooooooo quiet. Thanks again ewwhite!
    – asdf
    Sep 11, 2015 at 9:18
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    Be sure to contribute your actual share to the power bill, rather than dividing it equally among roommates. A power-hog server running 24/7 is a significant impact on the bill.
    – Ecnerwal
    Sep 11, 2015 at 12:12
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    @Ecnerwal The lease is under my name and I have everyone pay a flat rate monthly based on consumption levels in the same house sans server. If the consumption goes up the bill goes to me :)
    – asdf
    Sep 11, 2015 at 17:10
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I had a few servers running at home too, and for me, most of the noise came from the power supply. The server I had at the time had 2 power supplies. I took one out and it was much quieter. The fans on my power supply where more noisy then the system fans.

Check the BIOS to see if you can control the fan speed to reduce noise. For the most part, for rackmount type servers, I leave textbooks on top to help dampen the noise amd vibrarion.l

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