Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

[Per Hansson]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

I've told you many times that Teapo is trash....Trust them no more than you trust a politician!

Best quote I've seen in quite a while on this site!

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

After 10 years around this site, and it took you this long to figure this out? THis should have been one of the first things you check....and I've told you many times that Teapo is trash....Trust them no more than you trust a politician!

I got lazy.

[dmill89]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Well there ya go, dumb*ss. So much for "Teapo's are OK in PSU's"... obviously not here!

There are a few caveats to that. Teapo's are generally ok (but not ideal) in normal ATX PSUs used for the "normal replacement intraval" (generally 3-5 years, though I have seen much older Teapos as long as they aren't too stressed), but in a 10+ year old 1U PSU (most of which could double as a toaster/space heater) it isn't surprising to find them failed.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

After 10 years around this site, and it took you this long to figure this out? THis should have been one of the first things you check....and I've told you many times that Teapo is trash....Trust them no more than you trust a politician!

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Head scratcher:

Lately (hot no A/C office closet) this thing will randomly die. Upon reboot, it's giving a bunch of beeps. I'm guessing that it's the "8 beep" Video memory fault... bad BGA joints on the mobo?

Anybody seen this before? Maybe an excuse to get a new board//platform for the beast???

HEY MORON, CHECK THE PSU!

---



Well, she died in a storm (or a momentary loss of power).. this time, power on, immediatly shuts down. Sounds like a PSU issue, right? Well, let's take a look:

This server uses a redundant pair of Etasis PSUs:




Unlike my SM 1U modular supplies, these supply all ATX voltages (and raw line voltage too ). Not just a massive 12V rail that is stepped down (buck converter) in the secondary

Oddly they installed heatsink screws under the label:



And no, this wasn't to double as a warranty void sticker. they had one of those over another screw. Not that 2003-2005 server has any warranty left for that matter

Anyway, lets look at the secondary:



Well there ya go, dumb*ss. So much for "Teapo's are OK in PSU's"... obviously not here! This would explain all the random errors.. hell that might have been the backplane fauting due to one PSU failing (it will not run without both installed).

I didn't get pics, but the other PSU was worse.

Side note- unlike most PSUs I've worked on, this one actually uses a replaceable fuse:



A week later and all is better:



I mostly used Panasonic FR's for this. Normally I do PSUs in Nichicon HE, but the 10V 2200uf options they have are all too fat or too tall to fit. One value wasn't available in the form factor I needed, so I used some Illinois Capacitor's.

This PSU was a PITA to recap... especially the aformentioned 10V 2200uf's some of which were wedged under the lip of the heatsink... ugh. I got the job done, but not the cake walk PSU jobs usually are.

Reassembled and reinstalled... she's alive again!

Lesson learned: Kill Teapos with fire. All of them.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Head scratcher:

Lately (hot no A/C office closet) this thing will randomly die. Upon reboot, it's giving a bunch of beeps. I'm guessing that it's the "8 beep" Video memory fault... bad BGA joints on the mobo?

Anybody seen this before? Maybe an excuse to get a new board//platform for the beast???

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Time has passed, I now have a house, and this thing is just too noisy.

I'm biting the bullet and re-fanning it using some Arctic Cooling F8's.

Too bad the stupid fan controller idea didn't work... I may revisit it again. IDK.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Look what I found:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vericom-Glob...IAAOSwTqdZsIhZ

From what I can research that's legit copper Cat5e, not CCA (copper cladded aluminum) horsesh!t. Unless they're lying about the part number, in which case I'll be getting a refund.

Hopefully I made a good gamble...

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Ordered PCBs... trying easy EDA this time since the per-PCB price was slightly better. Hell, I ordered 10 of them and also 10 of another project of mine some of us know about and DHL flat rate was still more expensive. As for the other project, I've used up all 3 of the OSH park PCBs from that project (Main rig v3.8, v4.1, and one hand delivered in a kit to Topcat a few visits ago) and my PCB milled V0.1 version (single sided PCB with jumpers, used to test my college's PCB mill) is too special to use. Also I have a surplus of the switches and dual pin headers, so I might as well whip up a few more (read: if you own a supermicro case/board combo and want to remap your HDD or NIC2 LED, PM me ).

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

One more PCB refresh, moved diodes D2 and D4 (and by extension, C1) due to a heatsink clearance miscalculation.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

(originally posted in the wrong thread)

Fan controller update:

My math was bunk, so I had to redesign the secondary (schematic attached):






Also the board grew as did the screw pattern. Finally I axed the solder mask on the back side's current-dense areas to optimize things (I'll manually flow solder with my iron for the desired effect).

Now it's using large 120uH inductors and physically smaller 1000uf Panasonic FR's (highest ripple current rated 1000uf 8mm 16V caps I can get on digikey; if I need to go back to 10mm I probably can make it fit).

How does it look?

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Mobo came in. Pics will come later... and a few roadblocks I've had manuever around:

• It uses a different I/O shield; the spacing is different. Sadly despite all the SM stuff I own I do not have a spare one. Derp.
• The case's power light and power/reset are run through a microcontroller. When powering up, it latches the power switch output (seems to be open collector, not an unpolarized relay connection) latches on until the power light input comes on. Get the light backwards, and it doesn't post. Thanks for overcomplicating things...
• The board has no SATA, and I almost drove an hour to fetch my startech dual IDE to SATA adapter before realizing I probably gave it away to Hondaman in an old HP rig I traded to him. Won't be able to boot until a fresh one comes in

On the plus side, the PWM works... but I only get one setting. Out of date BIOS?

Also, the bypass cards don't have an option rom... ... might work as a dual NIC at least?

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Fan controller update:

Been discussing it over here:

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/project...roller-issues/

There are two issues with the existing design:

1. Since the ground side is switched, the PWM signal likely isn't clean
2. Many non-PWM fans don't respond to PWM direct drive very well.

So, I chose to redesign it like a SMPS secondary, as that's effectively what PWM control is. Somebody over on EEVblog suggested an emitter follower, but I wasn't keen on that (mainly due to a max output of only 11V, not 12V)

Schematics and renderings of the new PCB artwork are attached. I'll breadboard it this time before I order more boards. Lesson Learned.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

They do seem to however be sold as regular NICs so you should be able to return.
They just didn't look right to me so I investigated further.

As cheap as I got them I might see if this configurable "normal mode" option actually works. Hell it might be an option ROM setting... if so, then might be a win. $30 isn't worth crying over (at least compared to the fan controller fiasco).

[diif]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Bypass adapter? Oh shit. *toilet flushing sound*

That said, I've since read of people hacking them: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ds-4175461679/

But crap, I should have followed my gut and noticed that relays = not a regular NIC.


edit- Supposedly I can configure it to run normally at startup: http://www.silicom-usa.com/pr/eol/pxg4bpi/

They do seem to however be sold as regular NICs so you should be able to return.
They just didn't look right to me so I investigated further.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

4 port gigabit bypass adapter. Hmmmmmm

Bypass adapter? Oh shit. *toilet flushing sound*

That said, I've since read of people hacking them: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ds-4175461679/

But crap, I should have followed my gut and noticed that relays = not a regular NIC.


edit- Supposedly I can configure it to run normally at startup: http://www.silicom-usa.com/pr/eol/pxg4bpi/

[diif]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Look what I scored:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicom-PXG4...r/172667795492

Offered $10 a pop for 3 cards, automatically accepted (makes up for all the annoying auto-declines we come across?).

Now what do do with cards #2 and 3... I was going to upgrade my main rig, but the motherboard layout combined with my USB3 and GPU cards doesn't allow it. Hmm...

4 port gigabit bypass adapter. Hmmmmmm

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Still not operational, but here's some pics:

First, the 5 boards that I ordered:



If you count, there are 6 boards. However, the top one is a defect they tossed in for free (if you missed it, the right edge is cut wrong). I like that, as that board is still usable and for the first unit, I correctly expected it to be bodge and hack city.

Compared to run #1 (OSH park):



The quality is comparable, dare I say better. No via tabs to knock off and file down... sure, it isn't gold plated, but I don't need gold plated for this. $29 for 5 (or 6 in this case) vs $36 for 3... You make the call.


Everything but mosfets and heatsinks installed:



Whoops on the diode and resistor footprints... to be fair I intended to get 1/8W resistors and fat fingered the order.

All built up:







Now if it only ran...

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

Probed a PMW fan, it's N channel Alright... grounding the PWM input dropped fan speed.

Well... I might want to post this over on EEVBLOG as I'm stumped here.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's 3U Server Shenanigans

PWM boards came in. I have pics for later.

Good news: it works when bench tested. No PWM= full blast, Grounded PWM= fan stalled.

Bad news: on a board with known working PWM, it doesn't throttle at all. I've tried grounding the ground pin on the PWM in connector, swapping D1 for two 2.7K resistors in series, and different fans. The PWM fan that normally goes on the PWM port does throttle (and still does after testing), so what the heck?

I'll confirm that it's an NPN/N channel signal and not a PNP signal. If so, well shit!

edit: This shows it as PNP: http://www.analog.com/en/analog-dial...fan-speed.html. Time to grab a PWM fan and probe it...