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    Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

    I've got a Buffalo HD-QL8TSU2R5 4-disk SATA enclosure that I'm working on at the moment. From the factory, the 80mm fan only runs "when needed". There's no speed adjustment or switch to leave it on all the time. What I've found is that whatever triggers the fan to come on isn't doing so often enough. The enterprise drives contained within are cooking themselves.

    I thought it'd be simple enough to rig it up that the fan runs all the time. The fan itself is a nice Nidec UltraFlo rated for 12v 0.10a. My first thought was that I might be able to hack the fan controller somehow, but I'm familiar with how they work, or even what I'm looking for on the board.

    My second thought was just to wire the fan into a 12v wall wart and power it separately. However, none of my spare adaptors laying around will kick it over. I get a little twitch out of it and then nothing. I suspect it may be because I only have a switching supply to use... but that same supply is able to run a much larger Nidec Beta V, so it's possible that the load actually isn't enough with the smaller fan. I also don't know if this fan would require something to be connected to the speed sense (yellow) pin to function.

    Any suggestions would be welcome.
    Ludicrous gibs!


    #2
    Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

    Here's a gallery with pictures of the circuit board from the unit - http://nadams.smugmug.com/Electronic...alo-QL8TSU2R5/
    Ludicrous gibs!

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

      Model number of this Nidec UltraFlo? The sensor may be on the fan and the third yellow wire may be output signal not the control input signal.
      http://www.nidec.com/en-NA/product/f...word=recommend
      Last edited by budm; 11-10-2014, 06:13 PM.
      Never stop learning
      Basic LCD TV and Monitor troubleshooting guides.
      http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...956#post305956

      Voltage Regulator (LDO) testing:
      http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...999#post300999

      Inverter testing using old CFL:
      http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...er+testing+cfl

      Tear down pictures : Hit the ">" Show Albums and stories" on the left side
      http://s807.photobucket.com/user/budm/library/

      TV Factory reset codes listing:
      http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24809

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

        I deal with a lot of Buffalo NAS units and external drive enclosures and they tend to do well keeping the drives cool if you use the proper drives. I understand your unit is not a NAS unit.

        Can I ask what enterprise drives you have installed in this unit (make / model)? And how do you know the drives are "cooking themselves"?

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

          Originally posted by budm View Post
          Model number of this Nidec UltraFlo? The sensor may be on the fan and the third yellow wire may be output signal not the control input signal.
          http://www.nidec.com/en-NA/product/f...word=recommend
          it's a T92T12MMA7-53

          Originally posted by brethin View Post
          I deal with a lot of Buffalo NAS units and external drive enclosures and they tend to do well keeping the drives cool if you use the proper drives. I understand your unit is not a NAS unit.

          Can I ask what enterprise drives you have installed in this unit (make / model)? And how do you know the drives are "cooking themselves"?
          The unit was shipped with (4) 2TB Seagate Barracuda Green drives (ST2000DL001). These drives record max temp in SMART, and after 1 drive failed I checked the rest to find that the max temp on all of them was up around 70*C. I have no real way of knowing if that counter is accurate, as it's not all that common on most drives.

          What I'm planning on doing it swapping those drives out with (4) 1tb Western Digital RE4 drives (WD1003FBYX). I know the RE4's generally run hot, so I'm concerned with the cooling. I haven't tried them out yet, but I'm working on getting the trays swapped now.
          Ludicrous gibs!

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

            It looks like I'm going to have to try swapping the fan out now. I dropped the 4 WD drives in there and the fan isn't running at all. I left it doing a read scan on the array for an hour, and nothing from the fan. I might've killed it while I was trying to jump-start it.
            Ludicrous gibs!

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

              It it possible that the fan motor is pulse driven?

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                Originally posted by SteveNielsen View Post
                It it possible that the fan motor is pulse driven?
                I don't think so... aren't PWM Fans all 4 pin? This is just 3.

                here's the datasheet -

                It has option -53, which is an open-collector locked rotor alarm.
                Ludicrous gibs!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                  OK, that is the output signal, so that means the thermal sensor on mounted on the motor some where that you need to locate or you can get new fan that just runs at full speed all the time.
                  Never stop learning
                  Basic LCD TV and Monitor troubleshooting guides.
                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...956#post305956

                  Voltage Regulator (LDO) testing:
                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...999#post300999

                  Inverter testing using old CFL:
                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...er+testing+cfl

                  Tear down pictures : Hit the ">" Show Albums and stories" on the left side
                  http://s807.photobucket.com/user/budm/library/

                  TV Factory reset codes listing:
                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24809

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                    you can see the sensor on a lot of those near the hub, it looks like a blue multilayer ceramic cap.
                    mabe removing or crushing it will give you full speed.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                      I do have a Nidec fan with a thermal sensor. Shorting it gives full speed.
                      Last edited by ddscentral; 11-12-2014, 01:26 PM.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                        Originally posted by dood View Post
                        I don't think so... aren't PWM Fans all 4 pin? This is just 3.
                        Nope. I've got a 3 wire PWM motor taken from a hard drive recently.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                          I don't see a thermal sensor anywhere on the original fan.

                          I plugged in a standard 80mm case fan with tach wire, and it led to some interesting behavior. When you first power it on, the unit spins the fan while beeping (it never used to beep). After a few seconds, the beeping and the fan both stopped. I let it run for a bit, and then decided to do a read scan to build up some heat. After a while, the fan still had not kicked on again, so I cancelled the scan. As soon as I cancelled the scan, the fan kicked on and the unit started beeping.

                          I can only assume that for some reason, the unit was not able to sense the temperature of the drives while HDTune was running, and after I exited, it saw that they were too hot. I can also only assume that, while the fan was running, it was not giving the board the signal that it was looking for, so the alarm sounds.

                          Right now, I hacked apart the wiring on the 80mm fan and hooked it up to a wall wart. The unit still beeps during its power-on fan test... but as of yet has not started beeping again. My testing also proves that something on the enclosure controller itself is choosing whether the fan should be running or not.
                          Ludicrous gibs!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                            a fan on the CPU cooler for my new rig won't run on full 12v, it ran fine on 3v and 5v, but not on 12v. pulled the fan off and put one of those sunon tornado fans you can find in the dell mini towers that have P4 preshots on there.
                            Things I've fixed: anything from semis to crappy Chinese $2 radios, and now an IoT Dildo....

                            "Dude, this is Wyoming, i hopped on and sent 'er. No fucking around." -- Me

                            Excuse me while i do something dangerous


                            You must have a sad, sad boring life if you hate on people harmlessly enjoying life with an animal costume.

                            Sometimes you need to break shit to fix it.... Thats why my lawnmower doesn't have a deadman switch or engine brake anymore

                            Follow the white rabbit.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                              The board is looking for the ROTOR lock SIGNAL, the one I use (SUNON) the ROTOR Lock signal goes high when the fan blades stopped, LO when the fan is running.
                              So in your case if it does see LO signal it set off the alarm and may also turns off the switched transistor that supply the B+ to the fan to protect the fan from over heat whebn the blades is stuck.
                              You can try grounding the ROTOR Lock pin using 100 Ohms 1/4W or more resistor between ROTOR Lock pin and GND.
                              Last edited by budm; 11-12-2014, 02:52 PM.
                              Never stop learning
                              Basic LCD TV and Monitor troubleshooting guides.
                              http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...956#post305956

                              Voltage Regulator (LDO) testing:
                              http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...999#post300999

                              Inverter testing using old CFL:
                              http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...er+testing+cfl

                              Tear down pictures : Hit the ">" Show Albums and stories" on the left side
                              http://s807.photobucket.com/user/budm/library/

                              TV Factory reset codes listing:
                              http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24809

                              Comment


                                #16
                                Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                                remove the tacho pin from the connector first, or you will damage the tacho output on the fan.
                                they usually arent buffered and can only drive a few ma.

                                Comment


                                  #17
                                  Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                                  "It has option -53, which is an open-collector locked rotor alarm."

                                  It is open open Collector with with pull-up resistor, the current is limited by the pull-up resistor so when the transistor is fully on (fan not locked, output is LO) or if you shorted by 100 Ohms resistor, it will not be any problem.
                                  Last edited by budm; 11-12-2014, 07:39 PM.
                                  Never stop learning
                                  Basic LCD TV and Monitor troubleshooting guides.
                                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...956#post305956

                                  Voltage Regulator (LDO) testing:
                                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...999#post300999

                                  Inverter testing using old CFL:
                                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...er+testing+cfl

                                  Tear down pictures : Hit the ">" Show Albums and stories" on the left side
                                  http://s807.photobucket.com/user/budm/library/

                                  TV Factory reset codes listing:
                                  http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24809

                                  Comment


                                    #18
                                    Re: Trying to hack the fan on a DAS enclosure

                                    I could source another fan with a locked rotor alarm, or apply the resistor mod... but I also found that if I just wire the fan to run all the time, the unit is happy and doesn't beep except when it initially starts. As long as you keep the drives nice and cool, it never calls for the fan to run.
                                    Last edited by dood; 11-14-2014, 10:10 AM.
                                    Ludicrous gibs!

                                    Comment

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