cooling Seagate eSATA external HDs

Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
(http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
(http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).

Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
result in information of any certitude. <understatement>

Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
a cooling fan and and how they get their power?

*TimDaniels*

"Timothy Daniels" <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote in message
news:47c5cad5$0$24122$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
> interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
> and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).
>
> Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
> result in information of any certitude. <understatement>
>
> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?
>
> *TimDaniels*
>
Look here at pics and read specifications and customer reviews--and
other models of Seagate on N'egg's same site. BTW: pic show a wall-plugged
power source. HTH, s
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148237 <<

"sdlomi2" wrote:
>
> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:
>> Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
>> interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
>> and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).
>>
>> Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
>> result in information of any certitude. <understatement>
>>
>> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
>> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?
>>
>> *TimDaniels*
>>
> Look here at pics and read specifications and customer reviews--and other
> models of Seagate on N'egg's same site. BTW: pic show a wall-plugged power
> source. HTH, s
>>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148237 <<
>
>

Thanks. The photo shows a power brick for the "Free Agent Pro",
but no info on method of cooling. I suspect that it's only convection.
And similar info on the "eSATA External Hard Drive" line is harder
to come by.

*TimDaniels*

Hi!

> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?

Well, it looks like a 3.5" drive is inside, and I don't think there is
a single USB port out there capable of supplying enough power to run a
desktop drive. Even if there was, you'd still need to get twelve
volts, which would require some sort of DC-DC converter and the
associated energy usage/loss that would bring.

I've never seen one of these close up, but I don't believe there is a
fan inside. At least I've never heard one--and previous generation
Seagate external hard drives don't have one either.

William

"Timothy Daniels" <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote in message
news:47c5e40c$0$24125$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> "sdlomi2" wrote:
>>
>> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:
>>> Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
>>> interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
>>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
>>> and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
>>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).
>>>
>>> Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
>>> result in information of any certitude. <understatement>
>>>
>>> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
>>> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?
>>>
>>> *TimDaniels*
>>>
>> Look here at pics and read specifications and customer reviews--and
>> other models of Seagate on N'egg's same site. BTW: pic show a
>> wall-plugged power source. HTH, s
>>>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148237 <<
>>
>>
>
> Thanks. The photo shows a power brick for the "Free Agent Pro",
> but no info on method of cooling. I suspect that it's only convection.
> And similar info on the "eSATA External Hard Drive" line is harder
> to come by.
>
> *TimDaniels*
>


Tim -

The (desktop) Seagate FreeAgent does not have any active cooling, though it
is AC powered. I know the FreeAgentPro is an upgrade model that comes not
only eSATA capable, but also with a software bundle that isn't on the
standard model.

That said, it looks remarkably the same as the entry level model otherwise.

I have no idea about any (specifically) eSATA Seagate solutions as I haven't
seen nor used them.


Stew

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage Timothy Daniels <SpamBucket@nospamplease.biz> wrote:
> Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
> interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
> and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).

> Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
> result in information of any certitude. <understatement>

> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?

> *TimDaniels*

It will have some brick-type PSU. USB ports can deliver up to 2.5W
each (high-power ports), while even lean 3.5" HDDs go up to 15W
or so on start-up. So unless they tie 8 high-power ports together
(add two for the DC-DC converters) and put in 5-to-12V step up
converters for 20W (expensive) this is a complete no-go. Technically
feasible though, but unworkable in practice.

As to cooling, unless they explicitely claim a fan, it is safe to
assume there is none. At least eSATA lets you monitor the temperature,
but I think currently you cannot trust any pre-packaged drive at
all and external an DIY enclosure only if somebody has reviewed its
thermal characteristics.

My current approach is to be prepared to throw it away
if it does not work out. A sad state of affairs, I know.

Arno

"S.Lewis" wrote:
> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:
>>
>> "sdlomi2" wrote:
>>>
>>> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:
>>>> Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
>>>> interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
>>>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
>>>> and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
>>>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).
>>>>
>>>> Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
>>>> result in information of any certitude. <understatement>
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
>>>> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?
>>>>
>>>> *TimDaniels*
>>>>
>>> Look here at pics and read specifications and customer reviews--and other
>>> models of Seagate on N'egg's same site. BTW: pic show a wall-plugged power
>>> source. HTH, s
>>>>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148237 <<
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Thanks. The photo shows a power brick for the "Free Agent Pro",
>> but no info on method of cooling. I suspect that it's only convection.
>> And similar info on the "eSATA External Hard Drive" line is harder
>> to come by.
>>
>> *TimDaniels*
>>
>
>
> Tim -
>
> The (desktop) Seagate FreeAgent does not have any active cooling, though it is
> AC powered. I know the FreeAgentPro is an upgrade model that comes not only
> eSATA capable, but also with a software bundle that isn't on the standard
> model.
>
> That said, it looks remarkably the same as the entry level model otherwise.
>
> I have no idea about any (specifically) eSATA Seagate solutions as I haven't
> seen nor used them.
>
>
> Stew


Thanks. I guess I'll have to brew up an external eSATA HD
using a Kingwin enclosure. I know those things have a cooling
fan.

*TimDaniels*

<wm_walsh@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi!
>
>> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
>> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?
>
> Well, it looks like a 3.5" drive is inside, and I don't think there is
> a single USB port out there capable of supplying enough power to run a
> desktop drive. Even if there was, you'd still need to get twelve
> volts, which would require some sort of DC-DC converter and the
> associated energy usage/loss that would bring.
>
> I've never seen one of these close up, but I don't believe there is a
> fan inside. At least I've never heard one--and previous generation
> Seagate external hard drives don't have one either.
>
> William

I've been noticing that cooling fans are hard to find in
"external HDs". Maybe it's the noise factor?

*TimDaniels*

"Arno Wagner" wrote:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>> Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
>> interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
>> and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).
>
>> Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
>> result in information of any certitude. <understatement>
>
>> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
>> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?
>
>> *TimDaniels*
>
> It will have some brick-type PSU. USB ports can deliver up to 2.5W
> each (high-power ports), while even lean 3.5" HDDs go up to 15W
> or so on start-up. So unless they tie 8 high-power ports together
> (add two for the DC-DC converters) and put in 5-to-12V step up
> converters for 20W (expensive) this is a complete no-go. Technically
> feasible though, but unworkable in practice.
>
> As to cooling, unless they explicitely claim a fan, it is safe to
> assume there is none. At least eSATA lets you monitor the temperature,
> but I think currently you cannot trust any pre-packaged drive at
> all and external an DIY enclosure only if somebody has reviewed its
> thermal characteristics.
>
> My current approach is to be prepared to throw it away
> if it does not work out. A sad state of affairs, I know.
>
> Arno
>
>

I've had some very good luck with HD longevity, and I think it
has to do with the generous airflow which keeps the HDs cool.
Since the external HD doesn't have to be on all the time, I think
I'll take a chance with a Kingwin eSATA box that does have a
cooling fan. (They only cost about $30 online.) The fan sits flat
with the circuit card on the HD, just like on my Kingwin slide-out
HD tray, and that HD never even gets up to body temp.

*TimDaniels*

You could also try the Antec MX-1 enclosure. It has a fan that is completely
silemt and supports drives up to 750GB using esata or usb.
"Timothy Daniels" <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote in message
news:47c65cb2$0$6136$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> "S.Lewis" wrote:
>> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:
>>>
>>> "sdlomi2" wrote:
>>>>
>>>> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:
>>>>> Seagate makes some of its "external HDs" with eSATA
>>>>> interfaces, specifically the "Free Agent Pro"
>>>>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...o_data_movers/)
>>>>> and the "eSATA External Hard Drive"
>>>>> (http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro...ta_hard_drive/).
>>>>>
>>>>> Unfortunately, calls to Seagate's pre-sales reps in India don't
>>>>> result in information of any certitude. <understatement>
>>>>>
>>>>> Does anyone know if these external enclosures include
>>>>> a cooling fan and and how they get their power?
>>>>>
>>>>> *TimDaniels*
>>>>>
>>>> Look here at pics and read specifications and customer reviews--and
>>>> other models of Seagate on N'egg's same site. BTW: pic show a
>>>> wall-plugged power source. HTH, s
>>>>>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148237 <<
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks. The photo shows a power brick for the "Free Agent Pro",
>>> but no info on method of cooling. I suspect that it's only convection.
>>> And similar info on the "eSATA External Hard Drive" line is harder
>>> to come by.
>>>
>>> *TimDaniels*
>>>
>>
>>
>> Tim -
>>
>> The (desktop) Seagate FreeAgent does not have any active cooling, though
>> it is AC powered. I know the FreeAgentPro is an upgrade model that comes
>> not only eSATA capable, but also with a software bundle that isn't on the
>> standard model.
>>
>> That said, it looks remarkably the same as the entry level model
>> otherwise.
>>
>> I have no idea about any (specifically) eSATA Seagate solutions as I
>> haven't seen nor used them.
>>
>>
>> Stew
>
>
> Thanks. I guess I'll have to brew up an external eSATA HD
> using a Kingwin enclosure. I know those things have a cooling
> fan.
>
> *TimDaniels*
>