I have been thinking about using a mobile rack and tray system to swap
out hard drives which store data, such as my music and video DVD
collections. One such system is this: http://kingwin.com/mobileracktrays.asp
Does anyone have any experience with these systems for home use? Do
the drives cook? Do the rack components (plastic) hold up over time?
Who makes a good one?
Previously ken k <kdkrone@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have been thinking about using a mobile rack and tray system to swap
> out hard drives which store data, such as my music and video DVD
> collections. One such system is this: http://kingwin.com/mobileracktrays.asp
> Does anyone have any experience with these systems for home use? Do
> the drives cook?
I had a parir in a server that despitea 80mm fan and air-conditioned
server room did not cool the disks well at all. I think there was
not enough of an air-path in there. So be skeptic, even if there
is a seemingly large enough fan.
> Do the rack components (plastic) hold up over time?
Depends on the quality of manufacturing.
> Who makes a good one?
Currently I don't have a source. Maybe someone else here knows.
"ken k" wrote:
>I have been thinking about using a mobile rack and tray system to swap
> out hard drives which store data, such as my music and video DVD
> collections. One such system is this: http://kingwin.com/mobileracktrays.asp
>
> Does anyone have any experience with these systems for home use?
Actually, those are just the trays for the mobile racks. The entire
assemblies are here: http://kingwin.com/mobileracks.asp .
I've had a KF-101-IPF (with the 60mm cooling fan in the bottom of
the tray) for about 4 years, now. It has held up fine, but I admit that
I only use it for backups. They are all-aluminum except for the locking
handle, and the bottom fan really keeps the hard drive cool and the fan
is quiet. Unfortunately, the concept of a bottom fan has not sold well,
and the bottom fan version has been discontinued in the IDE line and
not carried over to the SATA line. What remains in the mobile rack
line-up are the ones with 1 to 3 fans that blow straight through - a
pleasingly intuitive concept, but a noisy one as the fans are only 40mm
in diameter so they spin fast. I've heard that the plastic mobile racks
made by Athena have bottom fans, and those are an alternative.
> Do the drives cook? Do the rack components (plastic) hold up over time?
A poster in a microsoft NG swears by Athena, and she says that
being plastic doesn't reduce the cooling or longevity.
> Who makes a good one?
I like Kingwin for their large selection and reasonable prices.
Previously Timothy Daniels <SpamBucket@nospamplease.biz> wrote:
> "ken k" wrote:
>>I have been thinking about using a mobile rack and tray system to swap
>> out hard drives which store data, such as my music and video DVD
>> collections. One such system is this: http://kingwin.com/mobileracktrays.asp
>>
>> Does anyone have any experience with these systems for home use?
> Actually, those are just the trays for the mobile racks. The entire
> assemblies are here: http://kingwin.com/mobileracks.asp .
> I've had a KF-101-IPF (with the 60mm cooling fan in the bottom of
> the tray) for about 4 years, now. It has held up fine, but I admit that
> I only use it for backups. They are all-aluminum except for the locking
> handle, and the bottom fan really keeps the hard drive cool and the fan
> is quiet. Unfortunately, the concept of a bottom fan has not sold well,
> and the bottom fan version has been discontinued in the IDE line and
> not carried over to the SATA line. What remains in the mobile rack
> line-up are the ones with 1 to 3 fans that blow straight through - a
> pleasingly intuitive concept, but a noisy one as the fans are only 40mm
> in diameter so they spin fast. I've heard that the plastic mobile racks
> made by Athena have bottom fans, and those are an alternative.
From personal experience I agree that bottom fans are the better
solution.
>> Do the drives cook? Do the rack components (plastic) hold up over time?
> A poster in a microsoft NG swears by Athena, and she says that
> being plastic doesn't reduce the cooling or longevity.
This would mean that the cooling is mainly by airflow.
Not surprising.
"Arno Wagner" wrote:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>> "ken k" wrote:
>>> I have been thinking about using a mobile rack and tray system
>>> to swap out hard drives which store data, such as my music and
>>> video DVD collections. One such system is this:
>>> http://kingwin.com/mobileracktrays.asp
>>>
>>> Does anyone have any experience with these systems for home
>>> use?
>
>> Actually, those are just the trays for the mobile racks. The entire
>> assemblies are here: http://kingwin.com/mobileracks.asp .
>> I've had a KF-101-IPF (with the 60mm cooling fan in the bottom of
>> the tray) for about 4 years, now. It has held up fine, but I admit that
>> I only use it for backups. They are all-aluminum except for the locking
>> handle, and the bottom fan really keeps the hard drive cool and the fan
>> is quiet. Unfortunately, the concept of a bottom fan has not sold well,
>> and the bottom fan version has been discontinued in the IDE line and
>> not carried over to the SATA line. What remains in the mobile rack
>> line-up are the ones with 1 to 3 fans that blow straight through - a
>> pleasingly intuitive concept, but a noisy one as the fans are only 40mm
>> in diameter so they spin fast. I've heard that the plastic mobile racks
>> made by Athena have bottom fans, and those are an alternative.
>
> From personal experience I agree that bottom fans are the better
> solution.
>
>>> Do the drives cook? Do the rack components (plastic) hold up over time?
>
>> A poster in a microsoft NG swears by Athena, and she says that
>> being plastic doesn't reduce the cooling or longevity.
>
> This would mean that the cooling is mainly by airflow.
> Not surprising.
Yes, there is little firm contact area between the hot parts
of a hard drive and the tray that it is mounted in, so any conduction
to the aluminum tray is minimal.
But I meant longevity of the plastic pieces. The other poster
is an IT consultant who recommends Athena to her clients, and
there have been no reported problems resulting from their plastic
construction.
Arno Wagner wrote in news:67puroF2q9etfU1@mid.individual.net
> Previously Timothy Daniels <SpamBucket@nospamplease.biz> wrote:
> > "ken k" wrote:
> > > I have been thinking about using a mobile rack and tray system to swap
> > > out hard drives which store data, such as my music and video DVD
> > > collections. One such system is this: http://kingwin.com/mobileracktrays.asp
> > >
> > > Does anyone have any experience with these systems for home use?
>
> > Actually, those are just the trays for the mobile racks. The entire
> > assemblies are here: http://kingwin.com/mobileracks.asp .
> > I've had a KF-101-IPF (with the 60mm cooling fan in the bottom of
> > the tray) for about 4 years, now. It has held up fine, but I admit that
> > I only use it for backups. They are all-aluminum except for the locking
> > handle, and the bottom fan really keeps the hard drive cool and the fan
> > is quiet. Unfortunately, the concept of a bottom fan has not sold well,
> > and the bottom fan version has been discontinued in the IDE line and
> > not carried over to the SATA line.
> > What remains in the mobile rack line-up are the ones with 1 to 3 fans
> > that blow straight through - a pleasingly intuitive concept,
Especially on the multiple fan concept, if one fan dies the drive is still
reasonably protected against overheating.
> > but a noisy one
Well, at least it's a cheap and cheerful indicator that they are still working.
> as the fans are only 40mm in diameter
Which is quite enough.
I have one 40mm fan blowing on top of a 10K SCSI and it's running
on 7 Volts which is available in any tray suited for 3.5" drives
> so they spin fast.
There is no 'so' about it.
I have one 40mm fan blowing on top of a 10K SCSI and it's running
on 7 Volts which is available in any tray suited for 3.5" drives.
That's on top, where as the temperature sensor is on the bottom of
the drive. It runs at a nice 33C at 20C ambient.
If memory serves me right it runs somewhere in the high 40ies without it.
> I've heard that the plastic mobile racks made by
> Athena have bottom fans, and those are an alternative.
> From personal experience I agree that bottom fans are the better solution.
Silly you.
>
> > > Do the drives cook? Do the rack components (plastic) hold up over time?
>
> > A poster in a microsoft NG swears by Athena, and she says that
> > being plastic doesn't reduce the cooling or longevity.
> This would mean that the cooling is mainly by airflow.
> Not surprising.
Pity then when that *single* bottom fan fails and the
rack has no protection against it, the drive cooks itself.
Personally I would look for a tray with a front air intake and back-half
bottom-and-top air outlets, so the case fan(s) can serve as alternate tray
fans.
>"Arno Wagner" wrote:
>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>> "ken k" wrote:
>>>> I have been thinking about using a mobile rack and tray system
>>>> to swap out hard drives which store data, such as my music and
>>>> video DVD collections. One such system is this:
>>>> http://kingwin.com/mobileracktrays.asp
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone have any experience with these systems for home
>>>> use?
>>
>>> Actually, those are just the trays for the mobile racks. The entire
>>> assemblies are here: http://kingwin.com/mobileracks.asp .
>>> I've had a KF-101-IPF (with the 60mm cooling fan in the bottom of
>>> the tray) for about 4 years, now. It has held up fine, but I admit that
>>> I only use it for backups. They are all-aluminum except for the locking
>>> handle, and the bottom fan really keeps the hard drive cool and the fan
>>> is quiet. Unfortunately, the concept of a bottom fan has not sold well,
>>> and the bottom fan version has been discontinued in the IDE line and
>>> not carried over to the SATA line. What remains in the mobile rack
>>> line-up are the ones with 1 to 3 fans that blow straight through - a
>>> pleasingly intuitive concept, but a noisy one as the fans are only 40mm
>>> in diameter so they spin fast. I've heard that the plastic mobile racks
>>> made by Athena have bottom fans, and those are an alternative.
>>
>> From personal experience I agree that bottom fans are the better
>> solution.
>>
>>>> Do the drives cook? Do the rack components (plastic) hold up over time?
>>
>>> A poster in a microsoft NG swears by Athena, and she says that
>>> being plastic doesn't reduce the cooling or longevity.
>>
>> This would mean that the cooling is mainly by airflow.
>> Not surprising.
>
> Yes, there is little firm contact area between the hot parts
>of a hard drive and the tray that it is mounted in, so any conduction
>to the aluminum tray is minimal.
>
> But I meant longevity of the plastic pieces. The other poster
>is an IT consultant who recommends Athena to her clients, and
>there have been no reported problems resulting from their plastic
>construction.
All models are aided by the case and power supply exhaust
fans, and in case of a failure of the mobile rack fan, air is still
drawn through the tray. Such are the advantages of case fans
which blow air out the back, keeping the case interior at an air
pressure lower than ambient.
> <Tony of Dyker Beach> wrote:
>> Do you have a URL for this "Athena?"
>>
>> Would not even know what to search for.
"Timothy Daniels" <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote in message
news:4818f645$0$7034$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Athena Power seems to have changed its website since last
> night. Now the only mobile racks with a bottom fan is this for
> SATA: http://athenapower.com/sub/mr136b.htm
> and this one with temperature monitoring for IDE:
> http://athenapower.com/sub/mr999atn.htm
>
> All models are aided by the case and power supply exhaust
> fans, and in case of a failure of the mobile rack fan, air is still
> drawn through the tray. Such are the advantages of case fans
> which blow air out the back, keeping the case interior at an air
> pressure lower than ambient.
>
> *TimDaniels*
>> <Tony of Dyker Beach> wrote:
>>> Do you have a URL for this "Athena?"
>>>
>>> Would not even know what to search for.
> "Timothy Daniels" <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote in message
> news:4818f645$0$7034$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>> Athena Power seems to have changed its website since last
>> night. Now the only mobile racks with a bottom fan is this for
>> SATA: http://athenapower.com/sub/mr136b.htm
>> and this one with temperature monitoring for IDE:
>> http://athenapower.com/sub/mr999atn.htm
>>
>> All models are aided by the case and power supply exhaust
>> fans, and in case of a failure of the mobile rack fan, air is still
>> drawn through the tray. Such are the advantages of case fans
>> which blow air out the back, keeping the case interior at an air
>> pressure lower than ambient.
>>
>> *TimDaniels*
> You might also want to access the alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt newsgroup
> and access the recent thread on "Re: Mobile racks and trays".
> Anna
I have to say that I had 2 of these for 4 drives each. The cooling
was completely insufficient and the backplane was manufactured
shoddily enough that I got SATA bus errors because of imprecise
trace lenghts. This was admittedly 3 years ago. I take it these
two issues are fixed in the 1 drive variant?
Mobile racks and trays systems 
Linear Mode
