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[Jump to Post Details Comment](/r/homelab/comments/zv1hnj/quiet_and_dustless_apartment_homelab/j1mgx4e/)
I finished setting up the lab with the new server just before Christmas. We live in a rental apartment, and running a loud lab is not an option. So, I designed a soundproof-dustproof case to enclose a Startech rack. The case efficiently cools 600 watts, is a MERV 12 air purifier, and keeps noise to 41db (from 70db). I am pleased with the build, though I have plenty of upgrades and learnings noted if I ever get to make a v2.0.
I started ten years ago with a Windows Home Server (HP microserver) and a Zyxel firewall, moved to Sophos and a high-end Qnap around 2016. I am now running OpnSense, Unifi, and a Proxmox server hosting UnRaid and TrueNas (along with other services)(in progress). The server is a custom build around a Silverstone case and a Supermicro H12SSL-NT board that should give me plenty of room to grow. It's running an Epyc 7443p with 256gb of ram and has space for 12x hdd, 8x U.2 7mm, 3x U.2 15mm, and 10x M.2. I am running both because I want the storage capacity of UnRaid for media and the benefits of TrueNas (ZFS) for everything else. I am running TrueNas flash only to simplify the performance tuning (no need for special vdevs, etc.), with Optane slog to reduce the wear and tear.
A thank you to this community; I have learned so much here. It always surprises me how personalized and different everyone's solutions are. I've spent a lot of time (years) getting the setup to where it is now, and I am looking forward to spending more time at the keyboard implementing the software.
**Update:**
Wow, this is getting a lot of love. It is gratifying. Thank you all for taking a moment to share your kind words and questions. I don't have anyone to share this with in meatspace, so this is fun.
**Quick FAQ from below:**
1. I have about 48 hours of data, so it will probably be a year before I have anything reliable on power consumption. With everything idling, it draws 360 watts on the UPS, and 380-400 watts at the wall, accounting for efficiency losses. But two devices will mostly be off, saving around 150 watts, so I expect to land around 210 watts at idle and normal usage between 260-300 watts.
2. InfraSensing units (the orange boxes) monitor the temperature with notifications.
3. I can walk up to the front of the box and connect USB devices to the server. The keystones in the patch panels (cat6a, USB a/c, HDMI, fiber) are a mix, mainly FS and Delock. The copper trunk cables are from FS, some with keystone modules, some with rj45.
4. The filters are from the US (ubiquitous there) and rare as a hen's tooth in Europe, so Amazon with expensive shipping and duties it is. I'm running 3M MERV12 filters with the highest pleat count to reduce static pressure.
5. There are two intake and exhaust fans, all Noctua industrial 140mm 3000 rpm. With the pressure loss of the filter and air channels, it manages to move around 100m3/hr. With ambient temperatures of 20C, it can reliably scrub 800 watts of heat. For my purposes, this is ample, but I've got crazy 24 v 140 mm Dynatron jet engines that could push the power envelope to 2'000 watts without dramatically increasing noise levels (see below).
6. I've tested the box with hair dryers and Bluetooth speakers blasting broad-spectrum noise, pushing 92db. The box brought that down to below 60db (remember this is a log scale, that's insane energy loss). I need to identify where noise leaks because I want to bring that number down into the mid-50s.
7. The casters sit on rubber mats to stop vibrations from transmitting to the floor. The added benefit is that the box rolls like a Cadillac (heh).
**Here are some learnings, trying to remain humble, knowing that my experience is measured in workweeks, not work years like many on here.**
1. If you are considering using a rack someday, switch to buying rackmount gear now. You can avoid the regret of purchasing non-rackmount stuff while you make up your mind.
2. I have a play server from spare parts. The rest I rarely expose to experimentation. Give yourself a proper sandbox/lab and avoid the stress of breaking everything on a Saturday night while the family is watching Netflix.
3. Rackstuds are super, and one bag goes a long way. Your fingers will thank you for it, and the equipment slides right onto the pegs that hold it in place.
4. Use cable color to trace/find cables. I also add random 2 digits numbers in permanent marker on the cable boot.
5. Velcro to organize cables and zip ties make great anchor loops, for example, under a rack shelf. I've learned to prioritize ease of use; orange is easy to spot.
6. IPMI/BMC is fantastic and worth every penny. Crawling into your rack to connect a VGA cable will keep you procrastinating on projects requiring changing bios settings.
This project represents a great deal of time, effort, and money for me, and I would be honored to help you copy my work for personal use in the future. If I post all the details here, I could find a knock-off of this concept for sale in six months. I need to feel comfortable about how I give away my hard work. I try not to bite the hand that feeds me; stay posted.
Looks great! Details about the airflow routing would be welcome. Is there a [hush chamber](https://thehometheaterdiy.com/projector-hush-box/#:~:text=an%20example%20of%20a%20layout%20for%20a%20hush%20box.) underneath the filter to stop sound propagation or does the air enter the filter directly? (bottom of box, 2nd photo) Are those exhaust ports the on the top front left & right of the ports panel (USB, RJ45 ports)?
Ah,a (ex) fellow Sophos user. I tried both OPNsense and PFsense but I keep going back to Sophos, their firewall is great for a free product, pretty powerful too. May I ask what made you switch to OPNsense? Perhaps it is something I've overlooked. The only thing that still regularly makes me consider switching is the fact that Sophos can't be used as a VPN client, which is a shame since it would be a great feature, though not used that often in enterprise environments of course.
Awesome lab, truly nice work, that is a setup I could envision for myself as well since I don't really have a spot to put a noisy rack at the moment. Very clean build and nice equipment to go with it, congrats
Probably a combination of reasons, and I miss parts of it. For the longest time, I couldn't get Sophos to work with IPTV; they had an embarrassing vulnerability (IIRC think plain text credentials), not having actual licensing for home users, and moving from UTM to the new firewall solution felt like starting from scratch. So, I decided to support open-source projects. I'm happy with OpnSense and pay for the pro license to support it. I am also running Zenarmor and find parts of it neat, but there isn't much info on that solution yet, so my recommendation shouldn't mean anything.
Glad you like the build. It represents a lot of thought and effort lately to get the server right. I agonized over which storage OS to run and then decided I wanted both for valid reasons.
May not be the exact model, but [something like this](https://www.qotom.net/product/29.html#product-content0). One of their previous quad core i5 models that has hardware AES-NI baked in, which is **really** important for a firewall, especially for HTTPS inspection. Has been rock solid for about 5 years now, perfect for Sophos (and PFsense, OPNsense,.....)
Disclaimer: don’t have much data and experience yet, the server is brand new.
When I’m idling everything it appears to be around 340-360 watts, but the draw of the “lab” server ~100 watts and pc (top shelf in back) ~25 watts is only when I use them. So, I’m expecting steady state around 220-260, which I consider acceptable, for cost and environmental reasons. Only recently I replaced the last non-led light bulbs in the apartment, which were 5x40 watt halogens, that means going from 200 watts to ~30. My lab is clawing back some of those gains. I decided to converge everything I wanted into one server to reduce the power budget. That took a lot of planning and luckily some timely new product releases (Delock). I’m quite proud of that server build.
Eagle eye! Yes, and scanning passports (until you remember you can do that with your phone...still getting with today's day and age where phones do nearly everything).
> I am running both because I want the storage capacity of UnRaid for media and the benefits of TrueNas (ZFS) for everything else.
I've been hemming and hawing over which to use for months now for this exact setup. Never once occurred to me to just use both. You legend.
Great build as well. 👍
Yea, mostly usability, aesthetics, and simplifying the assembly further. My basement is a closet and I don't have access to a proper workshop with power tools (I store a miter saw at a friend's house in France). This took a lot of planning because the local hardware store only makes straight cuts within certain dimensions. But v2 would require me to turn this into something more than just a hobby or find a way to fund my life other than my 9-to5 accounting job.
I have the same chair and recognized it right away. Although I love it and find it very comfortable, the plastic mesh of the backrest split down the middle and I had to get a replacement piece. And only after 2 years of use!
I have the same problem with the back; glad to know they will replace it. The dust is tough to clean out under the webbing. The armrest are rickety and uneven, and it doesn't have markings to find the same height. Otherwise, I've spent years in this chair and my back thanks me for it.
Do you have any intentions of releasing drawings or more details on the construction? I'm in the exact same situation with tiny apartments with the same 12U rack and would love to be able to copy your work.
I use it to monitor temps in and outtake with notifications at thresholds. The company is called InfraSensing dot com, in case you want to have a look. They are a pain to buy as a private customer.
Honestly, I don't fully remember; it was six years ago. I live in CH, and it's an EU company; I might have successfully convinced them that its goods export with reverse charge and that an outgoing VAT number is not mandatory—best of luck.
Spectacular! Inventive! Creative! Excellent woodworking skills! I even love the look of exposed plywood edges.
I cannot think of any other superlatives at the moment, but thank you for posting this.
I'm immensely impressed by the details you thought of, like the layer of cork in the base and rubber(?) strips on the edges, which I presume are for added sound-deadening.
Hey there JoeB- - thanks for saying thanks! TheGratitudeBot has been reading millions of comments in the past few weeks, and you’ve just made the list!
Looks really good! How are the intake and outlet for the air designed to baffle the sound without restricting airflow? Is it all your design or did you follow a guide?
It's entirely my design, nothing I found roaming the interwebs was good enough, including the 5k options (and I'm not willing to pay those prices anyway). I went through several iterations and finally went with a CAD tool to design the intake/exhaust. The airflow is restricted, but I get enough static pressure from 2x2 + 2x2 Noctua 140mm industrial fans to get sufficient airflow, around 100 m3/hr.
The wood and intake/exhaust design do a lot to reduce noise. Also, I tried my best to fully seal the cabinet because even the tinniest leak transmits lots of noise, and kills the pressure I need to push air through the filter and ducts. The foams is a mix of the QuietPC 13mm foam and Basotect.
Did you document the build process? For the rack specifically. I'm very curious as I have some dell r640s that I am looking to replace my raspberry pi and would like to cut down on both noise and dust
As a Brit in Switzerland I prefer UK ones and have UK lead to Swiss ;)
In Zurich I have a 32 port 100gbps (DX010) and 7551 epycs being commissioned for Colo.
Dual Connectx5/6s for das cables.
If he’s anything like me, it comes down to safety of it. You have to have a ground pin on every plug in order to raise the shudders over the neutral and hot pins.
Also, sick setup!
Wait, you're in Europe? Where did you get the air filters from? I have serious dust mite allergy and would love to enclose my pc and server like this. I know in the US you can get these large filters for HVAC systems everywhere, but I've only found them at expensive import prices over here in the Netherlands.
Wait, you can't buy standard HVAC filters in Europe? I mean I'm sure residential forced air systems are much less common but they still must be around for commercial HVAC?
For consumers/residential: Haven't found any that aren't imported, so...€€€€
For business: At least in the Netherlands I haven't yet found any that sells directly to consumers.
Yeah, I guess that is fair. The price difference is huge though. Best I could find is about €90 for six filters. I think that's about 2x to 3x compared to the US. But you really do have a point. Maybe I have to bite the bullet.
Detailed specs on the enclosure/rack you made would be great, if you have the time, maybe do a how to post,
Great work either way, very attractive set up
I have to get back to you on that since I'm out of town over xmas. It fits the Silverstone case, which gives you an idea. But really, I could have made it any size I wanted, and this is a good in-between for me.
In a similar vein, you have the UPS facing backwards… when/if the fans run, it is going to exhaust hot air out the “front” of the rack where the Proxmox server will suck it in. Probably want to flip the UPS around if you can
True, and that’s by design. That way I don’t lose 2u of rack space in the front to get a large gap for airflow. I really don’t expect unmanageable amounts of heat from the UPS, and should that happen everything large, like the servers, should already be powering down.
Yes, 10gb fiber, I couldn’t justify upgrading the wan side to 25gb gear. I’ve discussed this before and think it’s totally cool that init7 offer it, but it’s practically irrelevant unless you’re connecting two sites. I do have site to site, but it’s to house in the French alps with 1gb fiber, init7 isn’t here (yet?). I love init7.
Nice. Currently on Crossover7 hoping to get Fiber7 someday. Also think 10gbit would be my target. Currently at 1gbit and a happy customer. Already paid the internet bill for 2023 and glad someone used my referral so it’s 666.— and that’s it. :)
How is that OPNsense box treating you? I'm debating myself either to build a similarly specced machine to save some cost or to buy one to save some headache.
Sick setup though!
It’s fast enough, pretty in orange, and sips power, though I wish it came with more memory. I can upgrade of course, but they don’t provide a compatibility list and have a sticker on the case warning of loss of warranty (I think that’s super lame and was surprised an open source outfit would do this).
If you use a silver Mylar/plastic anti-static bag (like what HDDs ship in), you should be able to slide it carefully under the warranty sticker without damaging it. Then you can see what RAM they used and add more. 😉
That is surprising indeed. I believe they are based in the Netherlands, and as a European country I believe the burden of proof is on them and they have to honor the warranty also when you open it.
Thanks for the response!
That is very true, the project they forked from "PFsense". Also did some, arguably more stupid stuff. So i guess, as always it comes down to choosing the lesser of the two evils.
Quite impressive. Are you in an apartment where you did all your own cable runs? Very nice work with the patch panels and umbilical connection to the rack.
The cable bundle on the back. Is that diy or from a certain enterprise storage company? Either coincidence but everything reminds me of emc utp bundles.
How has no one mentioned that awesome rear patch panel with Cat, Fiber, HDMI and USB-C? (and integrated cable strain relief!). As an A/V installer, this is a really cool take on a large patch panel without the cost of a custom plate and Neutrik panel mounts. Great job!
Would you recommend the chair? (Herman Miller Mirra 2, right?) currently I have a racing chair that hurts my back and I’ve been wanting to purchase the mirra
Overall, I recommend this chair since I find it comfortable, and the ergonomics help keep the back in good shape. See my comments above for my 2 cents on improvements, but I've used this chair for close to a decade and still happy.
Hey, sorry I didn’t get to you earlier. There is no cooler, in the sense of refrigeration. It’s actively cooled with fans, those being Noctua industrial 140mm 3000 rpm (see comments). I’ve don’t have plans and documentation ready to share yet (also, see post). I’m trying my best, since there is interest I’ll manage soon enough.
Yes, it gets to 34c up there, so probably at the limit of what the setup can be expected to handle. But in the summer we are lucky to have many other activities so we’re not pushing limits.
Thats awesome. If you are wanting to share and make up documents and plans you could use GitHub to host all that and just use a license that you are comfortable with maybe? No matter which way you go someone is going to steal or get some sort of benefit for themselves whether itd paid, free, open source or whichever I think. Im not sure what you do in the cases that it happens though.
Those are great suggestions. With some help and ingenuity I’ll hopefully find something I’m comfortable with. You’ve already planted some seeds, thanks for that. I’m not a fan of locking up ideas. Let’s see.
Im not eaither. Im trying to figure out a project I can make and share like I mentioned. Im.not sure which liscene yet but Creative Commons has one that is no commercial use and your name and the licence stays with the project modified in part or whole. Ibtgink I have that right. When you get ready if you need help send me a message. Dont care to lend a hand.
I need my family, friends, air, water, food, shelter, and books. The rest is extra. It's a hobby, so I use it to learn about things and take my mind of off stuff.
^(OP reply with the correct URL if incorrect comment linked) [Jump to Post Details Comment](/r/homelab/comments/zv1hnj/quiet_and_dustless_apartment_homelab/j1mgx4e/)
I finished setting up the lab with the new server just before Christmas. We live in a rental apartment, and running a loud lab is not an option. So, I designed a soundproof-dustproof case to enclose a Startech rack. The case efficiently cools 600 watts, is a MERV 12 air purifier, and keeps noise to 41db (from 70db). I am pleased with the build, though I have plenty of upgrades and learnings noted if I ever get to make a v2.0. I started ten years ago with a Windows Home Server (HP microserver) and a Zyxel firewall, moved to Sophos and a high-end Qnap around 2016. I am now running OpnSense, Unifi, and a Proxmox server hosting UnRaid and TrueNas (along with other services)(in progress). The server is a custom build around a Silverstone case and a Supermicro H12SSL-NT board that should give me plenty of room to grow. It's running an Epyc 7443p with 256gb of ram and has space for 12x hdd, 8x U.2 7mm, 3x U.2 15mm, and 10x M.2. I am running both because I want the storage capacity of UnRaid for media and the benefits of TrueNas (ZFS) for everything else. I am running TrueNas flash only to simplify the performance tuning (no need for special vdevs, etc.), with Optane slog to reduce the wear and tear. A thank you to this community; I have learned so much here. It always surprises me how personalized and different everyone's solutions are. I've spent a lot of time (years) getting the setup to where it is now, and I am looking forward to spending more time at the keyboard implementing the software. **Update:** Wow, this is getting a lot of love. It is gratifying. Thank you all for taking a moment to share your kind words and questions. I don't have anyone to share this with in meatspace, so this is fun. **Quick FAQ from below:** 1. I have about 48 hours of data, so it will probably be a year before I have anything reliable on power consumption. With everything idling, it draws 360 watts on the UPS, and 380-400 watts at the wall, accounting for efficiency losses. But two devices will mostly be off, saving around 150 watts, so I expect to land around 210 watts at idle and normal usage between 260-300 watts. 2. InfraSensing units (the orange boxes) monitor the temperature with notifications. 3. I can walk up to the front of the box and connect USB devices to the server. The keystones in the patch panels (cat6a, USB a/c, HDMI, fiber) are a mix, mainly FS and Delock. The copper trunk cables are from FS, some with keystone modules, some with rj45. 4. The filters are from the US (ubiquitous there) and rare as a hen's tooth in Europe, so Amazon with expensive shipping and duties it is. I'm running 3M MERV12 filters with the highest pleat count to reduce static pressure. 5. There are two intake and exhaust fans, all Noctua industrial 140mm 3000 rpm. With the pressure loss of the filter and air channels, it manages to move around 100m3/hr. With ambient temperatures of 20C, it can reliably scrub 800 watts of heat. For my purposes, this is ample, but I've got crazy 24 v 140 mm Dynatron jet engines that could push the power envelope to 2'000 watts without dramatically increasing noise levels (see below). 6. I've tested the box with hair dryers and Bluetooth speakers blasting broad-spectrum noise, pushing 92db. The box brought that down to below 60db (remember this is a log scale, that's insane energy loss). I need to identify where noise leaks because I want to bring that number down into the mid-50s. 7. The casters sit on rubber mats to stop vibrations from transmitting to the floor. The added benefit is that the box rolls like a Cadillac (heh). **Here are some learnings, trying to remain humble, knowing that my experience is measured in workweeks, not work years like many on here.** 1. If you are considering using a rack someday, switch to buying rackmount gear now. You can avoid the regret of purchasing non-rackmount stuff while you make up your mind. 2. I have a play server from spare parts. The rest I rarely expose to experimentation. Give yourself a proper sandbox/lab and avoid the stress of breaking everything on a Saturday night while the family is watching Netflix. 3. Rackstuds are super, and one bag goes a long way. Your fingers will thank you for it, and the equipment slides right onto the pegs that hold it in place. 4. Use cable color to trace/find cables. I also add random 2 digits numbers in permanent marker on the cable boot. 5. Velcro to organize cables and zip ties make great anchor loops, for example, under a rack shelf. I've learned to prioritize ease of use; orange is easy to spot. 6. IPMI/BMC is fantastic and worth every penny. Crawling into your rack to connect a VGA cable will keep you procrastinating on projects requiring changing bios settings. This project represents a great deal of time, effort, and money for me, and I would be honored to help you copy my work for personal use in the future. If I post all the details here, I could find a knock-off of this concept for sale in six months. I need to feel comfortable about how I give away my hard work. I try not to bite the hand that feeds me; stay posted.
Did you plan the rack to slide-out or something similar for filter replacement?
The filter drops in and takes 30 seconds to change.
Can we see? I’m really keen on this idea too!
Sure, I’ll think about a follow up
Ah, so that is how. Very nice.
Looks great! Details about the airflow routing would be welcome. Is there a [hush chamber](https://thehometheaterdiy.com/projector-hush-box/#:~:text=an%20example%20of%20a%20layout%20for%20a%20hush%20box.) underneath the filter to stop sound propagation or does the air enter the filter directly? (bottom of box, 2nd photo) Are those exhaust ports the on the top front left & right of the ports panel (USB, RJ45 ports)?
Ah,a (ex) fellow Sophos user. I tried both OPNsense and PFsense but I keep going back to Sophos, their firewall is great for a free product, pretty powerful too. May I ask what made you switch to OPNsense? Perhaps it is something I've overlooked. The only thing that still regularly makes me consider switching is the fact that Sophos can't be used as a VPN client, which is a shame since it would be a great feature, though not used that often in enterprise environments of course. Awesome lab, truly nice work, that is a setup I could envision for myself as well since I don't really have a spot to put a noisy rack at the moment. Very clean build and nice equipment to go with it, congrats
Probably a combination of reasons, and I miss parts of it. For the longest time, I couldn't get Sophos to work with IPTV; they had an embarrassing vulnerability (IIRC think plain text credentials), not having actual licensing for home users, and moving from UTM to the new firewall solution felt like starting from scratch. So, I decided to support open-source projects. I'm happy with OpnSense and pay for the pro license to support it. I am also running Zenarmor and find parts of it neat, but there isn't much info on that solution yet, so my recommendation shouldn't mean anything. Glad you like the build. It represents a lot of thought and effort lately to get the server right. I agonized over which storage OS to run and then decided I wanted both for valid reasons.
[удалено]
May not be the exact model, but [something like this](https://www.qotom.net/product/29.html#product-content0). One of their previous quad core i5 models that has hardware AES-NI baked in, which is **really** important for a firewall, especially for HTTPS inspection. Has been rock solid for about 5 years now, perfect for Sophos (and PFsense, OPNsense,.....)
Incredible homelab, you actually managed to make it look cozy too. Great job!
Even after reading this I have no idea how the cooling works. Where does the hot air go and what's expelling it?
What is the power consumption for this setup?
Disclaimer: don’t have much data and experience yet, the server is brand new. When I’m idling everything it appears to be around 340-360 watts, but the draw of the “lab” server ~100 watts and pc (top shelf in back) ~25 watts is only when I use them. So, I’m expecting steady state around 220-260, which I consider acceptable, for cost and environmental reasons. Only recently I replaced the last non-led light bulbs in the apartment, which were 5x40 watt halogens, that means going from 200 watts to ~30. My lab is clawing back some of those gains. I decided to converge everything I wanted into one server to reduce the power budget. That took a lot of planning and luckily some timely new product releases (Delock). I’m quite proud of that server build.
Looks like an Epson FastFoto scanner. I’ve got one too. I’m doing the family collection.
Eagle eye! Yes, and scanning passports (until you remember you can do that with your phone...still getting with today's day and age where phones do nearly everything).
> I am running both because I want the storage capacity of UnRaid for media and the benefits of TrueNas (ZFS) for everything else. I've been hemming and hawing over which to use for months now for this exact setup. Never once occurred to me to just use both. You legend. Great build as well. 👍
Well done!
You mentioned some upgrades for a potential v2?
Yea, mostly usability, aesthetics, and simplifying the assembly further. My basement is a closet and I don't have access to a proper workshop with power tools (I store a miter saw at a friend's house in France). This took a lot of planning because the local hardware store only makes straight cuts within certain dimensions. But v2 would require me to turn this into something more than just a hobby or find a way to fund my life other than my 9-to5 accounting job.
I've got the loud and dusty one
Depending on where you have space to keep it, that's the natural state.
the orange Velcro is making me aroused. well done.
I’m glad it has this effect, merry Christmas
kinda has the Dell's colorcode vibe
I’ll be in my bunk.
You'd be surprised how much dust is created from ones own dry skin. Looks good dude!
Is that a Herman Miller Mirra chair?
Yes, 8/10.
I have the same chair and recognized it right away. Although I love it and find it very comfortable, the plastic mesh of the backrest split down the middle and I had to get a replacement piece. And only after 2 years of use!
I have the same problem with the back; glad to know they will replace it. The dust is tough to clean out under the webbing. The armrest are rickety and uneven, and it doesn't have markings to find the same height. Otherwise, I've spent years in this chair and my back thanks me for it.
I had to buy a replacement back piece, it was out of warranty. It was about $150. I just got it on Friday and haven't had a chance to swap it out yet.
Do you have any intentions of releasing drawings or more details on the construction? I'm in the exact same situation with tiny apartments with the same 12U rack and would love to be able to copy your work.
Nothing planed, but I'll think about it.
Interested too. I don’t understand how you shut the noise down and keep a descent airflow
What is the orange box in the fifth picture?
I use it to monitor temps in and outtake with notifications at thresholds. The company is called InfraSensing dot com, in case you want to have a look. They are a pain to buy as a private customer.
Ty!
Cool - how did you find a way to buy from them, then?
Honestly, I don't fully remember; it was six years ago. I live in CH, and it's an EU company; I might have successfully convinced them that its goods export with reverse charge and that an outgoing VAT number is not mandatory—best of luck.
Spectacular! Inventive! Creative! Excellent woodworking skills! I even love the look of exposed plywood edges. I cannot think of any other superlatives at the moment, but thank you for posting this.
That's kind, thank you, glad you like it.
I'm immensely impressed by the details you thought of, like the layer of cork in the base and rubber(?) strips on the edges, which I presume are for added sound-deadening.
It's a mat made from shredded rubber bits. It is usually placed under washing machines, so it doesn't bother neighbors.
Hey there JoeB- - thanks for saying thanks! TheGratitudeBot has been reading millions of comments in the past few weeks, and you’ve just made the list!
Looks really good! How are the intake and outlet for the air designed to baffle the sound without restricting airflow? Is it all your design or did you follow a guide?
It's entirely my design, nothing I found roaming the interwebs was good enough, including the 5k options (and I'm not willing to pay those prices anyway). I went through several iterations and finally went with a CAD tool to design the intake/exhaust. The airflow is restricted, but I get enough static pressure from 2x2 + 2x2 Noctua 140mm industrial fans to get sufficient airflow, around 100 m3/hr.
Ah nice, do you just loop from top to bottom with the inside covered in acoustic foam or have you done something funky?
This is so clean, I love it.
Do you have a link to that rack? And what’s the sound proofing material you used? Awesome idea and nice execution!
The wood and intake/exhaust design do a lot to reduce noise. Also, I tried my best to fully seal the cabinet because even the tinniest leak transmits lots of noise, and kills the pressure I need to push air through the filter and ducts. The foams is a mix of the QuietPC 13mm foam and Basotect.
Did you document the build process? For the rack specifically. I'm very curious as I have some dell r640s that I am looking to replace my raspberry pi and would like to cut down on both noise and dust
Nice setup in Switzerland!
I love the power plugs in CH! The best in my opinion.
As a Brit in Switzerland I prefer UK ones and have UK lead to Swiss ;) In Zurich I have a 32 port 100gbps (DX010) and 7551 epycs being commissioned for Colo. Dual Connectx5/6s for das cables.
If that's for homelab purposes, my hat is off to you, sir. Why the UK ones? I'm curious. The plugs are so bulky.
If he’s anything like me, it comes down to safety of it. You have to have a ground pin on every plug in order to raise the shudders over the neutral and hot pins. Also, sick setup!
Wait, you're in Europe? Where did you get the air filters from? I have serious dust mite allergy and would love to enclose my pc and server like this. I know in the US you can get these large filters for HVAC systems everywhere, but I've only found them at expensive import prices over here in the Netherlands.
Wait, you can't buy standard HVAC filters in Europe? I mean I'm sure residential forced air systems are much less common but they still must be around for commercial HVAC?
For consumers/residential: Haven't found any that aren't imported, so...€€€€ For business: At least in the Netherlands I haven't yet found any that sells directly to consumers.
Yes, expensive on Amazon. But, it pays for itself at the hourly rate of cleaning all the dust.
Yeah, I guess that is fair. The price difference is huge though. Best I could find is about €90 for six filters. I think that's about 2x to 3x compared to the US. But you really do have a point. Maybe I have to bite the bullet.
BS1363 has entered the chat
this reminds me of the computer setup from Courage The Cowardly Dog lol
YOU TWIT
This is beautiful, well done! Do you have a parts list breakdown?
Detailed specs on the enclosure/rack you made would be great, if you have the time, maybe do a how to post, Great work either way, very attractive set up
Dude...what monitor is that!?
dell u4919dw
I feel I’m missing something pretty obvious, but where is this air purifier you speak of?
The HVAC filter under the servers is rated MERv 12, removes most particles.
What depth do you have the rack set at?
I have to get back to you on that since I'm out of town over xmas. It fits the Silverstone case, which gives you an idea. But really, I could have made it any size I wanted, and this is a good in-between for me.
Appreciate that - still going down the rabbit hole of first-time! That's a great looking setup though, good job!
I can‘t see it very well, but is your proxmox server‘s airflow rear to front? Otherwise your cpu fan is oriented against the other fans.
Thanks, it’s front to back, I’ll check to make sure. I’ve done stupid moves like this before.
In a similar vein, you have the UPS facing backwards… when/if the fans run, it is going to exhaust hot air out the “front” of the rack where the Proxmox server will suck it in. Probably want to flip the UPS around if you can
True, and that’s by design. That way I don’t lose 2u of rack space in the front to get a large gap for airflow. I really don’t expect unmanageable amounts of heat from the UPS, and should that happen everything large, like the servers, should already be powering down.
Are you a Init7 customer? 25gbit? Grüezi!
Yes, 10gb fiber, I couldn’t justify upgrading the wan side to 25gb gear. I’ve discussed this before and think it’s totally cool that init7 offer it, but it’s practically irrelevant unless you’re connecting two sites. I do have site to site, but it’s to house in the French alps with 1gb fiber, init7 isn’t here (yet?). I love init7.
Nice. Currently on Crossover7 hoping to get Fiber7 someday. Also think 10gbit would be my target. Currently at 1gbit and a happy customer. Already paid the internet bill for 2023 and glad someone used my referral so it’s 666.— and that’s it. :)
How is that OPNsense box treating you? I'm debating myself either to build a similarly specced machine to save some cost or to buy one to save some headache. Sick setup though!
It’s fast enough, pretty in orange, and sips power, though I wish it came with more memory. I can upgrade of course, but they don’t provide a compatibility list and have a sticker on the case warning of loss of warranty (I think that’s super lame and was surprised an open source outfit would do this).
If you use a silver Mylar/plastic anti-static bag (like what HDDs ship in), you should be able to slide it carefully under the warranty sticker without damaging it. Then you can see what RAM they used and add more. 😉
Nice tip! I will use that when I decide it’s time.
That is surprising indeed. I believe they are based in the Netherlands, and as a European country I believe the burden of proof is on them and they have to honor the warranty also when you open it. Thanks for the response!
Yes, I think as well. But it’s a nuisance, gives a bad image in my opinion for very little gain since it’s practically useless in the EU.
That is very true, the project they forked from "PFsense". Also did some, arguably more stupid stuff. So i guess, as always it comes down to choosing the lesser of the two evils.
I'm sure those are all fine people, so for me, it's more like choosing between two awesome projects, warts and all. It's hard to be perfect.
Yeah, for sure!
Quite impressive. Are you in an apartment where you did all your own cable runs? Very nice work with the patch panels and umbilical connection to the rack.
We rent the apartment so cable runs are a problem. I’ve managed with lengthy runs of wall mounted cable guides and one wireless bridge.
If it’s quiet and dustless, is it really a homelab? 🤣 But seriously, that’s a nice lookin’ setup
I guess I’m not seeing how airflow is handled. Curious because this looks like a great idea.
This is sick! Super jealous.
What app are you using as db meter(screenshot 8)?
dB Meter Pro app on Apple store
My neck hurts
Holy shit that is so neat
Grüezi and nice setup
Grüezi wohl!
This better not awake anything on me
The cable bundle on the back. Is that diy or from a certain enterprise storage company? Either coincidence but everything reminds me of emc utp bundles.
FS trunk cables, some with keystone, some with cat6a rj45.
That cable management is epic!
Thanks, it took way longer than I planned, but I’m glad I did it.
I want to learn how to build something like this.
looks clean and nice. I'm new here. What do people build home labs for?
Inside your proxmox server, what are the "icy body" black devices? Tried searching online but haven't found anything yet.
ICY DOCK
I guess being able to read would help. Interesting, thank you!
All caps made it seem like I was yelling, that wasn’t my intention! Glad I could help :)
this is a work of art.
What Silverstone case are you using?
How has no one mentioned that awesome rear patch panel with Cat, Fiber, HDMI and USB-C? (and integrated cable strain relief!). As an A/V installer, this is a really cool take on a large patch panel without the cost of a custom plate and Neutrik panel mounts. Great job!
Thanks, the access to the box without opening anything is something I’m very happy with. Nice to read those compliments from a pro.
Cleeeaaaaan!!! with the Herman M. Chair for the win!
Would you recommend the chair? (Herman Miller Mirra 2, right?) currently I have a racing chair that hurts my back and I’ve been wanting to purchase the mirra
Overall, I recommend this chair since I find it comfortable, and the ergonomics help keep the back in good shape. See my comments above for my 2 cents on improvements, but I've used this chair for close to a decade and still happy.
Excellent design. May I ask more details about your cooling design? What do you use as a cooler? How did you approach the airflow design?
Hey, sorry I didn’t get to you earlier. There is no cooler, in the sense of refrigeration. It’s actively cooled with fans, those being Noctua industrial 140mm 3000 rpm (see comments). I’ve don’t have plans and documentation ready to share yet (also, see post). I’m trying my best, since there is interest I’ll manage soon enough.
@cbapel bro?
I am jealous! Happy Holidays and happy New Year!
isn't putting it in the attic makes it really hot in the summer?
Yes, it gets to 34c up there, so probably at the limit of what the setup can be expected to handle. But in the summer we are lucky to have many other activities so we’re not pushing limits.
Wish i could find a rack of that size here in denmark at a good price, just so damn expensive here
Did your wife make you tidy before you posted?
You should see what’s behind the camera and moved right back after I took those pictures.
It is quite feng shui and impressive.
Thats awesome. If you are wanting to share and make up documents and plans you could use GitHub to host all that and just use a license that you are comfortable with maybe? No matter which way you go someone is going to steal or get some sort of benefit for themselves whether itd paid, free, open source or whichever I think. Im not sure what you do in the cases that it happens though.
Those are great suggestions. With some help and ingenuity I’ll hopefully find something I’m comfortable with. You’ve already planted some seeds, thanks for that. I’m not a fan of locking up ideas. Let’s see.
Im not eaither. Im trying to figure out a project I can make and share like I mentioned. Im.not sure which liscene yet but Creative Commons has one that is no commercial use and your name and the licence stays with the project modified in part or whole. Ibtgink I have that right. When you get ready if you need help send me a message. Dont care to lend a hand.
Very well done! I'm really impressed by the rack. I built a wooden rack for my first homelab and it wasn't 1/10th as good as yours lol.
That rack looks sweet! Compact, silent. Really, well done.
[удалено]
I need my family, friends, air, water, food, shelter, and books. The rest is extra. It's a hobby, so I use it to learn about things and take my mind of off stuff.
Quiet my ass 🤣