Noctua fans included in Dell Force10 S60?
Noctua fans included in Dell Force10 S60?
I purchased a Dell Force10 S60 for a budget-friendly gigabit switch, finding it on auction for $20 on eBay. The main concern is the noise level, which isn’t overly problematic, but I’d appreciate using Noctua fans with it. I’m wondering if anyone has experience swapping them or knows how reliable they are. This is my second unit; I previously reset it to factory settings and now can’t access the CLI. I disassembled one power supply and swapped a fan from an old HP 100Mb switch, but it didn’t perform well. The new black Dell model with logo seems different from the gray HP one with the Force10 branding. I wouldn’t want to spend $90 on fans that might not work, plus shipping costs if I have to return them.
Examine current fans to determine their voltage (likely 12V, but verify). If labels are missing, use a multimeter to test the pins on the connector. Note that network gear often has a different pin layout compared to standard computer or server fans—confirm this with the multimeter. If the layout isn’t standard, you may need to modify the original connector by cutting and splicing it onto the new fan, or adjust the pin positions manually. There’s a small latch in the pin that secures it into place. EDIT: Fans in network equipment and 1U servers usually spin at high speeds; if they include a third pin for RPM sensing, swapping to a slower model might cause an alarm about failure.
I understand everything operates at 12 volts. The fans usually run around 40% continuously, but because noctua fans operate quieter, I don’t have to worry they’ll need to spin faster to match the older models. The HP fan I connected started up normally, though it didn’t show RPM, so I’m unsure what was happening—possibly the RPM sensor is tied to ground. I might consider buying a sensor first; if that doesn’t work, I’ll try a few more, then possibly more later.