Will the lack of fans cause my SSD to overheat?

[lancer420]

This is a fairly complex question and i'm not exactly a professional at grammar so don't be afraid to ask me to clarify. So, in a few months, I'm building a new computer. the case i'm using is the SMA8 you can check it out here:
http://www.caselabs-store.com/magnum-sma8-a-revision-customizable/

Now, the SMA8, unlike most cases, has the drive bays on the right side where the cable management is. On one hand, that's great, as it means the front intake fans are completely unobstructed. But on the the other hand, it means any drives mounted back there really doesn't have any cooling. There's little cracks and crevasses to allow air to freely pass through, but there's no fans or anything like that. I often leave my computer on for two or three days before shutting it down for the night and i'm a bit worried about those long sessions cooking my SSD. When i build this, i will only have one SSD, but i may have to get a second one depending on if it fills up, Which, Of course, would add even more heat. What do you guys think? Is this something to be concerned about or is it not a big deal? Thanks!

 

[13thmonkey]

I don't like it, but they have to have thought of this, have you tried asking them how HDD cooling works, as HDD's do generate heat, and are a lot worse than SSDs

 

[lancer420]

I don't like it, but they have to have thought of this, have you tried asking them how HDD cooling works, as HDD's do generate heat, and are a lot worse than SSDs

I'm not gonna be using any HDD's. Only SSD's.

 

[13thmonkey]

yes, I know, but if HDDs create more heat, which they do, and are more sensitive to it, which they are, then they'll need to have a solution for it.

 

[lancer420]

yes, I know, but if HDDs create more heat, which they do, and are more sensitive to it, which they are, then they'll need to have a solution for it.

No offence, but this isn't really helping me. I'm not in charge of the company so I can't make any changes. Plus maybe you should look at a picture of the case, if you haven't already done so.

 

[InvalidError]

His point is that assuming the case designers weren't total nuts, the case's airflow should be sufficient to keep mechanical drives within a reasonable temperature range. If the airflow is good enough to cool a 10-15W HDD, a 2-5W SSD should be a non-issue.

 

[13thmonkey]

yes, I know, but if HDDs create more heat, which they do, and are more sensitive to it, which they are, then they'll need to have a solution for it.

No offence, but this isn't really helping me. I'm not in charge of the company so I can't make any changes. Plus maybe you should look at a picture of the case, if you haven't already done so.

I've had a look at a picture of the case, it doesn't show that much. I'm not suggesting you are in charge of the company, I'm suggesting you ASK them what provision they've put in. Perhaps they've done some clever venting with the exhaust fans to pull air through the cable management and disk storage area. Perhaps they rely on thermal pads and sink the heat through the mobo tray and into the airflow on the main half of the case. Perhaps they do something different.

Have you looked for reviews of the case? most of them will test thermals.

I'm suggesting to you a route by which you can solve your own problem.

 

[10tacle]

I have always kept my SSDs on the inside of the cable management space between the motherboard mounting wall and right side removable door (right side when facing the front of the case). I do this to keep them separate from the HDDs in the mounting brackets in the front where the intake cooling fans are to maximize what remaining intake airflow there is.

There is no airflow in that small space at all which is even more confined and isolated than those mounting brackets are in the case you are looking at (an interesting concept I've never seen in a case before for full sized HDDs). I've never had SSD thermal issues with this mounting method since first adopting it in a 2009 build.

That's a seriously cool looking case to with a lot of options like ordering a car. But that price though....WOW .

 

[13thmonkey]

At that price they'd better be willing to talk to you.

No reviews of it, that actually test it rather than just take pictures of it, one mentioned poor filtering.

 

[lancer420]

His point is that assuming the case designers weren't total nuts, the case's airflow should be sufficient to keep mechanical drives within a reasonable temperature range. If the airflow is good enough to cool a 10-15W HDD, a 2-5W SSD should be a non-issue.

That's the thing though. There is no fans in the drive compartment. That's the reason for this thread. I need to make sure that just some cracks to allow heat to escape will be enough.

 

[13thmonkey]

His point is that assuming the case designers weren't total nuts, the case's airflow should be sufficient to keep mechanical drives within a reasonable temperature range. If the airflow is good enough to cool a 10-15W HDD, a 2-5W SSD should be a non-issue.

That's the thing though. There is no fans in the drive compartment. That's the reason for this thread. I need to make sure that just some cracks to allow heat to escape will be enough.

And that's why on a $500+ case, you talk to them, it does wonders.

 

[lancer420]

I have always kept my SSDs on the inside of the cable management space between the motherboard mounting wall and right side removable door (right side when facing the front of the case). I do this to keep them separate from the HDDs in the mounting brackets in the front where the intake cooling fans are to maximize what remaining intake airflow there is.

There is no airflow in that small space at all which is even more confined and isolated than those mounting brackets are in the case you are looking at (an interesting concept I've never seen in a case before for full sized HDDs). I've never had SSD thermal issues with this mounting method since first adopting it in a 2009 build.

That's a seriously cool looking case to with a lot of options like ordering a car. But that price though....WOW .

Yeah, It's really expensive but it's a dang good case. Thanks for giving me a proper answer unlike everyone else. If you never had any issues with your SSD setup then i shouldn't either.

 

[10tacle]

My SSDs have only ever gone a few degrees above room ambient temp (using HWiNFO64 monitoring program) and that includes SSDs used for both productivity and gaming. Currently for reference I am using a 1TB + 500GB Samsung EVO 850 series SSDs.

 

[InvalidError]

That's the thing though. There is no fans in the drive compartment. That's the reason for this thread. I need to make sure that just some cracks to allow heat to escape will be enough.

I have an Antec 300v2 case and my SSD is behind the motherboard tray where there are no fans and no meaningful ventilation - I even taped over the right side panel fan opening to prevent dust from the unused fan location. My SSD's temperature still only reads 31C.

You'd need an exceptionally poorly engineered case to overheat an SSD.