Replacing the cooling fan in an LTO-2 tape drive - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: Hogwild
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 10:54:19 pm
content: Hi everybody:I have a Dell (IBM) LTO-2 tape drive. It works perfectly, but the fan in it is deafeningly loud.I want to find another 80mm x 80mm x 25mm fan to replace it with. Being an ex-computer tech. I looked at Noctuas and some other PC fan makers, but they're all a little short in performance for this. The old fan that's in the drive is a 39.5CFM fan, and the 80mm computer fans I could find were either quiet, but too weak (max. 32CFM) or pushed more air, but are loud.I tend to do quick backups and rarely restore anything except when my primary (SSD) backup methods fail. Does anyone know if I'll be able to get away with running this tape drive with say, a 32 CFM fan?

author: RayRay
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 11:22:22 pm
content: I don't think that going from 39 to 32 would make a big difference. But regardless to your question, I think you should consider getting on with modern times and use one or more external hard drives instead (you could also keep one off-site, to be extra safe)

author: Hogwild
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 11:29:46 pm
content: Does anyone else agree/disagree?Get on with modern times? LTO tape has been proven to have 3 times the lifespan of an HDD/SSD and is rated at25 years lifespan. With my old, cheap drive, I can easily put 200GB on each tape, and 400GB with compression.Tapes are offline storage, so much safer against hackers, viruses, and other security issues which are becomingmore commonplace than toilet paper. The data format is not commonly affected by hacks, viruses, malware.No thanks, I'll stick with my LTO.

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 11:34:26 pm
content: Maybe you could find the specs for the tape drive, and check the operating temperatures.If it's up to e.g. 40C and you're running it at 20C, then I guess it should be ok.

author: Hogwild
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 11:44:25 pm
content: That sounds like a good idea, except I see a few problems.First, in order to measure it, I assume I'd have to take the case cover offthe drive. That would affect the temps. I suposed I could put a sensor onand then fasten the case cover again.What parts get hot in a tape drive? I have no idea. Does anyone know?Maybe some of the management software or backup software reportsthe drive temperature somewhere? I haven't used the official backupsoftware. In the past, I just used the Linux tar program.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 11:51:26 pm
content: Check how hot the components are getting with the existing fan. If they are already extremely hot, then that's the reason they used such a loud and powerful one. Otherwise you could swap fans and compare. A thermal camera is ideal for this.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 11:54:17 pm
content: Take CFM figures with a grain of salt. You need a CFM vs backpressure graph to make sense of actual fan performance (and compare different fans), good fan datasheets provide this. A "30CFM fan" can provide less airflow than a "20CFM" can when bolted to the same chassis.I'm with the suggestions of measure and test. Throw a quiet fan on and see if it's a temperature problem or not. The designers may have thrown any old loud fan on and left it at that because it works.

author: RayRay
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2021, 11:56:49 pm
content: Quote from: Hogwild on June 28, 2021, 11:29:46 pmYes, modern times. Are you still using a VCR too? Mechnical hard drives are reliable enough, and can last a very long time (provided you don't physically mishandle em). Their price/capacity ratio is very affordable, and are easier to use in this context. As for data safety, use an external one and disconnect it after each backup, it'll be just as safe!

author: Hogwild
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2021, 12:00:36 am
content: RayRay:I'm not interested in turning this into a pissing contest. Sure, absolutely.

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2021, 12:21:54 am
content: Maybe I were a bit unclear - I was thinking about ambient or room temperature (which I guess is in the specs).

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2021, 01:11:32 am
content: Hogwild, could the noise be potentially due to aging? Perhaps find a fan with similar characteristics (pay attention to the CFM/pressure as Whales mentioned) and test it in place to compare.IMO I tend to be very cautious with high temperatures in mechanisms that can potentially have rubber parts in them (capstans perhaps?). The degradation in these parts tends to be irrecoverable, differently than an electronic part, for example. Given you said you do quick backups, maybe this wouod not be a very troubling issue in the overall scheme of things...

author: Hogwild
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2021, 01:21:14 am
content: No, I've talked with other owners who had the same drive since new and they all complainabout how noisy the fan is.

author: exuvo
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 01:08:55 am
content: Sorry for the slight necromancy but i just wanted to share my solution for this with my LTO5 SAS drive that also had a noisy fan. I 3D printed an adapter (scad file fromhttps://www.thingiverse.com/thing:21112) to fit a larger 80mm fan to the mounting holes for the 40mm fan my half height drive comes with. The larger fan is much quieter for a similar air flow.I cut the cable of the old fan a cm outside the drive and soldered on a normal 3-pin fan connector so i did not even have to screw it apart. Careful with the screw lengths to connect the adapter to the drive, the bottom right screw hole had a thin SAS cable right behind it so make sure it does not get crushed.Only constraint is that it will not fit with 2st half height drives right next to each other but i only have 1 drive. Should also be doable with full height drives but with a 120mm fan instead.

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 01:42:39 am
content: LTO fan here. Glad to find a recent post of LTO.Hope someone starts a LTO thread.When I mention LTO in some places it starts a pissing contest also. I think some think of the spinning heads and DAT tape system and start bashing.A LTO I regard in my use as a backup is a sensible and safe way to have a backup system I hope I won't ever need, but if all my HD, SSD, cloud fails, I still have tapes that I can trust, give to relatives, leave at work for off-site. My favorite thing is the write protect tab.And no subscription fees.Recently I learned my SAS HP card is supposed to be in a server with huge air flow. I was uncomfortable with how hot it got so only used it if I had a separate fan blowing on it.Being commercial/ industrial product I imagine the air flow would be overrated compared to occasional home use.

author: fzabkar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 01:45:47 am
content: A bit late but ...Sunon KD1208PTB2 80mm PC Case Cooling Fan 2900RPM, 39.5CFM, 32dBA (3-Pin, 80x80x25mm, BULK)https://www.amazon.com/Sunon-KD1208PTB2-Cooling-3-Pin-80x80x25mm/dp/B00456ZY2ODatasheet:http://np.infinity-component.com/datasheet/a4-KD1208PTB2(2)(H).pdf

author: fzabkar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 02:05:50 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on February 21, 2022, 01:42:39 amI don't mean to start/continue a pissing contest but ...I find that tape drives eventually suffer from gooey pinch rollers. If you don't notice this in time, the goo infects your tapes. VCRs and audio cassettes have the same problem. I would advise people to periodically inspect the rubber parts.Actually I used to service computer tape drives in my previous life. They were the bane of my existence. I saw a lot of damaged tapes, or tapes that would read in one drive but not another. I agree that they offer high data densities, but my experience with them has been mostly negative. BTW, I still have several reel to reel, mainframe tape drives in my garage, one with a vacuum column. During the 1980s the capacity was around 20MB per tape.

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 03:04:46 am
content: LTO is still supported and progressing. I have LTO5 and 6, 7 is out, and did you look at the large tape library systems in use? Just buy a machine manufactured yesterday if worried about sticky pinch rollers.I understand your woes was into magnetic media since the 60's mostly audio.Audio much more critical than computer drives. I was serious abut tape performance. At my feet, now, in the living room, wife accepted. my favorite test equipment: Ampex / Micom meter at the bottom. Built like HP pre -Agilent -pre Keysight./me puts away pisser, back to LTO cooling.

author: abdulbadii
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 10:19:13 am
content: https://www.ebay.com/itm/275094695767?hash=item400cebef57:g:SBgAAOSwNPBhXV80it's 23 dBA (Adjusted)

author: exuvo
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 05:09:30 pm
content: I made a thread for LTO if anyone wants to continue discussions therehttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/general-computing/lto-tape-usage-(modern-tape-drives)/