Question Anyone have any advice for putting a PC on a closet? (Tips on ventilation)

[Nvidiaguy07]

I share my office with my wife and am trying to save space, and keep noise from the PC mitigated. It's a huge PC with lots of drives (unRAID server), so getting it out of the way while still being able to use it would be nice. Right now it's in the large backroom and I only remote into it, but it would be useful to be able to use it at my desk without remoting.

There is an understairs closet on the other side of the wall where my PC is. I could put it in there and then the cables would come through the wall to my desk.

Obviously this would require some airflow modifications. I was thinking of putting PC on ground where its cool, and having a 2-3 fans sucking cool air in to the room. Near the top of the room id put 1-2 fans blowing air out (so the room would have positive air pressure.

Anyone have experience with this?

 

[mindless1]

How tightly does the door shut, seal out air? You probably only need one sufficiently sized intake or exhaust fan, as far from the door's floor gap as reasonably possible. Ambient temp in the room may rise a bit but shouldn't be too bad or you could always add another fan to assist. The main benefit to using several fans is if you find they are overkill at full speed and you can slow them down to reduce noise.

If you're talking about typical thin, axial computer fans, they can't make enough pressure differential to matter much. I wouldn't put any energy into trying to make it positively pressurized unless there are filter panels involved and then do so, to try to get the filter panels to trap all incoming dust.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

How tightly does the door shut, seal out air? You probably only need one sufficiently sized intake or exhaust fan, as far from the door's floor gap as reasonably possible. Ambient temp in the room may rise a bit but shouldn't be too bad or you could always add another fan to assist. The main benefit to using several fans is if you find they are overkill at full speed and you can slow them down to reduce noise.

If you're talking about typical thin, axial computer fans, they can't make enough pressure differential to matter much. I wouldn't put any energy into trying to make it positively pressurized unless there are filter panels involved and then do so, to try to get the filter panels to trap all incoming dust.

The room is 3x7x9 ft, but is under a staircase so it's half the cubic footage.

The door to this room is actually going to be a bookcase so it's sort of like a hidden closet, it doesn't seal it completely, but I can for sure just add vents on either side as the other side is the kids playroom.

Is it worth it to hook these fans up to the PC so that I can have some system that will ramp them up or down when temps rise? (I think my bios supports it, not sure about unRAID itself) or are they better off being independent?

What sort of fans should I be looking into? I know 20cm fans are out there. Maybe 2 x 20cm fans sucking cold air in towards the bottom and a couple vents towards the top? I can pull and push air to/from 2 rooms since the stairs are in the middle btw. Should I do that?

 

[GodisanAtheist]

I mean, maybe it's too obvious of an answer, but is leaving the door of the ubderstair closet open during the day when you're using the PC and option?

Guessing you'll both be in the office working with no guests, so having the door open wouldn't cause any issues...

 

[mindless1]

The room is 3x7x9 ft, but is under a staircase so it's half the cubic footage.

The door to this room is actually going to be a bookcase so it's sort of like a hidden closet, it doesn't seal it completely, but I can for sure just add vents on either side as the other side is the kids playroom.

Is it worth it to hook these fans up to the PC so that I can have some system that will ramp them up or down when temps rise? (I think my bios supports it, not sure about unRAID itself) or are they better off being independent?

What sort of fans should I be looking into? I know 20cm fans are out there. Maybe 2 x 20cm fans sucking cold air in towards the bottom and a couple vents towards the top? I can pull and push air to/from 2 rooms since the stairs are in the middle btw. Should I do that?

I'd look into a wall-mount ventilation fan for structures, not PC fans. Possibly something like this:

Amazon.com

 

[In2Photos]

What about just using a KVM switch over IP?

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

What about just using a KVM switch over IP?

Im a little unfamiliar with a KVM switch?

Right now I just use parsec and it works fine for 90% of what I do, but problems I have are:

1. Graphics Driver updates require me to be in front of PC
2. Plugging in devices isnt great (some dont work)
3. There is always SOME lag (~5ms, but with drops)
4. only works on one monitor without paying
5. color is slightly degraded
6. few more

Does a KVM switch over ip work with basically no lag, high quality, can plug in devices like USB etc.

I have an extra pi4 that I can make one with from what Ive seen.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Look into what various Cryptominers like Hobbiest Miner have done for their Crypto sheds. They use "AC Infinity" (temp-controlled) inline vent fans.

 

[sdifox]

Cut two holes on bottom of closet door and two holes on top. Fans on bottom suck air into closet, fans on top push air out of closet. Just rdp to server with vnc viewer if Linux and ms rdp if windows

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Look into what various Cryptominers like Hobbiest Miner have done for their Crypto sheds. They use "AC Infinity" (temp-controlled) inline vent fans.

I literally just watched a youtuber with the exact same unit. I might just get two of those and call it a day.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Cut two holes on bottom of closet doll and two holes on top. Fans on bottom suck air into closet, fans on top push air out of closet. Just rdp to server with vnc viewer if Linux and ms rdp if windows

Parsec is better than VNC from what I remember. Thats what Ive been using up until now.

My thought in putting it on the opposite side of the wall in the closet is I can actually just hook it up locally and not have to fuss with any remote clients.

 

[In2Photos]

Im a little unfamiliar with a KVM switch?

Right now I just use parsec and it works fine for 90% of what I do, but problems I have are:

1. Graphics Driver updates require me to be in front of PC
2. Plugging in devices isnt great (some dont work)
3. There is always SOME lag (~5ms, but with drops)
4. only works on one monitor without paying
5. color is slightly degraded
6. few more

Does a KVM switch over ip work with basically no lag, high quality, can plug in devices like USB etc.

I have an extra pi4 that I can make one with from what Ive seen.

KVM over IP switch is simply a USB and VGA port for each side linked by an Ethernet Cable. So it just transmits your USB and VGA connections over longer distances. Down side is that there are 2 devices that go between your peripherals and the PC so more items to troubleshoot if something isn't working. But with a good device I don't believe you would see any/much lag.

What all do you do with your unRAID server that you can't do through the GUI? I know there is a lot you can do with unRAID, I've never had to use anything other than the GUI, but I just use it as a fileserver.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

KVM over IP switch is simply a USB and VGA port for each side linked by an Ethernet Cable. So it just transmits your USB and VGA connections over longer distances. Down side is that there are 2 devices that go between your peripherals and the PC so more items to troubleshoot if something isn't working. But with a good device I don't believe you would see any/much lag.

What all do you do with your unRAID server that you can't do through the GUI? I know there is a lot you can do with unRAID, I've never had to use anything other than the GUI, but I just use it as a fileserver.

Interesting. What do I need to accomplish this? Do you build you own or buy it like this?

I run my VMs through Unraid and passthrough my GPU. I dont use my main PC for gaming as much anymore so I settled for a laptop and throwing my PC in the basement to remote into. LAtely ive been wanting to game more though, and there are just some instances where being at the actual PC would help a lot.

 

[In2Photos]

Interesting. What do I need to accomplish this? Do you build you own or buy it like this?

I run my VMs through Unraid and passthrough my GPU. I dont use my main PC for gaming as much anymore so I settled for a laptop and throwing my PC in the basement to remote into. LAtely ive been wanting to game more though, and there are just some instances where being at the actual PC would help a lot.

You buy the hardware. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kvm+over...ix=kvm+over,aps,161&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_3_8

 

[igor_kavinski]

I run my VMs through Unraid and passthrough my GPU.

You are using Xen as the hypervisor? How much of the GPU perf do you get with the passthrough?

You could surround the server/PC with sound dampening foam and then create inlet and outlet holes in that for the air. Might work. Just an idea.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

You are using Xen as the hypervisor? How much of the GPU perf do you get with the passthrough?

You could surround the server/PC with sound dampening foam and then create inlet and outlet holes in that for the air. Might work. Just an idea.

I plan on insulating the room, and installing the fans someone linked here.

Xen? Whats that??? Unraid?

And it works pretty great. I dont think I see more than a 5-10% hit, which to me is no big deal. I have a 5900X and a 3060ti, so its overkill for most things I play anyway.

 

[dlerious]

Look into what various Cryptominers like Hobbiest Miner have done for their Crypto sheds. They use "AC Infinity" (temp-controlled) inline vent fans.

Don't mine, but I've used the inline.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X7KKDJ9/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07X7KKDJ9&pd_rd_w=3Dhtt&content-id=amzn1.sym.0d1092dc-81bb-493f-8769-d5c802257e94&pf_rd_p=0d1092dc-81bb-493f-8769-d5c802257e94&pf_rd_r=F2T9CTMFZM8AHXRFJF4S&pd_rd_wg=cjbUx&pd_rd_r=37052a24-5c81-46f4-82d3-5c0c3d342989&s=kitchen&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Don't mine, but I've used the inline.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X7KKDJ9/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07X7KKDJ9&pd_rd_w=3Dhtt&content-id=amzn1.sym.0d1092dc-81bb-493f-8769-d5c802257e94&pf_rd_p=0d1092dc-81bb-493f-8769-d5c802257e94&pf_rd_r=F2T9CTMFZM8AHXRFJF4S&pd_rd_wg=cjbUx&pd_rd_r=37052a24-5c81-46f4-82d3-5c0c3d342989&s=kitchen&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy

Wow that looks awesome. Do you think one is ok, or is it a situation where I need two?

Assuming PC is at bottom of closet, and closer to the lower portion of the staircase above, I could probably install that close to the ground in front of the PC (sucking in air and blowing cold air out), and then have a vent or two at the higher part of the closet to let the air out.

Im gonna watch some reviews to see how miners are using it. Im sure my demands for cooling are a fraction of what they need considering I really only use the GPU occasionally and otherwise the PC is pretty cool.

If its blowing A/C air into the closet and then air would be vented back out - would I be stressing it too much as it would essentially be cooling a large room?

 

[mindless1]

^ I'm kinda doubting you really need a $300, 1200CFM turbofan but hey... it's your money!

They do make smaller sizes.

 

[dlerious]

Wow that looks awesome. Do you think one is ok, or is it a situation where I need two?

Assuming PC is at bottom of closet, and closer to the lower portion of the staircase above, I could probably install that close to the ground in front of the PC (sucking in air and blowing cold air out), and then have a vent or two at the higher part of the closet to let the air out.

Im gonna watch some reviews to see how miners are using it. Im sure my demands for cooling are a fraction of what they need considering I really only use the GPU occasionally and otherwise the PC is pretty cool.

If its blowing A/C air into the closet and then air would be vented back out - would I be stressing it too much as it would essentially be cooling a large room?

It just moves air. It isn't an air conditioner. You use them to move hot air out and/or cool air in. There's a sample of the noise you can expect in this video.

 

[aigomorla]

I use a 6inch inline with a Truck intake filter on the intake so my fan doesn't pick up all the dust near the floor and spray it into the server closet.

Something like this:

Fan:

https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-AeroZesh-Inline-Growhub-Wifi-Controller/dp/B0BMTK8J3P/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=6+inch+inline+duct+fan&qid=1694539481&sr=8-16&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

Filter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DS4R4G4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1