server HP DL380 G8 server casemod!

[RollinLower]

I've been thinking of doing this for a long while, and it never really came to be for one reason or another.

So i finally decided that i should just start the build, and slowly work out how to actually do it. Or i might never do it at all.

 

So what is the build then?

I want to move my current 1U watercooled server (plot device in my signature) in to the chassis of an old HP DL380 G8. And maybe do some upgrades in the process!

 

Why?

A few reasons:

- move from proprietary formfactor to standard ATX, so easy future upgrades

- more cooling potential, and thus i can fit more hardware

- the HP server looks absolutely fantastic!

 

The plan. Ah yes, well i don't actually have a plan yet. But i've modded a few servers before and i feel like a 2U build is going to be a lot easier to pull off than the 1U build i'm already running.

 

Globally here is the to do list then:

- gut the old server

- think of some way to get a normal ATX board mounted

- get some stuff 3D printed

- custom paintjob?

- mount the hardware in the chassis

- watercool everything!

 

progress so far is not too much, but i already have the donor machine gutted and ready to go:

 

That's about it for now. guess this was more of a ramble than anything, but at least i can get this project underway. Expect updates whenever

[RollinLower]

welp, guess this isn't going to be as slow a build as i thought it would be. I just got a donor server, a 2U supermicro box.

 

Supermicro servers use standard ATX motherboards most of the time. So i can get the rear I/O, motherboard tray and other stuff i might need from this server, and mount it in the chassis of the HP.

This also means the HP server stays strong.

 

previously, i planned to get all the new rear I/O 3D printed. But this way, it's all metal, and the case should stay a lot stronger.

 

no pictures yet, but expect the bulk of the casemod to be completed this week already actually!

[RollinLower]

So here is the donor machine:

 

I'm not even sure what kind of SuperMicro this is, but it has a 2U ATX rear panel and i want it, so i'm afraid it has to die.

A few rivets and screws later, and new rear panel aquired!

 

 

now i just have to get it installed into this thing somehow..

 

It's already late here, so i won't be doing anymore drilling tonight. Expect updates when updates come!

 

[RollinLower]

Updates!

 

Since i need to mod this case i also need to know my options, so the first thing i did was try to disassemble as much of it as i could.

The front drive cages for example, are modular! And they can be moved to two positions in the front of the chassis. This means i can add another one and have a total of 16 drives in the front, not too bad!

 

After some screws and some more poking about i came to a startling conclusion:

 

The entire front of this thing can actually come out?!?

Here i admit i had some second guesses. i could easily mod just the front of this DL380 on to a supermicro chassis and be done with it. In the end i didn't go this route though, i want to keep the DL380 chassis.

 

So onward and forward then. I drilled out some rivets and i was left with this.

 

The supermicro rear panel has tapped holes in it already, so all i have to do to get this mounted is drill some new holes, and countersink them a bit so the screws don't poke out. It's a server after all, and it needs to slide in and out of a rack without issues.

Anyway, in she goes!

 

I had to bend some metal out of the way on the chassis to make this fit, you can just barely see it on the pic above. The angle grinder made short work of that, and with that part gone, the lid goes on again flawlessly!

 

Also, if anyone was wondering about the strength of this new rear panel. I have been using it as a handle to move the chassis around the house.

 

Next on the to do list is the motherboad tray. Expect updates whenever!

[RollinLower]

it's been a little while since my last reply, but progress has been moving along steadily.

 

first things first: in goes the motherboard.

I ended up just re-using the motherboard standoffs of the supermicro machine. Originally these would screw into threaded studs that are riveted into the case, but i just glued them to the HP chassis. It's super sturdy, you could probably pick this thing up lifting just the motherboard if you wanted to!

 

With that sorted out, it's time to get the radiator in!

This rad is a beauty. I originally wanted to get a 5 fan model, but 4 fans is as high as alphacool goes. In the end this worked out for the better though.

 

Just add some noctua's and away we go.

 

This thing is started to fill up nicely. This means i should start thinking about the layout in this case a bit more.

I have 2 8-bay drive cages in the front. But on the far right, i still have the old LED status panel of the DL380. That's basically dead space at this point, i'm never going to get this working with the supermicro board.

Instead, i just removed it completely, and used this space for something usefull. Like the reservoir!

 

Now it might look like the pump and the radiator are just sitting in this case, but they are actually screwed in from the bottom.

I also added 256GB of RAM and a temporary CPU (2680 V3).

 

Things left to do:

- finish the waterloop with a CPU block, fittings and tubing

- get a PSU mounted somewhere

- solder some power cables to get the HP drive cages powered from a normal SFX PSU

 

And that's about it! The finish line is definitely close for this one now. Expect updates whenever!

 

 

 

 

[bryce2113]

Think I need to do the same thing eventually to my DL 380P Gen8 with the 12 3.5” drive bay config. Did you end up finishing this?

[bryce2113]

18 hours ago, bryce2113 said:

Think I need to do the same thing eventually to my DL 380P Gen8 with the 12 3.5” drive bay config. Did you end up finishing this?

Okay, just found a good deal on another DL380p G8 that already has the 12 3.5” front. Going to gut it and start assembling with the EPYC Rome setup I have and 2 Alphacool Nexxos 3x80mm radiators. Curious how you solved the PSU issue. 

[bryce2113]

Howdy everyone. Just wanted to report back that I finished the build. Server has been running Unraid for 6+ months now and been amazing. Temps are rock solid. And turned out to be a fun build thanks to the Alphacool components. 
 

Basic details:

• Ryzen 7302P
• Tyan S8030GM2NE
• Supermicro PSU caddy with backplane and PSUs
• HP DL380P (LFF version) as donor 
• Alphacool 2U 3x80mm rads with their DDC pump/res combo. Rads mounted to bottom of chassis with  screws
• Aphacool “server” quick disconnects 
• Alphacool distro block
• Byski NVmE heat sink salvaged for the screen showing water temp. 
• lots of custom wiring for the front panel and LED screen 

[bryce2113]

2 minutes ago, bryce2113 said:

Howdy everyone. Just wanted to report back that I finished the build. Server has been running Unraid for 6+ months now and been amazing. Temps are rock solid. And turned out to be a fun build thanks to the Alphacool components. 
 

details:

• Ryzen 7302P
• Tyan S8030GM2NE
• Supermicro PSU caddy with backplane and PSUs
• HP DL380P (LFF version) as donor 
• Alphacool 2U 80mm rads (x2) with their DDC pump/res combo. Rads mounted to bottom of chassis with  screws
• Aphacool “server” quick disconnects 
• Alphacool distro block
• Byski NVmE heat sink salvaged for the screen.
• lots of custom wiring for the front panel and LED screen 

Few more photos that didn’t make the size limit for the above post. Including crude wiring pinout for the front header. 
 

 

[RollinLower]

@bryce2113what a beauty that turned out to be! awesome job man. 
The double rad setup also looks incredible.