HD Operating temp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jtsnow
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J

jtsnow

I put a WD1200 7200rpm in a USB external case in a home office and I would
like to leave it on 24/7 to backup up 4 PCs over LAN. (If I have to remember
to turn it on each day, I wont get consistent backups)
The case has no fan but good space around it and vents for convection air
flow. Nothing sits on top of it and feet elevate so air can get underneath.

Is this going to be a heat issue for the unit in this configuration that
could push it to operate over max temp or accellerate a failure. If I leave
it on 24/7, how long should it theoritcally last?

thanks for any insight
 
jtsnow said:
I put a WD1200 7200rpm in a USB external case in a home office and I would
like to leave it on 24/7 to backup up 4 PCs over LAN. (If I have to remember
to turn it on each day, I wont get consistent backups)
The case has no fan but good space around it and vents for convection air
flow. Nothing sits on top of it and feet elevate so air can get underneath.
Click to expand...

I should think it would be okay at idle; a lot of disk drives work under
conditions of low airflow.

What happens under load is a different story. And it depends on the
load: the usual desktop-style use doesn't load a drive very much, but
server-style use with constant seeking can warm the drive a great deal.
Is this going to be a heat issue for the unit in this configuration that
could push it to operate over max temp or accellerate a failure. If I leave
it on 24/7, how long should it theoritcally last?
Click to expand...

Disk drives last for a long time, but they like cool environments and
clean power supplies. My feeling is that a drive should never be more
than warm to the touch, and a drive that is too hot to touch is in
danger.
 
with basic workshop skills, you should be able to put one or two fans
into this case to better aid proper cooling under heavy use. There are
abundant fan sizes out there these days, and even one tiny enough to go
into a laptop will provide some forced ventilation.
 
jtsnow said:
I put a WD1200 7200rpm in a USB external case in a home office and I would
like to leave it on 24/7 to backup up 4 PCs over LAN. (If I have to remember
to turn it on each day, I wont get consistent backups)
The case has no fan but good space around it and vents for convection air
flow. Nothing sits on top of it and feet elevate so air can get underneath.

Is this going to be a heat issue for the unit in this configuration that
could push it to operate over max temp or accellerate a failure. If I leave
it on 24/7, how long should it theoritcally last?

thanks for any insight
Click to expand...

I have four of these WD1200JB disk drives in a home server which is on
24/7 uptime is over 1yr (FreeBSD OS) I have never noticed the drives
heating up however I did put them in Coolermaster cooldrive3 enclosures
hard drives are designed to be in constant use you should have no
problems with your external usb caddy it would have been better to buy a
aluminium caddy which touched the hard drive this method acts like a
heat sink. besides that WD1200JB has a 3yr warranty.
 
thats really good input
thanks!

JD said:
I have four of these WD1200JB disk drives in a home server which is on
24/7 uptime is over 1yr (FreeBSD OS) I have never noticed the drives
heating up however I did put them in Coolermaster cooldrive3 enclosures
hard drives are designed to be in constant use you should have no problems
with your external usb caddy it would have been better to buy a
aluminium caddy which touched the hard drive this method acts like a heat
sink. besides that WD1200JB has a 3yr warranty.
Click to expand...
 
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