Combining two 4U server cases to make one

The idea is pretty simple: stack two 4u cases, put the motherboard and GPU (and maybe a PSU) in the top one, put everything else (including water cooling setup) in the bottom one.

I wanted the motherboard xase on top for purely aesthetic reasons. I could then put a nice window on the top of the case, maybe some fanboy lights, etc.

One concern I have is that heat rises, so perhaps I would be better served putting the case with the motherboard on the bottom.

Also, I'm not sure if I should try to keep them as two modular cases or cut the bottom out of the top one and make it one big case...

IN addition, would your run your cables out the back, or through the bottom? Out the back I will be running up against that max cable length of SATA (3.3').

Choices, choices...

I'm just fishing for ideas and suggestions... anyone?

why rackmount if you are going to do windows and lights?

it almost seems a like alot of work for little gian?

you can buy larger cases.. it would be a cool thing to work on, but all of that can likely fit in one 4u case alone, not needing 2..

Adragontattoo said:

why rackmount if you are going to do windows and lights?

Click to expand...

I was half joking, but something's gotta be on top, no? The window is the least of my concerns

Mr.Guvernment said:

it almost seems a like alot of work for little gian?

you can buy larger cases.. it would be a cool thing to work on, but all of that can likely fit in one 4u case alone, not needing 2..

Click to expand...

A 4U case is not as tall as your typical tower case is wide.

Yeah, I guess it does seem like a lot of work. Maybe I should just go in and out with the wiring through the PCI bays.

I'll have to give it some thought.

maybe toss up some ideas in paint or something to show your idea's, that way we can help wit some advice, maybe get a better idea of your thoughts?

it could be a cool project, give you lots of room.

having your WC in a seperate area can always look good and work well.

Buy something here done.

gearhead1972 said:

Buy something here done.

Click to expand...

Those are nice, the discontinued and preowned models are affordable, and worth considering. They don't appear to be rackmountable, and I still kinda like my dual separate case idea, but it's food for thought.

Then again, maybe one big case would be better for airflow, I wouldn't have to cut as much, and I could always mod it a bit to mount in a rack... Hmm.....

Mr.Guvernment said:

maybe toss up some ideas in paint or something to show your idea's, that way we can help wit some advice, maybe get a better idea of your thoughts?

it could be a cool project, give you lots of room.

having your WC in a seperate area can always look good and work well.

Click to expand...

I tried to do it with perspective at first, but it didn't work. The only thing to understand is that the one with the MB goes on top along with anything that wont generate much heat, while the other one has everything that does not have to be directly interfaced with the MB, and goes below.

One concern I have is where to run the wires. I'm limited by the 3.3' SATA cable length, but I', thinking that it should be enough to go out and in the PCI bays.

I could also use the 5.25" bays on the top case to put some of those in-case LCD screens, etc.

It would have dual PSUs as well, and I would like to mod the bottom case so that the radiator for the WC can draw air in from the outside somehow, if not from the front then from the back.

I still haven't fully wrapped my mind around the best solution...

Why have LCDs and windows and lights on something thats going to be in a server rack ?

It sounds a good idea but I would have thought that a single 4U case would be big enough and maybe external WC.

What is this comp going to be used for ?

jhanby said:

Why have LCDs and windows and lights on something thats going to be in a server rack ?

Click to expand...

While the window is not so much of a concern, some component in the rack has to be on top, right? As to the 5.25" bay LCD, that door w/ key seen on most server cases is removable, so it's not like it would be hidden. Rackmountable high end audio devices usually have LCDs, don't they?

jhanby said:

It sounds a good idea but I would have thought that a single 4U case would be big enough and maybe external WC.

Click to expand...

I thought the same thing at first, but alas it isn't so. The depth of a 4U case is comparable to the depth of a typical tower case, but the the 4U case is not as tall as the typical tower is wide, nor is the 4U case as wide as the typical tower is tall. In other words, a 4U case on it's side is shorter and skinnier than a tower case. I don't have enough room to put any of those newfangled HSFs with 120mm or 140mm fan(s).

Having said that, external WC would fit, but I'd rather not have stuff floating free outside my case that is essential for my computer to run.

jhanby said:

What is this comp going to be used for ?

Click to expand...

Nothing too resource intensive. I mostly run Linux, sometimes with multiple simultaneous users, and sometimes with a VM running. Then there is your average MS Office and occasional Adobe app. It also serves as an HTPC, but it's not like I'm simulating galaxy collisions or anything.

to make it easier i would almost just put all the water in one case, the computer in the other and then you could use quick release water tubes for connecting the system together


the wires wouldnt be too hard, if they were too short you could make them longer with some modding.

the one thing, do you plan to attachj the cases with screws or anything?

i have some cool thoughts you could use to attach the 2 cases, using plkugs and stuff, like one case "plugs" into the other.

I would say to keep the mobo and cpu and psu on top and then have a nice flow 120mm fan right above the cooler pumping straight up and out. That eliminates your "heat rises" problem.

Mr.Guvernment said:

to make it easier i would almost just put all the water in one case, the computer in the other and then you could use quick release water tubes for connecting the system together

Click to expand...

Quick release sounds good, but I'll probably still put the Optical Drives in the other case, just to have more 5.25" External bays.

Mr.Guvernment said:

the wires wouldnt be too hard, if they were too short you could make them longer with some modding.

Click to expand...

The only thing I'm not sure about is the 24-pin connector. Since that is just for 'juice' I don't suspect there would be a max cable length issue. Other than that there are extenders and couplers which would allow me to run redundant PSUs (One for MB+CPU) and one for everything else.

The trick will be making it works so that the MB cannot be turned on without the cooling.

Mr.Guvernment said:

the one thing, do you plan to attachj the cases with screws or anything?

Click to expand...

My first thought was, in the interest of simplicity, I would use the rubber feet and glue them to 12,3,6 and 9 O'clock (when looking at the bottom of the case). If I took the top off the bottom case then the feet from the top case would just fit into the opening and prevent it from sliding around.

Mr.Guvernment said:

i have some cool thoughts you could use to attach the 2 cases, using plkugs and stuff, like one case "plugs" into the other.

Click to expand...

Interesting sounding. What kind of plugs? I mentioned I would need an extension on the 24pin PSU connector and I could get a coupler for the SATA plugs. I'm pretty sure the latter would work if I get two 18" SATA cables and a coupler per device I would stay under the 3.3' cable length limit of SATA.

ChanceCoats123 said:

I would say to keep the mobo and cpu and psu on top and then have a nice flow 120mm fan right above the cooler pumping straight up and out. That eliminates your "heat rises" problem.

Click to expand...

Above the waterblock on the CPU, right?