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ejosepha

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 12, 2009
283
0
I have the Lacie LBD 2TB and have read elsewhere that the fan or fans can be disconnected without much effect on heat. One person stated that temps were only maximum 3% higher than one with fans after 12 hours of use. Could anyone confirm if this is true and does anyone have a step by step guide on how to do this.
I'm not worried about the guarantee etc., just want to use it without the excessive noise.
Thanks
 

shortcut3d

macrumors 65816
Aug 24, 2011
1,112
15
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A406 Safari/7534.48.3)

Yes, the fan is loud and can be disconnected. However, I would be cautious if using HDD because they generate heat themselves. I have disconnected the fan in my modified LaCie Thunderbolt Little Big Disk with two 240GB OCZ Vertex 3s. It still gets warm. I have concluded its the Thunderbolt chipset that's generating the heat. For reference look at the venting on the Seagate Thunderbolt GoFlex 2.5" adapter.

To remove the fan, you need to remove the four long screws (under stickers on the rear) using a PH01 screw driver. This will release the front panel and rear plate. Next unscrew the two screws holding the fan. Finally, remove the stamped steel shield and unplug the fan.
 

ejosepha

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 12, 2009
283
0
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A406 Safari/7534.48.3)

Yes, the fan is loud and can be disconnected. However, I would be cautious if using HDD because they generate heat themselves. I have disconnected the fan in my modified LaCie Thunderbolt Little Big Disk with two 240GB OCZ Vertex 3s. It still gets warm. I have concluded its the Thunderbolt chipset that's generating the heat. For reference look at the venting on the Seagate Thunderbolt GoFlex 2.5" adapter.

To remove the fan, you need to remove the four long screws (under stickers on the rear) using a PH01 screw driver. This will release the front panel and rear plate. Next unscrew the two screws holding the fan. Finally, remove the stamped steel shield and unplug the fan.
Thanks. I wonder if there is anyone out there who is using the units with HDDs and successfully disconnected the fan without heat problems. I have my Apple 30" monitor daisy chained with the mini-display attached to the thunderbolt out. THe unit is warm even when the disks are turned off and the LBD serves only as the connection to the monitor. I think you are right, this is the Thunderbolt technology. The noise when the disks are on is horrendous. Now, I am just leaving the LBD in disk off mode unless I absolutely need it.
If I can just unplug this fan and gain peace and quiet it would be much more workable for me. I am not a high end user, so it would be rare to put much stress on the disks.
 

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,362
248
Howell, New Jersey
I will photo the tear down for you. bur frankly you will need to cool that drive off you have a daisy chain and that makes it warmer and you have hdds. I am a little busy but I will post it today. phil. first the right size screwdriver. second take the screws out. third remove outside


four pull second layer that holds fan don't pull hard it has the fan wired.
 

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eron

macrumors 6502
Dec 2, 2008
394
0
Does disconnecting the fan stop the whining high pitch noise? I'm more bothered about that than the fan noise.
 

jmcgeejr

macrumors 6502
Oct 7, 2010
469
40
Seattle, WA
The whine is likely caused by 7200RPM drives if you have the 1TB model.

The whine/noise on mine was the fan. it never spun down like it was supposed to, just stayed running. So I took it out, I put in 2 ssd anyway while I was at it so no need for the fan.
 

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,362
248
Howell, New Jersey
The whine/noise on mine was the fan. it never spun down like it was supposed to, just stayed running. So I took it out, I put in 2 ssd anyway while I was at it so no need for the fan.

this the fan is a whiney mo fo.

I have been running ssds in my lacie about a year with no fans. 0 overheating.
 

dany74m

macrumors member
Aug 5, 2012
84
0
Los Angeles - California
this the fan is a whiney mo fo.

I have been running ssds in my lacie about a year with no fans. 0 overheating.


Can you still confirm no overheating problem? I have two lacie, one with two ssd and another with two 5400 mechanical drive (2tb version). Do you think its safe to remove the fan on both, or the mechanical drives heat more? They are not in a daisy chain.
Thank you.
 

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,362
248
Howell, New Jersey
Can you still confirm no overheating problem? I have two lacie, one with two ssd and another with two 5400 mechanical drive (2tb version). Do you think its safe to remove the fan on both, or the mechanical drives heat more? They are not in a daisy chain.
Thank you.

It is safe on the ssd's. i have 3 cases used 4 or 5 different ssds all were good. i never tested hdds much . i can't tell you for sure. what are your ssds and your hdds. if the hdds are hitachi 5400rpm i would think they are fine.

i have used mushkin ,samsung ,intel, crucial and toshiba ssds all good.

I posted a screen shot 2 512gb toshiba ssds in a fanless little big disk. house temp is 77 f

the 2 little big disk drives are at 100 and 102 f.
 

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dany74m

macrumors member
Aug 5, 2012
84
0
Los Angeles - California
It is safe on the ssd's. i have 3 cases used 4 or 5 different ssds all were good. i never tested hdds much . i can't tell you for sure. what are your ssds and your hdds. if the hdds are hitachi 5400rpm i would think they are fine.

i have used mushkin ,samsung ,intel, crucial and toshiba ssds all good.

I posted a screen shot 2 512gb toshiba ssds in a fanless little big disk. house temp is 77 f

the 2 little big disk drives are at 100 and 102 f.

Thank you very much, very kind of you! Im using Vertex4 256 and Samsung 830 256. So, do the lacie have a temperature sensor inside? I can monitor the temperature and see how they will perform. Which program are you using? Which is the max safe temp for the SSD and HDD?
 

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,362
248
Howell, New Jersey
Thank you very much, very kind of you! Im using Vertex4 256 and Samsung 830 256. So, do the lacie have a temperature sensor inside? I can monitor the temperature and see how they will perform. Which program are you using? Which is the max safe temp for the SSD and HDD?

I purchased istat menu


http://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/

the reason I have an ssd temp reading is that particular ssd has a sensor built into it. it is hit or miss as to each and every ssd if you will get temp info from the lacie case.

an ssd can run at 140f an hdd can also run at 140f or 60c ,

but to be safe 130f or 55c. some hdds and some ssds can do higher.


temp specs for the samsung below;

http://www.samsung830.com/samsung830-com-homepage/samsung-830-ssd-specifications/


temp specs for the ocz

http://www.ocztechnology.com/ocz-vertex-4-sata-iii-2-5-ssd.html#specifications
 
Last edited:

dany74m

macrumors member
Aug 5, 2012
84
0
Los Angeles - California
I purchased istat menu


http://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/

the reason I have an ssd temp reading is that particular ssd has a sensor built into it. it is hit or miss as to each and every ssd if you will get temp info from the lacie case.

an ssd can run at 140f an hdd can also run at 140f or 60c ,

but to be safe 130f or 55c. some hdds and some ssds can do higher.


temp specs for the samsung below;

http://www.samsung830.com/samsung830-com-homepage/samsung-830-ssd-specifications/


temp specs for the ocz

http://www.ocztechnology.com/ocz-vertex-4-sata-iii-2-5-ssd.html#specifications
THanks a lot Phil! :)
 

dany74m

macrumors member
Aug 5, 2012
84
0
Los Angeles - California
Just to share my experience removing the fan.

I have two little big disk:

1) SSD 256gb Vertex 4 + SSD Samsung 840 256gb

2) Raid Striping 2TB Hard drive 5400rpm Hitachi, 2x


I cannot monitor the Temp. for the SSD, but the Hard drives never goes up to 42-44.

Everything work like a charm and I'm a profession videographer, so I really make my HD working their asses off!
 

dany74m

macrumors member
Aug 5, 2012
84
0
Los Angeles - California
Just to share my experience removing the fan.

I have two little big disk:

1) SSD 256gb Vertex 4 + SSD Samsung 840 256gb

2) Raid Striping 2TB Hard drive 5400rpm Hitachi, 2x


I cannot monitor the Temp. for the SSD, but the Hard drives never goes up to 42-44.

Everything work like a charm and I'm a profession videographer, so I really make my HD working their asses off!

After almost one year, still no problems, so the fan is useless you can remove it without any doubts and enjoy the silence! :)
 
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