I have two Dell T320 servers, which work great. But I’d like to have some more CPU power, so think about upgrading to the T420. It is almost the same, except that on the T420 main board, which seems to be otherwise the identical PCB, the second CPU socket is actually installed. (In the T320 it’s just empty soldering points.) My question is: Is the air baffle the same, or do I need a new one if I swap out the main board? I am aware that I will need a second CPU heatsink.
Thanks.
A quick Google shows they look similar. You could probably see if the part number is applicable to the other model as well.
Personally, I’d be more concerned about stuff like PSU connections. It should still run fine without the fan shroud.
It’s much more than a fan shroud. It’s a baffle specifically designed to guide cooling air over the CPU heatsinks and the RAM modules. This kind of airflow design is very common in servers. I wouldn’t trust it without, especially since the CPU heatsinks have no dedicated fans, but rely on the aerodynamic functioning of the baffle.
And yes, I know they are very similar, in fact I am quite (but not absolutely) certain that they are identical except for the actual second CPU socket. It’s almost as if you didn’t read my post. Even the soldering points for the second CPU socket are there in the single-CPU T320. They certainly won’t have different PSU connectors. They even share part numbers for the case.
It’s a piece of plastic that guides air. Shroud, baffle, duct, whatever you want to call it. I’ve run plenty of servers without them just fine. The fans push enough air on their own. You really only need it if you’re running hot due to a lot of drives, cards, or sustained CPU or RAM usage.
And honestly, I’m not sure that this one would be doing very much anyway, considering the other CPU and RAM won’t have one.
Clearly you neither read my post nor looked into what the air baffle in the T320 actually looks like. So whats your point?
I both read it and looked up a picture of the part as used in the T320 and T420. My points were in my first comment.
I don’t understand why people ask for advice, and when someone gives their thoughts and experience, they get combative.
I don’t have experience with the tower ones, but I have a 20 series rack model. Dell seems to like making things pretty interchangeable, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the baffle is the same on both models. Above the second socket location, is there the same clearance with the baffle for a heatsink as with the populated socket? I’d say if it is then you’ll be sweet.
I’d have to check the baffle shape again. But thanks for the insight.
the shroud appears to be the same, as illustrated on p49 of each model’s service manual:
https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/poweredge-t320_owners-manual_en-us.pdf
https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/poweredge-t420_owners-manual_en-us.pdfThanks.
If you look at the markings on the baffle in the T320, it’s marked to indicate the second CPU as well as the second bank of RAM slots. I think it’s safe to say it’s identical.
Thanks. Right now I’m away from the machine so can’t look, but I’ll keep an eye open for a T420 mainboard and a second CPU, then. It’ll still be a decent machine, I think, with two E5-2470 V2. DDR3 ECC-RAM is also dirt cheap these days.
