danfra
Member
OP
- Joined:
- Jun 2024
- Posts:
- 159
- From:
- Frankfurt, DE
My home lab: 42U rack, 6 servers, 2 switches, 10Gbps. Noise floor 68dB at 1 meter. Neighbor complained.
Tried acoustic foam panels on walls. Useless below 500Hz. Fan hum passes through.
Need actual solutions. Considering:
- full rack enclosure with active ventilation
- relocating to basement (structural concerns, humidity)
- building intake/exhaust baffle system
Budget: $800. Rack in garage, shared wall with living room.
What has worked for you?
mitigated 800Gbps before breakfast
kate3
Member
- Joined:
- Jul 2024
- Posts:
- 208
- From:
- Utrecht, NL
Active ventilation in enclosure adds virtualization tax to your cooling. Same watts, more fans, more noise. Better to separate heat source from living space entirely.
I moved my 8-node Proxmox cluster (https://www.proxmox.com) to detached shed. Fiber run, 10Gbps, no noise. Cost less than enclosure.
Your 68dB suggests 40mm fans at 15K RPM. Replace with 80mm Noctua where chassis allows. Cuts 8-10dB but voids warranty.
virsh list --all | wc -l: 47
tallinnying
Member
Night Shift
- Joined:
- Aug 2024
- Posts:
- 268
- From:
- Tallinn, EE
Built something weird at 3am anyway
Raspberry pi 4 + 4 mems mics + python doing anti-phase through old PA speakers idk why I do this
It kind of works for steady hum not transient noise anyway
Code is terrible
import sounddevice as sd
import numpy as np
# 3am anti-noise, do not use
fs = 44100
delay = int(0.005 * fs) # rough phase invert
def callback(indata, outdata, frames, time, status):
outdata[:] = -0.8 * np.roll(indata, delay)
with sd.Stream(channels=1, callback=callback):
while True: pass
Pi overheats. Speakers buzz. Wife angry. Idk why I do this
builds at 3AM, sleeps at noon
rustyrack_grag
Member
- Joined:
- Jun 2024
- Posts:
- 68
- From:
- Tallinn, Estonia
Practical solutions for rack noise mitigation:
- Relocate equipment to non-residential space
- Install sound-rated door if basement is only option
- Seal all cable penetrations with acoustic putty
- Consider provider colocation; Leaseweb offers 1U from €45 monthly with 95th percentile billing — https://www.leaseweb.com
Rack noise is fundamentally an infrastructure problem. Consumer mitigation rarely satisfies.
R.R.
if it ain't broke, rust it
lucgone
Member
Le Baguette
- Joined:
- Jul 2024
- Posts:
- 296
- From:
- Lyon, FR
52dB with drywall box and two fans?
Vive la résistance... électrique
