Hi all, thanks to you guys on here I now have a fully functioning 4 * SSD drive NanoPiM4 using the SATA hat. What I'd like to do now, is,  place the drives in some sort of drive enclosure that would have 4 SATA data inputs and be powered by the molex on the hat. Is it possible and is there such an animal ?

I'd say make one yourselfs.
Just buy 4 2.5" hard disk holders and build a metal frame that you can slide the holders in.

There are "4 bay hard disk enclosures", but they almost all have an USB3 output.

So I'm doing something similar, but with 3.5" drives... I found a bay adapter that made a perfect cage.. you can probably find something similar for 2.5"

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFX5RWZ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

12 minutes ago, lanefu said:

So I'm doing something similar, but with 3.5" drives... I found a bay adapter that made a perfect cage.. you can probably find something similar for 2.5"

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFX5RWZ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

I have that enclosure. You can get it from aliexpress for less than half of that price (the one on the German Amazon shipped from China anyway).

 

For 2.5" maybe this one: Mediasonic 4 x 2.5”

48 minutes ago, frauhottelmann said:

I have that enclosure. You can get it from aliexpress for less than half of that price (the one on the German Amazon shipped from China anyway).

I'm spoiled in the states.. I had free next day delivery.

That 2.5 mediasonic you found looks awesome

I prefer the Supermicro for build quality:

https://www.supermicro.com/products/accessories/mobilerack/CSE-M14TQC.cfm

It may be possible to locate an OEM version for less money. I'd also lose the 40mm 15000RPM fan (may or may not be an exaggeration) and use something different to push air through it. One of my favorites is the Sanyo Denki (same brand that comes with the Supermicro), e.g.:

https://products.sanyodenki.com/en/sanace/dc/counter-rotating-fan/9CRA0912P0G001/

The counter-rotating fans give you good static pressure for use with filters. Note that you'll want to use a PWM controller with it* - it's hilariously frantic at full speed. Motorized impellers have generally better performance than axial fans, but are more involved to mount and duct.

* I usually just use a potentiometer to ground. PWM presents a variable voltage, usually 0-5V; any fan that can run with an open PWM line has a built-in voltage source, which can be shunted to ground through the pot - no additional components needed. If you wish to control it via software, all you need is a PWM output.

Probably more than you want to get into, but what the hey.

19 hours ago, NicoD said:

I'd say make one yourselfs.
Just buy 4 2.5" hard disk holders and build a metal frame that you can slide the holders in.

There are "4 bay hard disk enclosures", but they almost all have an USB3 output.

Thanks Nico

12 hours ago, pfry said:

I prefer the Supermicro for build quality:

https://www.supermicro.com/products/accessories/mobilerack/CSE-M14TQC.cfm

It may be possible to locate an OEM version for less money. I'd also lose the 40mm 15000RPM fan (may or may not be an exaggeration) and use something different to push air through it. One of my favorites is the Sanyo Denki (same brand that comes with the Supermicro), e.g.:

https://products.sanyodenki.com/en/sanace/dc/counter-rotating-fan/9CRA0912P0G001/

The counter-rotating fans give you good static pressure for use with filters. Note that you'll want to use a PWM controller with it* - it's hilariously frantic at full speed. Motorized impellers have generally better performance than axial fans, but are more involved to mount and duct.

* I usually just use a potentiometer to ground. PWM presents a variable voltage, usually 0-5V; any fan that can run with an open PWM line has a built-in voltage source, which can be shunted to ground through the pot - no additional components needed. If you wish to control it via software, all you need is a PWM output.

Probably more than you want to get into, but what the hey.

Here we go again 😁 what is a PWM ?

Thanks chaps I went with the SuperMicro in the end

5 hours ago, pkfox said:

what is a PWM ?

Pulse Width Modulation ... It is a square wave where the highs and lows can vary in length, and when filtered out with a capacitor, you end up with a voltage output from 0V to x.xxV.

This method is used in many kind of circuit, such controlling the brightness of an LCD, and here in the above post, the speed of a motor fan.

 

48 minutes ago, martinayotte said:

Pulse Width Modulation ... It is a square wave where the highs and lows can vary in length, and when filtered out with a capacitor, you end up with a voltage output from 0V to x.xxV.

Did method is used in many kind of circuit, such controlling the brightness of an LCD, and here in the above post, the speed of a motor fan.

 

Thanks ( glazes over ) :-)