Dell T20 T30 front intake fan mod using Lian Li 7H-1B grill

thingiverse

The four hard drives in my Dell T20 low-cost server can become quite warm, especially during the summer when ambient temperatures are higher. For the past year, I was running with a pair of 80mm Noctua fans, cable-tied to the front grille. This setup was unsightly, noisy, and posed some risk to pets and other living creatures (exposed fans). I didn't test this mod on my Dell T30, but as far as I know, they share identical cases and bezels, so I expect it will work for them too. YMMV, of course. I decided to upgrade the fans to larger ones, which would improve airflow, lower temperatures, and reduce noise levels. However, there were some issues to overcome: The T20's front bezel grille is quite small, and the space behind it is limited (it may be possible to fit a slim 120mm fan in there, but with restricted airflow, I didn't see the point). Based on this, I decided to remove the original bezel grill and enlarge the hole for better airflow. Luckily, I had a spare bezel from eBay that I could work with without shutting down my server. I discovered that Lian Li sells an "aluminum fan grille" called the 7H-1B, designed for two 120mm fans, which just happens to be slightly smaller than the T20's front bezel width. Perfect! Next, I needed to figure out how to attach the fans to the grill. I rejected the idea of drilling holes in the grill to mount the fans; it would have been easy but also ugly. The 7H-1B construction includes a small lip on top and bottom, which I used to design printed fan brackets that would fit inside this lip. Two designs were created for different types of fans. Initially, I started with some spare NZXT case fans, but they lack high static pressure (they're designed for exhaust airflow). Since there's a lot of obstructive metal behind the T20 bezel, I decided to spend more money on Noctua Redux fans with better static pressure. This Thing includes designs for both fan types, and you'll need to print two sets: one for the top and one for the bottom. I included a 2-3mm cable-routing channel on all three sides of the brackets, but ultimately didn't need it. Print the mounts on their side with supports enabled. I tweaked overhang to 30 degrees to avoid PrusaSlicer creating supports for the small overhang of the cable routing channel. For NZXT fans, there's also a connector model to join the two fans in the center. Noctua fans use cable ties instead. Finally, there's a small triangular section piece that blocks airflow from the bottom of the grill. One image shows approximately where I made the cuts. My cuts were rough using a coping saw, but since they're hidden by the grill, it's okay with me. The fans were connected using a splitter cable and a SATA power-to-fan cable. I also used a Zalman fanmate 2 mounted on the rear to allow manual control so I can adjust the RPMs in the summer for optimal noise vs temperatures.