# Crucial BX500 Overheating



## shovenose (Sep 5, 2019)

I am using four 120GB BX500 SSDs in RAID0 as cache in my UnRAID server. Problem is, after my Plex server acquires content and writes it to the UnRAID server the cache drives start getting toasty real quick. The SMART data shows the drives are failing now which causes all sorts of alerts. I'm using them in this device (I didn't pay $80 for it, only $30 lol): https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16816215222 which has fans so I don't really know how to further cool the SSDs! I think the issue is the SSDs are plastic so the fans are cooling the case but not the actual SSD internals. Any suggestions?


----------



## dirtyferret (Sep 5, 2019)

stick a fan next to the HDD cage









						Noctua NF-A6x25 PWM, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (60mm, Brown) - Newegg.com
					

Buy Noctua NF-A6x25 PWM, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (60mm, Brown) with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!




					www.newegg.com


----------



## Ahhzz (Sep 5, 2019)

I'd definitely see how I could mount another fan, maybe perpendicular to the pair inside. My SSD and NVMe devices definitely show _me_ more heat than my SATA drives do, but that's anecdotal. One reason I didn't try moving to removable trays for SSD drives was concerns for their heat level, and my belief that the manufacturers might not be anticipating those levels.


----------



## natr0n (Sep 5, 2019)

Fans do wonders. Maybe leave the case door open too.


----------



## newtekie1 (Sep 5, 2019)

shovenose said:


> I am using four 120GB BX500 SSDs in RAID0 as cache in my UnRAID server. Problem is, after my Plex server acquires content and writes it to the UnRAID server the cache drives start getting toasty real quick. The SMART data shows the drives are failing now which causes all sorts of alerts. I'm using them in this device (I didn't pay $80 for it, only $30 lol): https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16816215222 which has fans so I don't really know how to further cool the SSDs! I think the issue is the SSDs are plastic so the fans are cooling the case but not the actual SSD internals. Any suggestions?



I've used that enclosure before, those 40mm fans are pretty much useless.  They move really no air at all.

I've got two 240GB BX500 drives in RAID1, and have no issues with heat during writing, but I have them in the open space of my case.  You'd probably be better off just letting them dangle inside the computer case with the good airflow from that than stuffing them in the closed off enclosure.

Another option would be to just lay a 120mm fan on the top of the enclosure pointing down through the vents to push more air through the enclosure.  But I don't know how much good that would do.


----------



## TheMadDutchDude (Sep 5, 2019)

Time to get the Dremel out, I think!!


----------



## silkstone (Sep 6, 2019)

Crack open the plastic cases of the SSDs and run bare silicon.


----------



## shovenose (Sep 6, 2019)

newtekie1 said:


> I've used that enclosure before, those 40mm fans are pretty much useless.  They move really no air at all.
> 
> I've got two 240GB BX500 drives in RAID1, and have no issues with heat during writing, but I have them in the open space of my case.  You'd probably be better off just letting them dangle inside the computer case with the good airflow from that than stuffing them in the closed off enclosure.
> 
> Another option would be to just lay a 120mm fan on the top of the enclosure pointing down through the vents to push more air through the enclosure.  But I don't know how much good that would do.



Do you think airflow will help given that as far as I can tell from reading reviews of these SSDs that there are no thermal pads actually moving heat from the guts of the drive to the casing?


----------



## Solaris17 (Sep 6, 2019)

I think I have these in my fail over server at home. I can check my temps as well because I also think I remember them getting warm. We can compare notes. With that said though I have done a few migrations and while they get hot they dont seem to throttle etc on data. Though I dont know the TJ max on the controller ICs I have no reason to believe they are dangerously hot.

yup. RAID1 120gb BX500. This is under normal load.






This was the hottest it got while I was beating it up with CDM. (I let the test complete, just kept the highest)





have to tag you because it auto merges posts @shovenose

looks like the silicon motion controller it uses according to the SM tech PDF says 70C





Im assuming thats sustained. so bursts over probably arent a huge deal.



			http://www.siliconmotion.com/download.php?t=U0wyRnpjMlYwY3k4eU1ERTNMekV4THpBNUwzQnliMlIxWTNReE56Y3pOVE14TlRrekxuQmtaajA5UFZOTk1qSTFPRmhVWDFCeWIyUjFZM1JmUW5KcFpXWmZSVTVIWDFFeE1UQTVD
		


now apparently the BX500s include "adaptive thermal technology" which I imagine is a fancy way of saying throttling, but I didnt see that at over 70C and honestly that was the absolute worst temp during the whole test and it only managed it for a few seconds.


----------

