PE2800 Power Connectors

I'm not sure what you mean by 'power connector'. The PE2800 should have a backplane for SCA-80 drives, which receive their power via the single SCA-80 connection.

Are you maybe trying to add in 68-pin drives (that have a standard molex power connector next to the 68-pin connector)? If so, those drives won't work in this server.

It is expandable... with SCA-80 drives. You can have up to 10 SCA-80 drives, or 8 SCA-80 drives and a tape drive.

The tape drive would go into the 2 5.25" bays (see here). 

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

Upgrading to a tape drive after sales could possibly require some specific parts probably to fit in those bays, assuming you didn't get the 1x2 harddrive backplane in there (under system features on the link provided there's a line saying "Peripheral bay provides support for an optional half-height tape backup unit and two 1-inch SCSI hard drives or a full-height tape backup unit"). If you have the drive backplane in those bays (with harddrives in it), you cannot put in an internal tape drive.

Message Edited by Dev Mgr on 10-27-2005 09:20 AM

Ok, I can see I can't use the old HDs.  Never mind.

The Tape drive though, if I can mount it, I still can't power it.  The tape drive relies on a standard 4 Pin Power connector.  But there is no such lead out of the power supply in the server.  Presumably I need an adaptor lead of some sort from the power outlet onthe SCSI backplane.  If so is this a Dell only component, or something generic I can aquire.

Thanks

That is indeed the tricky part you need a kit which is only delivered with a new tapedrive. There a quite a bit of people that run into this I can tell you :o)
Have no solution for this unfortunatly.

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@rcullen wrote:

Hmm, so Dell make a server, which is expandable, but only with Dell supplied components, but don't provide any warnings that you are completely reliant and tied to their stuff.

 

That is absolutely pants.  At this rate the server might be getting sent back to Dell as "unfit for purpose".

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Dell doesnt make their servers so that only dell drives fit.
That assesment is dead wrong. They use standard SCA 80 pin connectors for the backplane.

Yes I can see that I can use Standard SCA80 connctor based Hard Disks.  What I can't see, and is backed up by the post above, is any ability to even add my own tape drive, as I would have to buy the entire tape drive and related kit from Dell.

Ultimately I didn't and shouldn't have needed to budget for a new complete tape drive, as my current one would have been adequate.

Compared to my PE1400, that had standard connectors, and mountings for everything, it seems that Dell have taken a very route in internal design, that seriously restricts the user's future ability to modify and expand.

I know it's probably not optimal; but most setups involving rackmount machines with tape drives are usually external autoloaders (which Dell in fact sells.) The lack of an internal molex header is somewhat troubling, however, because there are also PCI-X/PCIe cards that require external voltage.

Would it be too hard for Dell to just sell a cable to connect to one of the fan headers? I haven't broken out the multimeter yet, but something tells me the current on the 4 pins of the fan power connector is probably enough to power a device or two.

For you, though, the easiest solution might just be to mount the tape drive in an external box (you said you already had a SCSI card, it probably has an external slot.)

Yes thanks, I am now mounting externally, as I don't have any other option.  It is rather daft though, given there was space inside the Tower (not Rackmount).

A breakout from a fan wouldn't work.  Those all plug into connectors on the motherboard too, which all have temperature sensors.

I hadn't thought of a need for power to internal cards, Lets hope I never need to fit one :(

Do Dell's designers of their kit ever see these forums and pick up on issues such as these, so the same mistakes aren't made on future models?

 

 

Try these 2 pages:

Good luck!!

http://www.com-com.co.uk/G2536.ihtml

http://www.dataflowdirect.com/Dell/MachineBreakDown/POWEREDGE%202800

Message Edited by rcullen on 11-22-2005 03:49 AM

I just ordered and received the power cable , Dell us part number G2526

• Description:ASSY CBL PWR PBAY 2DROP PE2800
• Comments:MediaBay Power Cable (Y-Cable)