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DIY NAS - Enquiries - 06-23-2025
Hi,
I’m planning on building my own DIY NAS
Using: - Jonsbo N5 case
- ASrock TAICHI Lite x870e mono
- AMD Ryzen 9600x
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120SE cooler
- I’m looking for a Corsair PSU with more 4 Molex connectors.
- A Samsung Gen4 or Gen5 M.2 SSE as a boot drive.
- 32GB or 64GB Kingston Server Premier ECC ram
- M.2 to SATA adaptor or SAS PCIe card
My questions is as following:
- What kind of cables do I need?
- how do I know how Powerful PSU I need?
- How long Molex cables?
- I’ve see several videos warning against using Molex (fire hazard, frying the HDD connected to it) thoughts?
- On the Jonsbo there is both Molex and SATA power connectors on the hard drive backplates. Do I need to use both? If not, which to use?
- Do I need extra “grids” the other places I install fans? Like the 3 that is supplied with the Jonsbo?
- If SAS PCIE card (extra SATA connections). Should I get a RAID or HBA card?
- Anything else I have forgot to include? Extra fans (front or side panels)?
RE: DIY NAS - ed - 06-27-2025
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1. What kind of cables do I need?
You’ll need:
• SATA data cables (one per drive if using motherboard or SAS card with breakout)
• Power cables — your PSU should provide SATA or Molex depending on how you plan to power the Jonsbo backplane
• If using a SAS HBA card, you’ll need Mini-SAS to 4x SATA breakout cables (SFF-8087 or SFF-8643 depending on the card)
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2. How powerful should the PSU be?
With:
• Ryzen 9600X (~120W peak with headroom)
• 6–10 HDDs (~7–10W each under load)
• SSDs and fans
A 650W–750W PSU (80+ Gold rated or better) from a quality brand like Corsair will be more than enough, with plenty of headroom for expansion. Make sure it has 4+ Molex or SATA power leads, depending on your backplane use.
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3. How long should Molex cables be?
For the Jonsbo N5, you’ll want Molex/SATA cables in the 30–50cm range, depending on PSU placement. Modular PSUs often have 3–4 connectors per line, which can reach all bays if routed properly.
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4. Concerns about Molex – fire hazard or damage risk?
The warning about Molex mainly applies to:
• Cheap splitters or adapters
• Overloaded lines (e.g., trying to run too many HDDs from a single Molex chain)
Modern, high-quality Molex connectors from good PSUs are generally fine — just avoid mixing SATA/Molex power or using converters where possible. That said, if your backplane supports SATA power directly, it’s cleaner and safer to go that route.
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5. Do I need to use both Molex and SATA power on Jonsbo N5 backplanes?
No, use one or the other — not both. Most users opt for SATA power, as it’s more common and easier to manage. Pick the one your PSU supports more cleanly.
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6. Do I need extra fan grills for added fans?
Optional. The 3 supplied with the case are mainly for safety or filtering. If you add more fans (front or sides), grills can help protect cables or fingers, but are not strictly necessary unless airflow is obstructed or it’s in a high-access location.
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7. RAID or HBA card for extra SATA?
Go for a true HBA (Host Bus Adapter) — e.g., an LSI 9211-8i or 9300-8i in IT Mode. Avoid RAID cards unless you’re specifically planning on hardware RAID. Most NAS OS like TrueNAS or Unraid prefer direct drive access for ZFS or parity-based configs.
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8. Anything else to consider?
• Extra fans: yes — adding at least one front intake fan is recommended to ensure airflow across your drives. The side panel fan mount can help, especially if using high-capacity 7200RPM drives.
• NVMe cooling: consider passive heatsinks for your Gen4/5 SSDs.
• Dust filters: optional but helpful on intake.
• Noise: larger fans = lower RPM = quieter operation, something to factor in if the NAS is nearby.