My Unraid server needed help… again 😅

After steadily expanding over the last year, I hit 15 SSDs, and the inside of the case was starting to look less like a server and more like a bowl of cables. Version 1 of this enclosure absolutely helped—but once it was in real-world use, a few lessons became very clear.

So this is Version 2: the result of using it, swearing at it a bit, and then fixing the things that annoyed me.

What I Learned (and What Changed in V2)

1️⃣ Drive Count & Cabling Reality

Version 1 held 6 drives, which seemed sensible… until reality kicked in:

My SATA power cables are 5 drives per run

That meant 2 drives per level were always awkwardly powered

👉 Version 2 fixes this properly

Each level now holds 10 drives (2 × 5 SATA) — clean, logical, and cable-friendly. No half-powered layers, no compromises.

2️⃣ Stacking Was… Fiddly

Version 1 could technically stack—but only one way, and only if you were careful. That made fitting it into different cases more annoying than it needed to be.

👉 Version 2 stacks both ways

Portrait and landscape

Much easier to fit into tight or oddly shaped cases

Even better:

You can now add extra levels using the mid STL

Each level = another 10 drives

Stack as many multiples of 10 as you like

To keep things secure but still serviceable:

I only screw in the end two drives

The next level captures the next set

Each layer binds the one below it

This means:

The whole stack is solid

Individual drives can still slide out

Everything is snug enough that nothing just falls out

3️⃣ Cooling, But Optional

I originally wanted this completely fanless—SSDs don’t kick out much heat, right?

Turns out… 15+ SSDs in limited airflow still add up.

👉 Version 2 adds a fan-back

Stick-on rear panel

Optional fan mount

Use it only if you need it

Passive if you can. Active if you must.

4️⃣ Simpler, Cleaner, Easier

Version 2 is made of single-piece components, which means:

No building up awkward assemblies

No alignment juggling

Faster prints

Faster installs

It’s just… easier to live with.

The Bigger Picture

This enclosure system is all about:

Modular expansion

Tool-light (or tool-free) assembly

Clean cable routing

SSD-first design

As my server grows (because of course it will), this system grows with it—one neat, predictable block of 10 drives at a time.

I’ll keep testing thermals with and without fans and refining things as I go. Real-world use always wins over theory.

💬 Got ideas for V3?

🧠 Different case layout to test?

🛠 Want a remix for 2.5” HDDs or NVMe carriers?

If this helps tame your Unraid chaos:

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👤 Follow me for updates as this build evolves

Because servers should scale… not descend into spaghetti.

The parts list

4-Pin Molex to 4 x 3/4-Pin PC Case Fan Sleeved Adapter Cable, 3-Pin or 4-Pin (PWM Connector) to Molex Computer Cooler Cooling Fan Splitter Y Power Cable

https://amzn.eu/d/9bkIy03

XMSJSIY SATA Power Splitter Cable 15 Pin SATA to 5 x 15 Pin SATA Power Supply Cable Extension Cable 15 Pin SATA Male to 5 x Serial SATA Female Power Cord for HDD SSD Hard Disk Drive

https://amzn.eu/d/djHClFK

2pcs 70X70mm 12V 3-Pin PC Computer Case CPU DC Brushless Cooler Cooling Fan Black

https://amzn.eu/d/g9eMUiQ

SSD Drive Enclosure V2 (Lessons Learned, Design Levelled Up)

0.2mm layer, 2 walls, 15% infill