hard drive power switch

N

nightanole

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Feb 16, 2003
Messages
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Well i use a hard drive as a back up (how many dvds would that take????) and i wanted to run this by some one. I use sataII. Im set up for hot swap. And i thought about installing a hard drive power switch to shut off the backup drive when im not backing up. I could use a 2 pole single throw switch to cut the power to the 5v/12v lines. This would protect it from power failure of the ps or lightning and from death by virus or something else as nothing could access the hard drive. The hard drive would be grounded to the case so the only way to damage it would be if some odd voltage went through the sata data line, which is dam near impossible due to power supply failure or lightning.
 
Guess it depends on the rack. Mine has somewhat noisy fans, but they shut off along with the drive. It doesn't bother me since it's just a backup drive that's only turned on when necessary.

How about removing the drive from the computer and storing it someplace safe? You can't get better lighning/surge/power protection than that...
 
I kinda wanted to off the rack, and just install the hard drive internaly with a power switch. That was the original question. Can i just turn off the drive by cutting the power to the 5v/12v using a switch.
 
It will work fine but if your using IDE, I would not suggest switching it on or off while the PC is running. SATA or hot swap type controllers should be fine with switching while running though.
 
I could use a 2 pole single throw switch to cut the power to the 5v/12v lines.
Click to expand...

I'd be careful with that, I use switches like that all the time for high power (not computers) devices & they're fine... but they usually have some degree of sparking or voltage spike that would not work well with delicate computer circuits. The spark/spike depends on the current draw (likely very low for <10 W HDs) so it might be fine, but something to keep in mind
 
I suppose it might work. However, most hot-swappable connectors (if not all) have staggered connectors so that some pins connect before others. Installing a power switch eliminates this functionality. Not sure if you need to worry about it though.
 
You are right, I forgot about the grounds that connect before the signal wires. Of course, in this case, the signal wires are never being removed, nor the grounds for that matter so it still may not be an issue.
 
If you leave the drive connected you risk zapping it along with the rest of the computer should you take a power hit. Just disconnecting the power inputs will not protect the drive, especially from lightning as it can enter the house through the neutral line off the power pole.

Get a rack and remove the drive when not in use.

Or get a USB or ESATA drive and disconect when the backup is done.

I took a lightning hit a couple of years ago. Came in through the cable modem ( saw the burned up input connector) and went through my network cabling taking out a wireless router and a switch and 2 nics. It also zapped a KVM switch box, got to the heater in my fishtank making it stick on (and almost killing my Oscar), and took out the multiswitch on my Directv dish. There were a couple of other things that it nailed too, but the point is, lightning is tricky, and you never know which way it will travel.

Don
 
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