S550WB 12V PSU Question

The S5500WB comes in a 12v and a SSI version. sounds like you would be better off with the SSI version.

But back to your question. As long as the 12v output on the power supply will proviide enought current, you could modify the power plugs.

You will need 3 plugs. You need the 2 - 4x8 12 v plugs and on the 1 x 7 "aux" power connector is a 5v Standby power for the BMC.

I don't think a regular EPS 12V PSU will work on this board. I suggest you check the tested chassis list - basicly besides the SR1695WB system, the only tested chassis for the 12V SKU is Chenbro RM13204-WIL2.

Edward has a very good point on the selection of a chassis.

The S5500wb is desinged to fit the 1U chassis specified.

The product does not have any rear SSI I/O shield which normally snaps into SSi chassis to block EMI interferance around the connectors.

This shield is build into the reference chassis.

If you have that problem solved and want use a SSI power supply and a 12v board.

Attached is a example of a converter cable to go from the SSI to the WB mother board.

Other helpful tips:

Your power supply max draw is 12A on each of the 2 - 12v connectrors (24A total) and the 5v Standby should provide 4A. You maybe able to get away with less depending on your configuration, but these are the rated maximum draws.

The TPS (technical Product Specification) covers a lot of the details http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5500wb/sb/s5500wb_tps_r1_7.pdf

There are 2 versions of the 12v board. S5500WB12V and S5500WB12VR. The R version is a refreashed version to support the Westmere processors.

The older 12v will also support Westmeres, but you would need to install a nehielem processor to flash up to BIOS 48.2 or higher before installing the Westmere processors. Westmere processors will not boot with the older BIOS versions.

Make sure to flash the FRUSDR to set fan speeds (all the code sttack really) after assembling system other wise fans will all run at full speed. (good for cooling, bad for hearing.)

Good luck with your project.

The three gray /white wires shown in the drawing to the 7 pin aux powwer connector are optional.

They are for advance power management if the power supply supports the PMBus requirements.

The green is Power Supply ON# (which is kind of important)

The purple is 5v Standby.

Yellow is 12 V and Blacks are all grounds.

You might be OK (depending on the PS rails and configuration ) to used an addapter from the HDD power connectors for the 12v.

But you need the Purple and green.

What are you planning for processors , memory, HDD's and any add in cards?

kermith wrote:

 

Doc, first of all big, big thanks for your extensive answer. I do have some additional questions though.

1. I understamd that the board doesn't have the SSI I/O shield. Are the EMI so important to address? I will of course custom make the shield just in the case of EMI.
   
   1. I will give you the generic answer and let you make up your own mind on what you want to do
      
      1. The boards are designed for minimum emmisions, but amount of allowable EMI emmisions escaping the box are regulated by law (FCC in the US) so as to prevent interference with other electronic devices such as radios or cell phones or the neighbors TV set. Large open holes around the rear connectors leads to emissions higher than the desired.
         
         

2. I got a Intel Xeon E5620, which I guess is a Westmere processor. I  checked the board but can't find a way to check it it's the refreshed  version. Is there a way to check if, or I just have to boot it and see  if it'll boot or not to see the version type? It's kind of frustrating  if I will have to first find and install nahalem CPU first then update  the BIOS then install a my new CPU.

   
   
   1. Yes, I should use brands the 56xx are westmere. Check the part number label on the board. If the last 3 digits in the dash numbers are -310 or greater, it is a refresh. Trying the processors will not hurt anything. Be extreamly carefull when installing or removing processors. The CPU pins in the mother board are very easy to bend. Do not ever slide the CPU sideways into the socket.  If the BIOS is older, it just won't boot, . There should be a sticker on the BIOS flash chip next to the battery listing the version of BIOS the board was built with as well (42 or higher will boot as 56xx processor. 48 or higher is required for full operation). (assuming this is not a used board that someone else updated already) Intel created the new "R" version just because it is difficult to upgrade. Most people don't have a 55xx (nehielem) processor laying aroung to reflash with.
      

3. 
   

4. I saw in your PDF file (thanks for providing it) that the cables for the extra 8 pin 12v are almost the same as for the 8 pin that I have used for PCIe.
   Will PCIe 8 pin work for the extra power?

   
   

   1. Not 100% sure, I did a quick check on Fractal's web site, but did not see a pin out showing the configuration polairity or which 12v wires connect to which rails in the power supply (V1 or V2).  Running a single CPU and your configuration,  you are most likely below the 18A rail limit of the supply, but idealy you want to spread the load across both rails of the power supply for the largest margin. Dual CPU's might push you over the 18A single rail PS limit. (it would be real close)
      

      
      

5. The PSU I have is the Fractal Design Newton 500w (modular) so can't find anywhere if it supports PMBus...

   
   

   1. Not a big deal. I don't see the little 1x5 cable in the picture which is the normal PS PMbus connector.The PMBus features are used for node manager (big write up in the TPS) which is mostly a data center feature which allows the board to set a power policy of say 200W max from 4 pm to 8pm and the the system with throttle so as not to exceed this power draw.  Makes good sense if your talking thousands of servers with limited AC power during peak hours. For the single user, it is just a nice bell & whissle to be able to say, "Wow, look my server is only drawing 90 watts!"
      
      The web site for this power supply looks good for the dual rails and total power at 12v.

       

      
      
      

      +12V1/V2

      18A each

      408W combined

      
      

6.  

   
   

7. My spec for the momemt (I haven't booted my box yet).

   
   

    Chassi:             Coolermaster "CMStacker".

    Board:               Intel S5500WB12V

    CPU:                Intel Xeon E5620 2,4GHz 12MB, LGA1366

    Memory:        8GB Samsung PC3-10600 DDR3 PC3 1333 ECC REG PC3-10600R (2x)

    RAID:        Intel AXXROMBSASMR Integrated RAID I/O Expansion Module

    HDD:        SEAGATE ST3600057SS Cheetah 15K.7, 600gb SAS (2x)

Best Regards

Jerry

Let us kinow how it goes.

You PS should do the trick, you just need to make sure your using both 12v rails in the PS.

I am not sure how to tell you to do that however.

If you had the spec or may some marking on the supply it self will tell which wires connect to which 12v Rail.

You might also be able to check the 12v wires with an ohm metter (with the power off and unplugged) and see which ones are common (ohms)

I suspect the 2x4 to the CPU is on one rail and everything else is on the other rail, but that is just a guess,

I hope you have not tried the eight pin PCI-E power connector in the eight pin mother board power connector, they are not compatible!!

The pin-out configuration is different, although the physical connector is similar or the same, do not try it, at best if won't work, at worst damage to components will result!!

On both connectors, the line of four pins directly under the latch are pins 5 through 8, from left to right.  The line of four pins under that row are pins 1 through 4, from left to right.

The eight pin +12V mother board connector has pins 1 throuh 4 as Ground/COM, and pins 5 through 8 as +12V.

The eight pin PCI-E connector has pins 1 through 3 as +12V.  Pin 4 is "Sense 1". Pin 5 is Ground/COM, Pin 6 is "Sense 0", and Pins 7 and 8 as Ground/COM.

I haven't studied this thread enough to provide any other help, but I thought I better post this information right away!!

Unfortunatly, no.

The RMM3 interfaces with the BMC, but there is not an interconnect between the BMC flash and the BIOS flash. (It has been recomended for future boards.)

The BIOS flash is a SPI, but for in-circuit programming you need to be able to power the flash and drive the programing signals. Most SPI programmers require the mother board to have a circuit with a series resistor to allow this to occur. The board circuit does not have a series resistor. You also have the problem in that the SPI contains the complete flash, including the boot block, Op code and the ME code. The update package just has the Op code so even on a flash programmer, you end up missing part of the code.