External USB hard disk installed in the vehicle "www.ReiseStationen.de

Hard Drive Installation

Secure data storage on the go

For capacity and safety, we want to rely not only on the built-in notebook hard drive.

It therefore had additional external USB hard drives are installed into the vehicle.

Especially for longer trips, after careful consideration but more space is required than initially suspected.

Introduction / Update

We have "opted hard drives, as the then available 2.5" in 2007 for external 3.5 hard drive had too little capacity. This has now changed fundamentally, so that the proposed capacity should be sufficient for average use.

The installation of 3.5 "HDDs but is still useful when very large capacity is needed - which is available in 2.5" / 1.8 "is not - or one 3.5" hard drives to spare or can get cheap.

In the depths of the engineering compartment built hard drives have the advantage that they can be found in a slump not so easy. Remains an at least a backup when the notebook and the external 2.5 "hard drives are stolen.

Even today we use external 2.5 "hard drives and mirror them with the fixed 3.5" hard drives.

What kind of data will be saved?

• Images shot on the way
• move recorded video
• backup of notebooks with modified generation principle
• images of Windows and drivers CDs (for Reinst. Original CDs with you!)
• Images of the main program CDs, reinstall if necessary
• the essential music CDs from their own collection as MP3
• insufficient space for copying data
• other data

Basic Considerations

• There are two disks are mirrored
• Secure encryption of all data with TrueCrypt
• fixed installation in the vehicle so that the HDDs are "cleaned up"
• Ein-/Ausbau easier for mobile applications (eg, hotel, etc.)
• USB socket and switch on the panel -> any location in the Engineering Department
• Fitted with vibration-and shock-damped storage

Demands on the disk hardware

• real off switch, the power switch (no key), so that the hard drive turns on when power is supplied via a panel switch also
• Separate power supply: 100-240V AC primary / secondary: 12V DC. This allows the operation with 12V DC vehicle or place in the world mobilized to the mains
• Metal enclosure for protection due to the installation in the Engineering Department
• compact design possible
• quiet, fanless as possible
• USB 2.0 High Speed!

What hard drive meets all the criteria?

The technical data sheets of the manufacturer is usually not clear whether the hard disk has a real off switch and is connected to the AC adapter to a power supply connector on the hard drive enclosure with 12V DC.

Due to the time of purchase of the limited storage capacity 2.5 "HDD (max. 160GB), the choice fell to 3.5" desktop HDDs. When all criteria met series of Freecom had the storage capacity of the models of 160 - 500GB no influence on the housing size. Therefore, we opted for the 500GB model.

Considerations for installation

Ins Technikfach eingebaut. Zum Ausbau müssen nur die blauen Gurte gelöst und die Kabel ausgesteckt werden.

The disks are in the technology specialist at a vacancy directly mounted on the underbody. In order to avoid costly construction, should the cushioning between hard disk and soil are appropriate.
The shock absorber must therefore be strong enough to bear the weight of the hard disk, on the other hand, elastic enough to absorb the energy from vibrations and impacts in all spatial directions. It must be remembered that the fanless hard drive via the housing cools, so should not be packed everywhere "in cotton wool". Furthermore, the hard drive for mobile applications should be easy to remove and fit.

Ultimately, the following constructive rather simple and inexpensive solution has revealed. Practice will show whether this solution is suitable for long term. The used pipe insulation can be replaced quickly and inexpensively, but with fatigue.

Vibration and shock-damped mounting

Der obere Gurt wird durch den Schlauch geführt

The shock absorber consists of the following components:

• Rubber feet (DIY)
• Garden hose ½ "(DIY)
• Webbing W: 25mm (DIY)
• eyes, inner diameter about 5mm (DIY)
• screws that fit through the eyelets (DIY)
• PE pipe insulation around d = d = 25mm approx 50mm/Öffnung (DIY)
• lock buckle strap L: 50cm / W: 20mm, eg Fasty (see AUBU AG )

With the opening of the pipe insulation is a piece of ½ "garden hose out through the top strap goes around the disk. The length of pipe insulation and a garden hose is slightly shorter than the disk is broad. Are hose and pipe insulation is too long, the sides of the strap is no longer true to the hard disk.

Another belt is below the tube only by the pipe insulation (NOT through the hose!) And screwed very little right and left of the pipe insulation in advance through the belt loops riveted to the vehicle floor. The cooling of the hard disk is guaranteed, because the pipe insulation covered a small area and for a great distance from the bottom of the tray provides technology, which promotes the circulation of air.
The transparent adhesive pads to the top of the plate to prevent the straps from slipping on the hard disk or by shaking.

Costs

Material value of about 20 EUR for 2 hard disks (of course without hard drives) and takes about 2 hours

Crash Test

Drops from 15cm height loss and hard drive are not impressed.

Zero temperatures

When unheated overwintering of the vehicle the hard drives are removed. If the vehicle is frost-free winters, the disks can usually remain in the vehicle. In any case, the specified temperature range of the hard disk to be observed.

Practical experience

The hard drives are now in use for 45,000 km. So far no problems have occurred. Only the lock buckle straps were a little excited, because this had eased slightly (about 1 mm), but this was completely uncritical.