One clarification, the built in fan with a standard 3-pin header is NOT 12v in this case. I should have not assumed but I thought all 3-pin headers were 12v and all USB ports were 5v.. Lesson learned, correct fan on order.
I used a USB splitter to power both fans.
All fans for this MOD will need to be 5V only.
While waiting, this is what the install looks like so far (the new fan will look identical).
Now you know why the glue had to dry.. I glued the Sunon fan right on top. Will see how it works..
Last edited by Laithan on Sat Jul 23, 2022 0:56; edited 2 times in total
Also note that the internal fan will not turn on by default with DD-WRT. You have to go to the services tab and modify the temp ranges for the fan to be triggered. I just put 30 and 30 to keep the fan on all the time.
If you want to use the stock screws, they will not be long enough for the new fan however if you use a small ziptie/tie wrap around the stock screw it will work perfectly on the lower holes. I didn't want to order new screws.
Joined: 15 Aug 2016 Posts: 223 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 2:26 Post subject:
Laithan wrote:
...
I used a USB splitter to power both fans.
All fans for this MOD will need to be 5V only.
......
Now you know why the glue had to dry.. I glued the Sunon fan right on top. Will see how it works..
Thank you for sharing your 'cooling-the-R9000' project. I suspect that you enjoy modifying its heat signature like when i did in a similar project.
I think the following points may be of interest, especially when your mod is fully operational:
- The fan's vibration might, over time, loosen the electronic joints of the SFP+ housing to the PCB, causing it to malfunction later on.
- Given that you want to leave the fans on all the time, it may be even better still to hook up those fans to a power source independent of the router's power. One certainty you would avoid is the potential issue of those fan drawing too much power from the R9000 power supply. When and if so, it will adversely affect the router's performance. I realize it's a speculation since I do not have visibility to its detailed power consumption. Added benefit: the 12V fans will not be an issue for installation either.
Other than that, good luck.
My two cents. _________________ Life is a journey; travel alone makes it less enjoyable and lonely.
Last edited by DWCruiser on Sat Jul 23, 2022 2:34; edited 1 time in total
Now you know why the glue had to dry.. I glued the Sunon fan right on top. Will see how it works..
Thank you for sharing your 'cooling-the-R9000' project. I suspect that you enjoy modifying its heat signature like when i did in a similar project.
I think the following points may be of interest, especially when your mod is fully operational:
- The fan's vibration might, over time, loosen the electronic joints of the SFP+ housing to the PCB, causing it to malfunction later on.
- Given that you want to leave the fans on all the time, it may be even better still to hook up those fans to a power source independent of the router's power.
Thanks for the feedback. I could get small rubber washers but the fan is pretty balanced. It is a quality SUNON fan and so far so good anyway. Over time it might not be as balanced. The super glue that I used will be a "warning" to show that vibration damage is present because it should break first.
The issue I had when using the splitter and the 12V fan was that there wasn't enough power to spin the 12V fan, only the 5V SUNON would spin. By itself the 12V worked but not with the other 30mm fan connected.
Have a link to your project?
You're right I could be pushing the limits of the power supply in the router. I am not overclocking the CPU (stock 1700Mhz) and only using 5Ghz on this particular AP. I can always eliminate one of the USB fans if needed (that I didn't install yet). I'm going to see how the temps are, this is the perfect time because we are in a summer heat wave.. sadly I have to wait for shipping again to get the new 40mmx20mm 5V version.. I sure hope they both spin.
Joined: 15 Aug 2016 Posts: 223 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 7:48 Post subject:
Laithan wrote:
... Over time it might not be as balanced. The super glue that I used will be a "warning" to show that vibration damage is present because it should break first.
I like your 'early warning system'. Although, i cannot say for sure, but hopefully, the super glue gives way before any of the soldered joints breaks. Together with vibration dampening rubber, placed between the fan and SFP+ case, may do the trick.
Laithan wrote:
The issue I had when using the splitter and the 12V fan was that there wasn't enough power to spin the 12V fan, only the 5V SUNON would spin. By itself the 12V worked but not with the other 30mm fan connected.
As a general rule: A power supply source should be of:
- the same voltage as the device's;
- same or higher amps than the device's.
Deviations from the above rules may affect the performance of the device (i.e. fan), and shorten its life. I learned the rules above from a friend who is an electrical engineer.
Laithan wrote:
Have a link to your project?
Sorry i did not have any as it was not intended for publication when i did it years ago.
Laithan wrote:
I am not overclocking the CPU (stock 1700Mhz) and only using 5Ghz on this particular AP. I can always eliminate one of the USB fans if needed (that I didn't install yet). I'm going to see how the temps are, this is the perfect time because we are in a summer heat wave.. sadly I have to wait for shipping again to get the new 40mmx20mm 5V version...
My suggestion is to use an external temperature controller to automatically turn on/off fans at set temperatures. It would give you more flexibility including powering the fans independently, i.e. from the wall socket. I used one in my setup, similar to the one in the link below.
Joined: 31 Jul 2021 Posts: 2146 Location: All over YOUR webs
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 10:18 Post subject:
You dont need external controls to control fans, I have only to control the speed of the fans via a potentiometer. If the Built in DD-WRT fan control doesnt work with the R9000 then we can always script a solution.
I use it for mine, OK it has external USB fans, but it can be modified as long as we can find the nvram variable which controls the pin where fan is connected. Atheros may not actually use gpio but anyway, you can get the idea.
I also wouldnt have used superglue, Im rather partial to high temperature resistant silicone, the one used for automotive gaskets, not only once cured acts as a natural vibration absorber it sticks stuff together. Of course metal to plastic may not be ideal for that.
Joined: 15 Aug 2016 Posts: 223 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 12:59 Post subject:
the-joker wrote:
You dont need external controls to control fans....
My point of using an external temperature controller is clearly conditional upon the add-on fan/s connecting to a power source independent of the router (i.e. from a wall outlet).
In this setup, while physically attached to the router, the additional fans operate as standalone and separate units. In no way, they can result in the router's power supply being overloaded and/or overheat, which in turn may affect its performances. _________________ Life is a journey; travel alone makes it less enjoyable and lonely.
I noticed that the Noctua fan (which is a PWM fan) is fluctuating RPMs constantly. It is a 5,000rpm fan but it is definitely not running even close to that. I would guess the speeds are running between 1,000-2,000 rpm tops, maybe not even that high.
Doing some testing now with the cover off but first impressions are amazing. The Sunon fan might steal the whole show!
I can see where to manage fan temps but is there a way to manage rpms? I would like to force 100% fan speed/power.
Open case, essentially the same test conditions as before. Uptime is 23 hours. Same file copy over 5Ghz to generate additional traffic. Upgraded system fan and supplemental SPF+ fan only, no external USB fans are used yet.
Manual probe: TOP: 108F/42C (previously 135F/57.2C before the MOD)
MIDDLE: 100F/38C (nm, case was closed)
This is surprising from a little 30mm fan in a pull configuration (not running at max rpm either). Very happy about this.
The transceiver is no longer too hot to touch and you can actually leave your finger on it no problem. Despite the temps on the external portion of the transceiver being a bit higher than the internal temps closer to the fan, I don't think the external USB fans are going to offer much additional cooling.. I will test just for the fun of it and I still may install at least one so that there is fan redundancy if the internal one dies and I don't notice it right away.
Reported in DD-WRT: TemperaturesCPU 36.0 °C / wlan0 42 °C (previously 38C/45C)
The front cover is still off atm but since I deleted the mesh grill I suspect this shouldn't change a ton when I close it. A small bit of improvement for the CPU and WLAN although mostly negligeable.
The fan rpms are still fluctuating back and forth like a see-saw.. not to the point of not working obviously but I feel like they are on "low" and more power would bring the RPMs up a bit. If anyone knows of a way to adjust the fan power I would appreciate it. The GUI only shows on/off but the tracker shows additional control was added.. not exactly sure if that relates to power output or not. I am using 30/30, could a different value affect power output or is this limited to on/off only?
[size=18]If anyone knows of a way to adjust the fan power I would appreciate it. The GUI only shows on/off but the tracker shows additional control was added.. not exactly sure if that relates to power output or not.
Have a look at this on Amazon:
SDTC Tech 5pcs DC-DC Boost Converter 2V-24V to 5V-28V 2A Adjustable Voltage Regulator Micro USB 5V 9V 12V 24V Step Up Power Supply Module _________________ Current: Netgear R9000 DD-WRT v3.0-r55460 std (03/25/24)
Retired: Linksys WRT32X r39296, TP-Link Archer C7 v2, LinkSys WRT54G v5
If anyone knows of a way to adjust the fan power I would appreciate it. The GUI only shows on/off but the tracker shows additional control was added.. not exactly sure if that relates to power output or not.
Have a look at this on Amazon:
SDTC Tech 5pcs DC-DC Boost Converter 2V-24V to 5V-28V 2A Adjustable Voltage Regulator Micro USB 5V 9V 12V 24V Step Up Power Supply Module
Thanks for the suggestion, that is an interesting item! I will keep that in mind. I was actually thinking within DD-WRT perhaps there was a configuration file with a parameter that could be modified to increase power output in software.
I also installed a single USB fan behind the transceiver and it is yet again making huge improvements from both the internal "bottom" fan and the external "top" fan. There are 3 total fans running now and I am feeling a lot more comfortable letting this run 24x7. Yes, I glued this on also.
Manual probe:
All 3 fans TOP: 85.5F/30C (2 fans 108F/42C, stock 135F/57.2C with A/C on! 145+ off)
All 3 fans MIDDLE: 82F/28C (2 fans 100F/38C, stock nm case was closed)
fya, I measured the front of the transceiver, not the back getting the direct fan airflow.
It isn't the best looking AP, but in my case I get the added benefit of the my wood paneling color matching the Noctua beige color ! First time in history, someone found something that actually matches a NOCTUA fan color lmao!
Results speak for themselves, MOD difficulty was very easy, parts are fairly cheap and IMO should be a requirement to safely use an ethernet transceiver in the 10Gbps SFP+ port. It is VERY quiet also.. almost nothing.