Modded Tronsmart Vega Standard - Cooling chapter
Hi guys.
Sick of running a hot box and even sicker of kernels reporting random temperatures (104k4) I decided to mod my box and install a real heatsink in there plus some active cooling to complement.
The following pictures show the installation and modifications done to make an Enzotech CNB-R1 copper heatsink fit. By the way, I'm impressed with this product. Never thought a 'simple' heatsink would come so beautifully packaged. Very very nice product.
The smallest clip had a hole to hole distance larger than needed by 3mm or so, so I enlarged the holes towards the center to make it fit. I wasn't able to get to the correct distance, but just enough for the pins to do their job, even at an angle.
As you can see, the heatsink is massive. I had to remove some material in strategic places to make some chips that are a little taller than the SoC clear the heatsink and allow full contact with the SoC (I didn't have copper shims at hand, a mere 0.5mm would have sufficed)
Since the heatsink is 30mm tall, the next step was to cut a hole for it to protrude at the top of the box. I used one of the other clips included with the heatsink to decorate the horrendous hole I made to the beautiful vinyl disk finish of the box top. I actually like it and the fact that the only part of the word Tronsmart left was "art"... pretty artistic, don't you think?
To the bottom I added a small fan where the vent holes are... I actually cut a square section to give full flow. Also, small legs made of toothpick sections were added to elevate the box of the ground and allow the fan to move some air. When at the desk, the box has the front touching and the rear in the air.
For the tests before and after the mod, I flashed the stock 101k4 ROM and installed Antutu Benchmark and CpuTemp applications only. What I did was to run Antutu, take note of the score and the max temp during the test, let the box idle until the temperature stabilized and take readings then, basically metering how well is the heatsink to do its work (dissipating heat)
First test, the stock heatsink with Arctic Silver instead of the thermal pads, open box, ceiling fan working:
- Max observed Temp during test = 91 degrees centigrade
- Antutu Score = 13k
- Min temperature while idle = 80 degrees centigrade
Second test, Enzotech heatsink with Arctic Silver paste, without active cooling, open box, ceiling fan working:
- Max observed Temp during test = 82 degrees centigrade
- Antutu Score = 25k
- Min temperature while idle = 77 degrees centigrade
Third test, Enzotech heatsink with Arctic Silver paste, with active cooling enabled, closed box, ceiling fan off:
- Max observed Temp during test = 79 degrees centigrade
- Antutu Score = 26k
- Min temperature while idle = 72 degrees centigrade
I also made a test identical to the last one but with Finless CPU fixer and got readings not higher than 83 degrees and stable idle at 74 degrees.
Well, at least I know my box is not frying but overall life can become quite short anyways... I will enjoy it while lasts.
Hope you enjoy the thread.
Saludos!
Sick of running a hot box and even sicker of kernels reporting random temperatures (104k4) I decided to mod my box and install a real heatsink in there plus some active cooling to complement.
The following pictures show the installation and modifications done to make an Enzotech CNB-R1 copper heatsink fit. By the way, I'm impressed with this product. Never thought a 'simple' heatsink would come so beautifully packaged. Very very nice product.
The smallest clip had a hole to hole distance larger than needed by 3mm or so, so I enlarged the holes towards the center to make it fit. I wasn't able to get to the correct distance, but just enough for the pins to do their job, even at an angle.
As you can see, the heatsink is massive. I had to remove some material in strategic places to make some chips that are a little taller than the SoC clear the heatsink and allow full contact with the SoC (I didn't have copper shims at hand, a mere 0.5mm would have sufficed)
Since the heatsink is 30mm tall, the next step was to cut a hole for it to protrude at the top of the box. I used one of the other clips included with the heatsink to decorate the horrendous hole I made to the beautiful vinyl disk finish of the box top. I actually like it and the fact that the only part of the word Tronsmart left was "art"... pretty artistic, don't you think?
To the bottom I added a small fan where the vent holes are... I actually cut a square section to give full flow. Also, small legs made of toothpick sections were added to elevate the box of the ground and allow the fan to move some air. When at the desk, the box has the front touching and the rear in the air.
For the tests before and after the mod, I flashed the stock 101k4 ROM and installed Antutu Benchmark and CpuTemp applications only. What I did was to run Antutu, take note of the score and the max temp during the test, let the box idle until the temperature stabilized and take readings then, basically metering how well is the heatsink to do its work (dissipating heat)
First test, the stock heatsink with Arctic Silver instead of the thermal pads, open box, ceiling fan working:
- Max observed Temp during test = 91 degrees centigrade
- Antutu Score = 13k
- Min temperature while idle = 80 degrees centigrade
Second test, Enzotech heatsink with Arctic Silver paste, without active cooling, open box, ceiling fan working:
- Max observed Temp during test = 82 degrees centigrade
- Antutu Score = 25k
- Min temperature while idle = 77 degrees centigrade
Third test, Enzotech heatsink with Arctic Silver paste, with active cooling enabled, closed box, ceiling fan off:
- Max observed Temp during test = 79 degrees centigrade
- Antutu Score = 26k
- Min temperature while idle = 72 degrees centigrade
I also made a test identical to the last one but with Finless CPU fixer and got readings not higher than 83 degrees and stable idle at 74 degrees.
Well, at least I know my box is not frying but overall life can become quite short anyways... I will enjoy it while lasts.
Hope you enjoy the thread.
Saludos!
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