asus RT-AC88U to hot

[gattaca]

Hi! I am consolidating posts here of the "extra cooling" photos I setup which better fit this thread. As for whether our beloved ASUS routers "need or will benefit with a longer service life by keeping them cool" is up to you. We can argue all day long about the SOC or pCPU or other individual component thermals but we also need to consider the other components on those boards and where they might be located relative to the "hot spots". I've seen really bad thermal layouts over the years. Putting an 85C capacitor next to a hot component running at 90C is far from ideal. As a matter of serviceability and longevity, I almost always add supplemental cooling to my AV setups, power amplifiers, cabinets, routers, ... Why? Because heat is the enemy of electronics - especially electrolytic capacitors and other thermally sensitive devices!

See this other thread for fans/cooling too -> https://www.snbforums.com/threads/router-temperatures.71123/#post-672365

As always, YMMV. Have fun! Enjoy the project! Stay safe! Stay alive! Peace.

An Asus router fan shopping list / solution as of 20 Mar 2021... KIS (keep-it-simple) approach for ~ $30 USD.

1. Held in place with 3-4 interlocked flat velcro cable straps which I use all the time as cable straps.
   1. From HomeDepot rolled black or grey packs. You can get longer straps but I had these on hand. -> https://www.homedepot.com/p/VELCRO-Brand-8-in-x-1-2-in-Reusable-Ties-50-Pack-90924HD/202261940
   2. Note: I also tried large diameter rubber bands which worked well initially. BUT they failed after a year. These velcro straps are not going to snap.
2. In the picture is a Noctua 120mm/5V/21.4dB/A fan which is slightly larger than ideal for the AC86U's positioning but is quite effective. I had it on hand so used it for testing -> https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a12x25-5v
   1. This NF-A12x25/5V fan was way too LOUD in my room even at 21.4 dbA. It is NOT recommended if fan noise whine bothers you!
3. Update 20 Mar 21-> The most cost, cooling and quiet effective solution is using one of the two fans I've outlined below. You have two power sourcing options:
   1. Use the 5VDC USB port on the router. These fans draw practically no current but if you want to be safe, then use a separate PSU as outlined below.
   2. Use a separate 12VDC PSU
4. Strap ONE of these 120MM in the center rear of the router per below photos.
5. The difference between the two fan models is the REDUX is the bare fan while the FLX model has both ULNA/LNA and corner vibration pads included for ~ $6 USD more.
6. Note: The NF-P12 FLX shows discontinued on Noctua's site but is still available on Amazon/US.
7. Note: The NF-P12-redux-1300 is the same fan - you just have to buy the corner pads separately or improvise.
   1. 1 x USB(5V) to fan cable (~$7.00) (If you go with Option 3, then you don't need this cable)
   2. The fan, the fan, the fan... (one of these)
      1. 1 x Noctua NF-P12-redux-1300 (or 900) 120mm/12V fan (~$14 USD)
      2. 1 x Noctua NA-SAV1 corner pads ($7USD) ONLY if you use theREDUX fan OR.. 4 small cabinet bumpers would work just as well!
      3. 1 x Noctua NF-P12 FLX (may be discoed but has the UNLA/LNA + vibration corners etc.. ) (~$20 USD)
   3. Optional if you do not want to use the router's USB port for power:
      1. If you want a separate 12VDC UL Listed PSU, then this TINY PSU from cooler guys is the ticket! It is 120V/240V compatible, delivers ~ 12V 1A and did I mention it is UL listed!
      2. 1 x CoolerGuys 12VDC tiny fan PSU (~$7 USD)
   4. You can install a snap-on external filter per below.
      1. It might help reduce maintenance but is apt to lower the air volume too. YMMV!
      2. I just clean my routers once or twice a year.
      3. Posted below are my results of installing the filter I listed below on my AC86U with a brand new mesh filter in place vs no filter: +3C on 2.4GHz +2C on 5.0 GHz, +9C on pCPUs
      4. MAINTENANCE NOTICE:
         1. Filters or not, you will need to clean the routers and the fans once or twice a year depending on the dust conditions in your home!!
      5. 1 x 2-Pack of 120MM Snap on fan dust filter (~$10 USD)
8. The fans listed in this bullet #8 are NO LONGER my recommended solution but I am leaving it here for reference:
   1. You can consider a slightly smaller fan as long as you pay attention to the increasing noise levels and that you might need multiple fans as they get smaller or the total power requirements for a single USB port. I have not tested using multiple smaller fans.
   2. With multiple fans, you will need to ~ sum the noise from each fan into the room.
   3. For this unit, I had the 120MM/5V/21.4 dB/A fans already on-hand from an earlier router, so I reused it. It turned out it was much louder than the Noctua NF-P12-redux-1300 I used later!
   4. A Noctua 92mm/5V/22.8 dB/A -> https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a9-5v
   5. A Noctua 80mm/5V/17.8 dB/A > https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a8-5v
   6. These are 5V fans with USB connectors included. Do NOT connect 5V fans to 12V!
   7. Warning, since the fans have an open back and no finger protection, keep out of reach of kids or climbing pets.
      1. You could add a fan - grills / protector to the fan's rear with minimal effort. This would also help keep the strap from getting close to the spinning fan. I may add these to my units.
      2. Sample 120mm Grills -> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H0P7OC4/?tag=snbforums-20
      3. Sample 120mm Filter (not sure I'd use this but it is an option for a very dirty environment) -> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Q55ZNN/?tag=snbforums-20
9. Noctua are the only fans I use in my AV, amplifier, cabinet, router and other small cooling projects.
10. I generally clean my routers/fans every 6-12 months using a microfiber cloth and compressed air held way away from the unit. 10 mins, done. For a dirty environment like a garage etc..., more frequent cleaning may be needed.

Have fun! Stay safe, stay alive! Later.

 

[royarcher]

Hi! I am consolidating posts here of the "extra cooling" photos I setup which better fit this thread. As for whether our beloved ASUS routers "need or will benefit with a longer service life by keeping them cool" is up to you. We can argue all day long about the SOC or pCPU or other individual component thermals but we also need to consider the other components on those boards and where they might be located relative to the "hot spots". I've seen really bad thermal layouts over the years. Putting an 85C capacitor next to a hot component running at 90C is far from ideal. As a matter of serviceability and longevity, I almost always add supplemental cooling to my AV setups, power amplifiers, cabinets, routers, ... Why? Because heat is the enemy of electronics - especially electrolytic capacitors and other thermally sensitive devices.

As always, YMMV. Have fun! Enjoy the project! Stay safe! Stay alive! Peace.

1. Held in place with 3-4 interlocked flat velcro cable straps which I use all the time as cable straps.
   1. From HD rolled black or grey packs. You can get longer straps but I had these on hand. -> https://www.homedepot.com/p/VELCRO-Brand-8-in-x-1-2-in-Reusable-Ties-50-Pack-90924HD/202261940
   2. Note: I also tried large diameter rubber bands which worked well initially. BUT they failed after a year. These velcro straps are not going to snap.
2. In the picture is a Noctua 120mm/5V/21.4dB/A fan which is slightly larger than ideal for the AC86U's positioning -> https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a12x25-5v
3. You can consider a slightly smaller fan as long as you pay attention to the increasing noise levels and that you might need multiple fans as they get smaller or the total power requirements for a single USB port. I have not tested using multiple smaller fans.
   1. With multiple fans, you will need to ~ sum the noise from each fan into the room.
   2. For this unit, I had the 120MM/5V/21.4 dB/A fans already on-hand from an earlier router, so I reused it.
   3. A Noctua 92mm/5V/22.8 dB/A -> https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a9-5v
   4. A Noctua 80mm/5V/17.8 dB/A > https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a8-5v
   5. These are 5V fans with USB connectors included. Do NOT connect these 5V fans to 12V!
   6. Warning, since the fans have an open back and no finger protection, keep out of reach of kids or climbing pets.
      1. You could add a fan - grills / protector to the fan's rear with minimal effort. This would also help keep the strap from getting close to the spinning fan. I may add these to my units.
      2. Sample 120mm Grills -> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H0P7OC4/?tag=snbforums-20
      3. Sample 120mm Filter (not sure I'd use this but it is an option for a very dirty environment) -> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Q55ZNN/?tag=snbforums-20
4. Noctua are the only fans I use in my AV, amplifier, cabinet, router and other small cooling projects.
5. I generally clean these every 6-12 months using a microfiber cloth and compressed air. 5 mins, done. For a dirty environment like a garage etc..., more frequent cleaning may be needed.

View attachment 30964View attachment 30965View attachment 30966View attachment 30967

I know that this is a cool router,But is it a cool router ,, if I tried that on mine my better half would throw me a blanket,maybe, and tell me to move in with it

 

[Clark Griswald]

Imagine if the fan had those "Lights"

 

[gattaca]

The topic of the thermals in 386.1 keeps surfacing in other threads.. Posting here once more for those people interested in adding a small 5V Noctua fan to their routers.

Several engineers have posted numerous times on various threads WRT thermals in these routers and the pros and cons, added maintenance, etc..

Just b/c the pCPU ARM design says 88C/194F is "within spec", that does not mean that every component installed around them may be designed to take that heat for the duration. I've seen countless expensive other electronic equipment such as AV amps where the circuit board layouts mounted electrolytic caps way too close to hot thermal components + they only spec those components/caps, to 85C/185F.
Way not cool b/c that heat cooks those caps and shortens their life substantially. IDK if we have such component positioning in a $200 USD router and I'm not cracking mine open to find out. We could also argue that a consumer router will be at EOL before anything really cooks - maybe, maybe not. Absolutely, a small high-quality ball-bearing or mag-lev type fan adds costs and design headaches that router manufacturers would rather avoid for that trade-off so if there was one there, it would be a $4 sleeve.

IMO, adding a $15USD high-quality, quiet , ball-bearing or better, 92-120mm fan to the rear of the ASUS routers (which can even run off the 5V USB) is cost effective way to increase longevity + insure our routers are not "throttling" themselves due to thermals in hotter environments etc... Of course, YMMV! There are multiple examples posted. I have installed these smaller fans 80mm-120mm (whatever I have on hand) on every ASUS router I've owned for the past 5 years as a little bit of added longevity and operational insurance.
Stay safe, stay alive! Peace.

 

[royarcher]

The topic of the thermals in 386.1 keeps surfacing in other threads.. Posting here once more for those people interested in adding a small 5V Noctua fan to their routers.

Several engineers have posted numerous times on various threads WRT thermals in these routers and the pros and cons, added maintenance, etc..

Just b/c the pCPU ARM design says 88C/194F is "within spec", that does not mean that every component installed around them may be designed to take that heat for the duration. I've seen countless expensive other electronic equipment such as AV amps where the circuit board layouts mounted electrolytic caps way too close to hot thermal components + they only spec those components/caps, to 85C/185F.
Way not cool b/c that heat cooks those caps and shortens their life substantially. IDK if we have such component positioning in a $200 USD router and I'm not cracking mine open to find out. We could also argue that a consumer router will be at EOL before anything really cooks - maybe, maybe not. Absolutely, a small high-quality ball-bearing or mag-lev type fan adds costs and design headaches that router manufacturers would rather avoid for that trade-off so if there was one there, it would be a $4 sleeve.

IMO, adding a $15USD high-quality, quiet , ball-bearing or better, 92-120mm fan to the rear of the ASUS routers (which can even run off the 5V USB) is cost effective way to increase longevity + insure our routers are not "throttling" themselves due to thermals in hotter environments etc... Of course, YMMV! There are multiple examples posted. I have installed these smaller fans 80mm-120mm (whatever I have on hand) on every ASUS router I've owned for the past 5 years as a little bit of added longevity and operational insurance.
Stay safe, stay alive! Peace.

 

[royarcher]

It's a little spooky that you posted this when you did I just purchased the fan below not that I think my RT AC 88 U is getting outrageously hot but now that the war office has retired she streams a lot more now . I am curious what you think about this particular one.
PS even if it doesn't work it's cheap and kinda looks cool lol (see what I did there ha and my wife says I'm not funny)

 

[BreakingDad]

Legend: 2.4 GHz - 5 GHz - CPU
Current Temperatures: 43 °C - 49 °C - 68 °C

No fan.

 

[E3000]

Hi! I am consolidating posts here of the "extra cooling" photos I setup which better fit this thread. As for whether our beloved ASUS routers "need or will benefit with a longer service life by keeping them cool" is up to you. We can argue all day long about the SOC or pCPU or other individual component thermals but we also need to consider the other components on those boards and where they might be located relative to the "hot spots". I've seen really bad thermal layouts over the years. Putting an 85C capacitor next to a hot component running at 90C is far from ideal. As a matter of serviceability and longevity, I almost always add supplemental cooling to my AV setups, power amplifiers, cabinets, routers, ... Why? Because heat is the enemy of electronics - especially electrolytic capacitors and other thermally sensitive devices!

See this other thread for fans/cooling too -> https://www.snbforums.com/threads/router-temperatures.71123/#post-672365

As always, YMMV. Have fun! Enjoy the project! Stay safe! Stay alive! Peace.

An Asus router fan shopping list / solution as of 20 Mar 2021... KIS (keep-it-simple) approach for ~ $30 USD.

1. Held in place with 3-4 interlocked flat velcro cable straps which I use all the time as cable straps.
   1. From HomeDepot rolled black or grey packs. You can get longer straps but I had these on hand. -> https://www.homedepot.com/p/VELCRO-Brand-8-in-x-1-2-in-Reusable-Ties-50-Pack-90924HD/202261940
   2. Note: I also tried large diameter rubber bands which worked well initially. BUT they failed after a year. These velcro straps are not going to snap.
2. In the picture is a Noctua 120mm/5V/21.4dB/A fan which is slightly larger than ideal for the AC86U's positioning but is quite effective. I had it on hand so used it for testing -> https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a12x25-5v
   1. This NF-A12x25/5V fan was way too LOUD in my room even at 21.4 dbA. It is NOT recommended if fan noise whine bothers you!
3. Update 20 Mar 21-> The most cost, cooling and quiet effective solution is using one of the two fans I've outlined below. You have two power sourcing options:
   1. Use the 5VDC USB port on the router. These fans draw practically no current but if you want to be safe, then use a separate PSU as outlined below.
   2. Use a separate 12VDC PSU
4. Strap ONE of these 120MM in the center rear of the router per below photos.
5. The difference between the two fan models is the REDUX is the bare fan while the FLX model has both ULNA/LNA and corner vibration pads included for ~ $6 USD more.
6. Note: The NF-P12 FLX shows discontinued on Noctua's site but is still available on Amazon/US.
7. Note: The NF-P12-redux-1300 is the same fan - you just have to buy the corner pads separately or improvise.
   1. 1 x USB(5V) to fan cable (~$7.00) (If you go with Option 3, then you don't need this cable)
   2. The fan, the fan, the fan... (one of these)
      1. 1 x Noctua NF-P12-redux-1300 (or 900) 120mm/12V fan (~$14 USD)
      2. 1 x Noctua NA-SAV1 corner pads ($7USD) ONLY if you use theREDUX fan OR.. 4 small cabinet bumpers would work just as well!
      3. 1 x Noctua NF-P12 FLX (may be discoed but has the UNLA/LNA + vibration corners etc.. ) (~$20 USD)
   3. Optional if you do not want to use the router's USB port for power:
      1. If you want a separate 12VDC UL Listed PSU, then this TINY PSU from cooler guys is the ticket! It is 120V/240V compatible, delivers ~ 12V 1A and did I mention it is UL listed!
      2. 1 x CoolerGuys 12VDC tiny fan PSU (~$7 USD)
   4. You can install a snap-on external filter per below.
      1. It might help reduce maintenance but is apt to lower the air volume too. YMMV!
      2. I just clean my routers once or twice a year.
      3. Posted below are my results of installing the filter I listed below on my AC86U with a brand new mesh filter in place vs no filter: +3C on 2.4GHz +2C on 5.0 GHz, +9C on pCPUs
      4. MAINTENANCE NOTICE:
         1. Filters or not, you will need to clean the routers and the fans once or twice a year depending on the dust conditions in your home!!
      5. 1 x 2-Pack of 120MM Snap on fan dust filter (~$10 USD)
8. The fans listed in this bullet #8 are NO LONGER my recommended solution but I am leaving it here for reference:
   1. You can consider a slightly smaller fan as long as you pay attention to the increasing noise levels and that you might need multiple fans as they get smaller or the total power requirements for a single USB port. I have not tested using multiple smaller fans.
   2. With multiple fans, you will need to ~ sum the noise from each fan into the room.
   3. For this unit, I had the 120MM/5V/21.4 dB/A fans already on-hand from an earlier router, so I reused it. It turned out it was much louder than the Noctua NF-P12-redux-1300 I used later!
   4. A Noctua 92mm/5V/22.8 dB/A -> https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a9-5v
   5. A Noctua 80mm/5V/17.8 dB/A > https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a8-5v
   6. These are 5V fans with USB connectors included. Do NOT connect 5V fans to 12V!
   7. Warning, since the fans have an open back and no finger protection, keep out of reach of kids or climbing pets.
      1. You could add a fan - grills / protector to the fan's rear with minimal effort. This would also help keep the strap from getting close to the spinning fan. I may add these to my units.
      2. Sample 120mm Grills -> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H0P7OC4/?tag=snbforums-20
      3. Sample 120mm Filter (not sure I'd use this but it is an option for a very dirty environment) -> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Q55ZNN/?tag=snbforums-20
9. Noctua are the only fans I use in my AV, amplifier, cabinet, router and other small cooling projects.
10. I generally clean my routers/fans every 6-12 months using a microfiber cloth and compressed air held way away from the unit. 10 mins, done. For a dirty environment like a garage etc..., more frequent cleaning may be needed.

Have fun! Stay safe, stay alive! Later.

View attachment 30964View attachment 30965View attachment 30966View attachment 30967

View attachment 32236

Not very aesthetically pleasing, in fact quite the opposite, but it sure gets the job done!

 

[royarcher]

my rt ac 88 u cooling fan finally arrived and after using it with the fan speed turned up to the max for about an hour while streaming on the 5 g radio the temperatures are as follows,,2.4=39c 5=46c cpu=49c. All these temperatures are down by approximately 20c give or take a degree or two .
A great improvement for the few sheckles it cost . Turned up to the max it's a bit noisy but with the TV or music on you can't hear it at all