RT-AC68U temperatures

[rdallen]

I thought I'd share my cooling solution for my RT-AC68U.

The temperature was sitting around 82C, without any load. It is only spring here, so I was concerned how hot it would get during a heatwave in summer: definitely in the 90's as I've already seen it hit the high 80's on a warm day.
My solution cost $1.60 (including postage).
I bought one of these fans from eBay, delivered from Hong Kong:


I plugged it directly into the router, and pointed it straight at the back. In 15 minutes, the temperature dropped from 82C to 58C.
But I wasn't happy: the fan was quite noisy: it was spinning fast and gave off a buzz.

So I did a 30 second modification: using a piece of photographic paper, I made much bigger fan blades. I temporarily attached them to the existing blades with blu-tak (with the intention of using tape longer term), but it is working quite well the way it is.
After modification:


With this modification, it spins much slower. But more importantly, it is very quiet: I can hardly hear it. The one downside is that the temperature drop isn't as great: the temperature now sits around 65C. But I figure this is more than adequate: I highly doubt even in mid summer it will get to 80C.

And here is a picture of it all running:


All up: $1.60 and about 2 minutes work.

 

[GoNz0]

I thought I'd share my cooling solution for my RT-AC68U.

The temperature was sitting around 82C, without any load. It is only spring here, so I was concerned how hot it would get during a heatwave in summer: definitely in the 90's as I've already seen it hit the high 80's on a warm day.
My solution cost $1.60 (including postage).
I bought one of these fans from eBay, delivered from Hong Kong:


I plugged it directly into the router, and pointed it straight at the back. In 15 minutes, the temperature dropped from 82C to 58C.
But I wasn't happy: the fan was quite noisy: it was spinning fast and gave off a buzz.

So I did a 30 second modification: using a piece of photographic paper, I made much bigger fan blades. I temporarily attached them to the existing blades with blu-tak (with the intention of using tape longer term), but it is working quite well the way it is.
After modification:


With this modification, it spins much slower. But more importantly, it is very quiet: I can hardly hear it. The one downside is that the temperature drop isn't as great: the temperature now sits around 65C. But I figure this is more than adequate: I highly doubt even in mid summer it will get to 80C.

And here is a picture of it all running:


All up: $1.60 and about 2 minutes work.

I duct taped a 12v 120mm fan to mine (using rubber stand offs) and hooked it to the 5v USB, virtually silent and 20 degrees cooler.

 

[rdallen]

I duct taped a 12v 120mm fan to mine (using rubber stand offs) and hooked it to the 5v USB, virtually silent and 20 degrees cooler.

I didn't have much luck with a cooling pad - I found the fans too noisy. However, they were 5V fans - perhaps connecting 12V fans to 5V USB makes them spin slower (and quieter)? If so, it sounds like a great solution.

Either way, I doubt if the MTBF would differ much between a router running at 50C and 65C. My goal was to get it well under the danger zone in the 90's (where people have reported instability), with the solution being extremely quiet. Considering it hasn't hit 70C yet (even under load), this seems to be working well.

 

[powerlebrato]

I want to contribute images of my project.
In addition to adding the ventilation as seen in the images, I changed the thermal pads for new ones in the CPU, and removed them and exchanged for thermal paste in the chips that handle the wireless connections and in the memory pads. I also straightened the disiators, which had folded (because of the heat, I suppose)
Temperatures have dropped from 44º - 55º - 85º to 37º - 42º - 53º (± 3º)

 

[powerlebrato]

...continue...

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

Why??? Are you mining bit-coins with your spare CPU cycles?
I've also got mine OC'd to 1200,800 and a cheesy little free-standing USB powered variable speed fan blowing on the back of the case from a few inches away) and my temps are not much hotter than your's.

2.4 GHz: 41°C - 5 GHz: 46°C - CPU: 55°C​

I have the fan at the lowest speed and you can hardly hear it.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I want to contribute images of my project.

You need some heat pipes on that thang!

Is it nailed down?

OE

 

[maghuro]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/382828366834
https://pt.aliexpress.com/item/4000...wa_R5Ub5GqcYSazkdK8aAt7pEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XDGXWC3/?tag=snbforums-20

 

[Val D.]

I want to contribute images of my project.

Completely unnecessary. I remember around 52C CPU temp just attaching with double-sided adhesive tape 2 x 70mm 12V fans running on 5V off router's own USB 2.0 port on both RT-AC68U and RT-AC86U routers. No router disassembly, no voiding warranty, no wasting of my time.