A more general status update.
We think we solved our problem 3 key parts.
- Tiny copper pads that go on the chips:
Cut with a Dremel to size. They only are placed on the bottom two, the left one never got past warm to my finger test. I think this is because the heat is mostly from the devices plugged into the USB ports. See photo 1 at the end. - A larger heat sink on the back of the USB ports that takes most of the heat away before it gets to the chips in the above photo.
- A fan installed on the left side of the case powered by the 5v rail.
Things I am still worried about:
- The coper pads slipping off and shorting out.
- The fan failing early and the device becoming completely unstable
- The wires getting in the way of the fan after being moved around during shipping
- The solution not being enough cooling if I increase CPU load later
The copper pads slipping off and shorting something out.
Reference photo 1: (the copper pads are peaking out from beneath the larger heatsink
Reference photo 2: (the fan and its wiring)
Reference photo 3: (the fan slats cut by hand, things get a bit smoother with each case I do)
