I was advised to look into the
Zalman
ZM-RHS1 RAM coolers. They are sold by 8 pieces. A few days after putting an
order in, they were delivered for 7,50€ + shipping. I also bought a quiter
fan (4000 rpm, 25 dBa) for 3,50€ from a local
store.
Fitting the coolers was an easy task: peel off the protective plastic to
reveal a thin layer of thermal adhesive paste, then simply push the cooler on
location. The main ASIC requiring colling is the 5388 (to the right with the
golden circle) so I put one larger cooler on top. The 5464 doesn't really
require any cooling, but since I got them in the bundle I put one small cooler
anyway.
The fan's orientation inside is somewhat unique: it blows top to bottom but also
accross to the sides. I suppose this is to expel hot air on one side.
The fan I bought didn't have a 2-wire connector, just leads so these had
to be transfered over from the old fan.
The fan location must be changed because the cooler won't fit underneath. Looking
at the chassis, we can move the fan to the top in order to leave room. Two holes
were drilled to fit the screws.
The result is a much quieter switch. It is still not silent enough for
stealth home use (forget about it in your bedroom or in the living room), but it's
now appropriate in the office or at home in a closet.
<< Back to Part 1: Opening the Switch
Onto Part 3: Performance Testing >>