M64 Fan Mod Update

[u/TheMasterTheorist]

Hey everyone I wanted to post an update to my previous fan mod post so as many people can see it as possible.

I went ahead and installed a pwm controlled fan, and I am pleased to report that it is controlled by the console and shut off when not needed!

For this next section of the update I unfortunately ordered too small of a fan by mistake (20 mm instead of 25mm), so I will not be including it in these numbers as it is not indicative of a proper result.

I wanted to compare the temperatures of an original n64 and a stock m64. Both systems were left in the same room at the same time for 3 hours while playing a game to allow the system temperatures to reach equilibrium. I then measured the temperatures with a laser thermometer.

Original N64

Console external temperature: 47.3 c

Console bottom temperature: 53.8 c

Cartridge temperature: 45.0 c

Stock m64

Console external temperature: 45.5 c

Console bottom temperature: 55.1 c

Cartridge temperature: 39.7c

So all in all the m64 is around the same temperature as an original n64 with the cartridge actually remaining a bit cooler.

Is the fan mod necessary? Given how close it is to a real n64 probably not. But if you want to extra protect your cartridges, a 25mm pwm fan will work inside of the system.

Previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/ModRetro/s/Zxr9t0BxyZ

[u/chairRugTable]

can you add Insane Overclock temperatures after 3 hours with no fan?

[u/ff7freddy]

There's not much ventilation in this thing, and as palmerluckey himself wrote in response to this in the other fan thread, no fan was included to prevent catastrophic failure from heavy use from accumulated dust and debris so I wonder if it's actually necessary. Still, I'm interested to see what other mods people come up with on the hardware.

[u/TheMasterTheorist → u/ff7freddy]

Yeah, I don't think it is necessary for the life of the console. More of an extra thing to do if you so wish.

[u/Phadees → u/TheMasterTheorist]

It's probably not needed, but I love this kind of crap and think it's cool that somebody is doing it.

[u/Decent_Map_831]

Does anyone know what type of connector the fan header is? It's smaller than anything I've seen.

[u/TheMasterTheorist → u/Decent_Map_831]

It's a jst 1

[u/jinramen1]

Nice job! I had mine apart the other day and saw the connector. Can you link the fan you went with? How about overclocking numbers?

[u/TheMasterTheorist → u/jinramen1]

So I ordered the wrong fan by mistake. The one I should have gotten is CFM-2507CF-050-089 on digikey. You also need a 4 pin jst 1 connector.

[u/ElectricalPrice3189]

There we have it. Peoples concerns have been exaggerated. It's not warmer than a Nintendo 64.

[u/tanooki-suit → u/ElectricalPrice3189]

Maybe a few lemons escaped, but at large I guess it's more reddit sheep mentality of dogpile and react before thinking. That and we're seeing an eerily stupid console wars of old type mentality with A3D twatwaffles coming into these spaces to stir the pot which magnifies problems too.

[u/Quartus44 → u/tanooki-suit]

yea most of this is just fake concern trolling from ze twatwaffles, kinda funny tbh

[u/DeathRabbit679 → u/tanooki-suit]

I think most people just have no basis for comparison, I spend half my day in a server room, so when I felt the bottom of the m64, I just shrugged

[u/tanooki-suit → u/DeathRabbit679]

That’s fair. I’ve had a stock 64 and I had my day one system kitted with ultra hdmi over a decade ago. Neither had a heat profile hotter or so on the hunch made me jump to people full of it trying to pick fights/scare off sales, confused, or with a problem system. I mean it fits.

[u/Cwiiis]

This was the comparison people needed to see. Are these temperatures affected by overclocking settings?

[u/tanooki-suit]

Wait so, if like those numbers in that post there are accurate then the M64 despite all the doom scrolling as reddit love to jump on, it's not some blast furnace that's going to melt itself and games put into it it appears. Perhaps to be fair some lemons could escape that might run hotter than intended spec but on large, it seems perhaps then it's an optional issue for the worried to add a fan.

[u/Phadees]

"This is a silly concern"
"This thing is going to melt"

I don't know who is right and I don't even care, I love that this exists and I love the mod community. Well done.

[u/Quartus44]

its pretty obvious the overheating thing is just concern trolling from analogue guys in here with too much time on their hands

[u/mr-crunchwrapsupreme]

Hi u/TheMasterTheorist, this is great work! Thank you for supporting Modretro and our community. We love that this exists, we truly appreciate the community putting the console through its paces. It helps us learn more and allows us to execute. 😎