Accelerator Heatsink and Fan

[sir_bacharach]

Hi all,
 
I've just got a Blizzard 030/50hz accelerator for my Amiga 1200, it has a fan on the underside which is just glued onto the chipboard behind the processor.
 
Has anyone ever come across anything like that before? It doesn't have a heatsink on it, just a fan.
 
I bought the accelerator of someone who said it was already there when he bought it, so I don't know if the chip was overheating and put on there to stop it, or if it was just placed on there to prolong it's life.
 
I was thinking of trying to get some kind of a heatsink/fan combo, something maybe that's used on a PC Motherboard Chipset and sticking it with heat conductive thermal pad directly onto the chip facing toward the trapdoor, and leaving the trapdoor off and raising the Amiga slightly to let the air get to it.
 
The current fan is soldered onto the accelerator, and the Amiga 1200 has an A600 PSU, because apparently they're better equiped to cope with extra components etc.
 
Anyone ever tried a passive heatsink? I wasn't sure if that would work since there's gonna be no air moving through the Amiga.

[mongo]

An 030 shouldn't need a heatsink or fan.

[sir_bacharach]

Ive read that too. But perhaps the previous owner put it on as it was crashing. Im not sure. I suppose I could run it as is then try to see what happens if I remove it.

[A6000]

Could the fan be there to blow air into the 1200 as I have heard that the AGA chipset runs hot, maybe the fan is there to help cool them?

[sir_bacharach]

Im not sure. But when fitted the accelerator is flush with the trap door and I personally think the ow er fitted it to cool the accelerator but due to lack of space directly on ths chip theyve fitted it to the opposite side kf the board to the chip. I thought itd be pointless on there to be honest. Its just a fan not ecen a heatsink so I dont think its gonna have much of an effect. I might just take it off and put a heTsink on the motorolla chip if I have any problems.

[paul1981]

Hi all,
 
I've just got a Blizzard 030/50hz accelerator for my Amiga 1200, it has a fan on the underside which is just glued onto the chipboard behind the processor.
 
Has anyone ever come across anything like that before? It doesn't have a heatsink on it, just a fan.
 
I bought the accelerator of someone who said it was already there when he bought it, so I don't know if the chip was overheating and put on there to stop it, or if it was just placed on there to prolong it's life.
 
I was thinking of trying to get some kind of a heatsink/fan combo, something maybe that's used on a PC Motherboard Chipset and sticking it with heat conductive thermal pad directly onto the chip facing toward the trapdoor, and leaving the trapdoor off and raising the Amiga slightly to let the air get to it.
 
The current fan is soldered onto the accelerator, and the Amiga 1200 has an A600 PSU, because apparently they're better equiped to cope with extra components etc.
 
Anyone ever tried a passive heatsink? I wasn't sure if that would work since there's gonna be no air moving through the Amiga.

I'd say the fan was fitted to prolong the cpu's life, like you said. A heatsink alone (attached via thermal adhesive tape) would be perfectly fine though, as fans generate unwanted noise, and most people with 030 cards won't bother with either.

As for the PSU... there's no such thing as an A1200 PSU. AFAIK, all A1200's came with "A600" PSU's or "A300" PSU's. There's a 4.5A version of the A500 PSU if you can find one (look on ebay or amibay). Some Amiga PSU's won't even run an expanded Amiga (the heavy A600 PSU type for example).

[sir_bacharach]

Cheers ill get a heatsink and some tape. Seems pretty pointless having the fan. The guy who sold me it said it was an a600 psu. The box is bigger than the one for my brothers a1200 and is alot lighter. To be honest as long as it works and isnt under strain I'm not bothered.

[paul1981]

Cheers ill get a heatsink and some tape. Seems pretty pointless having the fan. The guy who sold me it said it was an a600 psu. The box is bigger than the one for my brothers a1200 and is alot lighter. To be honest as long as it works and isnt under strain I'm not bothered.

Look for heatsinks with self adhesive tape...much easier. 5.5mm height as well...keep it as low as possible.

[fitzsteve]

Stachu fits the fan this way to his overclocked Blizzard 1260's and it actually does make a difference.

As has been said the 030 doesn't need a Heatsink or Fan however it doesn't hurt to fit one as they do actually get quite hot, especially with the trapdoor closed and during extended use.

I imagine it was only fitted with extending the life of the card in mind as Blizzy 1230's are pretty solid and reliable.