# Bolt+ Overheating - Cooling Method? - Please Post Pictures



## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

I've looked over the forums and yes, there are other topics on the same thing, but what they lack, are pictures. I just got the dreaded message that my Bolt+ has overheated, and hopefully I can resurrect it, but I'll determine that in the morning. I tried it after 20 minutes, even though it was still warm. No lights.

Please post your cooling method, devices used, with pictures (most importantly), and stats if you have them, as well. While using Laptop Coolers are fairly self-explanatory, other solutions (using fans, for instance) are not. For those, I'm a bit lost as to if you replace internal fans or set the TiVo Bolt+ devices on top of them, and if that's the case, in what manner. I'm also interested in knowing things such as reliability, noise levels and which is also most cost-effective.

I have moved my TiVo Bolt+ out of its place and will just end up placing it on top of my rack. I may even swap it out to another room in the house and just settle with a TiVo Mini.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

My Awesome BOLT Cooling Mods ;-)

External Cooling Fan

I don't have a Bolt.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

Sorry no pictures, but the quickest easiest methods to cool a Bolt are to raise it up by placing almost anything under the 4 corners, removing the cable card cover is another quick easy one and lastly just pick up one of those laptop coolers and stick it under the Bolt, and use the Bolt's USB to power it.
From the sound of it, you had your Bolt at the top of some type of enclosure....likely poorly ventilated as most are. But placing the Bolt "at the top" of the stack with other electronic components would likely be the worst location as all of the lower components would be acting as pre-heaters.


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## JimT48 (Jun 8, 2019)

Does this problem exist on the Bolt OTA? I have purchased the Bolt OTA but it hasn't arrived yet but I just noticed this problem with the Bolt and was curious.


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

Harold Thomson said:


> Does this problem exist on the Bolt OTA? I have purchased the Bolt OTA but it hasn't arrived yet but I just noticed this problem with the Bolt and was curious.


Better to be safe than sorry. Take steps to keep it cooler.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

JOSHSKORN said:


> I've looked over the forums and yes, there are other topics on the same thing, but what they lack, are pictures. I just got the dreaded message that my Bolt+ has overheated, and hopefully I can resurrect it, but I'll determine that in the morning. I tried it after 20 minutes, even though it was still warm. No lights.
> 
> Please post your cooling method, devices used, with pictures (most importantly), and stats if you have them, as well. While using Laptop Coolers are fairly self-explanatory, other solutions (using fans, for instance) are not. For those, I'm a bit lost as to if you replace internal fans or set the TiVo Bolt+ devices on top of them, and if that's the case, in what manner. I'm also interested in knowing things such as reliability, noise levels and which is also most cost-effective.
> 
> I have moved my TiVo Bolt+ out of its place and will just end up placing it on top of my rack. I may even swap it out to another room in the house and just settle with a TiVo Mini.


Does the fan still work? I think you're the first one to actually get that error message. I'm worried something was wrong with your Tivo BEFORE it overheated.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

BobCamp1 said:


> Does the fan still work? I think you're the first one to actually get that error message. I'm worried something was wrong with your Tivo BEFORE it overheated.


How would I know. It's back up and running after leaving it unplugged overnight.

Also, how would I find out the temp information?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

JOSHSKORN said:


> How would I know. It's back up and running after leaving it unplugged overnight.
> 
> Also, how would I find out the temp information?


ODT, on the System Information screen.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

FYI: From TiVo: TiVo Holiday Trade-In, Trade-Up Sale: trade in your Roamio OTA/VOX (plus $299.98) for a Bolt OTA


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

JOSHSKORN said:


> How would I know. It's back up and running after leaving it unplugged overnight.
> 
> Also, how would I find out the temp information?


When you reboot, the fan runs at full speed for a few seconds and is very easy to hear. Then you can hear it gradually slow down.

No one has reported the temperature (ODT) to be higher than 80 C, so if it is that's another sign something is wrong.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

Mikeguy said:


> ODT, on the System Information screen.


Thank you. I didn't see it at first. I think a more accurate description would be:
MENU>HELP>ACCOUNT & SYSTEM INFO>SYSTEM INFORMATION

Scroll down to page 3 (shortly after Service Connection information), for those having a hard time following it.

Anyway, I'd purchased one of the suggested Laptop coolers. I didn't actually notice where the ODT value is prior to using the laptop cooler, I'd just noticed that with it, the value is around 57/58. I've just unplugged it to see where the value jumps to. Mind you, I do not have the CableCard cover off as some have suggested. this is the Laptop cooler I've purchased: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NNMB3KS. I haven't changed any settings on it than what's out of the box, granted i don't see any switches on it that do anything, other than an on/off switch.

At the time of this writing, with the fan unplugged, the ODT has gone up to 62, thus so far with a drop of 4-5 degrees with the laptop fan. I'll continue to monitor it. I will be moving my Bolt to a room upstairs where it'll sit on a subwoofer and be out more in the open, rather than enclosed in a rack (left/right/top/bottom, front and back are open). It also will not then be sitting on top of a receiver which gets hot.

EDIT: In feeling around along the top of my Bolt+, I'd noticed that it seems to be hottest near the Coax port. Just wondering why this is and if there are any measures that can be taken to cool this area down, without modding the Bolt+, itself.

Also, with the CableCard cover off, my ODT has lowered to 56.

With all that said, what specific location of the Bolt+ is being measured for ODT? Can someone produce a picture and circle the area on the Bolt+?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

JOSHSKORN said:


> EDIT: In feeling around along the top of my Bolt+, I'd noticed that it seems to be hottest near the Coax port. Just wondering why this is and if there are any measures that can be taken to cool this area down, without modding the Bolt+, itself.
> Also, with the CableCard cover off, my ODT has lowered to 56.
> With all that said, what specific location of the Bolt+ is being measured for ODT? Can someone produce a picture and circle the area on the Bolt+?


The extra warmth at the rf input is normal for the Bolt and Roamio (I don't know why). The link in post 9 explains the measurement.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Thank you. I didn't see it at first. I think a more accurate description would be:
> MENU>HELP>ACCOUNT & SYSTEM INFO>SYSTEM INFORMATION


Lol, you're welcome. I hadn't included the entire path, as I wasn't sure if you were on TE3 or TE4 and if the paths under each are the same (I'm not on TE4)--I trusted that you would know or could figure out where the System Info. screen is. 


> EDIT: In feeling around along the top of my Bolt+, I'd noticed that it seems to be hottest near the Coax port. Just wondering why this is and if there are any measures that can be taken to cool this area down, without modding the Bolt+, itself.
> 
> Also, with the CableCard cover off, my ODT has lowered to 56.


If you want further cooling, you always could purchase and use a further AC Infinity fan, aiming it at the Coax port. E.g.: https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-...=B00G05A2MU&psc=1&refRID=HBK6H9K0Q7RGYBZ51V8E. Not sure how many people are going multiple fan devices.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Anyway, I'd purchased one of the suggested Laptop coolers. I didn't actually notice where the ODT value is prior to using the laptop cooler, I'd just noticed that with it, the value is around 57/58.
> 
> At the time of this writing, with the fan unplugged, the ODT has gone up to 62, thus so far with a drop of 4-5 degrees with the laptop fan.
> 
> ...


All those temperatures look normal for a Bolt that is over something that is room temperature. That is good news.

The ODT is the On Die Temperature and is located inside the main chipset. Unfortunately, it does not accurately represent the temperature inside the Bolt enclosure. Typically ODT temperatures run 20-30 C hotter than that. In theory the ODT can go up to 95 C before it overheats, but I don't know of anybody who has seen it over 75 C.

I think in your case just don't put the Bolt over something else that is generating heat and you'll be fine. But there are other threads that discuss how to easily cool it without going crazy. The consensus seems to be a USB powered fan placed directly underneath the CableCard (door removed) with the fan blowing the air down. And using bottle caps on the corners to slightly raise the Bolt off the table/shelf.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

BobCamp1 said:


> I think in your case just don't put the Bolt over something else that is generating heat and you'll be fine. But there are other threads that discuss how to easily cool it without going crazy. The consensus seems to be a USB powered fan placed directly underneath the CableCard (door removed) *with the fan blowing the air down*. And using bottle caps on the corners to slightly raise the Bolt off the table/shelf.


I had an old laptop 2-fan cooling pad around and put it under my Bolt box (with the cablecard compartment hatch removed, and with the Bolt box raised up by water bottle caps on the 4 corners). It blows air_ up_ (no option to reverse the direction) onto/into the Bolt box and has lowered the temp. by 6-7 degrees compared to no cooling pad.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

Mikeguy said:


> I had an old laptop 2-fan cooling pad around and put it under my Bolt box (with the cablecard compartment hatch removed, and with the Bolt box raised up by water bottle caps on the 4 corners). It blows air_ up_ (no option to reverse the direction) onto/into the Bolt box and has lowered the temp. by 6-7 degrees compared to no cooling pad.


So are you saying, in addition to placing the Bolt+ onto a laptop cooling device, I should also put some water bottle caps under the corners?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

JOSHSKORN said:


> So are you saying, in addition to placing the Bolt+ onto a laptop cooling device, I should also put some water bottle caps under the corners?


I have--it really just is a "leftover" method from before I added a laptop cooler, but perhaps it provides some extra space for the blowing away of heat and for heat dissipation. I haven't done a temperature comparison with and without the water bottle caps, using the laptop cooler.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

Ugh, so I just moved my Bolt+ from downstairs to upstairs. It was working fine until I unplugged it, then plugged it back in about 20 minutes later. No lights. However, I got the same thing the other day when it overheated, I'd unplugged it overnight, plugged it back in and it was back up and running. I might have to do the same thing. I've had the power unplugged for just over an hour and will probably go back upstairs in about an hour to try it. The HDMI and Coax are still plugged in, though. If I'm unsuccessful when I reattempt to plug it back in, I'll unplug everything for the night and try it again in the morning.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Ugh, so I just moved my Bolt+ from downstairs to upstairs. It was working fine until I unplugged it, then plugged it back in about 20 minutes later. No lights. However, I got the same thing the other day when it overheated, I'd unplugged it overnight, plugged it back in and it was back up and running. I might have to do the same thing. I've had the power unplugged for just over an hour and will probably go back upstairs in about an hour to try it. The HDMI and Coax are still plugged in, though. If I'm unsuccessful when I reattempt to plug it back in, I'll unplug everything for the night and try it again in the morning.


That's a good reason to not use the USB ports to power any add-on ventilation. The CPU is hot but the fan gets rid of the heat. Pull the plug and the fan stops yet the CPU is still hot. It is more work to adapt a wall wart to run a fan, but there are times when it can help.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Ugh, so I just moved my Bolt+ from downstairs to upstairs. It was working fine until I unplugged it, then plugged it back in about 20 minutes later. No lights. However, I got the same thing the other day when it overheated, I'd unplugged it overnight, plugged it back in and it was back up and running. I might have to do the same thing. I've had the power unplugged for just over an hour and will probably go back upstairs in about an hour to try it. The HDMI and Coax are still plugged in, though. If I'm unsuccessful when I reattempt to plug it back in, I'll unplug everything for the night and try it again in the morning.


Now I've changed my mind again. I think something is wrong with your Tivo's main chipset. I think you have a short somewhere which either prevents it from starting or allows it to start but later results in overheating.

If that thing is under warranty I'd get it replaced.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

Mikeguy said:


> I had an old laptop 2-fan cooling pad around and put it under my Bolt box (with the cablecard compartment hatch removed, and with the Bolt box raised up by water bottle caps on the 4 corners). It blows air_ up_ (no option to reverse the direction) onto/into the Bolt box and has lowered the temp. by 6-7 degrees compared to no cooling pad.


My problem with this is that the Tivo draws in air from around its edges and exhausts it out the middle. The hard drive is the device most sensitive to temperature. Lowering the ODT by 7 degrees is bad if the hard drive temperature increases. And since the Tivo fan (next to the hard drive) is blowing air down, by blowing air up you're negating that fan and possibly reducing the air flow around the hard drive.

Now, air flow is difficult to predict without the appropriate modeling software. It's entirely possible everything is fine with your method and I'm full of hot air....


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

BobCamp1 said:


> My problem with this is that the Tivo draws in air from around its edges and exhausts it out the middle. The hard drive is the device most sensitive to temperature. Lowering the ODT by 7 degrees is bad if the hard drive temperature increases. And since the Tivo fan (next to the hard drive) is blowing air down, by blowing air up you're negating that fan and possibly reducing the air flow around the hard drive.
> 
> Now, air flow is difficult to predict without the appropriate modeling software. It's entirely possible everything is fine with your method and I'm full of hot air....


I guess that most people seem to assume that when the ODT is lowered, the temperature in the area of the hard drive is lowered as well. Absent placing thermistors in the unit to take the internal temperature in multiple locations, that seems to be a fair opening, operating assumption, especially when, anecdotally, a lower ODT has seemed to improve the operation of problematic boxes.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

When I bought new 3TB drives (3.5" and 2.5") for my TiVo boxes and laptop. I ran diagnostics on the drives for 24 hours without any fan. They barely got warm, but they were not enclosed either.


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## bkc56 (Apr 29, 2001)

BobCamp1 said:


> ...Tivo draws in air from around its edges and exhausts it out the middle.


 I thought others had stated the fan sucks air in (positive pressure), not pushes air out (negative pressure)?


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## stevepow (Sep 3, 2014)

I bought this set of fans from AC Infinity (I use their component coolers and fan/blowers for other stereo equipment): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ2J2K0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just plugged them into the back USB of the Bolt, positioned them in the back of the rack behind the Bolt and pointed them in blowing over it. So far, when I open the cabinet and touch the Bolt, it is very cool all over compared to how it felt when I first set it up. ODT has settled to 58.

I think the most important thing for lowering the temperature is increasing the airflow around the Bolt, however you do it - don't over think it.


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## pgoelz (May 1, 2005)

bkc56 said:


> I thought others had stated the fan sucks air in (positive pressure), not pushes air out (negative pressure)?


The fan opening on the underside of my Bolt does indeed seem to be an intake. At least there is no discernible air coming out that grill. However, the fan moves so little air that it is hard to tell without examining the blades. I have not turned the Bolt off to see which way the blades spin and how they are pitched.

As for the ODT vs. hard drive temperature, I am assuming the vast majority of the heat dissipated internally is from components other than the hard drive..... with the hottest component being the CPU. The fans on my cooling pad pull air from the fan intakes (under the Bolt) and exhaust it out the edge of the pad.... which I have facing front so the heat leaves the open shelf area where the Bolt and AVR are sitting. This circulation also serves to remove any heat generated by the AVR. I THINK everyone is happy.....


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

pgoelz said:


> The fan opening on the underside of my Bolt does indeed seem to be an intake. At least there is no discernible air coming out that grill. However, the fan moves so little air that it is hard to tell without examining the blades. I have not turned the Bolt off to see which way the blades spin and how they are pitched.
> 
> As for the ODT vs. hard drive temperature, I am assuming the vast majority of the heat dissipated internally is from components other than the hard drive..... with the hottest component being the CPU. The fans on my cooling pad pull air from the fan intakes (under the Bolt) and exhaust it out the edge of the pad.... which I have facing front so the heat leaves the open shelf area where the Bolt and AVR are sitting. This circulation also serves to remove any heat generated by the AVR. I THINK everyone is happy.....


I'm pretty sure air is coming OUT of the vent on the bottom. Thus I put a fan blowing down underneath the vent (Bolt is elevated). My ODT is always under 50c.


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## fyodor (Sep 19, 2006)

My Bolt is in a closed enclosure without much external ventilation. This is what I've needed to get it cooled reliably such that I don't get freeze-ups.

1. Bolt on bottle caps above laptop cooling pad.

2. External fan in the back left, blowing diagonally across Bolt

3. Cablecard cover removed.


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