# Where to get roamio basic or OTA cooling fan replacement



## rjrsouthwest

I need to replace the cooling fan in my Roamio basic DVR and from what I understand it is the same fan that is used in the Roamio OTA model also.

Has any one found a good source and what model # and where did you buy it from?

Update: 
Found the replacement fan needed and have explained where I got them and a idea as to make the fan replacement much faster if needed again in the 7th post in this thread.


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## mr.unnatural

Measure the dimensions of the fan in millimeters and then google it. There are lots of sources for fans on the internet. I don't have a Roamio sitting in front of me so I don't recall what kind of connector the fan uses, but it's probably a standard 3-pin header connector.


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## foghorn2

Im cutting a square into to top of one of my Basics, and integrating a mesh and "HUGE" (as trump would say) but thin (as it probably is, its the diameter that counts  ) PC low rpm case fan right above the HDD, or maybe the heat sink on the MB.

The woot $29.99 refurb OTA's are perfect specimens for such experiments.


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## JoeKustra

foghorn2 said:


> Im cutting a square into to top of one of my Basics, and integrating a mesh and "HUGE" (as trump would say) but thin (as it probably is, its the diameter that counts  ) PC low rpm case fan right above the HDD, or maybe the heat sink on the MB.
> 
> The woot $29.99 refurb OTA's are perfect specimens for such experiments.


This fan, while 120mm, is almost silent. It fits on top of a Mini also: Antec TrueQuiet 120 120mm Case Fan For PC Computers ! ((35.8 CFM) (19.9 dBA)

Ebay has them. Also: Noctua NF-S12A FLX Ultra Quiet 120mm Flexible PC Computer Cooling Case Fan.


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## Teeps

Interesting conversation here:
I might try nesting a fan in the cable card bay of my basic.

Though not particularly useful; this might be worth a watch just for the purpose of opening the TiVo and seeing what's inside.


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## foghorn2

Thats a lousy video, when he figures he cant get to the fan's bottom screws he ends up spraying it. The noise will certainly come back.

The fan/chassis design is very stupid, to remove the fan, you must remove the cc bracket, remove the MB screws, remove the o-ring of the f-connector, push the plastic tabs securing the MB to the bottom of the chassis, and pull out the MB to get to those screws. I think Ford designed the Basics/OTA

You are better off disconnecting that fan and use a bigger slower one somewhere else.


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## rjrsouthwest

I found the replacement fan I needed on eBay and changed it out yesterday and it is much quieter than the original fan ever was. Ordered the fan as a 2 pack for $5.69 including shipping and it arrived from Hong Kong in 14 days from when I ordered it.

I took the Roamio apart including removing the cable card carrier and mother board to get at the two fan bottom screws. When I put it back together I just used screws in the top two holes. It is rock solid and if I ever need to replace this one with the spare one that came with it I could switch out the fans in about 5 minutes without taking it all apart again.

This is the link to the fans I bought and they are an exact match to the original tivo fan.

http://r.ebay.com/6nxECX


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## edstir

rjrsouthwest said:


> I found the replacement fan I needed on eBay and changed it out yesterday and it is much quieter than the original fan ever was. Ordered the fan as a 2 pack for $5.69 including shipping and it arrived from Hong Kong in 14 days from when I ordered it.
> 
> I took the Roamio apart including removing the cable card carrier and mother board to get at the two fan bottom screws. When I put it back together I just used screws in the top two holes. It is rock solid and if I ever need to replace this one with the spare one that came with it I could switch out the fans in about 5 minutes without taking it all apart again.
> 
> This is the link to the fans I bought and they are an exact match to the original tivo fan.
> 
> http://r.ebay.com/6nxECX


Thanks just ordered fans. Have 2 OTA'S newer one has noise. Found utube post about fan noise by accident and decided to look on forum. All falling in place. I assume voltage is 12 volt on OTA to match? Didn't check. Was that your take 12V?


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## leiff

Or do like what I've been doing with my Romeo basic-
running TiVo with lid off and fan disabled 
Temps are about the same were I to have kept the lid on and fan on


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## rjrsouthwest

edstir said:


> Thanks just ordered fans. Have 2 OTA'S newer one has noise. Found utube post about fan noise by accident and decided to look on forum. All falling in place. I assume voltage is 12 volt on OTA to match? Didn't check. Was that your take 12V?


:up:

Yes 12v and the fans I bought on eBay have the same specs as the original fan that the Tivo came with and worked and fit perfectly. The only difference beween the OTA and the base roamio is no cable card carrier on the OTA.


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## foghorn2

I'm going to fix a clients noisy 1.5 year old Roamio with these:

http://www.amazon.com/Gdstime-Blades-Small-Brushless-Cooling/dp/B00MYZAAPY










and

http://www.frys.com/product/5517110










Easy $60 and if that fan fails, it it will be easy to replace again with those rubber mounts.


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## wanderAround

rjrsouthwest said:


> I found the replacement fan I needed on eBay and changed it out yesterday and it is much quieter than the original fan ever was. Ordered the fan as a 2 pack for $5.69 including shipping and it arrived from Hong Kong in 14 days from when I ordered it.
> 
> I took the Roamio apart including removing the cable card carrier and mother board to get at the two fan bottom screws. When I put it back together I just used screws in the top two holes. It is rock solid and if I ever need to replace this one with the spare one that came with it I could switch out the fans in about 5 minutes without taking it all apart again.
> 
> This is the link to the fans I bought and they are an exact match to the original tivo fan.
> 
> http://r.ebay.com/6nxECX


Hi, thanks for the helpful post on replacing the fan on your roamio. I need to do the same thing.
The ebay link to the fan doesn't work any more.
Do you still have the specs that you can send me, so that I can search for the fan on ebay?

Cheers,
Ben


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## leenga

I took mine apart due to fan issues. I can't get the cablecard bracket to go back into the cablecard connector. I bent some of the pins trying. I was able to straighten them but I still can't get it back together and now I'm afraid of breaking it. Any help?


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## cmaquilino16

I got a noisy fan in my roamio pro thanks TiVo for saving a few dollars to install a noisy cheap ass fan. Well is it possible to oil the fan like the computer fan by taking the sticker off and the plug to oil the fan. Does anybody who replaced there fan could check to see if there is a plug to oil fan. Thanks a bunch, also is it possible to drill out the bottom screws. 

Thanks


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## TimeShifter2009

Can someone please answer the original request for the fan dimensions speed and airflow and possibly current draw? Posting links that go dead aren't much help. I just ordered a new OTA Remeo and reading up on the failing fan has of course disapounted me. I'm very technical and have no issues with replacing the fan except for the outrageous cost I'm finding for this fan. I'd like to have a replacement on hand, or 2, ready for when I may need it. I'm assuming in the first year TiVo will replace it but I'm sure it will need to be returned for service, ugh. Maybe I want the extended warranty now? That or just go with the year and swap the fan when needed, and I guess void the warranty? Is the case sealed to verify its been opened or not?
Matching connectors isn't an issue, easy to swap if the fan satisfies the airflow, noise and size. I've serviced my series 3 over the years and hope to do the same here especially if the "New Tivo" company drops the hardware mfg.
So, anyone have specs they can post or valid October 2016 links to fans they're using. 
Thanks everyone for your help


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## TimeShifter2009

As an added question, why replace the bottom 2 fan screws when replacing the fan? There's no real speed or air pressure involved that the two top screws when tightened, can't secure I'm thinking. This would make future fan replacements real fast and easy. When my fan replacement time comes I'll give it a try.


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## jerryez

You buy small fan at Walmart for $6.00 and set it up to blow on the TiVo. I did this and set up two fans cooling two cabinets with av components. Or you can buy a usb laptop fan and put under the TiVo to blow air up thru the unit.


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## Series3Sub

A solution for those not tech savvy that take about one minute to perform and does, indeed, work: get a laptop cooling fan, put it under the TiVo and connect it to one of the TiVo's USB port for powering the fan. Works GREAT! I could replace the fan, but the laptop fan is FASTER, less mess, and no recordings missed, and no wasted time in research to get it right. I have laptop fans cooling a Dish Hopper with Sling and a Roamio unit. Shockinglt *too fast and easy* to do with excellent results. Both HWS and Roamio fans no longer spin so high that I can hear them and both are at cooler temps than is most common.


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## phox_mulder

TimeShifter2009 said:


> I'm very technical and have no issues with replacing the fan except for the outrageous cost I'm finding for this fan. I'd like to have a replacement on hand, or 2, ready for when I may need it.


I broke down and ordered the fan from Weaknees for my Basic, ya $40 bucks for a wee little fan.

I asked if the fan were available by itself, without the 3 screwdrivers they send with it, but didn't get a response.
I had 2 of them from previous TiVo drive replacements, but was missing the 3rd, so I guess I'm glad I now have it.

Might try again if/when either of my OTA's need a fan replacement, hopefully there will be more options available.

phox


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## mom2jel

TimeShifter2009 said:


> Can someone please answer the original request for the fan dimensions speed and airflow and possibly current draw?


35mm x 10mm
2 pin
12 volt

I'm buying the Evercool one from Amazon: www.amazon.com/Evercool-Everlube-Bearing-Connector-EC3510H12E/dp/B00LRTQBLA/ for $8.99

3/2018 UPDATE:
I updated two of our Roamios, they are still running cool and quiet. Cost has gone up to $12.89 tho.


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## gespears

mom2jel said:


> 35mm x 10mm
> 2 pin
> 12 volt
> I'm buying the Evercool one from Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dMIjyM for $8.99


Let us know how well they work as far as noise and air flow are concerned. 
Thanks


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## Captain Spaulding

leiff said:


> Or do like what I've been doing with my Romeo basic-
> running TiVo with lid off and fan disabled
> Temps are about the same were I to have kept the lid on and fan on


Is this soution continuing to work long term for you? If so, I may give it a try. Thanks!


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## Captain Spaulding

Series3Sub said:


> A solution for those not tech savvy that take about one minute to perform and does, indeed, work: get a laptop cooling fan, put it under the TiVo and connect it to one of the TiVo's USB port for powering the fan. Works GREAT! I could replace the fan, but the laptop fan is FASTER, less mess, and no recordings missed, and no wasted time in research to get it right. I have laptop fans cooling a Dish Hopper with Sling and a Roamio unit. Shockinglt *too fast and easy* to do with excellent results. Both HWS and Roamio fans no longer spin so high that I can hear them and both are at cooler temps than is most common.


Is there a specific model laptop fan you would recommend? Thanks!


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## phox_mulder

mom2jel said:


> 35mm x 10mm
> 2 pin
> 12 volt
> 
> I'm buying the Evercool one from Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dMIjyM for $8.99


That does not appear to have the correct connector.

Here's the connector on the fan I just removed/replaced in my Basic.
I think I looked into that one from Amazon before giving in and getting it from Weaknees.


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## leiff

Captain Spaulding said:


> Is this soution continuing to work long term for you? If so, I may give it a try. Thanks!


Yep my Romeo basic still going strong here. It's also running a 3 tb red drive.
Since Comcast's recent down rezzing of all HD channels I might be dumping my TiVo soon though -Depending on whether or not I can get local stations with a roof antenna.


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## Series3Sub

Captain Spaulding said:


> Is there a specific model laptop fan you would recommend? Thanks!


The one I picked up for both DVR's is the Targus Laptop Chill Mat (black), not the "_Lap_ Chill" model, but the "_Laptop_ Chill Mat" model. The "Laptop Chill" has a clean surface while the "Lap Chill" has four, smaill, raised pieces used to fit a laptop securly on the fan. These raised pieces are not necessary for the DVR's, but the "Lap" model could also be used for DVR's. I bought it (the Targus _*Laptop*_ Chill Mat) because it was among the _least expensive_ (or reasonabley priced) but not the cheapest, and it had a good shape and seemed to be well made. I picked mine up at Office Depot (brick and mortar store near home) for $20 a little over 3 years ago. However, looking at the sites for OD and Staples today, those fans are now going for $29. Ouch, what an increase. But it is worth it and less expensive than DYI replace the internal fan.

The Targus Laptop Chill Mat (black) is quiet, has a simple almost square shap, and blends well underneath the DVR and this particular laptop fan is slimmer than some others, so the addtional height of the DVR resting upon it does NOT add much height if the DVR is in an enclosure. This fan does the job. It is not necessary to get those expensive laptop cooling fans because it is more than you need for the job of keeping you DVR at good temps.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.


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## TimeShifter2009

mom2jel said:


> 35mm x 10mm
> 2 pin
> 12 volt
> 
> I'm buying the Evercool one from Amazon: Amazon.com: Evercool 35mm x 10mm 12 Volt Everlube Bearing Fan w/2 Pin 7mm Connector EC3510H12E: Computers & Accessories for $8.99


Excellent, thank you


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## al_wilson2

I'm perplexed by this fan noise. I bought my first OTA Roamio about a year ago. 1 month in, it had fan noise. I exchanged it at Best Buy. My replacement started excessive fan noise a few months later. This noise continued non-stop for probably half a year! I rearranged my living room last Monday. I put a mini on the TV, and placed the Roamio on the floor where the antenna comes in (until I find a place to run the antenna to a basement TV). The noise kept going through the week. Come Friday morning, I called Tivo to check into the warranty and replacement/exchange options. I went round with support trying to tell me noise is expected from the hard drive, etc. After forcefully telling support that I'm a computer professional, and that the fan is faulty/noisy, support gave me the replacement options. It costs $50 and a full deposit, to get a replacement unit before returning this one. I decided I would fix it myself, so I ordered the evercool fan off Amazon as soon as I got off the phone. Later, that Friday night, the noise went away and has continued quietly for 4 days now. What gives???? The day I call Tivo, the noise finally goes away. I'm almost thinking that Tivo knows of these fan issues. They could have easily flagged my Tivo, and pushed out an update that lowered the fan speed. There is another possibility, though. There is no TV hooked up to HDMI since I re-arranged the room. Maybe the internal temperature dropped over 4 days of not using the video output, and hence the fan speed happened to drop on the same day that I called Tivo. Any thoughts? If you have a noisy Roamio OTA 1TB, try calling support. See if your Roamio quiets down that same day also.


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## phox_mulder

I've now had to replace the fan in my Roamio Basic, and one of my Roamio OTA's, while the other OTA has remained as quiet as can be, very hard to tell it is even getting power.
I got them all within 6 months of one another.


phox


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## Series3Sub

It is cheaper and faster to just get a laptop fan. Nothing fancy, just one, straight forward fan that the TiVo can rest upon. The fan is powerd by the TiVo's USB port. I have this on TWO of my Roamios (basic--like the OTA). Now they report much cooler temps and don't spin as fast making the loud noise. They are quiet Roamios now. Less money, time, and hassle, and no missed recordings or reboots due to the DYI fan solution. This also works on my Hopper WS in an enclosure, and one does not want to open Hoppers because it voids RMA's to Dish, so laptop fan only solution.

Best of luck.


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## Series3Sub

al_wilson2 said:


> I'm perplexed by this fan noise. I bought my first OTA Roamio about a year ago. 1 month in, it had fan noise. I exchanged it at Best Buy. My replacement started excessive fan noise a few months later. This noise continued non-stop for probably half a year! I rearranged my living room last Monday. I put a mini on the TV, and placed the Roamio on the floor where the antenna comes in (until I find a place to run the antenna to a basement TV). The noise kept going through the week. Come Friday morning, I called Tivo to check into the warranty and replacement/exchange options. I went round with support trying to tell me noise is expected from the hard drive, etc. After forcefully telling support that I'm a computer professional, and that the fan is faulty/noisy, support gave me the replacement options. It costs $50 and a full deposit, to get a replacement unit before returning this one. I decided I would fix it myself, so I ordered the evercool fan off Amazon as soon as I got off the phone. Later, that Friday night, the noise went away and has continued quietly for 4 days now. What gives???? The day I call Tivo, the noise finally goes away. I'm almost thinking that Tivo knows of these fan issues. They could have easily flagged my Tivo, and pushed out an update that lowered the fan speed. There is another possibility, though. There is no TV hooked up to HDMI since I re-arranged the room. Maybe the internal temperature dropped over 4 days of not using the video output, and hence the fan speed happened to drop on the same day that I called Tivo. Any thoughts? If you have a noisy Roamio OTA 1TB, try calling support. See if your Roamio quiets down that same day also.


I can tell you that a few degrees, even just 2 or 4 degrees, can make all the difference in the world with how a fan, this Roamio fan (virtually identical to the OTA) will respond. I had quite an experience just as you with the fan spinning noisy away with just a few degrees of difference. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it for myself.

I'm glad you got the fan you did because it is affordable and cheaper than my solution. Many people have gotten more expensive fans or even purchased them from Weaknees--a fine business I have used in the past, but VERY expensive. Your solution chaper than mine, but I am so dang busy that I'll either never get around to installing the fan, or miss recordings because I get interrupted. It can take me a WEEK to assemble furnature becase of TIME. It is sad. But I'm willing to just get a laptop fan and be done with it in a minute and not miss a recording and not have disconnect all the cables (and that truly is the most difficult part; it is a HUGE effort in my sytems) to clear the table, clean it back up, then have to RE-connect--at great difficulty--all the cables again when I can just get a laptop fan and be done with it. I dread any RMA's because I've got to get all the cables disconnected from the system. Heaven help me.

Glad your solution worked out for you. I know what you've been through.


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## phox_mulder

Just to add in some data.
One of my Roamio's that I had previously replaced the fan, is making noise again.

Without taking it apart, I don't know if it's the one I fixed with a Weaknees Fan, or the one I fixed with the Amazon fan.

I ordered a couple cheap laptop chiller pads from Amazon, and I think I'm just going to pull power to the noisy fan, and try the chiller pad for a while and see if it's less noisy and same temp or less.

phox


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## Barnstormer

I wish I had found this thread a few days ago before I ordered a new Roamio fan for a lot more money. OTOH, given the value in Roamio OTA and the money I have saved by not having cable, I guess I can afford this mistake.

I tried lubricating my noisy fan, but it did not help. I powered it up with the cover off and it's still very noisy. I put the cover on and that makes no difference in the oise level So, it's time to replace it. 

Edited to add below:

When I wrote the above i had not yet reconnected the Tivo with the noisy fan to my TV. I did so and much to my amazement the fan noise is almost imperceptible. Very quite, no funny sounds, just the faint hum of a fan in motion. 

Is there something about fully reconnecting the Tivo to the TV and antenna that would cause this? I can't imagine it would be so, but, that is the only difference I can see. Yes, I did let the fan run for several minutes while disconnected and on the work bench after I sprayed lubricant into it.


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## BBM_Pig_Bob

This chap in the video below dug into his Tivo Roamio to determine cause of noise. It was the fan. He applied Deoxit DN5, and had to let it run for some time before silence returned.

What lube did you use? I heard mention of WD-40 and Sewing Machine oil. I will try the Sewing Machine Oil on mine and let you know.

Also, having a hard time spending $40 USD on a new fan from the fine folks at WeakNees. I'd appreciate any updated links to Amazon (or Sunon) fan replacements... in case the oil doesn't work.

Thanks!

YouTube Vid: 




PS = Delighted to find this community!


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## MikeBear

BBM_Pig_Bob said:


> This chap in the video below dug into his Tivo Roamio to determine cause of noise. It was the fan. He applied Deoxit DN5, and had to let it run for some time before silence returned.
> 
> What lube did you use? I heard mention of WD-40 and Sewing Machine oil. I will try the Sewing Machine Oil on mine and let you know.
> 
> Also, having a hard time spending $40 USD on a new fan from the fine folks at WeakNees. I'd appreciate any updated links to Amazon (or Sunon) fan replacements... in case the oil doesn't work.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> YouTube Vid:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PS = Delighted to find this community!


I think this is the best oil you can buy, for a purpose such as this: Amazon.com: Liquid Bearings with extra long 3" needle tip, The TOP QUALITY 100%-synthetic oil for sewing machines and sergers, makes them quieter and smoother, eliminates the stalling and humming when trying to slow-stitch, odorless even when your machine gets hot!


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## EvKing

I was able to silence my noisy Roamio fan by using Andis clipper oil (for hair clippers). I was really irritated by the prospect of ordering a new fan and removing the main board just to install it, so I made a long-shot attempt to lubricate the fan. It has been 3 days and the fan is still silent and the board temperature is good (MBT below 40)!

Here's what I did. Other posters mentioned that unlike larger cooling fans there is no lubrication point under the fan label. So where exactly to put the oil? I closely examined the Roamio fan and noticed a small gap along the inner circumference of the fan. The gap is visible on the side of the fan closest to the main board. I'm guessing that there's a shaft or cylinder around which the fan blade spins. I placed ONE drop of clipper carefully on that gap and fired up the power. The blade hung for a moment and then spun to life. No noise! 

I'm not sure how long this will last but it has worked so far. Fingers crossed...


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## TK978

Posted my review on Amazon about using Evercool fan. Discovered you can pull the spring clips out of their housing on both old and new fan. See pictures in my review
Amazon.com: TK978's review of Evercool 35mm x 10mm 12 Volt Everlube Bear...


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## M3 Pete

I was thinking about getting this fan. MC35101V2-000U-A99 Sunon Fans | Fans, Thermal Management | DigiKey
It's a Sunon MC35101V2-0000-A99 (6.5 CFM, 22 dBA, 43 mA, .52 watts), so it moves more air, is considerably quieter, and uses less power than the Evercool (5.5 CFM, 35 dBA, 120 mA (1.44 watts)). It also outperforms the Gdstime fan (4.9 CFM, 26 dBA, 80 mA (0.96 watts), 9000 RPM)

Sunon claims that their MagLev fans stay quieter over the life of the fan compared to ball bearing fans, YMMV. Sunon claims that this has a 70,000 hour life expectancy, which is 8 years. I cannot find any lifetime specs for the Evercool.
Here is the link to the Sunon spec sheet: 文件檔案視窗

The Sunon has bare leads so you would have to cut the connector off the old fan and splice the wires together, but that's not a big deal if you have basic wiring skills.

This is a 7500 rpm fan. You can get the 9500 rpm model (MC35101V1-0000-A99), but it only increases airflow to 7.0 CFM and increases noise to 28 dBA, and uses 0.2 more watts (60 mA, .72 watts), for the same price, so I don't see any reason to use it.


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## DeWayneD

Series3Sub said:


> The one I picked up for both DVR's is the Targus Laptop Chill Mat (black), not the "_Lap_ Chill" model, but the "_Laptop_ Chill Mat" model. The "Laptop Chill" has a clean surface while the "Lap Chill" has four, smaill, raised pieces used to fit a laptop securly on the fan. These raised pieces are not necessary for the DVR's, but the "Lap" model could also be used for DVR's. I bought it (the Targus _*Laptop*_ Chill Mat) because it was among the _least expensive_ (or reasonabley priced) but not the cheapest, and it had a good shape and seemed to be well made. I picked mine up at Office Depot (brick and mortar store near home) for $20 a little over 3 years ago. However, looking at the sites for OD and Staples today, those fans are now going for $29. Ouch, what an increase. But it is worth it and less expensive than DYI replace the internal fan.
> 
> The Targus Laptop Chill Mat (black) is quiet, has a simple almost square shap, and blends well underneath the DVR and this particular laptop fan is slimmer than some others, so the addtional height of the DVR resting upon it does NOT add much height if the DVR is in an enclosure. This fan does the job. It is not necessary to get those expensive laptop cooling fans because it is more than you need for the job of keeping you DVR at good temps.
> 
> Good luck and let us know how it turns out.


Thank you Series3Sub. I tried an Evercool fan from Amazon (New July 1, 2017 - Noise now 8-23-2017). So I will go with your suggestion of a laptop fan. and remove the internal one. $20 at Best Buy. Will be half the price of a fan from Weaknees. Hope this works.


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## atlblaze

man wish I had seen all this before I ordered my roamio OTA. After owning it for little more than a week, the fan all of a sudden started to make a ton of noise. 

Getting it replaced now..... but I have little doubt that the replacement will eventually go bad as well.
Heh, hopefully longer than a week though!

And oy vey, huge deposit to to get them to ship a replacement out immediately. MORE money than I paid for the device since I bought mine at a discount..... deposit is the full amount, plus taxes.


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## Series3Sub

DeWayneD said:


> Thank you Series3Sub. I tried an Evercool fan from Amazon (New July 1, 2017 - Noise now 8-23-2017). So I will go with your suggestion of a laptop fan. and remove the internal one. $20 at Best Buy. Will be half the price of a fan from Weaknees. Hope this works.


Glad to help, but just to make sure, I do use the laptop fan with the original internal fan still working. I have never used this solution without an internal fan functioning. So, it would be wise to just leave the current fan in place if it is working. I can't say how it would work without even the louse original internal fan in place. I hope that helps out. If you are going to use the laptop fan with NO internal fan at all, then you might consider a more powerful laptop fan.

So, just to be clear, for both my TiVo and Dish Hopper, I do not remove their fans, but simply place a laptop fan underneath and connect to the USB port and let them cool.
Good Luck.


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## ElectricalEngineer

gespears said:


> Let us know how well they work as far as noise and air flow are concerned.
> Thanks


As an engineer, I have seen many mistakes made in replacing fans with good intentions. The size is obvious (35mm X 35mm X 10mm), along with the Voltage (12V) and 2 wire connector. What needs to be carefully taken into account, is the CFM, pressure, amperage, longevity, and noise (for sanity sake).
A very good replacement which will exceed the OEM in just about every category is the SUNON MF35101V1-1000U-A99
7.2CFM, .22" H2O, .06A, 28dBA, 70,000hrs MTBF, VAPO bearing.
Nothing else, including the OEM, comes close to these specs.


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## DeWayneD

Series3Sub said:


> Glad to help, but just to make sure, I do use the laptop fan with the original internal fan still working. I have never used this solution without an internal fan functioning. So, it would be wise to just leave the current fan in place if it is working. I can't say how it would work without even the louse original internal fan in place. I hope that helps out. If you are going to use the laptop fan with NO internal fan at all, then you might consider a more powerful laptop fan.
> 
> So, just to be clear, for both my TiVo and Dish Hopper, I do not remove their fans, but simply place a laptop fan underneath and connect to the USB port and let them cool.
> Good Luck.


Series3sub, I did not remove the internal fan, For some reason, after adding the laptop fan, the internal fan has quieted down????


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## M3 Pete

M3 Pete said:


> I was thinking about getting this fan. MC35101V2-000U-A99 Sunon Fans | Fans, Thermal Management | DigiKey
> It's a Sunon MC35101V2-0000-A99 (6.5 CFM, 22 dBA, 43 mA, .52 watts), so it moves more air, is considerably quieter, and uses less power than the Evercool (5.5 CFM, 35 dBA, 120 mA (1.44 watts)). It also outperforms the Gdstime fan (4.9 CFM, 26 dBA, 80 mA (0.96 watts), 9000 RPM)
> 
> Sunon claims that their MagLev fans stay quieter over the life of the fan compared to ball bearing fans, YMMV. Sunon claims that this has a 70,000 hour life expectancy, which is 8 years. I cannot find any lifetime specs for the Evercool.
> Here is the link to the Sunon spec sheet: 文件檔案視窗
> 
> The Sunon has bare leads so you would have to cut the connector off the old fan and splice the wires together, but that's not a big deal if you have basic wiring skills.
> 
> This is a 7500 rpm fan. You can get the 9500 rpm model (MC35101V1-0000-A99), but it only increases airflow to 7.0 CFM and increases noise to 28 dBA, and uses 0.2 more watts (60 mA, .72 watts), for the same price, so I don't see any reason to use it.


I have had this Sunon fan installed for a couple months now. The old fan was very noisy and this is a big improvement. But it's not silent. There is a whir and an airflow sound that is clearly audible in a quiet room, but I can't hear it with the TV on. So if the goal is dead quiet, maybe this is not the fan for you.

ElectricalEngineer posted about the higher flow version (MC35101V1-0000-A99), but I assume that's even more noise. I think the original fan is 5.5 CFM, so 6.5 should be more than enough.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Series3Sub

DeWayneD said:


> Series3sub, I did not remove the internal fan, For some reason, after adding the laptop fan, the internal fan has quieted down????


Yes, and before the feature was taken away by TiVO, I was able to confirm that the internal temp for the TiVO was way down to normal range after placing it on the working laptop fan. FWIW, I think Dish also took away the internal temp reading in the Hopper 3 and older Hoppers upgraded to their new Carbon UI. Temp readings was an extremely useful, but these companies keep taking such data away.

It's fine if people want to DYI the internal fan, I just offer the laptop fan solution for those with no DYI skills or even for DYI'ers who just want and easier and potentially LESS expensive solution, and no missing any recordings nor the family waiting for you to put the TiVo back together for their use, and the laptop solution requires virtually no time at all to perform. I can't tell you how many times I've paid people to do things that I was perfectly capable of doing myself, but I just didn't have the time, and it was NEVER getting done, so I paid and shed a few tears.


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## HerronScott

Series3Sub said:


> Yes, and before the feature was taken away by TiVO, I was able to confirm that the internal temp for the TiVO was way down to normal range after placing it on the working laptop fan. FWIW, I think Dish also took away the internal temp reading in the Hopper 3 and older Hoppers upgraded to their new Carbon UI. Temp readings was an extremely useful, but these companies keep taking such data away.


I still have temperature on my Roamio Pro? On the System Information page, it's MBT:Internal Temperature 35 (for mine).

Scott


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## Series3Sub

HerronScott said:


> I still have temperature on my Roamio Pro? On the System Information page, it's MBT:Internal Temperature 35 (for mine).
> 
> Scott


I shall Re-check my Roamio (basic). Last time I could NOT find the temp for the life of me, and I just about ALWAYS checked it. I will make it a point to report back here if I find it or not. Thanks for your report on you Roamio Pro.


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## Thom

Series3Sub said:


> I shall Re-check my Roamio (basic). Last time I could NOT find the temp for the life of me, and I just about ALWAYS checked it. I will make it a point to report back here if I find it or not. Thanks for your report on you Roamio Pro.


Base Roamio temperature is shown on the 1st or 2nd screen of System Information. Look for MBT which stands for Main Board Temperature.

I have 4 base Roamios. 3 of them hover around an MBT of 50. The 4th was always at least 15+ above the other 3, and it will have an OVERHEAT shutdown if the room warms up.

I removed the heat sink, cleaned the chip top and heat sink surface, put on a ball of MX4 heat sink compound, with no change.

I installed a new ball bearing cooling fan with no change.

I turned the fan around so it pulled room air into the main board compartment and pushed it into the hard drive compartment, no change.

Finally, I cut some cardboard to make an airflow shroud, forcing the fan air to flow through the heat sink fins before entering the fan. This helped. Now my problem base Roamio hovers around an MBT of 60 when the other three are hovering around 50. At least I don't have overheats any more.

I'm thinking of turning the fan back around like it was originally, pulling air from the hard drive compartment and pushing it into the main board compartment, while leaving the cardboard shroud in place. TiVo must have had a reason to orient it like that, hopefully. And maybe I'll add a larger quantity of MX4 compound.


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## rkelleyrtp

Thought I would add my $0.02.

The fan on my 1yr old Tivio Romio OTA starting making some grinding noises lately. After watching the youtube video (posted earlier in this thread), I opened the case, cleaned out the dust, and added 1 quick spray of WD40 to the fan (from the motherboard side). I pointed the WD40 "straw" into the crevice between the fan blade and static assembly. Problem solved! Fan runs quiet - just like new. 

Also, it seems this fan is speed controlled from the motherboard (even with the 2pin connection). When first powering on the unit, the fan runs at full speed. After 30secs or so, it slowed down to a quiet purr.


----------



## Thom

rkelleyrtp said:


> Thought I would add my $0.02.
> 
> The fan on my 1yr old Tivio Romio OTA starting making some grinding noises lately. After watching the youtube video (posted earlier in this thread), I opened the case, cleaned out the dust, and added 1 quick spray of WD40 to the fan (from the motherboard side). I pointed the WD40 "straw" into the crevice between the fan blade and static assembly. Problem solved! Fan runs quiet - just like new.
> 
> Also, it seems this fan is speed controlled from the motherboard (even with the 2pin connection). When first powering on the unit, the fan runs at full speed. After 30secs or so, it slowed down to a quiet purr.


The main board uses pulse width modulation to control the fan speed. If you were to put a meter across the two fan leads, it would look like the main board is raising the fan voltage to get a faster speed. If you looked at the same two leads with an oscilloscope, you would see a series of voltage pulses that are all the same voltage, but the "on" time of the pulses widens to create a faster fan speed, and narrows to create a slower fan speed.


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## M3 Pete

rkelleyrtp said:


> When first powering on the unit, the fan runs at full speed. After 30 secs or so, it slowed down to a quiet purr.


When I replaced my fan, this happened to me as well. I thought, wow, that's really loud, but like you said, it slows and quiets after a short time.


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## Series3Sub

Well, I think I know I was confused. I was thrown off by the new UI that had changed where the System Info was located, and then I further confused the fact that Dish took away the temp reading, and I _thought_ TiVo did, as well. I got Dish and TiVo new UI changes confused in my mind. FWIW, Dish also changed the Hoppers to the new Carbon UI at the same time TiVo changed to the new all WHITE UI. Talk about dealing with too much change at once!

Thanks to all, I followed your directions and now know TiVo did indeed keep the MBT info, and that is great. It still took me about a minute to find--once again--where TiVo buried the System Info in the new UI. Good Grief.

I have a Romio (basic) and an S3 648 w/OLED in the same room, and here are the temp readings:

*Roamio (with internal and laptop fan): MBT = 42
S3 648 OLED = 48C (Normal)*

So, the Roamio is running significantly cooler than the S3 even with the S3's very good internal fan design. I can tell you that before placing the Roamio on the laptop fan, the internal fan would spin LOUD and I do remember a much higher reading for MBT on the Roamio. But with the laptop fan, even when the room gets warm, the Roamio internal fan NEVER runs loud, and is still in normal MBT range. Again, laptop fan also solved my Dish Hopper WS in an enclosed cabinet that also would run very loud and HOT, to the point the box would seem to be slow and buggy, and with Dish, opening the box will void warranty/free repalcement (pay only shipping or pay monthly Protection fee and have as many RMA with no shipping charge). So laptop fan the only solution for Dish. The nice thing about the laptop fan solution for TiVo is that ANYONE can do this and most TiVo owners won't even consider opeing the box and getting a new internal fan, etc., so it is a great solution for grandma and non-techies.

Thanks again to all for the help with confirming MBT on Roamio.


----------



## k2ue

ElectricalEngineer said:


> As an engineer, I have seen many mistakes made in replacing fans with good intentions. The size is obvious (35mm X 35mm X 10mm), along with the Voltage (12V) and 2 wire connector. What needs to be carefully taken into account, is the CFM, pressure, amperage, longevity, and noise (for sanity sake).
> A very good replacement which will exceed the OEM in just about every category is the SUNON MF35101V1-1000U-A99
> 7.2CFM, .22" H2O, .06A, 28dBA, 70,000hrs MTBF, VAPO bearing.
> Nothing else, including the OEM, comes close to these specs.


Another EE checks in: Sunon's Data Sheet says PWM is not allowed on that fan series, removing it from contention. At equilibrium with the cover off the average voltage on the fan was found to be 9.1V. The MBT in that condition is 29C, and the hottest points on the board are 49C, i.e. 20C hotter, and the hottest point on the HD 33C.

Today I measured the RPM of the original fan removed from a brand new Roamio OTA using a digital tachometer, and found it to be 4000 RPM with 12.0V applied in free air. The most promising quiet replacement appears to be the Orion OD3510-12LLB, 4500 RPM, 17 dBA, 3.0CFM, 70,000 hours, dual ball bearing. I have ordered two and will report back.


----------



## k2ue

k2ue said:


> Another EE checks in: Sunon's Data Sheet says PWM is not allowed on that fan series, removing it from contention. At equilibrium with the cover off the average voltage on the fan was found to be 9.1V. The MBT in that condition is 29C, and the hottest points on the board are 49C, i.e. 20C hotter, and the hottest point on the HD 33C.
> 
> Today I measured the RPM of the original fan removed from a brand new Roamio OTA using a digital tachometer, and found it to be 4000 RPM with 12.0V applied in free air. The most promising quiet replacement appears to be the Orion OD3510-12LLB, 4500 RPM, 17 dBA, 3.0CFM, 70,000 hours, dual ball bearing. I have ordered two and will report back.


OK, the Orion noted above is a good fix, if you are willing to splice the wires to the original fan power plug. The Fan is quieter than the hard drive, and moves more air than the original. MBT is 10C above ambient at equilibrium and discharge air at right side rear has barely perceptible warmth.


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## gpgp

k2ue said:


> OK, the Orion noted above is a good fix, if you are willing to splice the wires to the original fan power plug. The Fan is quieter than the hard drive, and moves more air than the original. MBT is 10C above ambient at equilibrium and discharge air at right side rear has barely perceptible warmth.


How is the Orion fan you are suggesting working now after a couple weeks? Will this fan work in the newest Roamio OTA 1TB units? It's not clear to me if all Roamio models are physically the same, or there has been a design change (hence a different fan) over the years.

I watched the video in this thread and, without taking the unit part, it appears to be physically designed the same as what I have. I note the HDD in the video is 500GB whereas I have a 1TB unit.

I bought the Roamio OTA 1TB new from Best Buy November 25. This morning the fan was making a lot of noise. I did an exchange on may 19 day old system, but suspect that the new one will also get noisy all too soon.

If I'm not mistaken, is this the fan you are using?

OD3510-12LLB Orion Fans | Mouser

Frustrating that TiVo cut corners on the quality of the quality of the original fan. Will either bookmark the fan or maybe even proactively order one soon if it's still working well for you and compatible with my OTA 1TB. Thanks much.


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## JoeKustra

gpgp said:


> It's not clear to me if all Roamio models are physically the same, or there has been a design change (hence a different fan) over the years.


Those are two different things. Roamio OTA and base model are the same dimensionally. But the parts used can change. I have four. Made in 2013, 2014, 2015 and a BF special made 31 July 2017. I haven't opened it up yet. None have an audible fan or hard drive. All have about the same MBT. It has been speculated that the power can make a difference. Some have decided to use external power, avoiding the PWM used to control the duty cycle.

If a fan ever became noisy, I would replace it. I don't feel it will be very easy. And I don't know how it's mounted either. A lot to think about. My previous DVR boxes, Sony DHG, needed fans replaced. It was an adventure. Well, the whole DVR was an adventure.


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## foghorn2

Ive seen 3 distinct versions of the same fan. Some are better than others.


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## k2ue

gpgp said:


> How is the Orion fan you are suggesting working now after a couple weeks? Will this fan work in the newest Roamio OTA 1TB units? It's not clear to me if all Roamio models are physically the same, or there has been a design change (hence a different fan) over the years.
> 
> I watched the video in this thread and, without taking the unit part, it appears to be physically designed the same as what I have. I note the HDD in the video is 500GB whereas I have a 1TB unit.
> 
> I bought the Roamio OTA 1TB new from Best Buy November 25. This morning the fan was making a lot of noise. I did an exchange on may 19 day old system, but suspect that the new one will also get noisy all too soon.
> 
> If I'm not mistaken, is this the fan you are using?
> 
> OD3510-12LLB Orion Fans | Mouser
> 
> Frustrating that TiVo cut corners on the quality of the quality of the original fan. Will either bookmark the fan or maybe even proactively order one soon if it's still working well for you and compatible with my OTA 1TB. Thanks much.


Yes, still working quite well and recommended -- in a Roamio 1TB OTA, same as yours.


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## gpgp

Thank you! Now I feel like I have a plan on how to keep this unit working - hopefully for at least 3 years. I vacuum and blow the dust out of my PC servers that run 24x7 once a year and will plan on doing the same with the Roamio.


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## M3 Pete

k2ue said:


> Yes, still working quite well and recommended -- in a Roamio 1TB OTA, same as yours.


Just a quick update on my Sunon MC35101V2-0000-A99 (6.5 CFM, 22 dBA, 43 mA, .52 watts) regarding the MBT. The noise is the same, much better than the original fan, but not silent. On the plus side, however, it keeps my unit cool. I am at 32 MBT, even during playback. But given how quiet the Orion OD3510-12LLB is, it may be a better fan for this unit.

k2ue, what is the downside of using the non-PWM Sunon fan in this application? I am unlikely to change out the Sunon, given the 70,000 hour rating, unless using it adversely effects the TiVo


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## JoeKustra

M3 Pete said:


> On the plus side, however, it keeps my unit cool. I am at 32 MBT, even during playback.


That's really cool. Really really cool.


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## JoeKustra

I bought a 1TB new Roamio OTA on BF. Yesterday I unplugged the box and left it unplugged overnight. About 9am I applied power. It was loud. Very loud. I figured that a fan shouldn't fail after 30 days, but I wasn't too surprised either. I left it run for 3 hours. Another 1TB basic Roamio, only two feet away is very quiet. My quiet Roamio has a MBT of 37. My noisy Roamio has a MBT of 33. I think it's loud due to the fan running at full speed. I will have to check the fan, but if the PWM circuit is bad, another fan isn't going to help. This sucks.

I may have to result in external power for the fan. Any experience doing this? I have the needed skills.


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## LarryAtHome

My roamio OTA fan had become very noisy after about a year of service. After looking at various YouTube videos, I opened up my unit and found, that with the unit unplugged, the fan was stiff to spin. I pealed off the label on the fan to try to access the bearing, but found there was no access to the bearing, or the cover was not removable. Using a jack knife, I bore a very small hole in the Centre where the bearing should be and could see a cavity. The cover showed no signs of being able to be removed. Other fans I have removed the label and had access to the bearing or a rubber cover that was easy to remove. I placed an extremely small drop of sewing machine oil on this hole and plugged the TiVo back in. It took about 2 minutes of running and fan became quiet again. It has now been about a month and it is still running quiet. I expected this fix to not last very long, but has given me time to find and order a replacement fan. The two factors I must impress on are that the hole I bored into the center of the fan motor to access the bearing is VERY SMALL, and I used only a VERY SMALL drop of sewing machine oil. Other fans I have tried this on did not a long time before becoming noisy again. The main purpose of this was to reduce the noise from the fan and gain time to find and order a replacement fan.
On my Bolt, I have added a 12 volt fan powered by the USB port to blow air over the back of the unit by the coax connector. It only takes a small amount of air movement to keep it cool.


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## JoeKustra

LarryAtHome said:


> My roamio OTA fan had become very noisy after about a year of service. After looking at various YouTube videos, I opened up my unit and found, that with the unit unplugged, the fan was stiff to spin. I pealed off the label on the fan to try to access the bearing, but found there was no access to the bearing, or the cover was not removable. Using a jack knife, I bore a very small hole in the Centre where the bearing should be and could see a cavity. The cover showed no signs of being able to be removed. Other fans I have removed the label and had access to the bearing or a rubber cover that was easy to remove. I placed an extremely small drop of sewing machine oil on this hole and plugged the TiVo back in. It took about 2 minutes of running and fan became quiet again. It has now been about a month and it is still running quiet. I expected this fix to not last very long, but has given me time to find and order a replacement fan. The two factors I must impress on are that the hole I bored into the center of the fan motor to access the bearing is VERY SMALL, and I used only a VERY SMALL drop of sewing machine oil. Other fans I have tried this on did not a long time before becoming noisy again. The main purpose of this was to reduce the noise from the fan and gain time to find and order a replacement fan.
> On my Bolt, I have added a 12 volt fan powered by the USB port to blow air over the back of the unit by the coax connector. It only takes a small amount of air movement to keep it cool.


Thanks. I also noticed that the usual warm spot (at the RF connection) is not warm. I have too much air flow.


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## gpgp

My first Roamio OTA fan lasted 19 days before it got noisy (bought it from Best Buy during the $300 Black Friday sale). Now the 2nd replacement unit that I got from Best Buy on December 14 is getting noisy after 25 days. It's not as noisy as the first unit when I first noticed it, but it's starting.

Does anyone know if Tivo puts better quality fans in the units that they repair or replace through their service center? I'm trying to decide if I want to do that while it's still under warranty vs. replacing the fan myself with a better quality.

Also, has anyone ordered the power connector for the fan? If I decide to do it myself, I'll probably go with the Orion fan and would like to avoid cutting the connector off the original fan in the event I need to send the entire unit back for some other reason while still under warranty. I read elsewhere where it might be a PH2.0-2P. I can't find a good source for getting this connector (or pigtail) in the US and may order another fan specifically for a Tivo (presumably not as good as the Orion) just to get the connector unless someone has a good source for the PH2.0-2P (if that is what it is). I fund a few options, but after shipping it'll probably be cheaper to just get another entire fan.

Thanks in advance. This is my first Tivo. The unit works great but the hardware is a huge disappointment.


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## JoeKustra

gpgp said:


> My first Roamio OTA fan lasted 19 days before it got noisy (bought it from Best Buy during the $300 Black Friday sale). Now the 2nd replacement unit that I got from Best Buy on December 14 is getting noisy after 25 days. It's not as noisy as the first unit when I first noticed it, but it's starting.


Here's what I'm doing. I just bought two fans since 6 weeks after buying the Roamio OTA at the BF sale the fan became very loud. I have three other basic Roamio boxes and none have a loud fan. One has a date of 13 Sep 2013. I'm going to take the box apart to see if it's the fan or the circuit that tells the fan to run at a specific speed. Why? Because the MBT on all my old boxes is from 37C to 41C. The noisy unit is 33C. If it's not the fan I may have to go to plan b and drive the fan externally. If either of the fans I bought work ok, then I can conclude something is wrong with the new stuff. I'll know next week.


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## gpgp

My Roamio OTA was manufactured 31-Jul-17. The MBT Internal Temperature is presently 36 in a room that's about 19 C (66 F). It might be slightly warmer on the shelf where it's sitting, but not much (it's not fully enclosed). The room temperature varies from 15-20 C since I bought the Tivo.

Looking forward to your results next week. What fans did you purchase?


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## JoeKustra

gpgp said:


> My Roamio OTA was manufactured 31-Jul-17. The MBT Internal Temperature is presently 36 in a room that's about 19 C (66 F). It might be slightly warmer on the shelf where it's sitting, but not much (it's not fully enclosed). The room temperature varies from 15-20 C since I bought the Tivo.
> Looking forward to your results next week. What fans did you purchase?


The Mouser and this one from Amazon -> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LRTQBLA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had an older DVR (Sony DHG) and replaced the fans. They were 120mm, so they could really make noise.

36C in a 66F room is normal. My quiet Roamio starts the day at 36C in a 68F room. I also have my TiVo boxes on 1/2 feet, which is good for 1C. BTW, one basic Roamio has a 1TB drive, another has a 3TB drive and is a bit warmer.

Also, I have two Mini boxes with a very quiet fan on top. Probably not needed, but each has its wireless bridge on top. So they have a MBT of 33C. With no fan it's 50C or higher. But that's a Mini.


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## JoeKustra

gpgp said:


> Looking forward to your results next week. What fans did you purchase?


I just did the job using the Amazon fan. It already has the connector which, while different, as is the fan, fit perfectly. The OEM fan is five blades also - the new one seven blades.

It's warming up now. Want tips?

update: MBT has stabilized at 37C. Quiet as a ....


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## gpgp

Thanks for the update. So the connector on the Amazon fan works okay so that you didn't have to cut off and reuse the connector from the original fan wires?

Glad to hear its working. Can you tell yet if the system board is properly controlling the fan RPM? 37 MBT sounds about where it should be, correct?

I'll probably order the same two fans . Looks like I can get the Orion fan through Amazon also, a bit more expensive but will get me free shipping on the Evercool one, probably making the overall price about the same.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6RQYQE/

So far my Roamio is only slightly louder than it was the first three weeks, but I"m expecting that to decline.


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## JoeKustra

gpgp said:


> Thanks for the update. So the connector on the Amazon fan works okay so that you didn't have to cut off and reuse the connector from the original fan wires?
> Glad to hear its working. Can you tell yet if the system board is properly controlling the fan RPM? 37 MBT sounds about where it should be, correct?
> I'll probably order the same two fans . Looks like I can get the Orion fan through Amazon also, a bit more expensive but will get me free shipping on the Evercool one, probably making the overall price about the same.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6RQYQE/
> So far my Roamio is only slightly louder than it was the first three weeks, but I"m expecting that to decline.


Connector worked. Like I said, this is not an identical fan. But it works and the connector fits. My other Roamio, only 2 feet away and also 1TB is the same MBT. Only minor issue is the long wires. But even though it's an OTA, I had a cable card bracket installed. Removing that was required. I would do it first and watch those tiny screws. Since I have replaced the hard drives, I have all three Torx drivers. I would not attempt this job without the right tools.

I'd post the part number of the old fan, but my Chinese is a bit rusty.


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## TheFanMan

Hi guys! New to the forum but not to fans, lol. My name is Gary, and I'm the guy (The Fan Van) selling the Evercool "Tivo" fan on Amazon. (I also have the same fan listed as a Fan Van brand Tivo fan.) I've been working with my distributors to try to get these fans manufactured with the 2 pin mini molex connector like the original, (the Evercool fan has a PH2.0-2P connector, which works but is a little different from the oem fan) but the issue at the moment is Evercool wants a MOQ of 5000 fans to do a connector change, and my other distributor (Dynatron/Top Motor) will do a smaller MOQ but they're not tooled up to do a 35mm fan. I am, however, having them make me the 50mm fan for the Roamio Plus and Pro with the correct connector. It's going to be a quieter fan than the original with a longer life span. By the way, don't waste your time with the GDStime 35mm fan, it's garbage.


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## foghorn2

TheFanMan said:


> ... By the way, don't waste your time with the GDStime 35mm fan, it's garbage.


You are right, they last the most 6 months then get very loud.
You should sell them @ frys also. They only sell 30mm &40mm, no 35


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## johnpowers

I am seeing some mixed reviews on the Evercool on Amazon, but for the price, it is a bargain if you don't mind changing them out.


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## TheFanMan

johnpowers said:


> I am seeing some mixed reviews on the Evercool on Amazon, but for the price, it is a bargain if you don't mind changing them out.


I've sold hundreds of these in the last 2.5 years, so far they have proven to be very reliable. I've toyed with the idea of doing a connector change in-house, but it would be very time consuming (I would have to splice, solder and shrink wrap each one) and most who have used one seem to have no real issues with the connector that's on there.


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## JoeKustra

TheFanMan said:


> I've sold hundreds of these in the last 2.5 years, so far they have proven to be very reliable. I've toyed with the idea of doing a connector change in-house, but it would be very time consuming (I would have to splice, solder and shrink wrap each one) and most who have used one seem to have no real issues with the connector that's on there.


No issues with the connector. I wish it included silicon mounts. When I installed it, I only used the top two screws. What can I say: it works.

I gave it 5 stars on Amazon.

This is my fourth Roamio going back to 2013. This one was built in 2017. It got noisy after 6 weeks. [no comments needed]


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## TheFanMan

The main reason I joined this forum is I'd like to get involved in trying to find good cooling solutions for all the different Tivo models and be eventually be able to offer them up for _reasonable_ prices. I'd like to provide some sample fans in exchange for some honest reviews. As far as the Roamio and Roamio OTA, the little Evercool 35mm x 10mm fan and the Fan Van branded one (same fan, different label) are going to be the ones I'm going to carry due to their track record and popularity. I'm having some 50mm x 20mm quiet dual ball bearing fans (2 Ball Bearing, 12V, 3700 rpm, 0.10a, 1.20w, 10.90cfm, 2.90mm/H2O, 24.30dBA) that I think will be a good fan for the Premiere, Pro and Plus Series and probably the Bolts also. There's also a 70mm x 25mm fan they used in the raised grill Tivos and other DVR's that I'm trying fins a good solution for.


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## TheFanMan

[QUOTE=" I wish it included silicon mounts. When I installed it, I only used the top two screws. What can I say: it works.
[/QUOTE]
I have the silicon fan mounting grommets I include with Dell fans - they have bigger holes, but maybe they'll fit. I'll go out to the shop and see. That would be a great thing to include, they work good at keeping down noise from vibrations.


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## TheFanMan

TheFanMan said:


> [QUOTE=" I wish it included silicon mounts. When I installed it, I only used the top two screws. What can I say: it works.


I have the silicon fan mounting grommets I include with Dell fans - they have bigger holes, but maybe they'll fit. I'll go out to the shop and see. That would be a great thing to include, they work good at keeping down noise from vibrations.[/QUOTE]

Not even close. Bummer. I'll have to ask my distributor, I don't recall seeing smaller fan mounting grommets. Do any of you guys know which ones fit or what they look like?


----------



## TheFanMan

I found grommets that work, they're the long ones, and you really have to tug on 'em to the point where you think they're going to snap but they eventually pop into place.


----------



## JoeKustra

TheFanMan said:


> I found grommets that work, they're the long ones, and you really have to tug on 'em to the point where you think they're going to snap but they eventually pop into place.


If I need to replace another fan I will keep you in mind. I had several old Sony DHG units that needed new fans. They were so hot that the internal wiring became brittle. The OEM mounts went to dust when I changed the fans (80mm) and it was not fun to find replacements.

As for cooling, just using 1/2" feet can drop the MBT by 1C.


----------



## TheFanMan

JoeKustra said:


> No issues with the connector. I wish it included silicon mounts. When I installed it, I only used the top two screws. What can I say: it works. I gave it 5 stars on Amazon.
> [no comments needed]


I'm offering it now on Amazon as a kit, the fan and the silicon mounts. But I've been told not to post a link, so use your imagination. Trying to find a couple Pro,Premiere, Plus, and Bolt users to test and review a couple fans.


----------



## cherry ghost

TheFanMan said:


> I'm offering it now on Amazon as a kit, the fan and the silicon mounts. But I've been told not to post a link, so use your imagination. Trying to find a couple Pro,Premiere, Plus, and Bolt users to test and review a couple fans.


I think it's okay to put a link in your signature


----------



## mlun

Has anyone tried one of the vacuum style laptop fans? It seems like this would pull air across the motherboard, rather than the laptop fans that sit underneath. But, the Tivo being thicker than a laptop and having the sloping sides, I wasn't sure whether any of the vacuum style fans would fit.

My Roamio was running at 52° when sitting on top my amplifier. It is at 47° when sitting on the tuning adapter. And it is at 43° when "floating" with nothing but air underneath. These are measured during a normal 80ish degree Hawaiian Day.


----------



## LarryAtHome

TheFanMan said:


> I would have to splice, solder and shrink wrap each one


The connector you are replacing it with would have to be crimped to the wire,(the connectors are sold with no wire attached) so just cut the bad connector off, strip and crimp the proper one. Crimp tools can be expensive,
but the result will be much more professional. You could even send the fans out to a place to have the new connectors crimped for you. Check for places that make electronic cables for different companies.


----------



## TheFanMan

LarryAtHome said:


> The connector you are replacing it with would have to be crimped to the wire,(the connectors are sold with no wire attached) so just cut the bad connector off, strip and crimp the proper one. Crimp tools can be expensive,
> but the result will be much more professional. You could even send the fans out to a place to have the new connectors crimped for you. Check for places that make electronic cables for different companies.


Moot point since nobody is having issues with the connector.


----------



## twinpop

TheFanMan said:


> Hi guys! New to the forum but not to fans, lol. My name is Gary, and I'm the guy (The Fan Van) selling the Evercool "Tivo" fan on Amazon. (I also have the same fan listed as a Fan Van brand Tivo fan.) I've been working with my distributors to try to get these fans manufactured with the 2 pin mini molex connector like the original, (the Evercool fan has a PH2.0-2P connector, which works but is a little different from the oem fan) but the issue at the moment is Evercool wants a MOQ of 5000 fans to do a connector change, and my other distributor (Dynatron/Top Motor) will do a smaller MOQ but they're not tooled up to do a 35mm fan. I am, however, having them make me the 50mm fan for the Roamio Plus and Pro with the correct connector. It's going to be a quieter fan than the original with a longer life span. By the way, don't waste your time with the GDStime 35mm fan, it's garbage.


Hey FanMan - I'm interested in buying your OTA replacement fan, but I'm a bit nervous about the necessary disassembly. Do you provide step by step instructions? I'm at a skill level roughly equivalent to the guy who posted the YouTube video who got stuck on the step where he couldn't access the two lower screws of the fan. I can open the unit, but I'm not sure how to get under that board and i'd hate to break something and end up paying $300+ for a brand new Roamio. On the other hand, if I can fix this thing for $15 I'd be much happier than sending it back to Tivo and getting a $50 replacement (which will probably just start making the same horrible noises within months). Thanks.


----------



## mlun

So, my fan is now making continuous loud noise regardless of the temp, so I am guessing I now have no choice but to replace the inside fan. I've been reading the discussion on replacements and a comment was made about PWM on the replacement fan. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think the Roamio uses true PWM, and thus any of the mentioned fans would work. As I understand it, true PWM usually requires 4 wire leads, one carrying the PWM signal and one carrying the RPM signal. My guess would be that the Roamio just uses the old fashioned (and less efficient) voltage regulation to control speed. It simply sends the fan more or less voltage based on the temp reading of the motherboard.


----------



## TheFanMan

twinpop said:


> Hey FanMan - I'm interested in buying your OTA replacement fan, but I'm a bit nervous about the necessary disassembly. Do you provide step by step instructions? I'm at a skill level roughly equivalent to the guy who posted the YouTube video who got stuck on the step where he couldn't access the two lower screws of the fan. I can open the unit, but I'm not sure how to get under that board and i'd hate to break something and end up paying $300+ for a brand new Roamio. On the other hand, if I can fix this thing for $15 I'd be much happier than sending it back to Tivo and getting a $50 replacement (which will probably just start making the same horrible noises within months). Thanks.


I don't have the model of Tivo, but I think there's a video on Youtube that shows you exactly how to take it apart and change the fan


----------



## twinpop

Excellent - I just found it on WeaKnees and it looks easy. Placing the order tonight - hoping that your replacement is an upgrade!


TheFanMan said:


> I don't have the model of Tivo, but I think there's a video on Youtube that shows you exactly how to take it apart and change the fan


----------



## twinpop

twinpop said:


> Excellent - I just found it on WeaKnees and it looks easy. Placing the order tonight - hoping that your replacement is an upgrade!


Ok FanMan - I've got your kit but I'm not familiar with these rubber grommets. Before I ruin one of these things, can you confirm for me which direction they get pulled through? I arranged the fan with the label towards the motherboard (that's consistent with the original fan). I think I push the grommet in from the motherboard side and pull it towards the hard drive... correct? I'm pretty sure that must be right, but thought I'd ask first! THANKS!!!


----------



## twinpop

twinpop said:


> Ok FanMan - I've got your kit but I'm not familiar with these rubber grommets. Before I ruin one of these things, can you confirm for me which direction they get pulled through? I arranged the fan with the label towards the motherboard (that's consistent with the original fan). I think I push the grommet in from the motherboard side and pull it towards the hard drive... correct? I'm pretty sure that must be right, but thought I'd ask first! THANKS!!!


Ooops. The two top grommets pulled through fine. Since the bottom grommet bumps up against the hard drive I had to pull the tail of the grommet at an angle and it quickly snapped. Now I have a fan that is only attached at two points, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't start vibrating against the metal. It's back together and working fine right now - quieter than ever!


----------



## JoeKustra

twinpop said:


> Ooops. The two top grommets pulled through fine. Since the bottom grommet bumps up against the hard drive I had to pull the tail of the grommet at an angle and it quickly snapped. Now I have a fan that is only attached at two points, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't start vibrating against the metal. It's back together and working fine right now - quieter than ever!


Before that fan was supplied with silicon feet, I replaced my fan and just used the top two screws. No vibration or noise problems.


----------



## TheFanMan

twinpop said:


> Ooops. The two top grommets pulled through fine. Since the bottom grommet bumps up against the hard drive I had to pull the tail of the grommet at an angle and it quickly snapped. Now I have a fan that is only attached at two points, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't start vibrating against the metal. It's back together and working fine right now - quieter than ever!


----------



## TheFanMan

PM me your address and I'll send you out a couple more grommets


----------



## HerronScott

twinpop said:


> Ooops. The two top grommets pulled through fine. Since the bottom grommet bumps up against the hard drive I had to pull the tail of the grommet at an angle and it quickly snapped.


Can you just pull the hard drive so you aren't pulling at an angle?

Scott


----------



## josim

After an attempt to lube my roamio OTA with 3 in 1 oil failed, after 2-3 weeks, I ordered the kit from Amazon. My install experience was similar with twinpop with the bottom grommet. I think I would recommend pulling the hard drive as HerronScott suggests or just use the existing torx screws. The fan is quiet and the MBT is 42C w/ room temp at 74F.


----------



## JoeKustra

josim said:


> After an attempt to lube my roamio OTA with 3 in 1 oil failed, after 2-3 weeks, I ordered the kit from Amazon. My install experience was similar with twinpop with the bottom grommet. I think I would recommend pulling the hard drive as HerronScott suggests or just use the existing torx screws. The fan is quiet and the MBT is 42C w/ room temp at 74F.


How old was the Roamio? My fan became loud after 6 weeks. I have two other basic Roamio boxes that are silent after years.


----------



## josim

JoeKustra said:


> How old was the Roamio? My fan became loud after 6 weeks. I have two other basic Roamio boxes that are silent after years.


Yeah, 6 weeks is about right. My original OTA was replaced for the bad fan on Dec 16th. I purchased it on the $199 w/all in deal around Thanksgiving. So my replacement OTA started screaming after 6-8 weeks. I tried the lube which failed in 3 weeks. I could have gotten another replacement I guess. Based on my own experience and what I have read on the net, I believe that Tivo got a batch of bad fans. So, I went with the fan replacement option.
My first Tivo ever is a Roamio Basic refurb w/lifetime & 3 year warranty which I purchased in Sept. 2015. It is still running with a replacement power brick I ordered after sever spontaneous reboots. I now suspect the reboots may have been due to one of the software/firmware "upgrades" 
BTW prior to Tivo I was using Windows Media Center w/cable card tuner.


----------



## twinpop

TheFanMan said:


> PM me your address and I'll send you out a couple more grommets


Hey FanMan - thanks for the offer, but it's back together and running whisper quiet (and has been for several days), so I'm not worried about it. I'll take a rain check for now!


----------



## derek87

TheFanMan said:


> I'm offering it now on Amazon as a kit, the fan and the silicon mounts. But I've been told not to post a link, so use your imagination. Trying to find a couple Pro,Premiere, Plus, and Bolt users to test and review a couple fans.


hi FanMan, et al.

glad to find this thread. i have a OTA that is 2 years old. it's never been very quiet, and more recently, its gotten very noisy so that i can hear it in the kitchen even though the Roamio is in the family room next door.

i followed the online video of using Deoxit, and it actually helped, but 3 weeks later, the noise is back to where it was previously.

FanMan: what are the advantages of the silicon mounts? is it meant to damp vibrations? or is just a way to avoid using the original screws/bolts. i'm not opposed to spending a few extra bucks, but want i want is a quiet fan that lasts. is the kit going to give me and advantage on these two issues over the standard evercool fan?

thanks!


----------



## derek87

k2ue said:


> Yes, still working quite well and recommended -- in a Roamio 1TB OTA, same as yours.


checking in a few months later. are you still happy with this fan? beyond needing to splice on the old connector, do the mount holes line up well enough? did you do the "two bolt" connection on top in the unfortunate event that you need to replace the fan again? thanks for any thoughts. trying to decide between this and the Evercool fan. i'm happy doing the quick splice job with the connector if this fan will last longer... (time is money!)


----------



## TheFanMan

derek87 said:


> hi FanMan, et al.
> 
> glad to find this thread. i have a OTA that is 2 years old. it's never been very quiet, and more recently, its gotten very noisy so that i can hear it in the kitchen even though the Roamio is in the family room next door.
> 
> i followed the online video of using Deoxit, and it actually helped, but 3 weeks later, the noise is back to where it was previously.
> 
> FanMan: what are the advantages of the silicon mounts? is it meant to damp vibrations? or is just a way to avoid using the original screws/bolts. i'm not opposed to spending a few extra bucks, but want i want is a quiet fan that lasts. is the kit going to give me and advantage on these two issues over the standard evercool fan?
> 
> thanks!


It's just a little quieter.


----------



## derek87

TheFanMan said:


> It's just a little quieter.


ok. from my experience, the noise isn't really from vibrations but the fan itself. probably my best bet is to get the basic fan then or the Orion.

does the Evercool have a MTBF waiting. people reporting that the Evercool fan dying 3-9 months later on some of the reviews is a bit disquieting.


----------



## JoeKustra

derek87 said:


> hi FanMan, et al.
> thanks!


I replace my fan before the silicon mounts were included. It works great -> Where to get roamio basic or OTA cooling fan replacement
I bought another since I have two other (older) Roamio boxes. I haven't needed it yet.


----------



## derek87

JoeKustra said:


> I replace my fan before the silicon mounts were included. It works great -> Where to get roamio basic or OTA cooling fan replacement
> I bought another since I have two other (older) Roamio boxes. I haven't needed it yet.


thanks for your thoughts. i'm leaning towards giving the Orion a shot, and if that doesn't work, i may revert to the EverCool. i'm definitely desiring to not have to do this every 3-9 months, so the specified MTBF for the Orion is an attraction to the engineer in me.


----------



## JoeKustra

derek87 said:


> thanks for your thoughts. i'm leaning towards giving the Orion a shot, and if that doesn't work, i may revert to the EverCool. i'm definitely desiring to not have to do this every 3-9 months, so the specified MTBF for the Orion is an attraction to the engineer in me.


Well.... I understand. My new TiVo OTA lasted under two months. My 2014 and 2015 TiVo boxes are still silent. The new fan is seven blades also. I briefly used another 2013 Roamio which was silent.

My experience with the new OTA box is not unique.


----------



## derek87

JoeKustra said:


> Well.... I understand. My new TiVo OTA lasted under two months. My 2014 and 2015 TiVo boxes are still silent. The new fan is seven blades also. I briefly used another 2013 Roamio which was silent.
> 
> My experience with the new OTA box is not unique.


yeah... i do think they probably made a poor choice in designing it with this small fan, and they probably had a bad batch. my Roamio was bought Oct 2015 and it has always been noisier than i would have liked. my friends 2014 (?) OTA is still silent after 4 or more years. i'm hoping the Orion pans out...being quieter than the hard drive, as suggested by the other member, really has me cautiously optimistic.


----------



## mlun

I ended up getting the Sunon medium speed fan.
http://www.newark.com/sunon/mc35101v2-0000-a99/axial-fan-maglevr-motor-medium/dp/58T4877
Other than having to splice the old connector onto the leads, the installation was fairly easy. It was only possible to use 3 mounting screws, as the wires blocked the 4th hole. Now that the new fan is in, the temperatures are about 7-9 degrees cooler than with the old fan. It is much quieter, but definitely not whisper quiet. Without other noises, one can definitely hear it from across the room. I believe I have heard it running at different speeds (loudnesses), but I can't say for certain. I chose the Sunon, because it moved more air (6.5 vs 5.5 CFM), while while still quieter (22 vs 35 dBA) than the Evercool. I figured since it would be operating 24/7 in 80-90 degree ambient temps, the higher airflow would be advisable. Now my motherboard temps are around 38 degrees when sitting on top of the Tuning Adapter, and 33 degrees when "floating". That is only about 15-20 degrees F above ambient which seems pretty good to me. I think the higher speed Sunon fan would have been needlessly noisier, without making a significant difference in temperature. I'm not sure how long the Evercool is supposed to last, but at 70,000 HRs (about 8 years), the Sunon seems more than adequate.


----------



## JoeKustra

mlun said:


> I ended up getting the Sunon medium speed fan.
> Now my motherboard temps are around 38 degrees when sitting on top of the Tuning Adapter, and 33 degrees when "floating". That is only about 15-20 degrees F above ambient which seems pretty good to me.


That's very good. My standard temperature is 37C. One box with a 3TB drive and limited empty space is usually 40C. I may change that fan this summer. All three basic Roamio boxes are below my hearing threshold.


----------



## derek87

i ended up with the Orion fan mentioned earlier. just under $14 shipped from Digikey 1st class mail.

i installed it last night: just like _mlun_, i found the install pretty painless. (Weaknees video was very clear so i knew what to expect) i spliced and electrical tape sealed on the old connector to the Orion (i am a horrible solderer). the Orion wires were too long and even after cutting then significantly (worrying about my own wire stripping abilities using my finger nails since this wire was too thin for my wire stripper), they were too long and i had to tuck a couple folds into the black retaining clip that holds the hard drive SATA and power cables. not pretty, but it works.

in short, it's quieter but not silent. its louder than the hard drive, and i can hear it faintly across a silent room, but it's definitely an improvement over the factory one which was always noisier. i too bought it because of the rated 70,000 hr MTBF. i decided to be optimistic and put all four retaining torx screws into the new fan with the hope i won't have to replace it anytime soon.

as k2ue suggested, even though it is rated at 3.0 CFM, it appears to move more air than the original. proof is in the temp: i'm running at 36 oC so it appears all good. (it was 37 oC for the original)


----------



## aaronwt

JoeKustra said:


> How old was the Roamio? My fan became loud after 6 weeks. I have two other basic Roamio boxes that are silent after years.


I still have a 2013 Roamio Basic, with it's original fan, that is still quiet.


----------



## TrueDisbeliever

JoeKustra said:


> ... My new TiVo OTA lasted under two months....
> My experience with the new OTA box is not unique.


@JoeKustra ,

{New to the forum, not (yet) a TiVo owner/user.}



It was quiet for only two months, or substantially failed after two months?

I'm trying to decide whether the purchase a Roamio or build my own system using guidelines from Tukka. Low noise and reliability are two important criteria in my case.

Thanks for your time,


----------



## JoeKustra

TrueDisbeliever said:


> @JoeKustra ,
> {New to the forum, not (yet) a TiVo owner/user.}
> 
> It was quiet for only two months, or substantially failed after two months?
> I'm trying to decide whether the purchase a Roamio or build my own system using guidelines from Tukka. Low noise and reliability are two important criteria in my case.
> Thanks for your time,


First, I have two basic Roamio boxes running (2014/2015), one Premiere box running and two TiVo boxes off-line. None make any noise. One was built in 2013.

I bought the OTA on BF. I ran it for a month. Then I pulled power for a week. When I applied power it was loud. Nothing else was loud. I thought it was running at 100% since my MBT was lower than normal. But eventually I opened the cover and pulled the fan power. It got quiet. I bought a new fan on Amazon and replaced the Chinese fan. This is not the same fan described in early posts, so I figure they changed suppliers and we got screwed. I have been using the Roamio for three months now and it's still silent. I usually only apply power to it on weekends. The hard drive is 60% full. The Fan Van is great.

I figure it failed after six weeks. But who's counting? 

Only you can decide if a TiVo fits your needs. I never push one device over another, since each person has different needs. It's good we have choices.


----------



## TrueDisbeliever

@JoeKustra ,

Thanks for the prompt reply!

Best,


----------



## fjc

Mine started making a ton of noise after only 4 or 5 months. It was so bad that I had to leave the TiVo unplugged most of the time (it's more of a secondary box to our satellite system). Having read all the posts about how most fan replacements are expensive and/or only temporarily solve the issue, I decided to go a different route.

I mounted a fan on top of the case. A Noctua 80mm ultra-silent fan. It's not the most elegant thing, but it works, and I made it look not too terrible (IMO, at least). 









Full gallery with a link to my fan shroud to cover the Noctua beige:
Tivo Mounted Fan


----------



## sdawson

My 2nd Tivo OTA, a newer one I purchased last fall or later summer I believe, was loud as heck this week.

I took off the case and confirmed the fan is the culprit. Which was a bit of a relief, as the 3TB drive I put in has a bunch of shows I won't lose now.

I have ordered the Evercool kit as discussed in this forum earlier, and will give it a go. Looks like it won't arrive til April 26-29 or so, but will report back after that as to how the repllacement goes.


----------



## sdawson

Following up with report on installing the 'Fan Van' mentioned earlier in this thread. 

Thanks to Weaknees for the video on replacing the fan, which I found after ordering this other fan. I do have another Tivo, which may need a fan replacment. If so, I will order the Weakness fan to compare to this one.

One comment on the Weaknees video, which I missed. If one has the Roamio OTA, without a cable card, then the first part of the video does not apply. One does not need to remove the bottom cable card slot opening. 

Removing the motherboard to do the fan replacement seems like poor design on Tivo's part. But it is not too difficult. The trickiest part for me was finding the right angle and getting enough clearance to get the antenna socket to pass through the casing to free the motherboard. Mine did eventually, but it was not as easy as shown in the Weaknees video.

On to the 'Fan Van'. There is really only room for three of the four screw holes to be used, as the wiring is strung through one of the holes. I suppose one could use a clip tie as well in there, but it would be a tight fit. 

It was not obvious to me how to use the silicone attachments which came with the fan in place of the original screws. I tried several ways, but they just stretched. I'm sure there is a trick I was missing. A printed sheet explaining how to do this would help with this fan. However, in the end, the plastic holes were pliant enough that I just used the original screws and they self-threaded the holes in the plastic. That is, I started the screws first, outside of the Tivo, and saw they they self-tapped the plastic, creating the necessary grooves. Once started, I put the fan in the Tivo and finished screwing them in. This is secure, even with just the three screws.

Once installed and put back together, the fan runs quietly, and the Tivo is functioning normally. The system reports the MBT temperature as 32. My other Roamio OTA, with the original fan reports 35. I'm not sure how accurate this diagnostic is, nor what range is normal here. If other folks know, I would appreciate a note here. 

Overall, this was an inexpensive fix which most folks can do, if they are patient and careful. I will report back to this thread if the fan dies within the next year, or if there are issues with the motherboard temperature.

-Shawn


----------



## JoeKustra

sdawson said:


> Once installed and put back together, the fan runs quietly, and the Tivo is functioning normally. The system reports the MBT temperature as 32. My other Roamio OTA, with the original fan reports 35. I'm not sure how accurate this diagnostic is, nor what range is normal here. If other folks know, I would appreciate a note here.
> -Shawn


I used a 'Fan Van' device before the silicon mounts were included. I only used two screws when remounting the new fan. I feel 7 blades beats 5 blades. My MBT on three different Roamio boxes is usually 37C to 40C and it's very dependent on room temperature. Two boxes have 1TB and one has 3TB (which usually runs close to 40C).


----------



## k2ue

gpgp said:


> How is the Orion fan you are suggesting working now after a couple weeks? Will this fan work in the newest Roamio OTA 1TB units? It's not clear to me if all Roamio models are physically the same, or there has been a design change (hence a different fan) over the years.
> 
> I watched the video in this thread and, without taking the unit part, it appears to be physically designed the same as what I have. I note the HDD in the video is 500GB whereas I have a 1TB unit.
> 
> I bought the Roamio OTA 1TB new from Best Buy November 25. This morning the fan was making a lot of noise. I did an exchange on may 19 day old system, but suspect that the new one will also get noisy all too soon.
> 
> If I'm not mistaken, is this the fan you are using?
> 
> OD3510-12LLB Orion Fans | Mouser
> 
> Frustrating that TiVo cut corners on the quality of the quality of the original fan. Will either bookmark the fan or maybe even proactively order one soon if it's still working well for you and compatible with my OTA 1TB. Thanks much.


The Orion fan is still working nicely, and I will be using it on another Roamio OTA I just purchased.


----------



## Sportsnut

JoeKustra said:


> I used a 'Fan Van' device before the silicon mounts were included. I only used two screws when remounting the new fan. I feel 7 blades beats 5 blades. My MBT on three different Roamio boxes is usually 37C to 40C and it's very dependent on room temperature. Two boxes have 1TB and one has 3TB (which usually runs close to 40C).


I just got a used Roamio OTA a week or so ago and have the same loud fan issue. I was debating getting the Evercool or the Fan Van fan on Amazon to replace the original. Is it still working well?

I also have a used base Roamio I recently bought before the OTA and activated it on a monthly plan. I got a great deal on the OTA with lifetime and will no longer need the other Roamio so I am debating taking the original fan out of that one and putting it in the OTA. It's from 2013 so it must have one of the early fans that work well. The OTA is from 2016.


----------



## JoeKustra

Sportsnut said:


> I just got a used Roamio OTA a week or so ago and have the same loud fan issue. I was debating getting the Evercool or the Fan Van fan on Amazon to replace the original. Is it still working well?
> I also have a used base Roamio I recently bought before the OTA and activated it on a monthly plan. I got a great deal on the OTA with lifetime and will no longer need the other Roamio so I am debating taking the original fan out of that one and putting it in the OTA. It's from 2013 so it must have one of the early fans that work well. The OTA is from 2016.


The fan I installed is just fine. True, older ones seem to last. I have a basic Roamio from 2013 that is also silent. But like I said, 7 blades beats 5 blades. If you are going to pull a fan, you will get experience opening the case and removing the motherboard. I have a procedure I was thinking of posting, but it's from memory.


----------



## Sportsnut

JoeKustra said:


> The fan I installed is just fine. True, older ones seem to last. I have a basic Roamio from 2013 that is also silent. But like I said, 7 blades beats 5 blades. If you are going to pull a fan, you will get experience opening the case and removing the motherboard. I have a procedure I was thinking of posting, but it's from memory.


I've now changed the hard drive on the Roamios I have several times having put the 3tb from my original that died back in Feb in the used one without lifetime and now again in the OTA with lifetime. I'm comfortable with doing that and having watched the Weaknees video on Youtube I think I'll be ok removing the motherboard, though I'd prefer not to mess with it.

I put an Infinity s4 fan that I bought to cool my Bolt but hadn't set up yet next to the Roamio last night. I had it blowing air at the vents on the left side of the OTA. I didn't check what the MBT was right before that but I checked after it was running for a little bit and it was at 33. However, it didn't seem to slow down or quiet the internal fan so I think my only choice will be to replace it. I know some others here reported using a laptop cooler that cooled down their Roamio and the internal fan slowed but it didn't help in my case.


----------



## Sportsnut

JoeKustra said:


> The fan I installed is just fine. True, older ones seem to last. I have a basic Roamio from 2013 that is also silent. But like I said, 7 blades beats 5 blades. If you are going to pull a fan, you will get experience opening the case and removing the motherboard. I have a procedure I was thinking of posting, but it's from memory.


I wonder if I just disconnected the internal fan without removing it and then ran my s4 fan from outside the box if it would be able to cool it enough.


----------



## JoeKustra

Sportsnut said:


> I wonder if I just disconnected the internal fan without removing it and then ran my s4 fan from outside the box if it would be able to cool it enough.


That has been done on a Bolt, but I think the case was left off. It's your toy. Play with it as you wish.


----------



## Sportsnut

JoeKustra said:


> That has been done on a Bolt, but I think the case was left off. It's your toy. Play with it as you wish.


I'm just a little leery about possibly damaging the motherboard since it has lifetime. If I do decide to I will just reuse the top 2 screws like you did so if I ever had to replace it again it will be a much simpler job.

BTW, I had asked you about accessing your recorded shows on your inactive Roamio a while back and you thought you could but hadn't checked to see since it was packed up and not in use. When I switched out the 3tb hard drive from the monthly Roamio and put the original hard drive back in I was able to access the prior owners recordings that were on the original hard drive. I got a message that I did not have service and should connect to Tivo service but had the option to do that later. I was able to access what was previously recorded even though it said I had no service.


----------



## JoeKustra

Sportsnut said:


> I'm just a little leery about possibly damaging the motherboard since it has lifetime. If I do decide to I will just reuse the top 2 screws like you did so if I ever had to replace it again it will be a much simpler job.
> BTW, I had asked you about accessing your recorded shows on your inactive Roamio a while back and you thought you could but hadn't checked to see since it was packed up and not in use. When I switched out the 3tb hard drive from the monthly Roamio and put the original hard drive back in I was able to access the prior owners recordings that were on the original hard drive. I got a message that I did not have service and should connect to Tivo service but had the option to do that later. I was able to access what was previously recorded even though it said I had no service.


I may not have a use for that spare until October. There is no way to remove the fan without pulling the MB. Here are my steps. I haven't tested the process, but I'm sure it's close.

Roamio Fan Replacement - OTA/basic
Tools: Three Torx drivers. https://www.weaknees.com/cart/Three-Torx-Screwdrivers-T8-T10-T15.html
T8, T10 and T15
Needle nose pliers
Putty knifes (two)
Small Phillips (for cable card bracket if needed)
Place Roamio into Standby
Power off
Remove external cables and connectors
Place on work surface with rear facing you
If needed, remove cable card then cable card bracket.
Remove one black screw in the center. NOT the one above the HDMI connector - yet
On left side, use putty knifes to pry up top lid carefully. There are three plastic clips, so use the putty knifes 1/3 and 2/3 down the left side. Try not to break the clips.
When cover is off use needle nose pliers to remove bolt and washer from RF connector
Remove screw from above HDMI connector - note: it may be black, but it is not the same as the other screw
Remove three screws holding down motherboard
Remove all connectors from motherboard. SATA power connector is hard and contains the fan connector and its wire
The motherboard has two plastic clips, similar to the cover.
Motherboard should now be free to move out of the way
Remove fan - it is tight!
Install new fan keep the long wires from moving into harm's way
Replace motherboard and screw it down
Replace RF connector washer and nut
Replace screw over HDMI connector
Replace top cover
Replace center screw
If needed, replace cable card bracket and cable card
Remove fingerprints
Replace external cables, power last


----------



## Sportsnut

JoeKustra said:


> I may not have a use for that spare until October. There is no way to remove the fan without pulling the MB. Here are my steps. I haven't tested the process, but I'm sure it's close.
> 
> Roamio Fan Replacement - OTA/basic
> Tools: Three Torx drivers. https://www.weaknees.com/cart/Three-Torx-Screwdrivers-T8-T10-T15.html
> T8, T10 and T15
> Needle nose pliers
> Putty knifes (two)
> Small Phillips (for cable card bracket if needed)
> Place Roamio into Standby
> Power off
> Remove external cables and connectors
> Place on work surface with rear facing you
> If needed, remove cable card then cable card bracket.
> Remove one black screw in the center. NOT the one above the HDMI connector - yet
> On left side, use putty knifes to pry up top lid carefully. There are three plastic clips, so use the putty knifes 1/3 and 2/3 down the left side. Try not to break the clips.
> When cover is off use needle nose pliers to remove bolt and washer from RF connector
> Remove screw from above HDMI connector - note: it may be black, but it is not the same as the other screw
> Remove three screws holding down motherboard
> Remove all connectors from motherboard. SATA power connector is hard and contains the fan connector and its wire
> The motherboard has two plastic clips, similar to the cover.
> Motherboard should now be free to move out of the way
> Remove fan - it is tight!
> Install new fan keep the long wires from moving into harm's way
> Replace motherboard and screw it down
> Replace RF connector washer and nut
> Replace screw over HDMI connector
> Replace top cover
> Replace center screw
> If needed, replace cable card bracket and cable card
> Remove fingerprints
> Replace external cables, power last


That's a pretty good memory.


----------



## Sportsnut

So I reconnected power to the OTA with the loud fan tonight. Now it is quiet, temp is 39, 38 on the other Roamio. I haven't had them both powered up and running at the same time until now. I guess the fan was running at full speed last night since the temp was lower but now it's running at a slower speed and is quiet? I'll see what happens over time and see if it gets loud again. I may run the S4 on the outside to see if it lowers the temp a little more. 

I didn't remember it being loud when I first set it up. I disconnected the OTA and reconnected the other Roamio a few days ago to test it with the original hard drive in it and once I was done with it I reconnected the OTA. That's when it started getting loud. Strange.


----------



## JoeKustra

I have a basic Roamio with a 3TB WD30EURX in a room that is little used and usually warm (about 78F). As such the MBT is usually about 41C, sometimes higher. I replaced the original fan with the Fan Van last week. The temp dropped about 1C. I also had a 120mm AC Infinity USB powered fan blowing air on the hot side of the Roamio. That's the right side when viewing the front. After some contemplation, I recall the internal fan moves are toward the right also. Perhaps my efforts with the external fan were messing with the internal fan? So I moved the external fan to the left side. The MBT dropped to 37C after moving the fan. BTW, the Roamio is on a shelf about 5 feet above the floor which doesn't help.


----------



## duckman2000

Replaced a noisy fan in a TIVO OTA recently. Amazon now has the Weaknees fan for the OTA and Basic TIVO for $24.99 with Free Prime Shipping (less than on the Weaknees site price of $39.99). This fan has the correct connector, all the screw holes, and the tools with it. The Amazon price has fluctuated between $19.99 and $24.99. Link: https://www.amazon.com/WeaKnees-TiVo-Roamio-Replacement-Base/dp/B07CYKLRTW/


----------



## videobruce

Those fans are now *$30* which is completely ridiculous, considering they are nothing but a $5 (surplus price) Chinese fan.

The problem is the extremely poor design placement of the fan. Instead of a exhaust design at the rear like just about any other similar device, placing it in the middle of the enclosure only takes warm air from the HDD and transfers it to the warmer air from the processors heatsink. Apparently, exterior appearance is more important than practical electronic design principals.

The CATV only version in this series design follows the Premier & S3 HD, (rear exhaust fan) correct?


----------



## JoeKustra

videobruce said:


> The CATV only version in this series design follows the Premier & S3 HD, (rear exhaust fan) correct?


The Plus looks just like the rear of a Premiere. I can't find any pictures of a pro. I can not recall the posting of any data on their temperatures. My 746500 has the same MBT as a 846500.


----------



## videobruce

It's a metal case like all the former models, correct, not this cheap plastic wonder?


----------



## JoeKustra

videobruce said:


> It's a metal case like all the former models, correct, not this cheap plastic wonder?


It's a picture. I can't be sure.


----------



## videobruce

I thought you had one?


----------



## JoeKustra

videobruce said:


> I thought you had one?


Nope. I have five basic models, with three running. I have a Premiere I use weekly. The back of the Plus shown on eBay looks just like my Premiere.


----------



## HerronScott

JoeKustra said:


> The Plus looks just like the rear of a Premiere. I can't find any pictures of a pro. I can not recall the posting of any data on their temperatures.





videobruce said:


> It's a metal case like all the former models, correct, not this cheap plastic wonder?


The Roamio Plus and Pro are the same except for hard drive size and yes, the design is similar to the older TiVo models. It does measure MBT:Internal temperature and ours is currently reading 36 on an open shelf with house temperature of 72F.

Scott


----------



## weaknees

videobruce said:


> Those fans are now *$30* which is completely ridiculous, considering they are nothing but a $5 (surplus price) Chinese fan.
> 
> The problem is the extremely poor design placement of the fan. Instead of a exhaust design at the rear like just about any other similar device, placing it in the middle of the enclosure only takes warm air from the HDD and transfers it to the warmer air from the processors heatsink. Apparently, exterior appearance is more important than practical electronic design principals.
> 
> The CATV only version in this series design follows the Premier & S3 HD, (rear exhaust fan) correct?


Two different fans were used in the production of these units.

Ours are definitely NOT the surplus Chinese fan that causes most of these problems. And they cost us plenty more than $5 each. Ours are from JMC, who made the better version of the fan that came in many of these units.

Given what we pay for these fans, though, I do understand why TiVo sought out a different supplier.


----------



## videobruce

Nice to know they decided, after the fact, to change their sourceing. But, it still doesn't change the ridiculous location.


----------



## JoeKustra

videobruce said:


> Nice to know they decided, after the fact, to change their sourceing. But, it still doesn't change the ridiculous location.


For the basic/OTA Roamio, it's virtually the same location that Sony used in the DHG.


----------



## videobruce

But, it was a larger fan and that didn't have issues.


----------



## Mikeguy

weaknees said:


> Two different fans were used in the production of these units.
> 
> Ours are definitely NOT the surplus Chinese fan that causes most of these problems. And they cost us plenty more than $5 each. Ours are from JMC, who made the better version of the fan that came in many of these units.
> 
> Given what we pay for these fans, though, I do understand why TiVo sought out a different supplier.


Thanks for the educating. :up:


----------



## gpgp

I installed the weaknees fan to replace the 13 month original fan that got real noisy recently. Its very quiet now, and I confirmed it was working before putting the cover on. But the MBT is now 4 degrees C warmer - MBT 40 with the weaknees fan vs 36 with the original fan. Does this seem normal and a reasonable temperature difference?


----------



## JoeKustra

gpgp said:


> Does this seem normal and a reasonable temperature difference?


The MBT is very dependent on room temperature. Check it tomorrow. I installed a Fan Van one in a basic Roamio and saw no change in temperature. But things that do make a change are height above the floor and CPU activity, like streaming and recording. I always feel that 7 blades are better than 5.

When I changed my basic 500GB Roamio with a 3TB drive, the MBT went from 37C to 41C. Now all my basic Roamio units have a USB external fan on the left side. Really helps:


----------



## gpgp

I should have stated that I replaced the fan about three days ago and I've checked the temperature several times since. It's always about 4 degrees warmer when the room temperature is the same as it was with the old fan (20 degrees C).


----------



## JoeKustra

gpgp said:


> I should have stated that I replaced the fan about three days ago and I've checked the temperature several times since. It's always about 4 degrees warmer when the room temperature is the same as it was with the old fan (20 degrees C).


I never checked the specs on the Weeknees fan. I have added another basic Roamio. Still sitting at 37C without changing the drive.


----------



## Qnapfan

foghorn2 said:


> Thats a lousy video, when he figures he cant get to the fan's bottom screws he ends up spraying it. The noise will certainly come back.
> 
> The fan/chassis design is very stupid, to remove the fan, you must remove the cc bracket, remove the MB screws, remove the o-ring of the f-connector, push the plastic tabs securing the MB to the bottom of the chassis, and pull out the MB to get to those screws. I think Ford designed the Basics/OTA
> 
> You are better off disconnecting that fan and use a bigger slower one somewhere else.


hahaha ... sorry, had to laugh ... was recently doing a hdd upgrade for a older mid range Dell laptop ... so the ram has a convenient cover ... but the HDD OMG ... you literally have to rip the thing apart (bottom cover + screws, top keyboard + screws, top plastic casing) ... now you can see the inards, and of course the hdd (which is covered by a screwed down batter - or rather a joining plastic spreader plate). Yay, the hdd).

Looks like Ford designers have a wide portfolio, and are busy.


----------



## Qnapfan

Series3Sub said:


> It is cheaper and faster to just get a laptop fan. Nothing fancy, just one, straight forward fan that the TiVo can rest upon. The fan is powerd by the TiVo's USB port. I have this on TWO of my Roamios (basic--like the OTA). Now they report much cooler temps and don't spin as fast making the loud noise. They are quiet Roamios now. Less money, time, and hassle, and no missed recordings or reboots due to the DYI fan solution. This also works on my Hopper WS in an enclosure, and one does not want to open Hoppers because it voids RMA's to Dish, so laptop fan only solution.
> 
> Best of luck.


I've had success with this formula in a number of instances ... unfortunately, when a designer tries to shoehorn in a fan on an already compact device, compromises have to be made ... often this comes at the expense of the fan diameter. This then adds the limiting variable of fan rotation speed (smaller diameter fans - all else being equal) will generate less flow than a larger fan ... thus, a smaller fan has a greater potential for generating a high frequency 'whine' or buzz to move the equivalent amount of air. I am of the opinion that a basic design should put very large diameter (but thin) fans rotating at much lower speeds to aid in natural heat convection ... (puller fan on top, or pusher fan below). The only consideration here being able to design in a convenient mechanism for foam filter check/replacement.


----------



## JoeKustra

In December 2017 I had to replace the fan in my Roamio OTA. I used an Evercool. Last week it became a very loud device. I just replaced it with one from Fan Van.


----------



## Tmaslar

k2ue said:


> The Orion fan is still working nicely, and I will be using it on another Roamio OTA I just purchased.


k2ue,
Wondering how the Orion fans have been performing long term? I have ordered a few for my noisy Roamio OTA unit.


----------



## MikeekiM

Tmaslar said:


> k2ue,
> Wondering how the Orion fans have been performing long term? I have ordered a few for my noisy Roamio OTA unit.


Do you have a product page link for the Orion Fan for the Roamio OTA?


----------



## Tmaslar

MikeekiM said:


> Do you have a product page link for the Orion Fan for the Roamio OTA?


Fan:
OD3510-12LLB Orion Fans | Fans, Thermal Management | DigiKey
Connector Body:
0022013027 Molex | Connectors, Interconnects | DigiKey
Contact:
0008550102 Molex | Connectors, Interconnects | DigiKey


----------



## MikeekiM

Tmaslar said:


> Fan:
> OD3510-12LLB Orion Fans | Fans, Thermal Management | DigiKey
> Connector Body:
> 0022013027 Molex | Connectors, Interconnects | DigiKey
> Contact:
> 0008550102 Molex | Connectors, Interconnects | DigiKey


Nice! So 2 of the contacts, 1 connector body and the fan... With first class shipping, that comes to $17.17 to the San Francisco Bay Area... 

How fragile are the contacts? Should I "splurge" and get a few spares? 

Thanks for this... My fan has been making noises like a plane taking off for the last few months... Fortunately, it's in a part of the house that I really don't care enough about silence... But it has been on my lower priority list of things that I need to take care of...


----------



## Tmaslar

MikeekiM said:


> Nice! So 2 of the contacts, 1 connector body and the fan... With first class shipping, that comes to $17.17 to the San Francisco Bay Area...
> 
> How fragile are the contacts? Should I "splurge" and get a few spares?
> 
> Thanks for this... My fan has been making noises like a plane taking off for the last few months... Fortunately, it's in a part of the house that I really don't care enough about silence... But it has been on my lower priority list of things that I need to take care of...


You will need a crimping tool to crimp the contacts. I would get a few spares. You could also cut off the original wiring tail and splice the wires together reusing the original connector.


----------



## MikeekiM

Tmaslar said:


> You will need a crimping tool to crimp the contacts. I would get a few spares. You could also cut off the original wiring tail and splice the wires together reusing the original connector.


Oh... that's actually a great idea... Thanks! Seems so obvious now that you said it...but I hadn't even considered that...


----------



## MikeekiM

Anyone use a sound meter app to measure noise levels before and after a fan replacement?

I don't have an ongoing need for a sound meter, so I'd prefer an iOS app... Does anyone have a favorite?

Update: Nevermind... I ended up downloading "Decibel X" for iOS... Seems to work great...


----------



## MikeekiM

OK... Just replaced my fan... Not sure I would call the new fan "silent", but it is definitely quieter...

I took audio level measurements from four different locations (I will fill in the "after" figures in an hour or so to let the fan "settle"):

Right next to the TiVo Roamio OTA (Before: 61db; After: TBD)
From the shelf above my Roamio (Before: 42.8db; After: TBD)
From my sofa armrest (Before: 30.8db; After: TBD)
From my dining room table (Before: 31db; After: TBD)
My temperature reading was 33C (before), and is now sitting at TBD.


----------



## JoeKustra

MikeekiM said:


> My temperature reading was 33C (before), and is now sitting at TBD.


That's really low. The old fan must have been really working hard. I got 37C on three basic Roamio before changing fans.


----------



## MikeekiM

JoeKustra said:


> That's really low. The old fan must have been really working hard. I got 37C on three basic Roamio before changing fans.


I just did a re-measure, and here is what I have:

Right next to the TiVo Roamio OTA (microphone placed 3/4 inches from the left hand side) (Before: 61db; After: 51db)
From the shelf above my Roamio (Before: 42.8db; After: 33.7db)
From my sofa armrest (Before: 30.8db; After: 29.2db)
From my dining room table (Before: 31db; After: 28.9db)
My temperature reading was 33C (before), and is now sitting at 33C (unchanged). The low temperature might be directly related to the temperature of the room, which is at 74F.

I am disappointed in the numbers. I thought they would go down more significantly. However, audibly, my ears tell a different story... The new fan is definitely noticeably quieter...


----------



## 53richart

Don't forget, decibels is a logarithmic scale of measure, not proportional. In your example right next to the Tivo, before was 61dB and after was 51dB. That's a -10dB loss which equates to a perceived loudness decrease of one-half or 50%. In other words you old fan was twice as noisy as the new fan!


----------



## Tmaslar

MikeekiM said:


> I just did a re-measure, and here is what I have:
> 
> Right next to the TiVo Roamio OTA (microphone placed 3/4 inches from the left hand side) (Before: 61db; After: 51db)
> From the shelf above my Roamio (Before: 42.8db; After: 33.7db)
> From my sofa armrest (Before: 30.8db; After: 29.2db)
> From my dining room table (Before: 31db; After: 28.9db)
> My temperature reading was 33C (before), and is now sitting at 33C (unchanged). The low temperature might be directly related to the temperature of the room, which is at 74F.
> 
> I am disappointed in the numbers. I thought they would go down more significantly. However, audibly, my ears tell a different story... The new fan is definitely noticeably quieter...


Which fan did you use?

I replaced mine with the Orion. It is now very quiet compared to the one I removed. I cannot hear the fan running when I am more than a foot away from my rack. No db readings taken.


----------



## MikeekiM

Tmaslar said:


> Which fan did you use?
> 
> I replaced mine with the Orion. It is now very quiet compared to the one I removed. I cannot hear the fan running when I am more than a foot away from my rack. No db readings taken.


I used the Orion fan as well... I can absolutely hear it from across the room... It isn't the same obnoxious sound frequencies that came from my original fan, but it is definitely audible...

Any chance you could take a few measurements using a sound meter app? That would make our comparison more objectively comparable. As I mentioned, I used the Decibel-X app for iOS. I did four measurements:

1. From where I sit on my sofa about 12 feet away from my receiver. Honestly, I am not sure how helpful this measurement is because the app measures around 28-30 sitting almost anywhere in the house. It seems to be the baseline of a quiet room (at least at my house).

2. From my dining room table about 25 feet away... Again, I think this is a pretty useless measurement... I think there are other ambient noises in the house that generates a 28-30db volume that makes this meaningless.

3. Near the device, but not right next to it. I placed my phone on a shelf right above my receiver. It was about 7 inches above the receiver, with the mic front facing.

4. Mic pointed at the left side of my receiver about 3/4 inches away from the unit.


----------



## JoeKustra

MikeekiM said:


> I used the Orion fan as well... I can absolutely hear it from across the room... It isn't the same obnoxious sound frequencies that came from my original fan, but it is definitely audible...


Any chance something close is resonating causing the extra noise? Since I always have either a AVR 5.1 or higher than normal volume due to distance, I never hear the fan. I have a 120mm fan on top of my Mini in the bedroom but I live in high noise environment. Imagine living 6 feet from 101. That's my living space.


----------



## MikeekiM

JoeKustra said:


> Any chance something close is resonating causing the extra noise? Since I always have either a AVR 5.1 or higher than normal volume due to distance, I never hear the fan. I have a 120mm fan on top of my Mini in the bedroom but I live in high noise environment. Imagine living 6 feet from 101. That's my living space.


Wow... A Bay Area reference... You spent time here I assume? Nice... 

I guess that might be possible... But I think the fan is rated at 28db... And then you put it inside an enclosed space, and then you move air through it? That 28db has to end up being something north of that, right? I simply assumed that it was the movement of air through the chassis, and through the fan unit that added the extra sound levels...

And don't misunderstand me... I am not bothered by the sound per se... I was hoping for silence, but the sound is now a whisper compared to the old fan... However, I would say that the receiver would NOT work in a quiet bedroom at bedtime...the fan noise in a completely silent room with no distractions would be...well.. a distraction! 

Update: Oops... I looked at the product data sheet, and the fan is rated at 17db.


----------



## Tmaslar

MikeekiM said:


> Wow... A Bay Area reference... You spent time here I assume? Nice...
> 
> I guess that might be possible... But I think the fan is rated at 28db... And then you put it inside an enclosed space, and then you move air through it? That 28db has to end up being something north of that, right? I simply assumed that it was the movement of air through the chassis, and through the fan unit that added the extra sound levels...
> 
> And don't misunderstand me... I am not bothered by the sound per se... I was hoping for silence, but the sound is now a whisper compared to the old fan... However, I would say that the receiver would NOT work in a quiet bedroom at bedtime...the fan noise in a completely silent room with no distractions would be...well.. a distraction!
> 
> Update: Oops... I looked at the product data sheet, and the fan is rated at 17db.


I failed to mention that I also installed modified sorbothane isolators between the fan and the metal case mounting. 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019O43DVA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These may be helping more than I realize? I had to modify them by cutting them with sharp scissors to keep them out of the fan's airflow path.

Also are you sure it is the fan you are hearing? Is it possible that it is the hard drive spinning that you are hearing?


----------



## MikeekiM

Tmaslar said:


> Also are you sure it is the fan you are hearing? Is it possible that it is the hard drive spinning that you are hearing?


Hmmm... Wow... That's a great point... That should have been obvious to me...

I'll have to investigate that... When I get home, I'll have to give it another listen and try and determine if the "whiring" noise is a fan spinning...or a hard drive spinning... Thanks for the suggestion!!!

Any ideas on how to isolate without taking the Roamio back apart?


----------



## JoeKustra

If your room is very quiet, the fan starts with power. The drive has to spin up.


----------



## MikeekiM

JoeKustra said:


> If your room is very quiet, the fan starts with power. The drive has to spin up.


Thanks... It's definitely the fan...


----------



## reneg

Replaced the fan in my just under three year old Roamio OTA unit this weekend. I went the weaknees.com route with a replacement. I followed along with the video on the weaknees website and had it back up and running 15 minutes later.


----------



## Mikeguy

:up: WeaKnees provides nice guides.


----------



## lorem ipsum

Total noob here, so I apologize if this is a really basic question or one that has been answered elsewhere. I removed the fan, intending to put a drop of oil, but I can't figure out where to place the oil. I checked under the sticker, thinking there might be an opening there, but I don't see one. Could someone please explain, post a picture, or point me towards a link of exactly where the oil is supposed to go?

TIA


----------



## JoeKustra

lorem ipsum said:


> Total noob here, so I apologize if this is a really basic question or one that has been answered elsewhere. I removed the fan, intending to put a drop of oil, but I can't figure out where to place the oil. I checked under the sticker, thinking there might be an opening there, but I don't see one. Could someone please explain, post a picture, or point me towards a link of exactly where the oil is supposed to go?
> TIA


Keep this in mind: they have changed sources for the fan three times that I know about. Otherwise: Where to get roamio basic or OTA cooling fan replacement

The Fan Van and Evercool are popular replacements.


----------



## Slumpert

When it comes to these fans, the squeaky one is supposed to get replaced, not oiled.


----------



## rrgg

Has anyone tried a 40mm fan for Roamio OTA or do you think it would fit? (I know the screws could be off) Nocturna makes this size but I don’t see a 35mm. Thanks


----------



## JoeKustra

rrgg said:


> Has anyone tried a 40mm fan for Roamio OTA or do you think it would fit? (I know the screws could be off) Nocturna makes this size but I don't see a 35mm. Thanks


While it might fit, there's a hole that the air flows through. You may cause less air flow due to turbulence.







Since I like to play with my toys, I have two suggestions. One is easy: Just get a 140mm fan blowing to the left side. Good for a few degrees. More radical is to leave left side of cover off and raised 1". Then get a 180mm fan blowing into the side. MBT on that unit is 24C. Both USB powered by Roamio and running on medium speed.

Noctura.


----------



## rrgg

JoeKustra said:


> While it might fit, there's a hole that the air flows through. You may cause less air flow due to turbulence.
> View attachment 45543
> 
> Since I like to play with my toys, I have two suggestions. One is easy: Just get a 140mm fan blowing to the left side. Good for a few degrees. More radical is to leave left side of cover off and raised 1". Then get a 180mm fan blowing into the side. MBT on that unit is 24C. Both USB powered by Roamio and running on medium speed.
> 
> Noctura.


i have a usb fan blowing on it from the outside. That keeps it somewhat cool but I would still like to replace the internal fan. If it ever revs up it's terrible. From what I've read here and on amazon, the 35mm that people have tried eventually become noisy again. So my plan was to find a quality brand hoping I could squeeze it in. I haven't opened my machine yet to check the spacing. I also have sewing machine oil already so will try that first.


----------



## JoeKustra

rrgg said:


> i have a usb fan blowing on it from the outside. That keeps it somewhat cool but I would still like to replace the internal fan. If it ever revs up it's terrible. From what I've read here and on amazon, the 35mm that people have tried eventually become noisy again. So my plan was to find a quality brand hoping I could squeeze it in. I haven't opened my machine yet to check the spacing. I also have sewing machine oil already so will try that first.


Like I posted, blow air into the box from the right side. Raise the unit with bottle caps too.


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## rrgg

I actually did raise the unit already and blow air with a USB fan. Also, I don't think the 40mm fan I mentioned will fit unless it's seated at an angle which is probably a bad idea.

From reading the thread, it sounds like the Orion is best at cooling but requires splicing the old connector onto it. If I'm reading this right, the Sunon is slightly quieter and also needs splicing. Is that right? (After that, the Evercool seems popular since it's on Amazon and the connector works as is.)


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## JoeKustra

rrgg said:


> I actually did raise the unit already and blow air with a USB fan. Also, I don't think the 40mm fan I mentioned will fit unless it's seated at an angle which is probably a bad idea.
> From reading the thread, it sounds like the Orion is best at cooling but requires splicing the old connector onto it. If I'm reading this right, the Sunon is slightly quieter and also needs splicing. Is that right? (After that, the Evercool seems popular since it's on Amazon and the connector works as is.)


I have used Evercool and Fan Van. Both are quiet and have 7 blades. Same connectors. Well, almost the same.


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## Diogynes

I just installed a 40mm x 10mm fan in a Roamio OTA by cutting away the metal plate beneath the fan. It's a tight squeeze, but it does fit.


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## josim

Diogynes said:


> I just installed a 40mm x 10mm fan in a Roamio OTA by cutting away the metal plate beneath the fan. It's a tight squeeze, but it does fit.


Pictures?


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## JoeKustra

Diogynes said:


> I just installed a 40mm x 10mm fan in a Roamio OTA by cutting away the metal plate beneath the fan. It's a tight squeeze, but it does fit.


MBT?


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## Diogynes

Cut away the metal beneath the existing fan. Cut the original fan opening larger with tin snips by making a straight cut down from the outside edge of the existing screw holes. You will fasten the fan using only the two top screws - basically wedging the screws between the vertical plates, so measure and cut to make it work like it does in the photos.. I tried a couple different ways to cut the hole so mine looks messy.

The fan sticks up about 1 to 1.5mm higher than the old fan. The case isn't all that tight and things go back together fine.

I had several 40mm fans on hand. This one is 40x40x10.

For anyone worried about the case halves not sealing because the fan sticks up too much, sealing the case appeared to make no difference in temperature on either side.

























Edit 07/12/2020: I tried two different 40mm fans before selecting a Noctua 40x10mm


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## JoeKustra

MBT?

These:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ2J2K0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 tied together outside the basic Roamio gave me this:









True, TE4 with a 3TB drive.


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## josim

That's cool, Joe.;-)


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## audiodane

JoeKustra said:


> These:
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ2J2K0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 tied together outside the basic Roamio gave me this:
> View attachment 49870
> 
> 
> True, TE4 with a 3TB drive.


I've been using these AC Inifinity Fans more and more since Christmas, and just noticed the Tivo being "loud" recently. Where did you put these, exactly?

I've considered "mounting" them more permanently to the lid of the Roamio, pulling air out directly over the HDD and another directly over the heatsink (by cutting holes in the lid and mounting them directly on top). But if you've achieved great success without such efforts, I'd be all ears-- er, eyes-- er, interested in learning more about your approach!

My tivo sits in an AV rack in a closet; I do have ventilation in the closet, and an increasing amount of fans in the rack itself, but not yet on the Tivo.

thanks in advance!
..dane


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## JoeKustra

My basic Roamio experience. First, in a 70F room I expect a new basic Roamio to show a MBT of 37C. I have replaced every fan with a 7-blade fan. If you are really worried, I do have a method to cool the MBT down to 32C or lower.

You need two fans. I use these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ2J2K0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 which I tie together with lacing cord and use the USB from the Roamio to power them. They are set to "Low". I place them on the left side since that will be the way the internal fan moves air. I found the 120mm fans not as effective unless you pull the cover and have it blowing on the MB. The HDD generates very little heat.

[Sorry, I didn't realize you were posting to me]


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## audiodane

JoeKustra said:


> My basic Roamio experience. First, in a 70F room I expect a new basic Roamio to show a MBT of 37C. I have replaced every fan with a 7-blade fan. If you are really worried, I do have a method to cool the MBT down to 32C or lower.
> 
> You need two fans. I use these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ2J2K0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 which I tie together with lacing cord and use the USB from the Roamio to power them. They are set to "Low". I place them on the left side since that will be the way the internal fan moves air. I found the 120mm fans not as effective unless you pull the cover and have it blowing on the MB. The HDD generates very little heat.
> 
> [Sorry, I didn't realize you were posting to me]


lol- that's ok. Fan performance can vary greatly depending on placement, so I have a few more specific questions..

Do you by chance have a photo showing your fan setup to close?

You said left side (while looking at the front of the unit, I'm guessing?), but blowing which way, towards the TiVo, or are you "pulling" air through the unit?

Are you running your roamio lid-less, then?

my thought was to cut a hole in the lid to mount the fan in order to maintain protection from things falling into the unit accidentally (I have kids!). But I'm very interested in your setup as an alternative!


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## JoeKustra

I will try to get a picture of my current fan setup. They blow room air into the TiVo, following the flow of the internal fan. For some reason the board is not letting me upload the picture of the lid "off", which was just raised on one side. Here is a picture without the lid raised:







If you haven't removed the top yet, this is what it looks like:






or







What is your MBT?


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## JoeKustra

OTA TE4 with the dual fans:








Note: all my basic Roamio also have 1/2" feet added.


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## aaronwt

I still have my original ROamio Basic. It's been running for almost seven years now. I've never had an issue with heat or the fan. But it does sit on a wire shelf.


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## audiodane

JoeKustra said:


> I will try to get a picture of my current fan setup. They blow room air into the TiVo, following the flow of the internal fan. For some reason the board is not letting me upload the picture of the lid "off", which was just raised on one side. Here is a picture without the lid raised:
> View attachment 51260
> 
> What is your MBT?


Thanks for your photos! They greatly help show what you're doing, and it looks very easy to replicate! You also I think said you put 1/2" riser pads under your unit to encourage better airflow also, is that correct?

I'm not sure my MBT average right now, every time I go to check it, the Tivo's been in standby mode. We only generally have it on a few hours per weekday, but much longer on weekends. I'll go flip it on and set a reminder to check in an hour or two once it's warmed up. It sits on a shelf in a component rack in a media closet. Only started installing fans in the past several months. I haven't been too particularly concerned about heat until recently. But the fan is finally starting to make noise, so I wanted to at least replace it to quiet it down. I think the HDD might be nearing EOL since it's taking longer to start recorded programs than I recall in the past (although maybe that's just new tivo software?).

I just turned it on after being off overnight and it's at 39C. I set an alarm to check it again in 2hrs and I'll report back.

..dane


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## JoeKustra

audiodane said:


> I think the HDD might be nearing EOL since it's taking longer to start recorded programs than I recall in the past (although maybe that's just new tivo software?).
> 
> I just turned it on after being off overnight and it's at 39C. I set an alarm to check it again in 2hrs and I'll report back.
> ..dane


Standby is a different thread, but I never use it. 39C isn't bad if the ambient temperature is around 75F. In the winter I keep my room about 69F. I do put my Mini boxes into Standby, but like I said, different thread. You may find the temp will vary with height too.

A slow start of programs is not a sign of a HDD going bad.


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## audiodane

JoeKustra said:


> Standby is a different thread, but I never use it. 39C isn't bad if the ambient temperature is around 75F. In the winter I keep my room about 69F. I do put my Mini boxes into Standby, but like I said, different thread. You may find the temp will vary with height too.
> 
> A slow start of programs is not a sign of a HDD going bad.


2hr update: MBT 43C.

We generally keep a warmer house, 78F-80F depending on time of day, and the cabinet is basically a hall closet with the shelving removed and a rolling rack installed. I installed an air vent above the door earlier this year with an AC Inifinity vent fan setup to come on around 90F (it's naturally hotter at the top of the 10' tall closet so I have it set a bit higher, otherwise it's always running, unnecessarily). That's helped the overall closet temperatures significantly! I am slowly adding individual fans as I feel are necessary..


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## audiodane

JoeKustra said:


> Standby is a different thread, but I never use it.


Hmm. I've never had any trouble with standby, but your comment suggests perhaps others have not had a similar experience. After some searching here, I'm coming up short on any threads with standby problems..

EDIT -- hmm, seems like some folks do have problems with standby. I never have. Mine is a Roamio OTA (not Pro or Premier or whatever). Maybe that matters, maybe not. But I've never had any problems with crashes, missing recordings, or anything else (to my knowledge!).. I have it on "low" (4hr) standby settings. We only watch about 2-3hrs of TV per day (mostly evenings) with weekends in more heavy rotation.


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## aaronwt

Both of my Roamios are on High power savings. It's been working fine here. I think there was a time when they had some issues and I had to turn it off. But at some point they fixed the power saving mode and I turned it back on.


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## duhmel

I am almost ashamed to admit that I fixed my fan noise problem with the definitely non-hi tech solution - WD40. First I used a can of dust-off to know the dust out of the unit, then a few squirts of WD40 between the rotating blade and the fixed body ... and the voila, the fan could no longer be heard. The hardest part was to fiddle getting the cover off the Roamio. The next hardest was getting the red straw to wedge into the WD40 nozzle.


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## magicbobNJ

EvKing said:


> I was able to silence my noisy Roamio fan by using Andis clipper oil (for hair clippers). I was really irritated by the prospect of ordering a new fan and removing the main board just to install it, so I made a long-shot attempt to lubricate the fan. It has been 3 days and the fan is still silent and the board temperature is good (MBT below 40)!
> 
> Here's what I did. Other posters mentioned that unlike larger cooling fans there is no lubrication point under the fan label. So where exactly to put the oil? I closely examined the Roamio fan and noticed a small gap along the inner circumference of the fan. The gap is visible on the side of the fan closest to the main board. I'm guessing that there's a shaft or cylinder around which the fan blade spins. I placed ONE drop of clipper carefully on that gap and fired up the power. The blade hung for a moment and then spun to life. No noise!
> 
> I'm not sure how long this will last but it has worked so far. Fingers crossed...


Hi - I have been dealing with this same issue. I do see a slotted area that repeats in the fan casing. Is that what you mean? Did you lube only one of those slots? As I'm not clear if it could be any of them, or I'm looking at the wrong place. I don't want to replace the fan. Can you help by clarifying or sending a pic? Did it continue to keep your fan quiet? Thank you so much!


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## ncbill

Fluidfilm might work as well...sure helps with noisy motors in my bathroom vent fans.


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## magicbobNJ

ncbill said:


> Fluidfilm might work as well...sure helps with noisy motors in my bathroom vent fans.


Do you know specifically where this lubricant gets inserted in the Roamio fan? And what type of lube is this?


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## ncbill

magicbobNJ said:


> Do you know specifically where this lubricant gets inserted in the Roamio fan? And what type of lube is this?


FLUID FILM | Powerful Corrosion Protection & Lubrication


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## dantut

Replaced my fan with this model I found online 
*Manufacturer:*WAKEFIELD THERMAL
*Manufacturer Part No*C0351012W2B-2T0


https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/3115441.pdf



It was rated quieter, and slightly lower amperage than the vanguys model. They recommend adding lube to it, so maybe that should be added to a maintenance schedule for any fan.


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## Richard Esposito

ncbill said:


> FLUID FILM | Powerful Corrosion Protection & Lubrication


4 years ago. Removed label from fan. Drilled tiny hole in center of where label was. Used needle point oiler to insert drop of oil. Quit fan ever since ;-)


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