[SOLVED] Alternatives to Chatreey mini PC (AM08) fans

[gmelodie]

I recently found out that both the fans on my chatreey mini PC AM08 have failed (probably months apart from each other). I found replacements for $25,00 a pop, but that is way too expensive for me right now. I was hoping to make it work with a different fan (cheaper, more easily available), but I figured that I'd also need a new case and heat dissipator mount to accomodate the new fan.

Does anyone here have experience with these kinds of projects? A friend of mine has a 3D printer so that's an option for a case, but I couldn't find any projects for am08 on thingverse. Or maybe someone here has another idea to circumvent the issue that doesn't involve changing cases.

 

[Aeacus]

I found replacements for $25,00 a pop

Well yeah, since it's custom made blower-type fan, with specific mount only compatible with this mini PC. Hence the high price.

It's not like you can just slap in standard 80/92mm fan and call it a day.

but I figured that I'd also need a new case and heat dissipator mount to accomodate the new fan.

That mini PC is as proprietary as it gets.
Review with tear down pics: https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/1...7940hs-mini-pc-review-unboxing-teardown-bios/

Only "standard" things it has, is M.2 SSD slot, SATA SSD slot and technically RAM too. Though, it uses SO-DIMM, which is standard laptop RAM. For desktop PC (which it actually is, but miniature version of it), desktop PC would have UDIMM as standard RAM, not SO-DIMM.

It would be FAR less time consuming just to buy the two fans, than somehow, jerry-rigging new PC case and cold plate to it. Since it's MoBo is proprietary (akin to Dell prebuilt MoBos), it needs specific PC case and cooler mount, specifically designed to match that proprietary MoBo.

 

[gmelodie]

Thanks for the reply! Yup so in the end what I did was
1. Built a custom open case out of wood with a local carpenter for about 20 USD
2. Bought two 12v 120mm fans from Aliexpress for USD each and mounted them onto the new case

Saved myself around 40 USD between parts, shipping and customs.

Edit: I had to change boot options because the power button was weird (5 pins for high/medium/low performance settings + gnd + vcc if I had to guess). In the Bios menu I went to Advanced > AMD CBS > AC Power and set it to "always on". This way the computer will power up after an outage as well as whenever you plug it into the power outlet, so I no longer need the power button.