Vive Cosmos Wireless Cooling Mod

[HoZy]

Just wanted to share this
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4124195 

HTC Vive Wireless Dual 30mm Cooling Fan.

2x - 30x30x6mm 12v Fans @ 7.5v (Low speed fan resistors I had sitting around)
1x - 1.3 ID x 3.5mm OD DC Jack

This was built due to Grey/Blue screen flashes on the HMD, Falling through the world or slowly losing tracking on the Vive Cosmos during wireless play.

Looking at logs in
C:\ProgramData\Vive Wireless\ConnectionUtility\Log

The HTC Vive Wireless would start with temps reporting

[2020-01-19 17:36:58 +10 0xB70 INFO LOG] M_Temperature=36, R_Temperature=33
-After 20minutes play time-
[2020-01-19 17:56:46 +10 0xB70 INFO LOG] M_Temperature=91, R_Temperature=62

After the modification was performed the log output reported

[2020-01-24 14:45:39 +10 0x4394 INFO LOG] M_Temperature=30, R_Temperature=23
-After 20minutes play time-
[2020-01-24 15:05:19 +10 0x4394 INFO LOG] M_Temperature=48, R_Temperature=49

Both of these were experienced with the same room temperature of 24c and 20minutes of playtime in Beat Saber.
After extended use it originally used to display temperatures reporting
[2020-01-07 18:19:42 +10 0x32B0 INFO LOG] M_Temperature=99, R_Temperature=63
[2020-01-07 18:19:52 +10 0x32B0 INFO LOG] M_Temperature=100, R_Temperature=65
[2020-01-07 18:20:22 +10 0x32B0 INFO LOG] M_Temperature=102, R_Temperature=66

With a grey/blue HMD flicker every few minutes.

This has cut cut the temperature by half and resulted in no drop outs after hours of use. 

Cheers

[Glaucoma Predator]

Nice mod man, looks clean. Are those fans pushing or pulling?

Did you cut anything (holes) on the wireless case?

Edited January 24, 2020 by Glaucoma Predator

[HoZy]

4 minutes ago, Glaucoma Predator said:

Nice mod man, looks clean. Are those fans pushing or pulling?

Pushing, It is fairly well sealed and you can feel the air coming out of the vents on the lower half of the unit. 
I didn't like the 40mm fan mods and how they were just blowing over the device or looked bulky, This mod ducts the air through the vents creating static pressure internally.
Have also partially made a single 40mm version however I can finish if people are interested. 
This could also be powered via 5v from the USB-C connector on the HMD or using a USB-A Splitter and getting 12v from the battery directly. 
Up to the user what they want to do.  

Cheers

[Fink]

Hi guys I just saw a old post on Reddit and the guy was having the same over heating and grey screen issues after 20 minutes or so reported here so he bought one of these 

Rankie USB 3.0 Cable, Type A to Type A, 1-Pack 6 Feet

and said that the problem went away. I'm going to go out and get one of these or similar and give it a try and see if it works. He was using a old Vive HMD though and it may just be that the Cosmos hasn't been properly tested (surprise) with this unit and is basically incompatible on a component level. 

Fink. 

[Hooflee]

I just want something to cool my face

[Fink]

Howdy.

Got a new 3.0 A to A cable and no more grey screen and the temperature is the same though the frame-rate goes up and down even if I'm just in steam home.  

Fink.

[TomCgcmfc]

On 1/26/2020 at 12:38 AM, Hooflee said:

I just want something to cool my face

Try a desk fan or two.  I have one in front and another off to the side and this helps keep the temps down and lens fog-free.  Obviously, since the Vive Wireless is a bit of a CPU resource hog it's a good idea to have good CPU cooling (my i9 9900k is water cooled) and good internal fans that blow over the wireless card's heatsink.  Best thing for good performance is to stay cool, lol!

[Dragorus]

Can you link to where you got the fans and also what resistors used please...I can not find 6mm thin fans.

ty :)

[TruthCannon]

This is amazing. Huge thank you to HoZy for sharing the model, extremely generous.

For those wondering about resistors, you've two options to get 7.5 volts when wiring them as a parallel circuit.

Firstly, check what current the 12V fans run at (printed on sticker at the back of the fan). Mine are 0.12A.

(get your fans from a electronics hobby store, don't stress about  the height, just make sure they're 30x30mm)

 

(Option 1) Use 1 resistor per fan (2 total). Calculation below is using 0.12A for each fan. (In the picture below Light Bulb = Fan). Each resistor is 60 Ohm.

https://www.blackfiveservices.co.uk/fanspeedcalc.php?Voltage=12&Current=0.12&Target=7.5

 

(Option 2) Use 1 resistor for both. Calculation below is using 0.24A total to account for both fans. The resistor is 30 Ohm.

https://www.blackfiveservices.co.uk/fanspeedcalc.php?Voltage=12&Current=0.24&Target=7.5

[joellipenta]

On 1/24/2020 at 8:11 PM, Fink said:

Hi guys I just saw a old post on Reddit and the guy was having the same over heating and grey screen issues after 20 minutes or so reported here so he bought one of these 

Rankie USB 3.0 Cable, Type A to Type A, 1-Pack 6 Feet

and said that the problem went away. I'm going to go out and get one of these or similar and give it a try and see if it works. He was using a old Vive HMD though and it may just be that the Cosmos hasn't been properly tested (surprise) with this unit and is basically incompatible on a component level. 

Fink. 

I purchased this cable per that post and it did not help. Still get the overheating.