Nintendo Switch Active Cooling Adapter

thingiverse

This might not be a necessity for every Nintendo Switch owner. <b>I am not accountable for any damage done to your Nintendo Switch or other equipment caused by this little 5-minute project of mine.</b> When playing Fortnite and other games that exhaust the last bit of power from the Switch, I noticed significant hot air escaping from the console. The original fan should be able to cool the Switch and the hardware has overheat protection for sure, but I found that adding a small fan would support cooling efficiency and it did. Using this adapter, there is no noticeable temperature difference between the room and the vent shaft, whereas before it was way above room temperature. To build this adapter, you'll need a 3D printer (you'd think so?), a 30x30mm fan, at least two 2mm self-tapping screws to fit the fans mounting holes, and a way to power it. I soldered the unused USB plug from an USB LED strip directly to the fan and covered up the mess using some heat shrink. The adapter fits directly onto the Switch when in docked mode. You can plug the USB into the back of the Switch Dock to hide the power cable of the fan. I have a network adapter there, so I needed to use one from the left side ports. Of course you can use another power supply or add a switch to turn off the fan when not needed. I know this project isn't designed perfectly, but it works and it looks pretty cool. If you've got better ideas, feel free to share them and show me your results. As mentioned, I just took some measurements and hacked it into FreeCAD. <b>Just a small note:</b> The top side of the adapter has cut outs on each side of the fan which match the lower Switch vent. This is intentional. I didn't want to limit air flow from the Switch when the fan's not active or somehow broken. This way, just a minor part of the fan's frame blocks the original cooling. You may consider this when trying to invent a more perfect solution. <b>I am not accountable for any damage done to your Nintendo Switch or other equipment caused by this little 5-minute project of mine.</b> As always, FreeCAD source file is included. Happy Printing.