Raspberry Pi Cool Case

thingiverse

I was fed up with searching for 5V power supplies that had enough juice to run my Raspberry Pi. I was also sick of dealing with the crummy Micro USB plug. So, I designed a new Raspberry Pi case with an integrated cooling fan and step-down converter. Now it's no problem at all to power the pi, a fan, some LEDs, and all the peripherals you want to use. I'm using a 12V 1.5A power supply and a LM2596 step-down converter to power my pi. These step-down converters can be used up to 3 Amps, but then you need to add a heatsink. Alternatively, you can use an XL4015 Step-down Converter, which can handle up to 4.5A. It's no problem at all to overclock the pi now. To build this case, you'll need a 3D printer, filament, M3 x 6mm screws, and M3 nuts to mount the pi and the step-down converter. You'll also need M3 x 16mm screws to mount the fan and the top of the case. In my prototype case, I used a 40mm fan with integrated blue LEDs. In the second case, I used a silenced 40mm fan and two pieces of LED strip glued beside the fan. Both versions look cool. The power switch can be found on Reichelt's website. You can also use this one from Wippschalter. I soldered the power supply directly to the switch and the step-down converter. If you want to use a DC barrel to connect the power supply to your Raspberry Pi, feel free to drill the hole with care. Make sure to set the step-down converter exactly to 5V before powering up your pi! If not, it may cause damage to your Raspberry Pi. Be sure to connect both ground connections (-in and -out) of the step-down converter together to stabilize the power output. But only the grounds, not the + side! Useful information on how to power your Raspberry Pi can be found here: https://www.modmypi.com/blog/how-do-i-power-my-raspberry-pi. The top cover needs to be glued to the case top. All other parts can be screwed together. The blue fan can be found here: https://www.conrad.de/de/pc-gehaeuse-luefter-akasa-ak-160bl-s-blau-b-x-h-x-t-40-x-40-x-10-mm-998689.html. Step-down converters can be found on eBay or here: https://www.roboter-bausatz.de/search?sSearch=step+down. When assembling the pi and case, it's best to put the pi first with the USB ports in the holes. Then press a little bit so that the earphone jack and HDMI port snap into place. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I wish you a lot of fun with this case. Best regards, PB