Are you seeking a new way to keep your Raspberry Pi at an ideal temperature? Connect Pimoroni's compact 5V Fan SHIM and safeguard your hard - working Pi from overheating. This fan ensures your Pi operates at peak performance while making hardly any noise. The smart software activates the fan only when needed and features an RGB LED status indicator.
Designed mainly for the high - power Raspberry Pi 4, it also works well with the 3 B+ and 3 A+. Pimoroni has cleverly designed the fan with a friction - fit header, eliminating the need for soldering. You can mount the fan to the PCB in less than five minutes using two screws. Then, simply insert it into your Raspberry Pi's GPIO power pins for instant cooling.
Please note that your Pi can automatically adjust its speed to avoid overheating, so a fan isn't essential. However, the shim is perfect for long - term, high - speed operations like machine learning, rendering, emulation, or video playback. If you plan to use bonnets, HATs, or pHATs along with the Fan SHIM, you'll need some extra tall headers, like the GPIO Stacking Header.
The Fan SHIM uses GPIO pin #18 to control the fan. Since this pin is also used by I2S audio devices, you can't use I2S DACs such as pHAT DAC, pHAT BEAT, or other I2C devices simultaneously with the Fan SHIM.
Using the Pimoroni Fan SHIM for your Raspberry Pi is a breeze. First, it's important to know that it's mainly designed for the high - power Raspberry Pi 4, but it also works with the 3 B+ and 3 A+. Start by mounting the fan to the PCB. Thanks to the friction - fit header, there's no soldering required. Just use two screws and you'll have it mounted in less than five minutes. After that, simply slip it into your Raspberry Pi's GPIO power pins, and it'll start cooling right away.
Now, about some things to keep in mind. Your Pi can usually adjust its speed to avoid overheating on its own, so the fan isn't a must - have. But if you're planning to run intensive tasks like machine learning, rendering, emulation, or long - term video playback, the Fan SHIM will be very useful. Also, if you want to use bonnets, HATs, or pHATs along with the Fan SHIM, pick up some extra tall headers like the GPIO Stacking Header.
One more thing to note is that the Fan SHIM uses GPIO pin #18 to control the fan. This same pin is used by I2S audio devices. So, you can't use I2S DACs like pHAT DAC, pHAT BEAT, or other I2C devices at the same time as the Fan SHIM.
As for maintenance, there isn't much to do. Just keep it clean and free from dust. You can use a soft brush or compressed air to gently remove any dust that might accumulate on the fan over time.
