Modern boards like the Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 generate significant heat. When the processor gets too hot, it automatically slows down—a process known as thermal throttling. Adding a high-quality raspberry pi fan or active cooler ensures your CPU stays cool, maintaining maximum speed for AI processing, compiling code, or gaming. SunFounder offers cooling solutions that fit perfectly with standard cases and HATs.
○ Active Coolers: The gold standard for the Raspberry Pi 5. These combine a large metal heatsink with a blower fan to actively push heat away from the chip.
○ PWM Fans: These intelligent cooling fans connect to the GPIO pins and adjust their speed based on the CPU temperature, running silently when idle and ramping up only when needed.
○ Heatsink Kits: For silent operation, our passive aluminum and copper heatsinks absorb heat without moving parts, ideal for low-power or audio-sensitive projects.
○ Do I need a fan for Raspberry Pi 5?
Yes, the Raspberry Pi 5 is significantly more powerful and runs hotter than previous models. We highly recommend using an active cooler or a case with a built-in fan to ensure stable operation under load.
○ What is a PWM fan?
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) allows the Raspberry Pi to control the speed of the fan. Unlike standard fans that run at 100% speed all the time, a PWM fan is quieter and extends the fan's lifespan.
○ How do I install the fan?
Our Raspberry Pi cooling fans typically attach via screws or thermal tape and connect to the GPIO header or a dedicated fan connector (on Pi 5). Detailed wiring diagrams and setup scripts are provided in our online Wiki.
