Guide · Updated
NerdQaxe+ and NerdQaxe++ cooling: fan size, fan control and 120mm fans
What fan the NerdQaxe+ and NerdQaxe++ use, how the firmware runs the fans, and how to fit a 120mm fan. Every number here comes from the NerdQaxe hardware and firmware source, Thermalright’s product pages or the sellers’ spec pages, linked under Sources.
The short answer
- Stock fan: the NerdQaxe++ sold by PowerMining and Solo Satoshi comes with a Thermalright AXP90-X36 cooler, whose fan is 92 × 92 × 15mm, 4-pin PWM.
- Fan headers: both boards have two 4-pin fan headers wired GND, +12V, tach and PWM, so they take 12V 4-pin PWM fans.
- 120mm fan: a 120mm fan doesn’t bolt to the AXP90’s 92mm mount. You need an adapter shroud such as the NQ-HELIX, made for the AXP90-X36, X47 and X53.
NerdQaxe+ vs NerdQaxe++
| NerdQaxe+ | NerdQaxe++ | |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC chips | 4 × BM1368 | 4 × BM1370 |
| Rated (official repo) | About 2.5 TH/s at about 55 W | About 4.8 TH/s at about 76 W |
| Power input | 12V | 12V (barrel jack on older boards; XT30 on rev 6.1.2PM and rev 7) |
| Fan headers | Two 4-pin (M1, M2) | Two 4-pin (M1, M2) |
| Stock cooler | Varies by seller | Thermalright AXP90-X36 (PowerMining, Solo Satoshi) |
Sellers quote different power figures for the NerdQaxe++, from about 60 W to about 80 W, depending on board revision and settings.
Thermalright AXP90 sizes: X36, X47 and X53
The number in the name is the cooler’s total height in millimeters, fan included. Thermalright lists the heatsinks at 21, 32 and 38mm tall, and each adds a 15mm fan. All three come with a 92mm fan that Thermalright rates at 2700 RPM and 22.4 dBA.
| Model | Heatsink height | With fan | Stock fan |
|---|---|---|---|
| AXP90-X36 | 21mm | 36mm | 92mm, 2700 RPM, 22.4 dBA |
| AXP90-X47 | 32mm | 47mm | 92mm, 2700 RPM, 22.4 dBA |
| AXP90-X53 | 38mm | 53mm | 92mm, 2700 RPM, 22.4 dBA |
How the firmware runs the fans
- Two fan channels. The firmware treats header M2 as the ASIC fan and M1 as the voltage regulator (VR) fan. By default M1 simply copies the ASIC fan, which then works from whichever is hotter, the ASIC or the VR.
- Default mode. The NerdQaxe+ and the NerdQaxe++ rev 5/6 default to a manual fan at 100%. Only the NerdQaxe++ rev 7 defaults to automatic (PID) control, and only on a fresh setup.
- Automatic targets. In PID mode the firmware aims for 55°C on the ASIC and 65°C on the VR. The NerdQaxe++ rev 7 aims for 65°C on the ASIC.
- Overheat. The default overheat limit is 70°C. When it trips, that fan goes to 100% and the firmware shuts off the ASIC voltage. See the temperature guide for more.
Because the stock setting is a fixed 100% on most boards, a quieter setup usually means a bigger, slower fan or switching to automatic control in the settings.
Fitting a 120mm fan
The NQ-HELIX is a shroud designed by PlebBase.com that, in the designer’s words, “allows all 120 mm fans to be used on the NERDQaxe+, NERDQaxe++, and other models”. It is “designed specifically for the Thermalright AXP90-X36, X47, and X53 coolers”: it sits on the heatsink in place of the 92mm fan and holds a standard 120mm fan. The designer publishes his own test results on PlebBase.
- Fan: a 120mm fan with a 4-pin PWM connector, to match the board’s 12V 4-pin headers.
- Install: step by step in the NQ-HELIX install guide.
- Settings: after the swap, check your temperatures and consider switching the fan to automatic control.
NerdRoots sells the NQ-HELIX under a paid license, printed in PETG in California.
Parts for NerdQaxe+/++
1 part
-
$17.99
Sources
- NerdQaxe hardware: shufps/qaxe (chips, rated hashrate and power, fan headers); rev 7: benjamin-wilson/qaxe.
- NerdQaxe firmware: shufps/ESP-Miner-NerdQAxePlus v1.1.0.1 (fan channels, default modes, PID targets, overheat).
- Stock cooler and power figures: PowerMining, Solo Satoshi, osmu.wiki.
- AXP90 sizes and fans: Thermalright AXP90-X36, AXP90-X47, AXP90-X53.
- NQ-HELIX: MakerWorld model page.
Questions?
Send us your board and cooler and we’ll confirm what fits, usually within one business day.