# A New Spacer — Giving the uConsole Some Room to Breathe **URL:** \ **Category:** uConsole\ **Tags:** tinkering, community, hardware\ **Created:** [September 14, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338 "2026-09-14T14:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/1 "2026-09-14T14:00:01Z")
Hey everyone, It has been a long time since I last posted here. As always, I try to share useful things with the community. I have already written quite a bit about temperature, and one of my criticisms of the uConsole is its enclosed design. This makes heat dissipation difficult, causing heat to build up inside the device. With that in mind, I designed this spacer, which adds something the uConsole did not have before: ventilation. The small gaps allow air to circulate both into and out of the case. And guess what? It does this without permanently modifying the original design. Note: With this spacer, you can install micro fans inside the uConsole. That is exactly what I did. The fan consumes only 0.9 W, which I believe will be negligible with the new HG battery pack. This is the extremely small fan I am using: > **[2006 5V 12V 2CM 20MM Fan 20x20x6MM Blower Fan 11000RPM Ultrathin Fan Mini...](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000817889763.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.65.5892caa4iA2azr&gatewayAdapt=bra2glo)** > > Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com And here is the spacer’s `.STL` file. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/5/a/5a65f9cc771a735c0e18307b8abaeeb53c400d75.jpeg) New Link: [Spacer Files (Light and Fan)](https://limewire.com/d/jZgDb#9gWRCGOhZ8) : Please, host in another place, expire again in 3 days. Note: Making this spacer out of aluminum would be a great option (Or even better, use 99%-pure copper plates — sending this to PCBWay in 3, 2, 1… 😁 ). CNC-machined aluminum/cooper would improve heat transfer between the rear cover and the chassis. I had to increase the thickness of my thermal pads by 1 mm, and I am continuing with my Peltier cooling project while still maintaining much lower temperatures. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/4/2/42516c0585607ea725769b3f4096e5db8c07742b.png) Note: For those who want to install internal Raspberry fans, this version eliminates the need to cut the rear cover. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/f/8/f8606eb7368eb371cb05b94bf0fc11dd11b16e6b.png) Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![t8923n](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/t8923n/32/16952_2.png) [@t8923n](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/t8923n)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/2 "2026-09-14T20:14:10Z")
Great piece and thanks for sharing. Might try using this since Ive been thinking of adding a fan. Question tho, is there a reason for not having an grill vent where the NVME is located at the bottom? ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:25pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/3 "2026-09-14T20:25:46Z")
It depends on the fan placement. In my setup, the fan is located at the bottom. Cool air enters through the upper-left section. Since hot air naturally rises rather than falls, most of the heat will escape through the upper vents. Theoretically, heat also moves from hotter areas toward cooler ones, so part of the airflow should exit through the lower-right section. Anyway, you can reverse it by simply flipping the spacer. The screw-hole alignment will change, though. ---
**Author:** ![t8923n](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/t8923n/32/16952_2.png) [@t8923n](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/t8923n)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 6:11am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/4 "2026-09-15T06:11:27Z")
ok, I was more curious why. could you post a picture of the inside to see how your setup looks now with the fan installed? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 8:46am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/5 "2026-09-15T08:46:12Z")
Light version (using with stack and peltier): ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/b/e/beac0dbec1ca41a5a893285a8a0db0806c1f500e.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/f/d/fdd9f023422f4df6782c37adb651e4a923c60325.jpeg) Fan Version (raspberry fan): ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/2/5/25d0242bac51ddf7c3d5004272c0f550d21ba851.jpeg) The fan version will fit perfectly. I just don’t use it because I currently use a smaller fan together with a Peltier cooler. I designed this version for those who use Raspberry Pi fans. Personally, I prefer the Peltier cooler because of its efficiency. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/3/3/33d32568b0119ca132406c6cc4863f97d179cc4d.jpeg) Note: I was too lazy to take everything apart just to show the inside. 😁 Note (again) :I use these openings in the middle not only for airflow, but also to route the radio cables. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Hotwire](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/mr.hotwire/32/14946_2.png) [@Mr.Hotwire](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Mr.Hotwire)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/6 "2026-09-15T13:00:55Z")
When you say “Internal fans” do you mean like the fan and heatsink combo, or an other system? ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/7 "2026-09-15T21:48:18Z")
It can be either. I have a tiny fan inside my uConsole that was meant to circulate the air internally, but with the second option I designed, you can install a fan up to 9.5 mm thick. So, to answer your question: as long as you stay within the height limit, you can install whatever you want and still have adequate ventilation. Alternatively, you can edit and cut the model to accommodate whatever height you need. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Wong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dave\_Wong](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Dave_Wong)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/8 "2026-09-16T01:23:48Z")
For the first version the thickness is about 1mm right? So for the screw it is better use the 8mm? ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/9 "2026-09-16T01:33:09Z")
With the 1.5 mm version, you don’t need to change anything: just use the same M4×10 screws. The math is: ~2 mm cover + 1.5 mm spacer = 3.5 mm to the chassis, leaving 6.5 mm of thread engagement. For an M4 screw, that is more than enough—the rule of thumb is 1× the screw diameter, which means 4 mm. Today, without the spacer, you have ~8 mm going in, so you only lose 1.5 mm of thread engagement. If you want to keep the original thread engagement, use M4×12 screws. But it’s not necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Codiator](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/codiator/32/15080_2.png) [@Codiator](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Codiator)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 7:54am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/10 "2026-09-16T07:54:35Z")
Where do you use M4x10 screws? The original uConsole screws are M4x4. ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 9:04am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/11 "2026-09-16T09:04:36Z")
Owww…You’re right, my screws are M4×10. I had forgotten about that! > [@Codiator](#): > > M4x10 Sorry, a very serious mistake! You are right: the original screws are M4×4. I just remembered that I replaced them with M4×10 screws right at the beginning because I didn’t want to force the cover (And I had to do this months ago because of another project.), as I had measured everything. I bought several different screws to test this. I even have M4×12 screws, which must be used with the second version. Unfortunately, if you only have M4×4 screws, **you won’t be able** to use this upgrade. Well, if you have the skills, you could try modifying the spacer to 0.5 mm (?), but it may not work for its original purpose. My sincerest apologies for the mistake. You only have one option if you only have the M4×4 screws: **don’t use it.** ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 11:06am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/12 "2026-09-16T11:06:35Z")
Well, sometimes certain things bother me. One of them is the fact that ClockworkPi did a magnificent job designing and finishing the uConsole, only for it to be ruined by “hacks” that are not really hacks. I love the uConsole, and I think it looks beautiful in its original form. However, it does have some problems, and I hate criticism for the sake of criticism, without proposing solutions. I thought that by making the .STL file available, people would be able to examine the geometry and dimensions perfectly and reach certain obvious conclusions. All they had to do was look at the .STL before printing it. However, I have noticed that when someone has a good idea—or had one, asked for help, and nobody helped—the first thing people do is ignore the idea. One thing most people do not understand is that changing a production line while it is still running is very difficult. Thinking outside the box and beyond the original design, without disrupting the production line, is important to maintain the product’s continuity. So, you do not need to destroy (respect) the uConsole, which is wonderfully well made. Nobody expected the CM5 to run this hot, but when there is good faith and goodwill, we can help one another as a community. ClockworkPi can keep this beautiful product in production, while companies such as HG can build accessories without destroying the original design. Anyway, enjoy it. This upgrade is free. Improve it and take it further, but please remember that the original IDEA came from **[pgamble](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/pgamble)**. I only implemented it. My congratulations to him. > [@3D printed plastic spacer to enable fan cooling and vents?](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/3d-printed-plastic-spacer-to-enable-fan-cooling-and-vents/18755/5): > > This would be useful. Please do stuck_out_tongue ---
**Author:** ![Codiator](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/codiator/32/15080_2.png) [@Codiator](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Codiator)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 12:16pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/13 "2026-09-16T12:16:45Z")
I use one of my uConsoles with a CM5 and NMVe. And although I don’t live in Alaska, it works perfectly well in its original design. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/14 "2026-09-16T12:28:12Z")
Then it’s perfect for you! **But this isn’t about you**. It’s about people who use their uConsoles for more hardcore, professional applications—not just to play games, use them as desktops, watch videos, send emails, use social networks or surf internet - I have a phone for that. You still haven’t understood that, but that’s okay. ---
**Author:** ![Codiator](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/codiator/32/15080_2.png) [@Codiator](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Codiator)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 1:41am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/15 "2026-09-17T01:41:35Z")
Why are you being so aggressive? And how do you know how I use my uConsoles? If you have such unusual applications, why don’t you just calmly explain your “hardcore professional” applications that run on the uConsole and cause the system to heat up so much that the uConsole can’t dissipate the heat? ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 9:17am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/16 "2026-09-17T09:17:51Z")
I’ve already explained this more than once, but in short: radios, voice demodulators, GPS applications, real-time speech-to-text transcription, real time translation,vocalization and some scripts I wrote using the DSD-FME library to automatically identify radio signals — basically almost any type of digital radio signal (TETRA, DMR, P25, YSF, NXDN, DSTAR, M17, dPMR, PROVOICE, EDACS, X2-TDMA and etc.). ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/7/6/76823555bc691a1d5f48339f74d316b65b798bfc.png) Besides that, I use an MMDVM together with the uConsole, which works as a digital radio interface, allowing me to study radio signals from around the world. I’m also working on adapting an MMDVM modem together with a HAT+2 board. And I want all of this running on the uConsole because it uses a Raspberry Pi. I already have all of this working on regular Raspberry Pi systems, but I want to be able to **carry everything with me**. In short, I want to build a **kind of global universal radio**. I basically already have it, but what I want now is mobility. And all of this generates a lot of heat. Everything else is relatively straightforward to solve — **my biggest battle is heat management.** That said, I don’t really need to justify or explain myself to you. So let me ask you this: **Why don’t you drop the sarcasm and actually try to help instead of getting in the way and picking fights with people you don’t even know?** Enjoy the spacer… Note: if anyone wants to talk to me about this project, feel free to reach out to me privately. ---
**Author:** ![Codiator](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/codiator/32/15080_2.png) [@Codiator](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Codiator)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/17 "2026-09-17T13:10:00Z")
I’m sorry you took it as sarcasm. That wasn’t my intention. You’re right, though, your use case is indeed quite special. In fact, I actually think the idea of a ventilation spacer is a good one. The only downside is that it means the CPU is further away from the heat-dissipating rear panel of the case. ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 1:24pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/18 "2026-09-17T13:24:17Z")
Thank you. That’s exactly why I made two versions. In Version Light, you can use thermal pads and Fan Version, fan heatsink combos of almost any size. You just need to look for powerful, low-power fans, like this: > **[2006 5V 12V 2CM 20MM Fan 20x20x6MM Blower Fan 11000RPM Ultrathin Fan Mini...](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000817889763.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.65.5892caa4iA2azr&gatewayAdapt=bra2glo)** > > Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com Or use the original Raspberry Pi cooler/clones. The second model supports coolers up to 9.5 mm in height, but you can edit the STL to accommodate any height you want. ---
**Author:** ![Wander\_Menezes](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/wander_menezes/32/16547_2.png) [@Wander\_Menezes](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Wander_Menezes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/19 "2026-09-17T18:26:26Z")
**Important note:** The example fan is a **SENKAYS 2006 blower fan, 20 × 20 × 6 mm, 5 V DC**. For the HackerGadgets board, the required plug is a **4-pin JST-SH connector with a 1.0 mm pitch** , using the Raspberry Pi 5/CM5 pinout: **Pin 1: +5 V, Pin 2: PWM, Pin 3: GND, Pin 4: Tach**. The fan may arrive with a different connector, so you may need to splice a JST-SH 1.0 mm pigtail onto its wires. Always verify the pinout before connecting it; do not rely only on wire colors. ---
**Author:** ![Lanthar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/lanthar/32/11106_2.png) [@Lanthar](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Lanthar)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:49am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338/20 "2026-09-18T03:49:30Z")
老兄，上一个关于散热的帖子我就感觉到你是一个非常喜欢专研的人。 我去年拿到uConsole的时候，也尝试制作了一个铜质中框垫片，但是厚度没把握好，选成了1.5mm，安装好后，整体感觉变胖了。由于没有安装内置风扇，所以降温效果也不明显。 最好作用的可能就是你说的让它呼吸，透气，空气流通，但是我担心的是水汽或者凝结的问题，于是就搁置了。 我后面可能会尝试用其他材料来试试制作背板，由于比较忙，加上我不会三维设计软件，所以想法很难去测试。 ![截屏2026-09-18 11.44.21](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/3X/d/f/df83cf550768186ddd4777a19dc95d838b3c1e18.jpeg) 我猜想，在增加这类金属中框的基础上，后背可以用透明亚克力来制作 😄 [Next page](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/a-new-spacer-giving-the-uconsole-some-room-to-breathe/23338.md?page=2)