B2 Overheating

[Michael Andrews]

My B2 is generating excessive heat.  I could fry an egg on it -- that's not an exaggeration! I have it on only for a couple of hours and the heat is extreme.  I've burned some CDs and worry that the heat will damage the CDs because they are so hot on ejection.  I know the B2 is really a linux computer rather than stereo equipment in its design, and past experience tells me heating problems in computers are due to software bugs.  My B2 is just a few months old.  Anyone experiencing this overheating?  What can be done about it? 

[Daniel Taylor]

I'd be interested to know how a software bug can cause overheating.

I suspect that a faulty hardware component or two could also cause the problem.  Like maybe a voltage regulator that wasn't regulating so well.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

No your B2 should not be that hot. Something is wrong with the hardware not the software ( we are all running the same software ).

Honestly if your unit is that hot there is a fire risk! Stop using it.

If there is an issue we have found that Brennan honour their guarantee.

I expect that Paul (PMB) from Brennan here on the forum will pick up on this in the morning UK and tell you what to do.I

Fred

[Michael Andrews]

I'll await more guidance then.  The unit is turned off.  

[PMB]

Hi nextco...,

The B2 can run warm when ripping and compressing but I would not describe it as 'hot'.

Is the B2 positioned with plenty of space around it? Have you anything sitting on top of the B2 - the 'B2' pattern of holes is the ventilation?

Does it run hot all of the time i.e. when playing off the hard drive, playing the radio, etc?

Which model is your B2 - 240GB, 480GB or 2TB?

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Michael Andrews]

Hi Paul,

My B2 is 2TB.  It runs noticeably warmer compared to other stereo and computer equipment I own (including my BB1.)  The unit is not obstructed in any way, and given the heat it generates, I wouldn't want other items immediately next to it.  The heat builds over time (after a couple of hours of playing from the HDD) and is most pronounced after ripping multiple CDs, which causes the CDs to heat (again, not a typical experience for me when using  computer-based CD-ROM players).  From your questions, it sounds like heat is a characteristic of the B2 but not a problem known to cause issues for owners. Is it is ok to leave the device on for extended periods (which I do for my stereo system without issue)?  Thanks for your feedback.

[Daniel Taylor]

It sounds like your unit is getting hotter than most of us would describe.  If it's too hot to lay your hand on for a few moments, then it probably should be inspected for a problem.  That might be something that can be done at a local electronics shop without needing to send it in to Brennan.  Although, if it's still in warranty, then to Brennan (or AudioTech) it should go.  Paul (from Brennan) will probably ask you to send an email to thebrennanb2 @ gmail . com (no spaces) with a brief description of the problem.

[Michael Andrews]

Thank you Daniel for the advice.  I want to emphasize I love the B2 as a product.  I'm not an electronics boffin but I love music, and learned about the B2 from an ad in a jazz magazine I get. I don't know the boundary between warm and hot, but if I hold my hand on the unit for more than a few moments, but becomes uncomfortable for me.  

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Using the CD to rip 20 albums will get the unit warm to the touch but not so you feel the need to remove your hand. You said "fry an egg"!

If you are NOT ripping is the unit still hot to the touch?

Fred

[PMB]

Hi nextco...,

If you are concerned about how hot the B2 is getting let me know -  thebrennanb2  @  gmail  .  com  - and we will arrange to get it back for checking and/or repair.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Daniel Taylor]

My statement that I'd be interested in how software can cause overheating resulted in a private email that made me wonder if the Raspberry Pi processor board is underpowered.  How much work can we ask it to do without it overheating?

We know that it's recommended to only rip about 20 CDs at a time and then let the B2 compress overnight.  After a session of doing that, how hot does the B2 get?  I don't know because I do all my ripping on my computer.  What if someone wanted to rip 500 CDs in a row without any significant pause?  Is the R.Pi board up to it?  Or is it the R.Pi processor that would overheat.  When the CD drive runs, it draws more current from the power supply.  Maybe it's the power supply (the part of it that's inside the B2) that's being stressed?  

What about just playing CDs repeatedly for several hours?  Or even just playing the music from internal storage?  At what point do a user's expectations of the B2 become unreasonable?  Lots of questions.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Hi Daniel,

Regarding the Raspberry Pi, the model in the B2 does NOT suffer from heat issues and does not even need a heat sink on the CPU/GPU chip,

It only uses VERY little power. The power brick for the B2 is for powering the amplifiers on the Brennan daughter PCB.

The CD unit is a third party, PC unit, this does get warm with use, I used my 2016 B2 to rip 800 odd CDs with no issues. However, it is known that there have been quality issues with some of the 'Covid made' CD units supplied to Brennan.

Fred

[Ian Barber]

Hi Folks, I have a 2TB Brennan B2 which runs hot at times and cools -down at others, while ripping CD's and also while compressing and also on playback. I am due to rip around 10-20 cd's in my next batch which I hope to be able to do sometime this weekend.  I usually rip ,and compress, automatically which usually starts some 4 minutes after the ripping process has finished. If it would help, I have a laser digital thermometer which gives me the exact temp readout ( accuracy + or - 1 degree C ) wherever the laser strikes the casing etc. If it would help, I can measure the temp of the casing when I next rip those cd's( top,front,sides and bottom ) for each activity and report back on here  ? I measure the ambient temperature  of the room as near to the B2 as possible, then measure the starting temp of the B2 casing and the rise above ambient on the B2 casing. My B2 sits on a small folding wooden table which is slatted in both directions, forming  a pattern of  2cm squares . So, well ventilated, and away from the TV and hi-fi rack on 3 metre leads. From past experience, when I had a problem with a used phonostage that I was going to buy, I contacted the Scandinavian manufacturer who very kindly gave me the maximum temp,as measured at the casing, allowing for the build-up of heat inside. The max figures allowed were 45C external casings,allowing for the FET's which ran @ 70C. The fault turned-out to be dirty internal 'jumpers' which regulated the output from 41.5db to 46.5db, with ambient room temp of 20-22C. My unit was measuring over 50C, until I took the 'jumpers' off the pins, cleaned all the pins and the two 'jumpers' with Deoxit D5. The temp of the casing dropped back to  around 6-8 degrees above ambient in my all-glass hi-fi rack, and I bought the phonostage, which is still working as it should some 15 months later. Cheers

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Hi Ian,

I am sure that will be helpful information. Please include the ambient room temp as well.

I believe the Pi Arm chip will run at 40-50 Degrees C. and it is quite happy up to 80 Degrees C. That is the single CPU chip temp not the whole Pi PCB.

Fred