Hardware Back Metal plate removal?

[viper3344]

Hey all!

Have a nice clear replacement shell for my switch. Its super sexy with the rear metal plate removed (showing the heat pipe and GPU etc) but I have it left on due to concerns of it actually needing it.

Does anyone know if that rear plate is actually needed for heat dissipation or is it just for structural holding?

Thanks!

 

[FAST6191]

Is there a homebrew temperature measuring tool? Fairly simple to test these things if so.

I would probably be more concerned about it emitting interference and receiving it. Looking at steps 5 and 6 of https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+Switch+Teardown/78263 then it is covered in small holes. That is an extra step (extra steps cost, cost an awful lot when you are making millions of the things), does little for cooling, will not do much for weight reduction, won't do much for strength compared to all the other features of that stamping and thus we are back to EM, if you want a nice technical article then https://www.electronic.nu/2017/02/08/shielding-of-boxes-and-enclosures-part-2/
On the matter of cooling it is thermally coupled it seems but there is not a great deal of thermal mass there.
Seems someone did point a thermal camera at it in game (looks like Zelda)


Not seeing a lot of heat outside of where I would expect or what I would expect to see if it were aiming to act as a radiator.

Structure wise I imagine/hope a clear case will be some nice polycarbonate which should take care of some of the strength/rigidity concerns -- as long as you don't get acetone on it polycarbonate is very tough (there is a reason it is used for riot shields and face masks), but is also expensive. If you are paying up for a fancy shell then no worries there about cost.

After this I am contemplating nonsense like what if the battery went pop. Said sheet would not do much beyond turn a very bad day into still a very bad day but not quite as much as before.

Also if you fancy sharing some pictures I would not mind seeing some. I don't know expect to see cosmetic replacement cases like this at this point in the game.

 

[Canna]

yes the shield is used for more heat dissipation, hence why the thermal paste is applied to the other side above the heat pipe.. id say it adds a little strength but not too much.. but people have tried with and without the shield with differences in temp and the back of case feeling hotter..

 

[radicalwookie]

Im quite sure that the backplate serves for heat dissipation like the body of iPad.

 

[viper3344]

Yeah. I can see that now. Especially since the back side of the heat pipes are thermaled to the metal.

Thanks all, best to leave it on for now!

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Is there a homebrew temperature measuring tool? Fairly simple to test these things if so.

I would probably be more concerned about it emitting interference and receiving it. Looking at steps 5 and 6 of https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+Switch+Teardown/78263 then it is covered in small holes. That is an extra step (extra steps cost, cost an awful lot when you are making millions of the things), does little for cooling, will not do much for weight reduction, won't do much for strength compared to all the other features of that stamping and thus we are back to EM, if you want a nice technical article then https://www.electronic.nu/2017/02/08/shielding-of-boxes-and-enclosures-part-2/
On the matter of cooling it is thermally coupled it seems but there is not a great deal of thermal mass there.
Seems someone did point a thermal camera at it in game (looks like Zelda)


Not seeing a lot of heat outside of where I would expect or what I would expect to see if it were aiming to act as a radiator.

Structure wise I imagine/hope a clear case will be some nice polycarbonate which should take care of some of the strength/rigidity concerns -- as long as you don't get acetone on it polycarbonate is very tough (there is a reason it is used for riot shields and face masks), but is also expensive. If you are paying up for a fancy shell then no worries there about cost.

After this I am contemplating nonsense like what if the battery went pop. Said sheet would not do much beyond turn a very bad day into still a very bad day but not quite as much as before.

Also if you fancy sharing some pictures I would not mind seeing some. I don't know expect to see cosmetic replacement cases like this at this point in the game.

Here is what mine looks like!

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-medi...ogressive,q_80,w_800/h000f6ddqcf22hvdbnbi.jpg

 

[azxc]

I've been playing my switch without a backplate docked, sometimes for hours for a few months now. Haven't had any issue. The fan does kick in a little faster. I bet there are temp sensors in the gpu to turn off if it gets too hot like most, if not all electronic devices.

Just make sure you put some foam tape under the micro sd card slot if your removing the plate, or youll have issues with the sd card falling into the shell when inserting it if your not being careful. Added some foam tape and it's perfect.