This dock is designed to resolve thermal issues with the original Nintendo Switch.
My original switch had a dead fan, a dead fan diode, and then began to overheat when playing more demanding games. This is a common issue with the original switch.
Aftermarket "cooling" docks do not solve this issue, for a number of reasons:
- Radial fans do not provide enough static pressure to force air inside the system (the air does not enter).
- Plastic backplate does not thermally conduct with the internal components (no point blowing air on it).
- The hardware is not supported by Nintendo and uses questionable components (dock kills switch = no warranty).
- Non-destructively reuses the original dock hardware: No need to worry about faulty third party docks. Switching back to the original dock is always an option.
- Forced air intake: One 5015 blower fan uses an internal duct to pull cold air from the front of the dock, and forces it into the air intake on the back of the switch.
- Forced air outtake: One 5015 blower fan uses an external duct to suck hot air out of the exhaust port, and vents it through the back of the dock.
- Dual mode: The switch can stand upright (no vents blocked, natural airflow), or it can lean back to engage the vents (forced airflow). Forced air mode is activated by a rocker switch on the front.
- Game holder:: The front panel holds 5 game cards for easy access.
- Simple construction: The whole dock is assembled using standard mechanical parts, and is held together with M3 machine screws.
| Qty. | Description | Price (qty.) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | GDSTime 5015 Blower Fan (5V, 4500RPM) | $5-10 (x1) | Aliexpress, Amazon (unavailable) |
| 7 | M3 Threaded Brass Insert (4.6mm * 5.7mm) | $12 (x100) | Amazon(CA) |
| 7 | M3 Machine Screw (8mm, philips) | $12 (x100) | Amazon(CA) |
| 2 | 623-2RS 3x10x4mm Ball Bearing | $15 (x20) | Amazon(CA) |
| 1 | Junk USB Cable (DIY - free), or prewired USB power cable | $11 (x4) | Amazon(CA) |
| 1 | Rocker Switch (~13mm * 9mm cutout) | $0.39 (x1) | Digikey(CA), Amazon(CA) - possible alternative |
| 1 | (optional) Electrical Tape | $5 (x1) | Amazon(CA) |
| 1 | 2-conductor Wire (22-26AWG), ~20cm | $33 (50ft)*** | Amazon(CA) |
| 1 | Solder, soldering iron, heat shrink tubing | $30-200 | Varies |
*** NOTE: these are just what I personally used.
Total parts cost for me was ~$30 CAD due to already owning many of these in quantity.
See the assembly instructions for detailed instructions on how to assemble the dock.
Issues with the model, or requests for features / modifications can be added as an issue in this repository.