error fpga fan speed

Don w2xb

Is there a fix for this problem or do I have to send it in? I see others have had this problem.

Don...w2xb
running a flex 6500

Matt (K0KB)

It's gotta go in

ctate243

this is in a non-user serviceable portion of your transceiver.  open a support ticket and arrange for an RMA to get your fan repaired.  

Don w2xb

Sent in repair ticket...

Don...w2xb

Scott N8UMW

I might add that you should expect to have it replaced more than once should you keep the radio long term.

Bill -VA3WTB

At least the turnaround is fast...

Ross - K9COX

Don, just curious...do you leave your Flex on all the time?

KY6LA_Howard

My Flex 6700 has been running 24/7/365 since the day it was delivered 6/20/2013

There are also Flex Radio 6700 in continuous use on the International Space Station

I do not believe that Flex has a long term reliability issue.

Ross - K9COX

Just as Howard has stated his fan has no issues my 8 month old 6500 which does not run 24/7 has issued the "shutting down error FPGA fan speed". It has also made the dreaded fan noise I'm sure most computer uses have heard in the past. Flex gave me instructions on cleaning the fan in spite of it being used in a very normal household environment.

Chris DL5NAM

Howard, the fan hardware must be different. This noisy fan's cant use for 24 hours per day at space station. With normal fan's the guy's there will unpluged F6700 and kick it to the moon! :-)

Cal N3CAL

Howard I would not expect the 6700 fans to fail in zero gravity.  LOL

Cal/N3CAL

Cal N3CAL

My 6500 had this fan issue (FPGA Fan Speed) and had to be returned to Flex for repair after less than 6 months of use.  It ran 24/7 only to be turned off during summer lighting storms.   Contrary to what Howard thinks there are several Flex owners that had this issue and if I were Flex I would be concerned it is a reliability issue!   I hope Flex can improve the 6400/6600 fans and increase reliability and reduce the noise level.

Flex does deserve credit for handling these issues as they occur and replacing the fans.  As always outstanding customer service.      

Cal/N3CAL

KY6LA_Howard

One thing that I have done to reduce the heat load on my fans is to put an inexpensive $10 USB powered laptop cooler under my 6700 The net result is that my fans rarely if ever go on at full power even during long digital transmissions. The laptop cooler is quiet. And the fans are quiet and reliable. Being by the ocean we have quite temperate climate 22C 72F year round. As we have no need for air conditioning all the doors and windows tend to be open much of the time. Surprisingly little dirt has accumulated in the 6700 albeit I am seeing some effects of ocean salt spray on many other vendors products here in the Shack but so far not on the Flex

Tom N5MOA

I also purchased my 6500 8 months ago, and had the "shutting down FPGA error" problem a few weeks ago, along with the bad bearing sound on re-start a few times.

Like you, I also do not run mine 24/7, although I have left it on for a couple of days a time or two. Cleaning the minimal dust off the fan blades didn't do anything for the issue.

As for heat, the only time the fans have  kicked into high speed is a couple of times during RTTY contests. My wife likes her AC, so she keeps the temp in the house around 70 deg.

Flex did turn it around in about a week or so, the 4th of July holiday added a couple of days, so kudos for that. However, there are 2 fans on the CPU, and the email from service stated they "replaced the fan on U8".

It does give me cause to wonder if the other fan is going to go.

Kevin N9JKP

There have been some great articles (available on Flexradio's site) on how to reduce noise is one's shack from electrical sources. And I have a very quiet shack for both RF and AF.  However, the loudest device in my shack is the 6700.  My computer has 6 fans, I built this computer and used Noctua fans. They are quiet, and have state of the art "bearing" technology.  When I turn off the 6700 I really notice how noisy its fans are. (The one time the fans kicked in on high I thought something had gone wrong how loud it was).

It appears that my 6700 case fans are both cheap and noisy (and an obsolete model).  I have no idea what's in the RF cage but I assume they are of similar quality.  I would have gladly spent another $40 to have quality fans which are quiet and proven reliable.

I appreciate the features of the 6700 both electronic hardware and the software, I can only surmise someone thought fans were not a critical component and the least expensive, generic fan available in the market which met air handling (cooling) would suffice.

I would hope replacement fans are higher quality and future design will take into account the noise generated by the Flexradio's fans.

Rich McCabe

I hope the new 6400/6600 design has user replaceable fans.  Seems the physical fan should be isolated from non serviceable parts.

Scott N8UMW

I agree with user replaceable fans. Mine failed a little over a year, sent it in and was told all fans were replaced, a couple months later, the same fan started screwing up again. It will make the bad bearing sound and the radio will not boot. After several attempts at powering up, it eventually goes full speed and continues to boot. Howard, that's the ticket. Don't ever turn your radio off. This is a problem reminiscent of older, cheap video cards. This shouldn't be an issue in a two thousand five hundred dollar radio, let alone in the more expensive models.

Bill -VA3WTB

Paul, it is a small number of people having problems compared to thousands of Flex owners. but like anything it can happen.

Tim - W4TME

The 6400 & 6600s have passive cooling for the CPUs.

Tim - W4TME

This issue is being addressed through the HelpDesk.

Rich McCabe

So that means a radiator of sorts for the CPU?  But radios still have a larger side fan. Do you know if its replaceable by user?

Roy Laufer

Well, I got bit by this bug today!

My 6700 was just receiving a bunch of bands like always (I keep it running 24/7) when I got back to my shack my SSDR window was shut and my 6700 was displaying the FPGA Fan ERROR. I had no problem with excessive noise or any noticeable mechanical failure in the making. The only times I've heard the fans "rev up" were during flash updates.

I tried shutting it off, powering down, and then turning it back on - no joy in Mudville, same FPGA Fan ERROR...

Then I recalled an ancient Aztec technique for recalcitrant burros and gave my 6700 a good smack and the darn thing came back to life!

I may be on "burrowed" time here. Still, no excessive noise to be heard.

I had already placed a Help Ticket and I will discuss with them whether I should attempt to clean the inside of my 6700 in some particular way...

Wish me luck with my stubborn little burro!

73,
Roy AC2GS

Douglas Maxwell

The fan in my 6300 failed and had to be sent from the UK to Germany to get it fixed. I also know another operator in the UK with a 6500 who told me he had a fan issue, but in the end all that was necessary was to use an adhesive thermal pad and re-attached the fan to the FPGA. Has anyone inspected the hardware itself? Is there a heatsink? How is the fan and heatsink fixed to the FPGA? I believe there is also a fan for the processor. At the time of failure I am sure it was mentioned that the fan was simply "stuck on". I believe that these issues have been fixed in the latest generation of hardware 6400/6600. Is there any chance of Flex re-thinking the hardware thermal management for legacy 6000 devices and issuing a upgrade kit?

Mike NN9DD

I have had my radio for 4 years and it is on 24/7 probably 80% of those days. No fan issues at all. I hope I didn't curse myself but it has been very good Mike N9DFD

k3Tim

sounds doesn't travel thru the vacuum of space.

Tim - W4TME

It is not a bug, it is a hardware issue.  Yes, clean the fans first and if the problem persists, then the fans will need to be replaced.

Don w2xb

Tim,
Do they replace the fans with better ones?

Don..w2xb

Bill / VA3QB

Should the inside case and fans be cleaned on a regular basis, much like my computer and the CPU fan(s) ?

Roy Laufer

When I called it a "bug", I meant a hardware "bug", not a software bug.

My nearby desktop computer runs 24/7 for the past three+ years with no fan failures there. These FPGA fans appear to have too high a failure rate (IMHO).

The new 6400/6600's passive cooling will make this only a problem for legacy owners, but perhaps the 6700's inlet air vent should have been fitted with an easily removable dust filter (it works great for my desktop computer)...

Ah, 20/20 hindsight!

(I hope that the replacement fans have a better failure rate.)

73,
Roy AC2GS

Bill -VA3WTB

We don't know what the failure rate is, there have been some on the community with problems, how ever the posters only represents a very small group of owners.

Tim - W4TME

Don - they are a fan assembly with an integrated heat sink.  They are replaced with an equivalent part. 

Bill - yes
https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001282823-How-to-properly-clean-the-FLEX-6000-Co...