A compact, aluminum tunnel-type active cooler purpose-built for the Raspberry Pi 5, delivering PWM-controlled airflow directly over the SoC.
The Argon THRML 30mm Active Cooler (SKU: ARG-THRML-30) is a dedicated thermal solution designed exclusively for the Raspberry Pi 5. It combines a 30mm PWM fan with an aluminum tunnel-type radiator heatsink to deliver focused, active airflow over the Raspberry Pi 5's SoC heatsink area — the same zone that sees the heaviest thermal load during intensive workloads such as video transcoding, machine learning inference, and sustained multi-threaded processing.
Unlike passive cooling solutions that rely entirely on heat dissipation through surface area and convection, the THRML 30 actively moves air across the heatsink fins at up to 8000 RPM, generating a maximum airflow of 1.09 CFM. The tunnel-type heatsink geometry channels that airflow efficiently rather than allowing it to scatter, which maximises the synergy between the fan and the heatsink. Thermal pads are applied directly to the CPU and PMIC chip, ensuring low-resistance thermal contact between the silicon and the aluminum heatsink body.
The cooler draws power directly from the Raspberry Pi 5's onboard four-pin PWM fan header, so no external power supply or additional wiring is needed. Fan speed is managed entirely by the Raspberry Pi 5's firmware — the cooler is hardware-ready out of the box, with no Argon 40 software or drivers required. Available in Black (BLCK) and Silver (BRED) colour variants to suit different build aesthetics.
📝 Note: The confirmed box contents below are sourced from the product manual. If your package differs, contact Argon 40 support via the Argon Resources page.
[TODO: Confirm complete box contents list with Argon 40 — full itemised list (e.g., number of thermal pads, number of mounting pins, printed quick-start card) not available in current sources]
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| SKU | ARG-THRML-30 |
| Fan Size | 30 mm |
| Maximum Fan Speed | 8000 RPM ±15% |
| Maximum Airflow | 1.09 CFM |
| Input Voltage | 5V DC via Raspberry Pi 5 four-pin PWM fan header |
| Fan Control Method | Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) with tachometer feedback |
| Heatsink Material | Aluminum |
| Heatsink Design | Tunnel-type radiator |
| Thermal Interface | Thermal pads (CPU and PMIC chip) |
| Mounting Method | Quick snap-on with push pins |
| Compatible Board | Raspberry Pi 5 only |
| Colour Variants | Black (BLCK), Silver (BRED) |
| Cooler Dimensions | [TODO: Not available in current sources — confirm with Argon 40] |
| Weight | [TODO: Not available in current sources — confirm with Argon 40] |
| Noise Level | [TODO: dB rating not available in current sources — confirm with Argon 40] |
| Fan Power Consumption | [TODO: Amperage draw not specified in current sources — confirm with Argon 40] |
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the first Raspberry Pi to include a dedicated four-pin PWM fan header onboard, making it the only board compatible with the Argon THRML 30mm Active Cooler.
⚠️ Warning: The Argon THRML 30mm Active Cooler is exclusively compatible with Raspberry Pi 5. Do not attempt to install this cooler on any other Raspberry Pi model — the mounting pattern, fan header, and thermal pad placement are specific to the Raspberry Pi 5 SoC layout.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Broadcom BCM2712, 2.4 GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 |
| GPU | VideoCore VII — OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2 |
| RAM Options | 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, or 16 GB LPDDR4X-4267 |
| Built-in Storage | microSD (UHS-I) |
| Storage Expansion | PCIe 2.0 ×1 connector (M.2 HAT optional) |
| Wi-Fi | Dual-band 802.11ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 / BLE |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
| USB 3.0 | 2× USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) |
| USB 2.0 | 2× USB 2.0 |
| Display Output | 2× micro-HDMI — supports dual 4Kp60 simultaneous output; MIPI DSI; MIPI CSI |
| GPIO Header | 40-pin standard Raspberry Pi header |
| Power Input | USB-C Power Delivery |
| Recommended PSU | 5V 5A (27 W) |
| Minimum PSU | 5V 3A (15 W) |
| Real-Time Clock | Yes — onboard battery connector |
| Power Button | Yes — onboard |
| Supported Operating Systems | Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit recommended), Ubuntu, other RPi 5–compatible distributions |
| Form Factor | Standard Raspberry Pi |
| Dimensions | 85 mm × 56 mm |
Board specifications sourced from raspberrypi.com.
Compatibility caveat: The THRML 30 mounts directly on the Raspberry Pi 5's SoC heatsink area and connects to the onboard fan header. Compatibility with specific Argon 40 enclosures (e.g., Argon ONE V3, Argon NEO 5) has not been confirmed in current documentation. [TODO: Confirm which Argon 40 cases, if any, accommodate the THRML 30 — confirm with Argon 40]
📝 Note: Read through all steps before beginning. The full instruction manual (INSTRUCTION_ARGON_THRML30-AC_20240625.pdf) is available at argon40.com/blogs/argon-resources.
⚠️ Warning: Always power off and disconnect your Raspberry Pi 5 from mains power completely before handling or installing any hardware. Performing installation with the board powered can permanently damage the board or the cooler.
bash
sudo shutdown -h now⚠️ Warning: Do not touch the adhesive face of the thermal pads with bare fingers. Skin oils reduce thermal conductivity. Handle pads by their edges or protective film.
📝 Note: Thermal pad reusability has not been confirmed in current documentation. [TODO: Confirm with Argon 40 whether thermal pads are one-time use or reusable] Exercise care during removal if you ever need to disassemble the cooler.
⚠️ Warning: Do not apply excessive downward force or twist the cooler once the thermal pads are in contact with the chips. Sliding the cooler laterally after pad contact can shear or displace the thermal pads.
⚠️ Warning: Forcing the connector in the wrong orientation can bend the header pins on the Raspberry Pi 5. Always confirm alignment before applying pressure.
📝 Note: If the fan does not spin during the startup check, refer to the Troubleshooting section before proceeding.
The Argon THRML 30mm Active Cooler connects to the Raspberry Pi 5's onboard four-pin PWM fan header and is controlled entirely by the Raspberry Pi 5's firmware. No Argon 40 drivers, daemons, or software packages are required or available for this product.
The Raspberry Pi 5 reads the onboard CPU temperature sensor and adjusts fan speed via PWM based on configurable temperature thresholds stored in /boot/firmware/config.txt.
Out of the box, Raspberry Pi OS (and most RPi 5–compatible distributions) applies the following default behaviour:
| Event | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Power-on | Fan spins for ~2–3 seconds (startup check), then stops |
| CPU temperature below threshold (typically ~55°C) | Fan off |
| CPU temperature at or above threshold | Fan activates |
| CPU temperature drops below hysteresis point | Fan deactivates |
No Argon 40–specific software is required. The THRML 30 is compatible with any operating system that supports the Raspberry Pi 5 fan header via standard firmware:
You can adjust the temperature at which the fan activates by editing the Raspberry Pi firmware configuration file. This is optional — default firmware fan control works without any changes.
sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt
Scroll to the [all] section (or add it if it does not exist) and add the following lines:
dtparam=cooling_fan=on
dtparam=fan_temp0=45000,fan_temp0_hyst=0,fan_temp0_speed=255
| Parameter | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
cooling_fan=on |
on |
Enables Raspberry Pi firmware fan control |
fan_temp0 |
45000 |
Activates fan at 45°C (value is in thousandths of a degree — 45000 = 45.000°C) |
fan_temp0_hyst |
0 |
Hysteresis of 0°C — fan stops immediately when temperature drops below threshold (increase this value to add a buffer before the fan switches off) |
fan_temp0_speed |
255 |
Fan runs at 100% speed when activated (range: 0–255) |
Save the file and exit nano:
- Press Ctrl+O → Enter to save
- Press Ctrl+X to exit
Then reboot for the changes to take effect:
sudo reboot
To monitor the current CPU temperature from the terminal at any time:
vcgencmd measure_temp
Or for a continuously updating readout (updates every 2 seconds):
watch -n 2 vcgencmd measure_temp
Likely cause: Fan cable is not fully or correctly connected to the Raspberry Pi 5 fan header.
Resolution:
1. Power off the Raspberry Pi 5 completely and disconnect USB-C power.
2. Reseat the four-pin fan connector on the Raspberry Pi 5 fan header — press firmly until fully seated.
3. Confirm connector orientation matches the header keying (it should only insert one way).
4. Reconnect power and watch for the ~2–3 second startup spin.
5. If still no spin, check whether a custom config.txt entry may be disabling the fan — remove any custom fan configuration and test with firmware defaults.
6. If the fan still does not spin and you have access to a second Raspberry Pi 5, test the cooler on that board to determine whether the issue is with the cooler or the board's fan header.
7. If the issue persists, contact Argon 40 support at argon40.com/blogs/argon-resources.
Likely cause: This is expected behaviour, not a defect.
Resolution:
The Raspberry Pi 5 only activates the fan when CPU temperature reaches the configured threshold (default approximately 55°C). During light workloads — web browsing, light scripting, idle — the board stays cool enough that the fan is not needed. The startup spin at power-on confirms the fan is working correctly.
If you want the fan to activate at a lower temperature, see Custom Fan Configuration above.
Likely cause: Thermal pads may be missing, misaligned, or not making proper contact with the CPU or PMIC chip.
Resolution:
1. Power off the Raspberry Pi 5 and disconnect power.
2. Carefully remove the cooler by releasing the push pins.
3. Inspect both thermal pads — confirm each pad is centred on its target chip (CPU and PMIC) with no gaps or overhanging edges.
4. If