Wii:Run Fan in Connected Standby Mode

As the Wii runs fanlessly in WiiConnect24 Standby Connection "idle" mode (yellow LED), it becomes quite warm; while much less infamous for lead-free-solder-related unreliabilities than its higher power competitors, some such incidents have been reported, especially on the earliest models.

Conveniently, the Wii uses a 5 volt fan, leaves USB ports powered in idle mode, and unlike its successor doesn't particularly enforce USB power limits, making it quite simple for those concerned to get the fan to run in this condition.

Procedure

1. Disassemble the Wii console to remove the motherboard from its shielding.
2. Solder a wire from a 5 volt source to the fan's power input.
   • A convenient "alternate" point, TP49, allows the job to be confined to the bottom side only. TP49 is found on the bottom of the motherboard around the cutout for the fan itself, nearly opposite its connector.
   • Power can be taken from the USB ports, or the relatively large dedicated test point called simply 5V.
3. Try to avoid sharp solder blobs and don't forget to provide adequate insulation, as the unmodified motherboard was just a few millimeters clear of the uncoated metal shielding.

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  Diagram (RVL-CPU-01)

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  Example (brown wire only, RVL-CPU-20)