Assembling the premium aluminum case

[mlefevre]

I just purchased another Rock64 to build another NAS using OMV and I decided to get the premium aluminum case this time.  It arrived with no instructions and I have a couple of questions:

1) The kit includes 2 pieces of blue thermal tape and a little packet of thermal compound.  Am I supposed to use all three (stacked) in the assembly?

2) There is a little acrylic light pipe that looks like it should go in a hole near the white and red LEDs but it is too big.  Do I just need to drill the hole in the case out a little?

Thanks for any help from those who've gone before me.

Marc

[kazoo]

I just purchased another Rock64 to build another NAS using OMV and I decided to get the premium aluminum case this time.  It arrived with no instructions and I have a couple of questions:

1) The kit includes 2 pieces of blue thermal tape and a little packet of thermal compound.  Am I supposed to use all three (stacked) in the assembly?

2) There is a little acrylic light pipe that looks like it should go in a hole near the white and red LEDs but it is too big.  Do I just need to drill the hole in the case out a little?

Thanks for any help from those who've gone before me.

Marc

In the same boat. Board + case arrived. No assembly instructions. Can do what seems right, or hope somebody has documented the correct steps. Not sure I have that light pipe, but I may have just missed it. 

Tom

[Luke]

Thanks for pointing out that there are no instructions for assembly. When you DO get it right, would you please make a wiki entry (use your forum creds) explaining the assembly?

[Rocklobster]

The words Premium Case and zero assembly instructions included seems a little bit of a contradiction. I'd hate to see what the standard case didn't include.

[kazoo]

Pics on the ameriDroid site of this case reveal two things: 1. the light pipe (found mine) goes into the larger of the 3 holes near the LEDs. It doesn't fit as delivered, so some tweaking needed. 2. The thermal tape is applied to the case extension that overhangs the two central chips that want some cooling. I suspect the thermal paste can be smeared atop the chips and when the case is closed the needed physical contact is made.

Pics viewed here https://ameridroid.com/collections/cases...minum-case

[kazoo]

Assemble rock64 SBC into premium aluminum case:

+Remove four screws holding case top to bottom, remove top.
+Put gold coloured “legs” between SBC bottom and case, atop case screw holes, attached using shorter of two sets of screws that came with case.

Reasoned that SBC board was thicker than aluminum of case.

+Secure board to the “legs” using longer of the two sets of screws, ensuring its orientation aligned the cable ports properly with holes for same in case.

Note there appears to be one extra screw of each set, long and short. Thoughtful for the finger fumbling types.

Wee light tube does not fit into appropriate hole to transmit on/off LED.

+Ream the light tube hole lightly with a 1/8” drill bit by hand to clean off paint inside the hole. Light tube presses in easily after that.
+Stick thicker of the two thermal tape pieces to heat sink part of case.

Had done a test fit of thicker thermal tape sandwiched between heat sink and chips, lid on. Shook it all around a lot, then found tape in same position when case reopened. Didn't test the thinner piece; maybe it works too.

+Put thermal compound on chips. Remove the plastic on exposed piece of thermal tape.
+Position case top, secure with screws.

Done.

[davidm]

I am not sure if I will buy the Rock64 or the RockPro64, but I am interested in this case.

Those who already have it installed, would you mind give us an overview about the temperature ranges the Rock64 works inside the aluminium case? I have searched a lot but with no luck at all.

[flyingscorpio]

Just assembled the case too, I must say it wasn't clear to me from the store that the case had a thermal extension so I bought a heat sink. Obviously the heat sink will prevent the case from closing. I was lucky enough to get the heat sink off the chip without tearing it apart but it would have been smarter to look at the case before putting the heat sink in...

[jahway603]

Hi,

I am having trouble with what appears to be a defective premium aluminum case. Once the Rock64 is mounted, the case top does not line up with the "closing" screws. Has anyone else had this issue?

I have been going back and forth with Pine64 support, but they do not want to help. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks

---

Since everyone in this thread has this case, can someone please confirm that the "mounting gold screws" are suppose to be equally set for the top of their case to close? Such as, on both sides of the case the gold screw things are both 4/16" (inches) from the edge?

Currently my defective case (which has been shared with Pine64 support, but there might be a possible language barrier) has:
- On one side of the case, the gold screw things are around 3/16" (inches) [can't find my metric ruler] from the edge;
- On the other side of the case, the gold screw things are around 5/16" (inches) from the edge;
- The case would only close if those measurements were the same

[CounterPillow]

Hi,

I am having trouble with what appears to be a defective premium aluminum case. Once the Rock64 is mounted, the case top does not line up with the "closing" screws. Has anyone else had this issue?

I've had the problem that the case doesn't close due to the board being pulled too low by fully tightened screws, and then not clearing the cutout holes for the HDMI, power and 3.5mm. Try to loosen the screws on that side such that they are only held in but the board has some wiggle room. Then when mounting the top cover, ensure the cutouts for those three ports clear the board correctly. Basically, leave it a bit floppy on one side.