Apple Separates MacBook Air Fan From Heatsink, Threatening CPU Life

Louis opens new Macbook Air, immediately loses mind. — Louis Rossmann

Louis Rossmann

Apple's decision to omit a heat pipe between the MacBook Air processor and its cooling fan leaves the chip effectively uncooled, guaranteeing premature processor failure across the product line.

AI-assisted summary of Louis opens new Macbook Air, immediately loses mind. — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published:

Key ideas

  • Louis Rossmann inspects a non-posting Apple MacBook Air A1932 and discovers that the cooling fan and CPU heatsink are completely separated with no connecting heat pipe or fin stack. (0:03)
  • Despite a completely clean logic board with no liquid damage or blown components, the processor appears internally fried due to the absence of a direct thermal dissipation pathway. (1:10)
  • The failure mode parallels the fanless 12-inch Retina MacBook A1534, where dying processors typically exhibit video artifacts and random crashes before becoming fully non-responsive despite normal ~600 mA current draw and active S0 rails. (1:10)
  • Rossmann predicts a wave of BGA CPU rework for the A1932 model, requiring repair shops to rely on dedicated rework stations like the ZhuoMao to desolder and replace fried processors. (3:42)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by repair technician and advocate Louis Rossmann on October 3, 2019, this video documents an inspection of a non-functional MacBook Air. The accompanying video description shares links supporting Right to Repair legislation alongside extensive lists of recommended soldering tools, diagnostic gear, and repair services offered by Rossmann Repair Group.

## TL;DR Louis Rossmann examines an unbootable A1932 MacBook Air that exhibits a full-speed fan but shows zero board activity or display output. Opening the machine reveals that Apple completely disconnected the cooling fan from the processor's heatsink, leaving an open air gap with no heat pipe or fin stack between them. Rossmann contrasts this layout with conventional laptop thermal design and compares it to the fatally degrading CPUs found in the 12-inch A1534 MacBook. He predicts this thermal failure will inevitably cause a massive wave of baked processors requiring high-volume BGA chip rework.

## Atmosphere & style The video carries an exasperated, sardonic, and incredulous tone, playing out like an unfiltered workbench revelation. Rossmann moves quickly from routine diagnostic testing to pure disbelief as he inspects the chassis, openly mocking Apple's engineering choices with biting humor. The viewing experience feels raw, educational, and resigned to the inevitable repair headaches awaiting technicians.

## Bulletin - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) Louis Rossmann inspects a non-posting Apple MacBook Air A1932 and discovers that the cooling fan and CPU heatsink are completely separated with no connecting heat pipe or fin stack. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) Despite a completely clean logic board with no liquid damage or blown components, the processor appears internally fried due to the absence of a direct thermal dissipation pathway. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) The failure mode parallels the fanless 12-inch Retina MacBook A1534, where dying processors typically exhibit video artifacts and random crashes before becoming fully non-responsive despite normal ~600 mA current draw and active S0 rails. - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) Rossmann predicts a wave of BGA CPU rework for the A1932 model, requiring repair shops to rely on dedicated rework stations like the ZhuoMao to desolder and replace fried processors.

## Key takeaways - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) The MacBook Air A1932 fails to post or display video, while the cooling fan spins up to full speed immediately upon connection. - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) Checking the caps lock key LED indicates the logic board is completely unresponsive and brain-dead. - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) Internal examination reveals a standalone cooling fan mounted across an open chassis gap from an isolated CPU heatsink, without any heat pipe connecting them. - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) Rossmann characterizes the assembly as a 'placebo fan' that generates acoustic noise without performing direct thermal dissipation. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) Standard laptop engineering routes heat from the CPU through a conductive heat pipe directly to a fin stack placed in the fan's exhaust path. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) The inspected board shows no signs of liquid corrosion, physical abuse, or burned MOSFETs, pointing directly to CPU degradation from heat. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) Apple's thermal design progression has devolved from using undersized or quiet fans to completely omitting functional thermal connections. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) Thermally degraded CPUs in models like the A1534 typically present with display distortion, OS instability, and eventual complete failure while drawing roughly 600 mA on intact S0 rails. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) Rossmann predicts that isolated thermal layouts will lead to premature processor failure across hundreds of thousands of A1932 units. - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) Independent repair shops will likely need dedicated BGA rework stations and dedicated floor space to handle incoming volumes of processor replacements. - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) Rossmann highlights the machine's architecture as an instructional case study for hardware engineers on how not to design thermal systems.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) Unboxing the A1932 MacBook Air and Discovering the Thermal Layout

Louis Rossmann introduces a MacBook Air that fails to power on—a category of repair he sarcastically refers to as "Paul's favorite." To check whether the board is posting, he looks for a response from the caps lock key LED, which should light up green if the machine has active system logic. Tapping the key and pressing the power button yields nothing on the screen; instead, the fan immediately ramps up to full speed while the device remains completely unresponsive and brain-dead.

When Louis looks inside the chassis to find the CPU VCORE circuitry, he stops abruptly in disbelief at the internal layout. The laptop features a discrete cooling fan mounted on one side of the chassis and a standalone heatsink sitting over the processor on the other, with no heat pipe or cooling fin connecting them. Stunned, he inspects the physical gap between the two components and wonders what the fan is supposed to be doing if it is separated from the heatsink. He mockingly asks whether the assembly is merely a "placebo fan" designed to generate noise rather than dissipate thermal energy.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: MacBook Air A1932 Disconnected Thermal Architecture accDescr: Diagram contrasting standard laptop cooling against the disconnected heatsink and fan layout found inside the MacBook Air A1932.

subgraph Standard["Standard Laptop Design"] CPU1["CPU Core"] --> HS1["Heatsink & Heat Pipe"] HS1 --> Fin["Cooling Fins"] Fan1["Fan Airflow"] --> Fin end

subgraph A1932["Apple MacBook Air A1932 Design"] CPU2["CPU Core"] --> HS2["Isolated Heatsink"] Gap["Open Internal Chassis Gap"] Fan2["Isolated Fan"] HS2 -.- Gap -.- Fan2 end ```

[01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) Thermal Design Failure and CPU Degradation

Looking closely at the logic board of this A1932 model, Louis observes no signs of external damage, liquid corrosion, or blown components. Despite the clean board, the computer refuses to boot, display an image, or accept keyboard inputs. Comparing the board to another machine in the shop, Louis explains that the processor is likely fried, pointing out the CPU and the MOSFETs that step down the primary 12-volt rail to the roughly 1-volt line required by the core. He blames the failure squarely on the disconnected cooling system.

Louis contrasts this architecture with conventional laptop engineering, where a heatsink carries thermal energy directly through a heat pipe into a fin stack positioned directly in the fan's exhaust path. In this MacBook Air, the fan sits isolated in its own corner, blowing over empty board space while the CPU heatsink sits across a gap with no thermal pathway between them. He compares the situation to the recurring failures seen on the 12-inch Retina MacBook (A1534), where uncooled CPUs routinely suffered fatal internal degradation after exhibiting symptoms like screen distortion, graphical artifacts, and random system crashes. On those dead units, the logic board would pull roughly 600 milliamps with all primary and S0 power rails fully present, yet the CPU remained completely dead and unable to post.

Louis expresses frustration with Apple's thermal engineering trajectory, arguing that the company has transitioned from merely poor cooling choices to omitting functional thermal pathways altogether:

> “One of the problems that Apple seems to have nowadays is that they've gone from using inadequate cooling or fans that are too small or fans that are too quiet or heat sinks that are too thin to not even having a fin between the heatsink and the fan and this doesn't make sense to me because if you're going to have a fan in your computer I would imagine that this fan should be actually blowing on something that would cool the rest of the computer this heatsink over here I don't understand perhaps somebody in the comments can explain to me to think different genius that occurred any design of this product and perhaps you can explain this to the hundreds of thousands of users with dead A1534s with dying CPUs and eventually all of the people that have an A1932 that have a dead CPU as a result of it being brain dead Apple.”

- Symptoms of thermally degraded MacBook CPUs include initial video distortion, random OS crashes, and eventual inability to post despite active S0 rails and steady ~600 mA current draw. - Unlike traditional laptops that route heat pipes directly to a radiator fin stack, the A1932 chassis isolates the fan from the passive heatsink.

[03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) The Inevitable Wave of BGA CPU Replacements

Reflecting on the consequences of this thermal setup, Louis predicts a massive surge of board repair business in the coming months. Because these processors inevitably bake themselves to death without direct airflow or heat conduction, the repair shop will need to rely heavily on their ZhuoMao (ZM) BGA rework station to desolder failed processors and solder down replacements.

Louis jokes that their upcoming new repair shop will need an entire dedicated room reserved exclusively for the ZhuoMao rework station and continuous CPU replacements. In the background, he notes Paul's lack of enthusiasm for the tedious prospect of performing high-volume BGA chip swaps. Louis closes by cautioning hardware designers watching the video to study Apple's design as a clear lesson in how thermal systems should not be built.

## Notable quotes > [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=70s) One of the problems that Apple seems to have nowadays is that they've gone from using inadequate cooling or fans that are too small or fans that are too quiet or heat sinks that are too thin to not even having a fin between the heatsink and the fan — Louis Rossmann

## Mentioned Louis Rossmann, Paul, Apple, MacBook Air A1932, MacBook A1534, ZhuoMao

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[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg)

中文简报

苹果将MacBook Air风扇与散热片分离,恐危及CPU寿命 苹果决定在MacBook Air处理器与散热风扇之间省去热管,导致芯片实际上处于无散热状态,这将必然导致该产品线普遍出现处理器过早失效。 Louis Rossmann检测了一台无法开机的A1932 MacBook Air,该设备风扇全速运转,但主板毫无活动迹象,也没有显示输出。拆开机器后发现,苹果将散热风扇与处理器散热片完全分离,两者之间留有空气间隙,且未配备任何热管或散热鳍片组。Rossmann将这种布局与传统笔记本电脑的散热设计进行了对比,并将其比作12英寸A1534 MacBook中因过热而致命老化的CPU。他预测,这种散热设计缺陷将不可避免地导致大批处理器被“烤熟”,从而引发大量需要BGA芯片返修的情况。 Louis Rossmann在检查一台无法通过开机自检(POST)的苹果MacBook Air A1932时发现,其散热风扇与CPU散热片完全分离,中间没有任何连接热管或散热鳍片组。 (0:03) 尽管逻辑板非常干净、无进水损坏且无烧毁元件,但由于缺乏直接散热路径,处理器内部似乎已被烤坏。 (1:10) 该故障模式与无风扇设计的12英寸Retina MacBook A1534类似;在后者中,濒临损坏的处理器在彻底失去响应之前,通常会出现画面伪影和随机崩溃,尽管其电流消耗维持在约600 mA的正常水平且S0供电轨仍处于激活状态。 (1:10) Rossmann预测A1932机型将迎来一波BGA CPU返修潮,维修店将不得不依赖卓茂(ZhuoMao)等专用返修工作站来解焊并更换烧坏的处理器。 (3:42)

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该视频由独立维修专家 Louis Rossmann 于 2019 年 10 月 3 日发布在 YouTube 频道上。视频简介主要提供了维修权(Right to Repair)倡议的捐款链接、维修社区交流渠道,以及频道日常维修 MacBook、电路板焊接与诊断所使用的各类专业工具与设备清单。 ## TL;DR Louis Rossmann 在检查一台无法开机的 MacBook Air(A1932)时,发现机器虽能通电且风扇全速狂转,但主板无法通过 POST 自检,已处于“脑死亡”状态。拆解后他震惊地发现,CPU 被动散热片与机身风扇之间竟然完全物理断开,没有任何热管或鳍片相连,风扇形同虚设。Louis 指出这种荒谬的散热设计将导致 CPU 频频过热烧毁,重演 12 英寸 MacBook(A1534)的大面积暴毙惨剧,并讽刺这一致命缺陷反倒会给他们的专业 BGA 返修业务带来大量换 CPU 的生意。 ## Atmosphere & style 整段视频充斥着难以置信的震惊与辛辣刻薄的讽刺,Louis 面对机身内部构造时几乎失去理智,直白地宣泄着对苹果工程设计的荒谬感。镜头在冷冰冰的主板特写与他的激烈吐槽之间切换,夹杂着与同事 Paul 的默契互动及略带嘲弄的背景音乐,生动传递出独立维修者对厂商反人类设计既愤怒又哭笑不得的真实观感。 ## Bulletin - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=42s) Louis Rossmann 拆解无法开机的 MacBook Air(A1932)时发现,其散热风扇与 CPU 被动散热片之间完全物理断开,没有任何热管或散热鳍片导流。 - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) 该机器无任何进水或烧毁痕迹,开机后风扇全速狂转但 Caps Lock 键不亮,表明主板自检(POST)失败,CPU 疑似因长期过热损坏陷入“脑死亡”。 - [01:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=91s) 此种散热断层设计被指重蹈了 12 英寸 MacBook(A1534)频繁烧 CPU 的覆辙,后者常表现为开机 600mA 电流、供电轨齐全却无法启动。 - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) 恶劣的散热架构导致 CPU 级别损坏频发,迫使维修店计划引入 Zevac(ZeLMC)BGA 返修台,专设工位批量更换焊接 CPU。 ## Key takeaways - [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) MacBook Air(A1932)开机风扇全速狂转,但 Caps Lock 指示灯无反应、屏幕无显示,主板完全未能通过 POST 自检。 - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=42s) 主板外观状态完好,无进水腐蚀痕迹,也没有肉眼可见的芯片或元件烧毁现象。 - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=42s) A1932 的内部散热存在严重物理断层,CPU 上方的散热片与机身风扇之间没有任何热管或鳍片连接。 - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=42s) 风扇吹出的气流无法直接作用于 CPU 散热片,沦为几乎无法带走核心热量的“安慰剂风扇”。 - [01:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=91s) 正常笔记本依靠热管将热量导出至风扇前的散热鳍片排热,而该机型的设计彻底打破了这一基本散热逻辑。 - [01:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=91s) 在主要降压供电电路(12V 转 CPU 约 1V)正常的情况下,CPU 极有可能已因长期积热而彻底报废。 - [01:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=91s) Apple 的散热策略呈现逐步恶化趋势,从过去的被动散热不足、风扇尺寸过小,演变至散热片与风扇完全不相连。 - [01:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=91s) 该故障现象与 12 英寸 MacBook(A1534)CPU 大规模暴毙的情况高度一致,两者均表现为 S0 轨供电存在却无法点亮。 - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) 硬件设计缺陷为第三方维修行业带来了大量的芯片级重工需求,推动维修重心转向高难度的 CPU 级更换。 - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) 维修团队计划利用 Zevac(ZeLMC)BGA 返修工作站设立专门工位,以应对后续大量的 A1932 CPU 更换业务。 - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) Louis 呼吁系统与散热工程师应将 Apple 的此项反常设计视为反面教材,重视笔记本散热架构的合理性。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=3s) 初步检测与“脑死亡”现象 Louis Rossmann 拿出一台无法开机(no power)的 MacBook Air,调侃这是同事 Paul 的最爱。为了确认机器是否成功自检(POST),Louis 按下了 Caps Lock 键。按照正常逻辑,如果主板逻辑部分正常运行,Caps Lock 键上的绿色指示灯应当亮起,但眼前的机器毫无反应,显然已经处于“脑死亡”状态。然而,当他按下电源键时,内部的风扇却立即以全速疯狂运转。机器虽然能通电、风扇狂转,但 Caps Lock 键依旧没有任何反馈,屏幕也毫无显示。Louis 带着好奇准备寻找主板上的 CPU 核心供电(CPU Vcore),试图测量相关电路。 ### [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=42s) 震惊的散热设计:不相连的风扇与散热片 当 Louis 仔细端详这台机型(A1932)的内部结构时,被眼前的散热架构彻底惊呆了。他发现 CPU 上方确实覆盖着一块被动散热片,但散热片仅仅延伸到主板的一侧就戛然而止,并没有任何热管或散热鳍片与风扇相连。风扇则被孤零零地安置在另一侧,两者之间存在明显的物理断层,风扇吹出的气流根本无法直接作用于散热片。Louis 极为困惑和愤怒,忍不住质问这风扇到底在吹什么,它除了制造噪音之外究竟有什么意义,并讽刺这难道是一个“安慰剂风扇”(placebo fan)。经外观检查,这台机器没有任何肉眼可见的烧毁痕迹,也没有液体进水腐蚀,但它就这样毫无预兆地黑屏并且无法启动。 ```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: MacBook Air A1932 内部散热与风道断层示意图 accDescr: 展示 CPU 散热片与机身风扇之间互不相连、缺乏热传导介质的异常架构 subgraph CoolingPath["散热断层架构"] CPU["CPU 芯片"] -->|"产生热量"| HS["独立被动散热片"] HS -.->|"物理断开 / 无热管连接"| GAP["机内空隙"] FAN["独立运转风扇"] -->|"吹拂空气"| GAP end ``` - 机器型号确认:MacBook Air A1932。 - 外观故障表现:无进水、无元件炸裂、无明显腐蚀,按下电源键后风扇狂转,但主板无法通过 POST 自检,无任何画面输出。 ### [01:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=91s) 散热缺陷与 CPU 损坏的历史重演 Louis 对比了身旁 Paul 正在维修的主板,指出这台机器的 CPU 很可能已经彻底报废。他指着板上的 CPU、相关供电 MOSFET 以及负责将 12V 转换为 CPU 约 1V 供电的降压电路,直言机器在主要供电轨正常的情况下陷入“脑死亡”,完全是 Apple 糟糕设计所致。Louis 详细拆解了传统电脑与 Apple 现代设计的本质区别:在正常电脑中,散热片会通过热管将热量导向散热鳍片,风扇直接对着鳍片吹风排热;而在 Apple 这台机器上,风扇偏安一隅,周围空空如也,CPU 散热片远在另一边,两者之间毫无接触。这种设计让 CPU 只能在高温下“自焚”致死。Louis 指出,这种情况与之前的 12 英寸 MacBook(A1534)如出一辙,那些机器也是 CPU 频频暴毙,用户最初会遇到系统卡死、花屏失真,紧接着彻底无法开机,或者开机仅吃 600mA 电流、S0 供电轨齐全却永远无法完成自检。 Louis 锐评道:“One of the problems that Apple seems to have nowadays is that they've gone from using inadequate cooling or fans that are too small or fans that are too quiet or heat sinks that are too thin to not even having a fin between the heatsink and the fan and this doesn't make sense to me because if you're going to have a fan in your computer I would imagine that this fan should be actually blowing on something that would cool the rest of the computer.” 他讽刺性地请求评论区的高人来解释一下这种所谓的“Think Different”设计天才,好去向数十万名 A1534 以及未来 A1932 的受害用户说明为什么 CPU 会烧死。 ### [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCBYAP_Sgg&t=222s) 维修前景与返工业务展望 面对这种致命的设计缺陷,Louis 讽刺地表示,这对维修业务来说反倒意味着源源不断的商机。在未来的几个月里,维修店将重度依赖其专业 BGA 返修台(Zevac “ZeLMC” 设备),让 Paul 在新店里全职从事 CPU 更换作业。由于 Apple 的恶劣散热设计导致大量 CPU 损坏,他们甚至考虑在新店专门开辟一间办公室,专职放置返修设备并批量焊接新 CPU。视频最后,伴随着背景中 Paul 的反应与嘲讽音乐,Louis 再次呼吁那些从事系统与散热工程的设计师,务必从 Apple 的这种反面教材中吸取教训,搞清楚究竟该如何在笔记本电脑中构建一套合理的散热系统。 - 关键设备:Zevac(ZeLMC)BGA 返修工作站,用于拆焊和更换封装在主板上的损坏 CPU。 - 业务影响:Apple 极其反常的散热布局将主板芯片维修的重心推向了难度极高的 CPU 级别置换。 ## Mentioned Louis Rossmann, Paul, Apple, MacBook Air (A1932), MacBook (A1534), Zevac ZeLMC, CPU Vcore, Caps Lock, BGA ## Video description https://matrix.to/#/#rossmannrepair:matrix.org Let's get Right to Repair passed! https://gofund.me/1cba2545 👉 Donate & post a message: http://bit.ly/postamessage 👉 Below we list tools & recording gear we use, repair guides to help you learn, online chip sources, & donation links: 👉 BlackBerry, Oreo, & Clinton the cat's wish list: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2YC1L66N7T5BC?&sort=default 👉 CHIPS & COMPONENTS: › http://bit.ly/2jaAOXM 👉 Discord: https://matrix.to/#/#rossmannrepair:matrix.org 👉 TOOLS USED: ✓ Soldering Irons: › Louis' Hakko station(no tweezers): http://amzn.to/2cKkMyO › Paul's Hakko station(works with tweezers): http://amzn.to/2yMvWNy › Micro Soldering Pencil: http://amzn.to/2d5MWUP › Hot tweezers: http://amzn.to/2yMvZsZ › Atten ST-862D hot air station: http://bit.ly/atten862 ✓ CHEAP HAKKO ALTERNATIVES: › TS100 soldering iron: https://amzn.to/2Gy1Fqz › Recommended tips: TS-C4: https://amzn.to/2GSDoz3 TS-KU https://amzn.to/2Elofke ✓ Preferred Soldering Tips › Fine: http://amzn.to/2d5MgPn › Flat: https://amzn.to/2JnsDBT › GPU wicking: http://amzn.to/2w8chtB › Micro soldering tip: http://amzn.to/2qUSFDh ✓ Microscopes: › Microscope: http://amzn.to/2iLrE16 › Barlow lens: http://amzn.to/2yMKdKf › LED light: http://amzn.to/2nzfPT2 › CHEAP alternative microscope: http://amzn.to/2rTlHbj ✓ Soldering/Repair Supplies: › Solder: http://amzn.to/2cKkxUp › Desoldering braid: http://bit.ly/2otflOX › Flux: http://bit.ly/amtechflux › Solder paste: http://bit.ly/amtechsolderpaste › THICK insulated jumper wire: https://amzn.to/2rvtD0A › THIN insulated jumper wire: https://amzn.to/2I47DQY › Kapton tape: http://amzn.to/2yN0xuq › Tweezers: http://amzn.to/2d5NBpi › Blades: http://amzn.to/2ByWnvF › Freeze Spray: http://amzn.to/2BySozw › Conformal coating: http://bit.ly/greencoate › Conformal coating curing pen: http://bit.ly/uvpen ✓ Diagnostic tools: › USB amp meter: http://bit.ly/2B2Lu5W › USB-C amp meter: http://bit.ly/usbcamp › On-Screen multimeter: http://amzn.to/2jtgY9K › Multimeter Probes: http://bit.ly/fineprobes › CHEAP multimeter: http://amzn.to/2zjkg8U › Bench PSU: CSI3005P http://bit.ly/benchsupply › Phoneboard: https://phoneboard.co ✓ Ultrasonic Cleaning: › ALL MACBOOKS & CELLPHONES: Crest P1200H-45: http://bit.ly/P1200H45 › PRE-TOUCHBAR MACBOOKS & CELLPHONES: Crest P500H-45: http://bit.ly/P500H45 › CELLPHONES ONLY: Crest P230H-45: http://bit.ly/P230H45 › Branson EC cleaning fluid: http://amzn.to/2cKlBrp ✓ Desk supplies: › Desk: http://amzn.to/2yMShdZ › Chair: https://amzn.to/2LB8bUB › Fume Extractor: http://amzn.to/2d5MGoD › Work mat: http://amzn.to/2yMtlTR › Outlets: http://amzn.to/2yNsZwo › Gloves: http://amzn.to/2iUfumS › Durable lightning cable: http://amzn.to/2yNHzUt › Fine tipped snippers: http://amzn.to/2HGt4XB ✓ Screwdrivers: › iPhone bottom screws: http://amzn.to/2yNwX8p › Macbook bottom screws: http://amzn.to/2AKMdVb › Torx T3: http://amzn.to/2zjtxxH › Torx T5 http://amzn.to/2BLNDn4 › Torx T6 http://amzn.to/2B0XIfA › Torx T8 http://amzn.to/2CpWp68 › Phillips #0: http://amzn.to/2AJaHhM › Phillips #000: http://amzn.to/2yNqsCl ✓ Boardview software used: https://pldaniels.com/flexbv/ ✓ RECORDING EQUIPMENT: › Work cam: https://amzn.to/2QjHnt0 › Overhead cam: http://amzn.to/2eAH0oT › Work mic: https://amzn.to/2WGIhzw › Home mic: https://amzn.to/2xfampC › Microscope camera: http://amzn.to/2icVQoG - 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Source quotes

[1:10] Louis Rossmann: One of the problems that Apple seems to have nowadays is that they've gone from using inadequate cooling or fans that are too small or fans that are too quiet or heat sinks that are too thin to not even having a fin between the heatsink and the fan

Original transcript

[0:03] so here I have a MacBook Air with no [0:08] power Paul's favorite so let's open this [0:12] MacBook up and see what's going on with [0:13] it first thing we're gonna do is we're [0:15] gonna see if this is posting now when I [0:17] hit the caps lock key I would expect to [0:19] see that the caps lock key turned green [0:21] if this is actually on as a brain which [0:23] it clearly does not do yams in fact the [0:26] power button alright so when this thing [0:27] turns on the fan spins at full speed and [0:29] again it's brain dead here that fan [0:32] spinning the caps lock key doesn't do [0:36] anything also kind of curious where CPU [0:38] v core is gonna be on this let's take a [0:40] look and find CPU v core wait a second [0:42] what why is there a fan over here if [0:43] there's a heatsink over there wait a [0:46] second what the [ __ ] is this [0:48] why is Theory why is there a heatsink [0:50] over here that doesn't go anywhere and [0:53] then a fan over here what is the fan [0:55] blowing the heatsink ends over here [0:57] there's a heatsink over here and there's [0:59] a fan over here but the heatsink does [1:00] not reach the fan but what is this fan [1:02] blowing what is the purpose of this heat [1:04] say Oh what is this fan do besides make [1:06] noise [1:06] is this a placebo fuh okay so here we [1:10] have an a 1932 nothing visible nothing [1:14] blown up nothing corroded they just out [1:17] of the blue decided to stop booting and [1:20] showing a display that does not respond [1:23] to anything on the screen oh my god [1:31] speaking did the CPU on this one is [1:34] probably as dead as the CPU on Paul's [1:35] right here this is Paul's Q that's the [1:39] CPU those are the CPU MOSFETs that power [1:41] the CPU and split up 12 volts to be one [1:44] goal for the CV oh man so I'm going to [1:47] guess that the reason that this machine [1:48] is brain dead even though it has its [1:49] primary power rails is because Apple so [1:55] in any normal computer let's just go [1:57] over how this works in a normal computer [1:59] the heatsink goes to a fin and then that [2:02] fin is where all the heat goes to has a [2:04] fan on it and the fan is gonna blow the [2:06] heat away in an Apple product the way it [2:09] works is the fan sits over here and [2:13] it's just in this area with nothing and [2:15] then you have the heatsink over the CPU [2:18] but the heatsink is all the way over [2:20] there like over here whereas the fan is [2:23] over there and there's nothing sitting [2:25] by the heatsink and the fan so that it [2:28] just burns itself to death and then the [2:30] CPU dies very similar to all those a [2:33] 1534 models where the CPU is just [2:36] randomly dying on people would report [2:37] random crashing or distortion on the [2:39] screen and after they get random [2:40] crashing and distortion on the screen it [2:42] would just stop turning on or return on [2:44] but be completely brain-dead it would [2:46] take six hundred milliamps and all the [2:48] power rails in the Esso power rails [2:49] would be there but it would never post [2:51] one of the problems that Apple seems to [2:53] have nowadays is that they've gone from [2:55] using inadequate cooling or fans that [2:58] are too small or fans that are too quiet [3:00] or heat sinks that are too thin to not [3:02] even having a fin between the heatsink [3:05] and the fan and this doesn't make sense [3:08] to me because if you're going to have a [3:09] fan in your computer I would imagine [3:11] that this fan should be actually blowing [3:13] on something that would cool the rest of [3:15] the computer this heatsink over here I [3:17] don't understand perhaps somebody in the [3:19] comments can explain to me to think [3:21] different genius that occurred any [3:23] design of this product and perhaps you [3:25] can explain this to the hundreds of [3:26] thousands of users with dead a 15:30 [3:28] fours with dying CPUs and eventually all [3:30] of the people that have an a 1932 that [3:33] have a dead CPU as a result of it being [3:35] brain dead Apple what this I think means [3:42] is that we are going to have a lot of [3:44] business in the next coming months where [3:47] we utilize this machine over here called [3:49] as Elmo where Paul is going to replace [3:52] the CPU where Paul is going to be [3:54] replacing the CPUs in our new store that [3:56] we're going to be getting we're actually [3:57] going to have an office that is for [3:59] nothing besides Elmo and new CPUs onto [4:02] these products due to Apple's terrible [4:04] cooling system [4:11] [Music] [4:13] it sounds like Paul is excited for this [4:15] new phase of Apple logic board repair [4:18] that we're coming up on which is going [4:19] to be most likely primarily CPU [4:22] replacement so that's it for today and [4:24] as always I hope you learned something [4:25] and if you're designing systems [4:27] designing cool cooling systems thermal [4:29] systems I really hope you learned [4:31] something from Apple's design on how to [4:33] put together a proper cooling system [4:35] within a laptop that's it for today and [4:37] as always I hope you learned something