NVMe overheating via USB-C

dulcificum · 23 Jan 2024 at 23:51

I have a 2TB Crucial P5 NVMe SSD which I want to image my OS onto and replace my existing smaller NVMe.

I'm using a cheap USB-C enclosure to attach the target SSD to the host machine. However, after abut 20-30 mins copying, the temp of the SSD being written to spikes to >80C and it keeps dropping the USB connection and failing the clone.

Is there something wrong with my SSD? Should it be getting this hot? And should I be worried that it keeps cutting off over USB?

dulcificum · 24 Jan 2024 at 00:35

On Holiday said:
NVMe's really aren't designed to be used at sustained load without "some" degree of cooling. If it's only temporary then get a desk fan pointing at it or something if you can, otherwise buy an enclosure with a fan.

The drive is going to put in my laptop as the main OS drive, that's why I'm concerned about the overheating.

dulcificum · 24 Jan 2024 at 10:34

CaNsA said:
What enclosure are you using?

I have a UGREEN one which uses the metal casing as a heatsink provided I use the thermal pads etc on the nvme.

Cheap crappy £10 one from Ebay. Do you think the drive will be okay in a laptop?

dulcificum · 24 Jan 2024 at 13:45

Tetras said:
Not ideal for a laptop, for sure, but once the laptop is running, you're not going to be copying for 20-30 minutes, I assume (i.e. it should be fine under normal usage).

For the record, even though the SSD is very hot, it could be the enclosure that's overheating.

I took the cover off the enclosure when I saw the temps to allow more airflow.

Orcvader said:
Depends if the laptop provides cooling for the m.2 drive. Some laptops I notice a thermal pad that goes between the drive and the chassis. Others don't have them at all.

No thermal pads on this one, just a sticker that doesn't seem to do anything.

dulcificum · 24 Jan 2024 at 19:54

ATIorNvidia said:
It's most likely the enclosures controller overheating and dropping connection. Regular throttling from the SSD should just drop the transfer speed.

I think enclosures with the rtl9210b chipset are the ones you want, preferrably with a metal case + thermal pad that actually makes contact with the outer case.

Thanks.

I'll take a punt and assume it's a ****** controller on the enclosure and it will be fine when I pry the back off.